August marks the beginning of the breeding season in south-east Brazil and by September many birds are already feeding young. There’s been plenty of wet and windy spells but this hasn’t stopped us seeing some fantastic birds! Several cotinga species have been showing well, including Red-ruffed Fruitcrows (August is the peak month for sightings), Swallow-tailed Cotingas on the Waterfall Trail and singing male Shrike-like Cotingas on the Waterfall Trail and Elfin Forest Trail. There’s also been some excellent night-birding, including a most intriging record of several Nacunda Nighthawks seen along the road from REGUA to Guapimirim by an Ornitholodays group. Highlights for the main trails include:
4×4 Track to Casa Anibal: Saw-billed Hermit, Frilled Coquette, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Channel-billed Toucan, Spot-billed Toucanet, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Slaty Bristlefront, Pale-browed Treehunter, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Bare-throated Bellbird, Green-backed Becard, Yellow-green Grosbeak and Green-winged Saltator. No sign of any Eastern Striped Manakins though!
Elfin Forest Trail: It’s been very windy up on this trail of late, but Blue-bellied Parrot, Least Pygmy-Owl, Buff-bellied Puffbird, Saffron Toucanet, Salvadori’s Antwren, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Black-billed Scythebill, White-browed Foliage-gleaner and Shrike-like Cotinga (around post 950m) were amongst the birds seen.
Onofre Cunha Trail: This trail continues to produce excellent night-birding. To reduce the impact from visiting birders we are now restricting visits to fixed departures. Highlights include: South American Snipe, Giant Snipe, Tawny-browed Owl, Mottled Owl, 3 Black-banded Owls, Burrowing Owl, Long-tailed Potoo and Common Potoo.
São José Trail: Rufous-capped Motmot, Giant Antshrike, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Southern Antpipit, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant and Red-ruffed Fruitcrow.
Waldenoor and Veludo Trail: Mantled Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Plain Parakeet, Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Saw-billed Hermit, Frilled Coquette, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Tufted Antshrike, Variable Antshrike, Scaled Antbird, Spotted Bamboowren, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Velvety Black-Tyrant, Piratic Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Variegated Flycatcher, Black-crowned Tityra, Black-tailed Tityra, Green-backed Becard, Temminck’s Seedeater and Sooty Grassquit.
Waterfall Trail: White-necked Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Least Pygmy-Owl, Long-tailed Potoo, Saw-billed Hermit, Reddish Hermit, Rufous-capped Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Spot-billed Toucanet, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Sooretama Slaty Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Salvadori’s Antwren, Ferruginous Antbird, Scaled Antbird, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, White-throated Woodcreeper, Planalto Woodcreeper, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper (at the waterfall), Plain Xenops, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Greyish Mourner, Large-headed Flatbill, Grey-hooded Attila, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Bare-throated Bellbird, Pin-tailed Manakin (including a lek), Sharpbill, Shrike-like Cotinga, White-necked Thrush, Olive-green Tanager and Black-throated Grosbeak.
Wetland, adjacent forest trails and lodge garden: Plenty of Masked Duck, several Rusty-margined Guans coming to feeders in the lodge garden, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Capped Heron, Grey-headed Kite, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Laughing Falcon, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Russet-crowned Crake, Rufous-sided Crake, Ash-throated Crake, Blackish Rail, Solitary Sandpiper, Scaled Dove, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Striped Cuckoo, Tropical Screech-Owl, Tawny-browed Owl (around the REGUA office), Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Striped Owl, Common Potoo, Reddish Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Channel-billed Toucan, White Woodpecker, Green-barred Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Sooretama Slaty Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren, Unicoloured Antwren, Rufous-winged Antwren, Scaled Antbird, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Wing-banded Hornero, Southern Antpipit, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Euler’s Flycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Lemon-chested Greenlet, Moustached Wren, Long-billed Wren, Black-capped Donacobius, Hooded Tanager, Swallow-Tanager, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, Pileated Finch and Crested Oropendola (in the lodge garden).