Brazil with Bird's Wildlife & Nature - 14th and 15th June 2023

14th June:  Unbelievably it was even colder when we got up at Jardim and headed out on our final walk before lunch. Ten centigrade required four layers! The forest was quiet and subdued and Eduardo was disappointed with our tally but for us it was still a memorable morning with another ten new finds.  

A male Purple Throated Euphonia 

Ant-thingies were again a main feature with 11 species encountered of which White-Shouldered and Amazonian Antshrikes and Rusty Antwren were firsts and we got better views of Amazonian Streaked Antwrens and Rondonia Warbling Antbird too. A Grey Crowned Flycatcher popped into view and Chivi Vireo (a split from Red-eyed), Reddish Hermit and Grey-chested Greenlet all moved through the trails although at least the latter showed for more than a couple of seconds!

A very large shiny black Ant but did not feel like a Bullet?

I rescued this large Wasp from a puddle

Termites!

A very large flowered, spiny leaves and stemmed Solanum that resembles S pyrancanthus but isn't!

One of the red Passionflowers 

A very large Shieldbug - note the paucity of bird pictures!

Grey-chested Greenlet

Grey-chested Greenlet

Rondonia Warbling Antbird - it was very gloomy

A large Tanager flock gave us even better views of Swallow, Yellow-backed and Flame Crested and a pair of Pink-throated Becards were equally showy in the same foraging party.  Olivaceous, Straight-billed and Buff-throated Woodcreepers were all in one small area and the Point-tailed Palmcreepers were poking around the palm crowns in two spots and both Nunbirds were in parties gleaning the trails which were peppered with fresh Tapir tracks.  

For the first time all trip we had to navigate some tall grass and thankfully I was back marking and avoided picking up the heaving bundles of microscopic ticks questing from the very tips!  Once out the other side of this ten meter stretch there was some frantic taping of trousers and waist bands with a roll that Eduardo always carried with him. 

Ticklets - try not to think about it

We finished up with wonderful views of a small party of Santaren Parakeets in a marshy area where Yellow-crowned Tyrannulets dashed out from the emergent small trees and Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrants and Bar-breasted Piculets searched for food alongside Rufous Tailed Jacamars that dwarfed them.  

Santaren Parakeet

Santaren Parakeet

Rufous Tailed Jacamar

Rufous Tailed Jacamar

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet - notice how fluffed up everything was

 Bar-breasted Piculet

 Bar-breasted Piculet

Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant - the smallest passerine in the world

Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrants

All the Swallows were all finding it very taxing once again while a female Chestnut-bellied Seedeater was a surprise as it moved around the vines where several dejected Swallow-wings were sat huddled.

Grey Breasted Martins - not happy

Grey Breasted Martins

Grey Breasted Martins

White-winged Swallows were a little bit more chipper!

Swallow-wing Puffbird - miserable!

Shiny Cowbird and Rusty Margined Flycatcher

Drab Water Tyrant

Greater Yellow-headed Vulture

Ringed Kingfisher

Before too long it was time for lunch and the final pack and then we bid our farewells to the magical Jardim before hitting the long and tedious road back to Cuiaba and our first flight towards home.

There were some birds to be seen with Toco Toucans, Eared Doves, Greater Rheas, Southern Crested Caracaras and Blue and Yellow Macaws and a sneak couple of Least Grebes found their way onto the burgeoning list.

Rain descended before dark and we boarded to São Paulo in a downpour and then left the plane with the heavens still releasing their payload.  It was cold and after midnight as we were driven to our hotel for the night.  The noise and lights of the city and the vertical rain made for a restless final night.

15th June:  Homeward bound after breakfast in São Paulo but we all did balcony watching and despite the weather still found more birds!  Plain Parakeets picked the pink trumpet flowers and the usual Great Kiskadees and Chalk-browed Mockingbirds were flycatching with Palm and Sayaca Tanagers, after an emergence of May-type flies while Pale Breasted and Rufous Bellied Thrushes probed the lawns.  Swallow-tailed and Glittering Bellied Emeralds sat dejected and damp and Blue and White Swallows zipped through the trees.  A Common Gallinule became the very last new bird of the trip taking us to a fantastic 418 species.

Plain Parakeets

Pale Breasted Thrush

Chalk-browed Mockingbird

Our journey home via Madrid was fairly painless after a truly memorable experience.  Visiting three such diverse habitats meant that there was always something new and exciting to see.  But it was not just about the birds.  With Jaguars, Capybaras, Caiman, primates, a kaleidoscope of Butterflies and other inverts, wonderful orchids, tasty food and great company; it was a trip to cherish.  Our thanks to the mighty Eduardo Patrial and our seemingly tireless driver Amilton for making the venture as seamless as possible.