Brazil 17.01.2019 - 19.01.2019

Brazil Day 7 17.01.2019
As we were setting off a little later this morning, I got up early to explore the Cerrado before breakfast, but the number of birds was generally fairly low. I did manage a couple of new species; Double-collared Seedeater and Gray-breasted Martin, for my efforts.
We moved into a different area today, to scout for any nests before erecting mist nets. We failed to find any Manakin nests, or any numbers of birds in general, but I had a great time attempting to photograph Sharp-tailed Streamcreepers. Towards the end of our mornings fieldwork we also got really nice views of Russet-mantle Foliage Gleaner, another new species. The highlight of the morning was a massive Owl butterfly landing on my face.

-Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper

-Caligo Butterfly Species

-Russet-mantled Foliage Gleaner

In the afternoon break, I continued to explore the farmland around our accommodation. I had recently discovered that the farm kept Cattle, so this seemed like a suitable place to find Cattle Tyrant. I was in luck, with three different individuals present. In addition I racked up a host of other new species for me (And American Kestrel for the trip); Rufous-thighed Hawk, Grassland Sparrow, Gray-fronted Dove, Palm Tanager, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, White-rumped Monjita and Crowned Slaty Flycatcher. Despite being the middle of the day it was cloudy for the most part meaning a lot more birds were out and about. This cloudy weather persisted into the afternoon, so we only spent an hour or so in the field putting up the mist nets for future use.

-Saffron Finch

-Grassland Sparrow

-Crowned Slaty Flycatcher

-Cattle Tyrant

-White-rumped Monjita

Species List:
Brasilia: Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Black-vulture, Roadside Hawk, Southern Caracara, American Kestrel, Red-legged Seriema, Southern Lapwing, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Picazuro Pigeon, Gray-fronted Dove, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Squirrel Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Burrowing Owl, Sick's Swift, Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, White-wedged Piculette, Campo Flicker, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Rufous Hornero, Russet-mantled Foliage Gleaner, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, White-rumped Monjita, Cattle Tyrant, Piratic Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Streaked Flycatcher, Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Helmeted Manakin, Curl-crested Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Gray-breasted Martin, Southern House Wren, Buff-breasted Wren, Veery, Pale-breasted Thrush, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Sayaca Tanager, Palm Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Grassland Sparrow, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellowfinch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater, Shiny Cowbird, Common Waxbill, House Sparrow,

Brazil Day 8 18.01.2019
We started early to make the most of the nets that we had set up yesterday. The ringing started slowly so I spent a bit of time birding the Cerrado, where I enjoyed a very large mixed flock moving through. For the first time I actually started paying attention to the flycatchers that I saw, given that they all looked the same I had, for the most part, ignored them. As a result I got two new species; Yellow-olive Flycatcher and Southern-beardless Tyrannulet, neither of which are particularly rare. An Orange-headed Tanager that we found in the woods was a bit more exciting, but sadly did not linger for a photo. The best bird we caught was a cracking Rufous-bellied Thrush, which behaved exactly the same as the thrushes at home; loud, boisterous and pooing everywhere. The only other new bird was a Common Tody Flycatcher, which was intermingled with the flock.

-Toco Toucan

-Yellow-olive Flycatcher

-Common Tody Flycatcher

In the afternoon I tried once again to see the Brasilia Tapaculo which lives at the bottom of the road. Once again it proved extremely elusive, but this time I did actually see the bird (birds head) singing away from the bottom of the ferns. It was so obscured that I did not even try to get a photo. Glad that I was finally able to see this species, the range of which is entirely restricted to the greater Brasilia area.
The afternoon clouded over and in the humidity the birdlife seemed to vanish as we caught no birds at all in the nets and the birding in the woodland and Cerrado was reduced to all but zero. A Sepia-capped Flycatcher was about the only bird, but it was another new species for me.

