Blue Eyed Birder: Brazil with Bird's Wildlife & Nature

Two Toco Toucans and a gang of Lettered Aracaris greeted us as we boarded the bus after breakfast and a Narrow-billed Woodcreeper joined the species we, even now, thought of a ‘usuals’.

Toco Toucans

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper

We headed back to the viewpoints over the Geodesic centre of the entire South American continent. The vista was immense and left us speechless. You could even see the curvature of the earth.

The curvature is particularly noticeable in this one

Blue Finch was our target here but this tricky bird eluded us but there was nothing to be disappointed about as pairs of flamboyant Crested Black Tyrants sallied forth from bare perches flashing pied wings and wispy crests and the delightful Wedge-tailed Grassfinch came and sang close by.

Crested Black Tyrants

Wedge-tailed Grassfinch

A familiar tick-tocking reached us and those of us who had been to Costa Rica remembered the Violetears but this was the different White-vented species. An Aplomado Falcon flew through and ginger Cliff Flycatchers were at home on the red rock faces. We scanned the plains below and the cliff side forests but only found a few Red and Green Macaws, Vultures and both Southern and Yellow-headed Caracaras. A pair of Channel Billed Toucans serenaded each other from a sunny snag.

Southern Crested Caracara

Channel Billed Toucan

White-vented Violetear

Peach-fronted Parakeet

The slopes held Red-crested Finches, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, White-eared Puffbirds, Plain Crested Elaenia, Black-throated Saltator and what would be our only Rufous Collared Sparrow of the trip.

Rufous Collared Sparrow

The afternoon was spent on the Trilha do Matão forest trails where a gang of stunning Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers bounded around us as we arrived. Undulated and Tataupa Tinamous called around us; the latter of which were very close at times and the briefest of views were had. Moustached Wrens, Flavescent and White-bellied Warblers sung from the sultry forest.

Any help on this pea-like flower appreciated

Yellow-tufted Woodpecker

Ruellia sp

The trail popped out on the very edge of the escarpment and an out of place pair of Sooty Grassquits were in the margins while all around, above and way down below thousands of Dragonflies – a Hawker of some sort – patrolled for insect prey caught in the updraft.

Cuiaba way off in the distance

Jane hanging around...

The walk back gave us Planalto Slaty Ant-Shrikes and Fork-tailed Woodnymphs before the heat got the better of us and we escaped for lunch at the same fine taverna as yesterday after which we returned to Pousada do Parque for a swim in the pool where we were greeted by no less than seven outrageous White Woodpeckers that even came down to a water filled hole in a tree next to us and had a bath of their own and kept the Chopi Blackbirds and Purplish Jays from joining in while a Grey Breasted Sabrewing and Glittering Bellied Emeralds were seen whilst we were floating about and Dragonflies in shades of red and lilac zipped around our heads. As for Jane's deadfall drop into the pool! I laughed but don't think I was meant to!

White Woodpeckers - lots of pics but such a magical encounter

Grey Breasted Sabrewing

Black-throated Mango

Glittering Bellied Emerald

A Rufous Hornero fossicking

We headed back out in the afternoon for a second bite at the Agua Fria track at dusk and had more good views of the local Flycatchers and Tanagers and added Swainson’s Flycatcher to the mix. Curl-crested Jays, Blue-winged Macaws and Peach-fronted Parakeets headed off to roost and a Burrowing Owl popped up on the wires.

Suiriri Flycatcher - often in pairs and interacted with lots of noise and wing waving

Chapada Flycatcher

Swainson's Flycatcher

White-rumped Tanager

Burrowing Owl

Duguetia furfuracea

We were hoping for some mammal action on the long track in front but nothing appeared but both Red-winged and Small-billed Tinamous started singing as the light faded. It was a wonderful way to round up the day.