British birders Alan Davies and Ruth Miller (on the right of the picture)) are mid way through an attempt to beat the record for the highest number of bird species seen in a year (currently 3,662). As they go they are also raising awareness of the importance of conserving the habitats birds live in, and raising money for conservation. They write:

“Since arriving here, we’ve birded a few of the trails at REGUA with Adilei and a Dutch couple, Anja and Roy, who have a lifelist of over 5,000 species, so we’ve been in very good company. On just one day walking the trails here, we saw 106 species which is testament to the fantastic habitat at REGUA, not just the pristine forest but also the incredibly wildlife-rich restored wetland area. Some of the key species that we added to our list are Black-cheeked Gnateater, Blue Manakin, Shrike-like Cotinga, Spot-billed Toucanet and Masked Duck to name just a few. In only two birding days, we’ve added 61 new species for the year, an incredible result putting our total year list at 2,726. This is such a great place to be based – very comfortable accommodation, plenty of delicious home-made food, very friendly and welcoming staff, excellent trails, and of course, such a great welcome from Nicholas and Raquel who really make you feel at home here. In fact, it’ll be hard to leave.”

To follow Alan and Ruth’s adventures visit www.thebiggesttwitch.com.