-Sepia-capped Flycatcher

Species List:
Brasilia: Plumbeous Kite, White-tailed Hawk, Southern Caracara, Red-legged Seriema, Ruddy Ground Dove, Picazuro Pigeon, Gray-fronted Dove, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Squirrel Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Barn Owl, Burrowing Owl, Sick's Swift, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Little Woodpecker, Variable Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Brasilia Tapaculo, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Russet-mantled Foliage Gleaner, Gray-hooded Flycatcher, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Southern Antpipit, Common Tody Flycatcher, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Helmeted Manakin, Grey-breasted Martin, Masked Gnatcatcher, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Pale-breasted Thrush, Bananaquit, Orange-headed Tanager, Gray-headed Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Guira Tanager, Rufous-collard Sparrow, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellowfinch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Buff-throated Saltator, White-bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, White-striped Warbler, House Sparrow,

Brazil Day 9 19.01.2019
Today was our first day where we took a day off to go birding, not going to the study site at all but instead visiting a number of other sites to target some of the more difficult species.
We set off at 06.00, and were immediately rewarded with a Pauraque flushed from the road, immediately recognisable by the large white stripes in the tail. We met up with one of Lia's birding friends, Edvaldo, who took us to a number of Cerrado sites. Our first stop was called the Altiplano Leste, an upland area of wooded savannah. As soon as we got out of the car we got great views of Cinereous Warbling Finch, Black-throated Saltator and our most wanted target; Horned Sungem. Sadly the Sungem remained extremely elusive and I was not able to get a clear view at this point, despite several sightings. Further exploration of the site yielded Pale-breasted Spinetail, Sedge Wren, a fantastic Blue-and-yellow Macaw and our other site target; Collard Cresentchest, which was a really stunning bird.

-Cinereous Warbling-finch

-Black-throated Saltator

-Collard Crescentchest

-Sedge Wren

After an hour or so at this point, we drove a kilometer or so down the road to another area of Cerrado. There were less birds here, but we still managed Plumbeous Seedeater, Crested Black-tyrant, White-eared Puffbird and a fantastic male Blue Finch.

-White-eared Puffbird

-Blue Finch

-Plumbeous Seedeater

We didn't stay here long. We drove further into the Cerrado to a number of horse paddocks where we were hoping for more views of Horned Sungem. We struggled at first, but had other birds to enjoy; Pearly-bellied Seedeater, White-vented Violetear and Eared Dove, before we finally got our bird. Finally we got the views of Horned Sungem that we had wanted. Despite being insanely close, it was always on the wrong side of the light, but after a bit of a wait, and the accompaniment of a female, both birds came into the sun side for fantastic views and an incredible performance, even chasing off a much bigger Swallow-tailed Hummingbird. One of the top ten birds I have ever seen, a real cracker.

-Horned Sungem

After this, and a spot of lunch, we headed off to the Brasilia Botanical Gardens for frilled coquette, but our lucky streak ran out and we failed. It was mid afternoon at this point, and the weather was extremely hot, with very few birds around. A flyover King Vulture was the only bird of any difference. With the weather so hot we decided to head back to our digs, via a McFlurry for our efforts. An awesome day out.
During the evening I headed out around the farm again. Toco Toucans seemed more abundant this evening, with more than ten in the tree outside our accommodation. There seemed to be an abundance of birds, coinciding with an abundance of small flies which made being out in the field extremely unpleasant. I lasted about half an hour, but in that time I managed two new species; Silver-beaked Tanager and Saffron-billed Sparrow, although it being a juvenile, it lacks the saffron bill which had me confused for a while.

