There were a few places in Sao Francisco de Paula where we wanted to check, but the birding started nice and relaxed at our lodging where Roberto had set up a lively feeding station, freshly stocked at 06:00 in the morning. And it was an excellent setup with Chestnut-backed Tanagers, Azure-shouldered Tanagers and one of our key targets for this location; Green-chinned Euphonia. He also has another setup in a different location where there was more seed as well as fruits. Roberto took us to this setup saying that a family of Azaras Agouti had been visiting. We did get phenomenal views of the Agouti, including the juvenile, but they were overshadowed by an incredibly tame Brown Tinamou that came to feed on the seed, the best views I have ever had of any Tinamou ever.
After a 09:00 breakfast, Roberto took us out to a few sites
for a mornings guiding. There was only one bird we really wanted however, the
Swallow-tailed Cotinga. During my research for the trip I had discovered that
there was an active nest of this species nearby, so finding out that the hostel
proprietor was a bird guide was an incredible stroke of luck, and he took us to
see the nest. We watched it for just under an hour, with a bird always sat on
the nest and occasionally a changeover would take place. I have waited so long
to see this species, one of the most beautiful birds in all South America, and
it did not disappoint.
Before lunch Roberto also took us to see a nest of
Short-tailed Nighthawk, which meant I finally got to see this species as
something more than a silhouette flying at dusk. Near to this we also worked to
find Ochre-breasted Pipit, and endangered species restricted to old growth
pasture in this area. We did have excellent views of three birds displaying and
another perched on the ground. This rounded off a truly brilliant mornings
birding.
In the afternoon we set out alone. It was extremely hot so
did not head back out until after 16:00. We chose to bird an open road through
a series of small marshes and pastures to try and get better views of some
species we had already seen. As soon as we arrived we had a stunning male
Long-winged Harrier gliding over the marsh, and we quickly picked up another
Saffron-cowled Blackbird. A Long-tailed Cinclodes, a species had hoped we would
encounter during the afternoon, showed extremely well. And to top it all off,
we had fantastic flyby views of a few small groups of the Red-spectacled
Amazon, a species which I really did not think we would find at this time of
year.
An absolutely fantastic days birding to round out 2022!
Happy New Year everybody!
São Francisco de Paula: Brown Tinamou, Red-winged Tinamou, Spotted Nothura, Yellow-billed Teal, Dusky-legged Guan, Picazuro Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Eared Dove, Guira Cuckoo, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Sick's Swift, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Rufous-sided Crake, Southern Lapwing, Green Ibis, Buff-necked Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Long-winged Harrier, Roadside Hawk, Green-billed Toucan, Campo Flicker, Crested Caracara, Chimango Caracara, Monk Parakeet, Pileated Parrot, Vinaceous-breasted Amazon, Red-spectacled Amazon, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Variable Antshrike, Planalto Woodcreeper, Rufous Hornero, Long-tailed Cinclodes, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Olive Spinetail, Grey-bellied Spinetail, Spix's Spinetail, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, Olivaceous Elaenia, White-crested Tyrannulet, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Azure Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Brown-chested Martin, White-rumped Swallow, House Wren, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Ochre-breasted Pipit, Green-chinned Euphonia, Hooded Siskin, Grassland Sparrow, Rufous-collared Sparrow, White-browed Blackbird, Golden-winged Cacique, Chopi Blackbird, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Southern Yellowthroat, Tropical Parula, White-rimmed Warbler, Red-crested Cardinal, Grey-throated Warbling Finch, Diademed Tanager, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Chestnut-backed Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Uniform Finch, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellow Finch, Lesser Grass Finch, Pampa Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Double-collared Seedeater, Bananaquit,
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