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

Dawn at Mata Grosso saw both the Nighthawks still cruising the river and Grey Cowled Woodrail, Sunbittern (now I know what they sound like), Curassows and Chachalacas all sung in the new day along with countless small invisible frogs.

Grey Cowled Woodrail

A pre-breakfast walk took us into the surrounding dry countryside where a good selection of species were found and both Rusty-fronted and Great Thornbirds and Chotoy Spinetail gave great views along the track along with Variable Orioles, Conebills and a smart little Golden Green Woodpecker which posed briefly in the closest tree.

Short-crested Flycatcher

Variable Oriole

Vermillion Flycatcher

Striped Cuckoos were singing from the scrub but never came close enough to give us a fighting chance and once again the number of Tapir tracks was somewhat frustrating! Turquoise-fronted and Orange-winged Amazons moved over from their night time roost and Grey Saltators sang from high points. The light was fantastic.

Grey Saltator

A couple of Roadside Hawks posed nicely and a pair of Rufous-backed Antwrens foraged in the verge and showed as well as they did in the Chapada. The male was especially smart. Chaco Chacalacas and Grey Cowled Woodrails appeared on the path but time was pushing on and breakfast called.

Roadside Hawk

Rufous-backed Antwren

Rufous-backed Antwrens

Rufous-backed Antwren

Tapir tracks

As ever there was a little time before everyone was on the bus and it gave us the chance to watch the birds outside the rooms with booming Bare-faced Curassows in the scrub, both Buff-necked and Plumbeous Ibises probing the gardens while some spilt grain was bringing down Red-crested Cardinals, Greyish Baywings and Saffron Finches while Cattle Tyrants strode around and Great Kiskadees watched from the wires with Tropical Kingbirds and Vermillion Flycatchers. A female Hummer joined them a was identified as a Blue-eared Starthroat – our second of the trip and Grey Crested Cachalotes and Thrush-like Wrens foraged around the borders.

Grey Crested Cachalote - so Woody Woodpecker like - without being a Woodpecker

Thrush-like Wren

Tropical Kingbird

Tropical Kingbird - sometimes you forget to look at the 'common' birds

Great Kiskadee

Vermillion Flycatcher

Four species

A fine selection

Red-crested Cardinal, Saffron Finches and Baywings

Saffron Finches and Baywings

Garden Ibis

Chaco Chachalaca

Grey-breasted Martin

Picazuro Pigeons

Scaled Dove

Green Kingfisher

Blue-eared Starthroat

We hit the road once more passing the usual wondrous assortment of roadside birds of which we never tired with good views of the scarcer Capped Herons and Roseate Spoonbills but also managed to see both Red and Grey Brocket Deer, a couple of Agoutis and several dashing Cavies.

The turn off on to the road down to Pousada Piuval took us through some amazing termite mound fields that would require investigation and Hyacinth Macaws followed us down to our rather splendid lodge which overlooked a vast open wet savannah with shallow, bird filled pools.

I am sure I had the honeymoon suite - it had a hot tub

We off loaded our gear and headed straight out for a short walk out the back where the very localised White Fronted Woodpecker was our prime target and we soon had one in view as it diligently poked around under a tree limb. A very smart species that we were fortunate to see. We kept our distance but got slightly damp feet in the process; it is normally a lot dryer by now but the water made the birding so much more rewarding.

White Fronted Woodpecker

Green and Bare-faced Ibis fed in the wet fields and Whistling Herons with their bi-coloured bills became our umpteenth heron.

Bare-faced Ibis

Little Blue Heron

Plumbeous Ibis

Whistling Heron

The lagoon was home to over 100 vaguely roosting Nacunda Nighthawks, Pied and Southern Lapwings, Brazilian Teal and Muscovy Ducks, strutting Greater Rheas and our first proper wader selection added Collared Plovers, five Stilt Sandpipers, White-rumped Sandpipers and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs while Black Skimmers half-heartedly did their thing with Large Billed Terns for company.

Nacunda Nighthawks - I am not one for multiple pics but these birds and the light combined rather well. I can only imagine what a DSLR could have achieved.

Brazilian Teal

Stilt Sands. White Rumped sands and Lesser Legs - oh and a large reptile

Collared Plover and Nacunda Nighthawk

Lesser Yellowlegs

Collared Plover

White-backed Stilt

Lesser Yellowlegs

White-backed Stilt

Southern Lapwing - not noticed those spurs before

Southern Lapwing

Black Skimmers and Large Billed Tern

1w Large Billed Tern

Neotropic Cormorant

Neotropic Cormorant and Great White Egret

Greater Rhea and five friends

Greater Rhea

The Greater Rheas always ran to cross the open water

Rufous Hornero

Chopi Cowbird

Giant Cowbird

Saffron Finch

The Little Heron was back on its post when we went back out

Two subsequent walks through the dry woodland were superb although the birds were a little tricky at times to see but with some perseverance we saw Cinnamon Throated Hermit, Short-crested Flycatchers, Rufous Vented Conebills, White-wedged Piculets and a pair of smart Black-bellied Antwrens. Yellow-olive Flatbills were seen well along with Bananaquits and Forest Elaenias.

Roadside Hawk

Chalk-browed Mockingbird

Thrush-like Wren

Short-crested Flycatcher

Ludwigia octovalivis

Macroptilium kathyroides

Melochia villosa

Portaluca pilosa

Bidens gardeneri

Hibiscus sp

Centrosema virginianum

Senna siama

Senna siama flowers and pods

I have had a go at finding names for the plants and flowers but if anyone can correct or add anything I would be grateful. oh and Butterflies too.

A floating viewpoint overlooking the vast marshlands revealed many Striated Herons, yellow eyed Greater Anis and a couple of us even managed to see a singing Grey-breasted Crake in amongst the Water Hyacinth. The two Amazon species moved off as the light fell and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Cattle Egrets moved through towards their own night time homes. Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures were still quartering as the light fell.

Jaguar tracks

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

Crested Caracara

Snail Kite

Greater Ani

Cattle Egrets

Rufescent Tiger Heron

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

We had to balance the floating platform out!

A vast Monk Parakeet nest about 10m deep was capped off by a pair of nesting Jabiru before the bump back at dusk with the first Pauraque on the track and a Great Horned Owl watched us briefly from an overhang.

A giant Monk Parakeet Boot Nest

Time for dinner and then a proper night drive but it was hard work trying to follow eyeshine in the lamp lights with many disappearing Pauraque and a single Crab Eating Fox and a couple of Brazilian Cottontails. The Great Horned Owl was back on his branch and even let us stop for a good look before silently sloping off. There was however a magic encounter both on the way in and out of a male Scissor Tailed Nightjar that flounced around in the spotlight trying to catch moths while his streamers waggled behind him. Surely one of the moments of the trip.

Great Horned Owl

Brazilian Cottontail after a close shave with the Great Horned Owl

Nacunda Nighthawks were out hunting as we neared the lodge and the Lesser Bulldog Bats were putting on a show over the ornamental ponds while Capybara noisily grazed the mown lawns. Big Night Heron eyes glowed as they fed where Lapwings had only two hours before.

Lesser Bulldog Bats

After dinner a huge Water Scorpion was found on the path, attracted to the lights. Our British ones get to just over an inch; this one was seven inches long and formidably armed! I rescued it and carefully plopped it back in the ditch where Caimen eyes reflected back at me.

A tiny Gecko

Blue Eyed Birder

Thursday 19 October 2023

Brazil with Bird's Wildlife & Nature - 10th June 2023

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