-Toco Toucan

Species List:
Brasilia: Whistling Heron, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, King Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Plumbeous Kite, Roadside Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Southern Caracara, Red-legged Seriema, Southern Lapwing, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Feral Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Eared Dove, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Yellow-cheveroned Parakeet, Guira Cuckoo, Burrowing Owl, Pauraque, Little Nightjar, Sick's Swift, Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-throated Emerald, Horned Sungem, White-vented Violetear, White-eared Puffbird, White-wedged Piculette, Campo Flicker, Collared Crescentchest, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Rufous Hornero, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Crested Black-Tyrant, Cattle Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Blue-and-white Swallow, Grey-breasted Martin, Southern House Wren, Sedge Wren, Buff-breasted Wren, Pale-breasted Thrush, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Bananaquit, Gray-headed Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Silver-beaked Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Blue Finch, Cinereous Warbling-Finch, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellowfinch, Blue-black Grassquit, Plumbeous Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Pearly-bellied Seedeater, Saffron-billed Sparrow, Black-throated Saltator, House Sparrow,

Brazil 14.01.2019 - 16.01.2019

Brazil Day 4 14.01.2019
The morning was spent ringing in the area of forest that we set up the previous evening. There was very limited action in the nets but every species was interesting. We caught three Helmeted Manakins, our target, and then a number of species that I had not yet seen; Euler's Flycatcher, Green Schiffornis and Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin. Between net rounds we explored the forest looking for Helmeted Manakin nests. Once again we failed to find any but were fortunate enough to encounter a large mixed flock, which had a number of new species in it; Buff-breasted Wren, Buff-fronted Foliage Gleaner, Rufous-bellied Thrush and Black-capped Antwren were all new.
In the afternoon break I finally caught up with my first, identifiable, Hummingbird; a very nice male Fork-tailed Woodnymph. There were also a family of four Black-tufted Marmosets in the same area, as well as a dazzling pair of Saffron Finches.

-Fork-tailed Woodnymph

-Black-tufted Marmoset

In the afternoon we spent a short while looking for nests in a new area. We did not find any and because the sun was so hot there were not a great deal of birds around. A Buff-throated Saltator was the only new bird, but it was nice to see a Veery on the wintering grounds.
Because we had finished so early we headed out into the Cerrado for some birding, and here I enjoyed a plethra of new species; Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Wedge-tailed Seedfinch, White-tailed Hawk, King Vulture and Campo Flicker. It was a really enjoyable hour exploring a new habitat.

-Black Vulture

-King Vulture

-Campo Flicker

-Plain-crested Elaenia

Afterwards we headed into the nearby village for supplies. Since it was still daylight I took to opportunity to bird around and had a great time with the Burrowing Owls, as well as Epaulet Oriole and Yellow-cheveroned Parakeet both being new species. The day was topped off when two Red-legged Seriema came and visited us during our dinner.

-Burrowing Owl

-Aplomado Falcon

In the evening we were joined by the biggest Toad I have ever seen, although the species remains a mystery. We also had some success with the Tropical Screech-Owl which came and paid us a visit. 

-Toad

-Tropical Screech-Owl

Species List:
Brasilia: Black Vulture, King Vulture, Roadside Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Southern Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, Southern Lapwing, Red-legged Seriema, Ruddy Ground Dove, Picazuro Pigeon, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Yellow-cheveroned Parakeet, Squirrel Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Burrowing Owl, Sick's Swift, Campo Flicker, Little Woodpecker, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Variable Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage Gleaner, Euler's Flycatcher, Plain-crested Elaenia, Great Kiskadee, Piratic Flycatcher, Pale-bellied Tyrant Manakin, Helmeted Manakin, Green Schiffornis, Buff-breasted Wren, Masked Gnatcatcher, Veery, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Blue-and-white Swallow, Bananaquit, Black-goggled Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Saffron Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Epaulet Oriole, Flavescent Warbler, White-bellied Warbler, House Sparrow, Black-tufted Marmoset,

Brazil Day 5 15.01.2019
In the morning we headed out to the same area of forest that we had visited on our first day. We made rather swift tracks through the woods collecting the fake nests that had been put out on our last visit, and encountered rather little in the way of forest birds. A very showy White-throated Spadebill was the highlight, with a new bird in the form of a female White-lined Tanager. In the Cerrado before we entered the Gallery forest we also had a new hummingbird, only the second of the trip; Versicolor Emerald. During the afternoon Lia and myself searched a river for Manakin nests but we failed to find any new active nests. Birding on the whole was fairly quiet, with the Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper the highlight, and White-striped Warbler the only new species.

