Brazil with Bird's Wildlife & Nature - 13th June 2023

It rained overnight at Jardim and it was a far cooler morning but we were soon back on the same trails as the previous evening but as expected there was still so much new to see although the falling temperature were making it slightly more tricky. Grey-breasted Sabrewing showed well along with Black-eared Fairy, a male Dot-eared Coquette and male Ruby Topaz. The last three were all new finds and the Coquette was the first male Eduardo had ever seen. It was just a pity that the light was so grim.

Ruby Topaz there were glimpses of colour but with no sun it stayed subdued for most of the time

Yellow-crowned Amazons noisily called as they flew over with the usual Blue-heads and Macaws and a pair of magnificent Red-necked Woodpeckers were first located by the loud double tap before flying to a closer tree and playing peek-a-boo with us.

Red-Shouldered Macaw

Red-necked Woodpecker

Red-necked Woodpecker

It was a walk dominated by birds with Ant in their name and White-flanked Antwren, Chestnut-tailed, Grey and Black-throated Antbirds and the difficult and super speedy Ringed Antpipit all seen as it zipped back and forth across the path.   I think most of the crew only felt it as it went by but thankfully it did perch up for a couple of us. There were four new Manakins with Snow-capped, White Bearded, Fiery Capped and Dwarf Tyrant found.

Fiery Capped Manakin

Not got to the bottom if this yet.

Black-crowned and Black-tailed Tityras were seen in the trees tops along with the canopy loving trilling Tooth-billed Wren which apparently is a species that even some of the big world listers have not seen yet and down in the understorey we tried very hard to see Snethlage’s Tody Tyrant and the wondrously named Flammulated Bamboo Pygmy Tyrant and the long billed Chattering Gnat-Wrens.

Tooth-billed Wren

Flame-crested Tanagers were added to the ever growing tally of this large family along with nearly all the species seen over the previous walks and Purple and Red-legged Honeycreepers were noted.  It was exhausting but eventually rewarding. 

Black-faced Nunbird

White-faced Nunbird

Palm and Swallow Tanagers

We staggered back in for lunch but the even chillier (!) weather precluded any sort of swim but a walk up the road gave views of a Screaming Piha, Natterer’s Slaty Antshrike and a male White-throated Sapphire while a troop of Black-tailed Marmosets leapt across the road.

White-throated Sapphire

Screaming Piha

Selective erosion had left these water rounded pebbles on little earth pinnacles 

The White-banded Swallows were really struggling and were sitting around on the ground and most of the Flycatchers were quite lethargic.

Rusty Margined Flycatchers

Rusty Margined Flycatcher

White-banded Swallow

White-banded Swallow

Silver-beaked Tanager - female

Silver-beaked Tanager nest

Silver-beaked Tanagers were enjoying the sprinklers

Fledgling Ruddy Ground Dove - it was dinky

There was time before the final boat trip to look again for Band-tailed Antbirds by the riverbank and this time they showed splendidly, rarely more an a foot off the ground. A group of Swallow Tanagers also showed incredibly well. 

Drab Water Tyrant

Swallow Tanager

Swallow Tanager

The boat trip was frustrating in the ever cooling conditions but our perseverance paid off with both Amazonian Streaked Antwrens and Silvered Antbirds working their way along the riverbank but a walk in the woods only added a male Bay-headed Tanager and little else.

The Monkey skull

Pyrostegia venusta

Caladium bicolor

Turnera subulata

Lesser Kiskadee

Can't find a name for this one yet

I do like a Muscovy Duck

Fly mines

We returned chilled and window shutters were pulled across and blankets were hoiked out to try to keep warm – not something any of us were expecting in Brazil!  It was genuinely uncomfortable and we even had to layer up to eat dinner in the open dining area but it had still been an amazing day.