-Versicolor Emerald

-White-throated Spadebill

-Plumbeous Kite

-Dragonfly

We wrapped up our afternoon fairly early, and were back at the digs at around 17.00. I decided to head out and explore the farm a bit more, way out to the back where we had purchased some bananas at lunchtime. It was an amazing birding experience, as the farmers had just cut the fields, leaving them open for birds to come and scavenge. In the end I recorded 12 new species; Scaled Dove, Guira Cuckoo, Violaceous Euphonia, Whistling Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Yellow-headed Caracara, Hepatic Tanager, Shiny Cowbird, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Grey-necked Wood-rail and Peach-fronted Parakeet. I think the farm has great potential for future birding, and I'm optimistic that there will be more new birds around there.

-Violaceous Euphonia

-Whistling Heron

-Buff-necked Ibis

-Smooth-billed Ani

-Yellow-headed Caracara

-Red-legged Seriema

-Rufous Hornero

Species List:
Brasilia: Whistling Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Black Vulture, Plumbeous Kite, Southern Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, Red-legged Seriema, Southern Lapwing, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Picazuro Pigeon, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Yellow-cheveroned Parakeet, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Smooth-billed Ani, Guira Cuckoo, Sick's Swift, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Versicolor Emerald, Ringed Kingfisher, Rufous-capped Motmot, Campo Flicker, Variable Antshrike, Rufous Hornero, Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, White-throated Spadebill, Piratic Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Helmeted Manakin, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Blue-and-white Swallow, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Bananaquit, Hepatic Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Saffron Finch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, White-bellied Warbler, White-striped Warbler, Shiny Cowbird, Violaceous Euphonia, House Sparrow,

Brazil Day 6 16.01.2019
We had a more relaxed day today, with the morning spent ringing before taking an extended break during the midday heat before running some chores around Brasilia, allowing me to get to see the city that I have called home this last week.
The ringing was slow with just a single new Helmeted Manakin, a green individual. The only other bird we caught was a female hummingbird; a Glittering-throated Emerald, which was a pretty bonkers bird to look at. There were a number of new species in the Cerrado during the morning; Sayaca Tanager, Chivi Vireo, White-winged Becard, Red-crested Finch, Curl-crested Jay, Streaked Xenops, but the highlight was a very boistrous pair of Crimson-crested Woodpeckers which spent the morning around the ringing station.

-Crimson-crested Woodpecker

During our afternoon break I explored the farmland around the field centre, but the heat of the day had clearly taken its toll on the birdlife. The undoubted highlight, of course, was finally adding Cattle Egret to my Brazil list. The best new bird was a very nice White-tailed Kite, although a couple of Grassland Yellowfinches were also pretty smart.

-Grassland Yellowfinch

-Black-tufted Marmoset

-Red-legged Seriema

-White-tailed Kite

It was cool to explore the city during the late afternoon. I have to say that Brasilia is very well organised, which makes sense given how recently the city was developed.

Species List;
Brasilia: Cattle Egret, Whistling Heron, Black Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Southern Caracara, Red-legged Seriema, Southern Lapwing, Ruddy Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Feral Pigeon, Picazuro Pigeon, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Yellow- cheveroned Parakeet, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot, Squirrel Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani, Burrowing Owl, Little Nightjar, Sick's Swift, Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Glittering-throated Emerald, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Variable Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Rufous Hornero, Streaked Xenops, Gray-hooded Flycatcher, Piratic Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Helmeted Manakin, White-winged Becard, Chivi Vireo, Curl-crested Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Southern House Wren, Black-goggled Tanager, Gray-headed Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Guira Tanager, Rufous-collard Sparrow, Saffron Finch, Grassland Yellowfinch, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Red-crested Finch, Violaceous Euphonia, House Sparrow, Black-tufted Marmoset,