Atlantic Rainforest birding at its best!

BIRDING BRAZIL’S ATLANTIC RAINFOREST, 6th – 13th October 2024

Andy Foster’s Serra dos Tucanos Birding Tours latest birding tour at Eco Lodge Itororó  Check out the numbers: Totals for the week were as follows:

Total number of seen species: 264
Total number of heard only species: 23

For a full and detailed report, click the button bellow to download.

 

DAILY ACCOUNT

SUNDAY 6TH OCTOBER

The group were all waiting in the arrivals area of Rio de Janeiro’s GIG airport for their transfer up to Itororo Lodge at 10.00. The transfer left promptly and by 12.30 they had arrived at Itororo Lodge, our base for the next 8 days!

Itororo Lodge is located in its own 50 acres of secondary and primary Atlantic Rainforest with over 200 species of birds recorded in the lodge grounds, it’s also strategically located to be able to easily reach the whole elevational range of the Serra do Mar Mountains from 50m – 2300m above sea level, therefore giving easy access to a wide and diverse variety of bird species.

As usual, as soon as the group left the minibus the birding action begun! Being midday, the feeders were a little quiet but our first birds of the tour included Burnished-buff Tanager, Dusky-legged Guan, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Ruby-crowned Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager, Black-goggled Tanager, Giant Cowbird, Plain Parakeet, Sayaca Tanager and hummingbirds including Violet-capped Woodnymph, White-throated Hummingbird and Brazilian Ruby.

Prior to lunch, everyone was shown to their rooms. Lunch was served at 13.00 and whilst the first people were serving themselves I spotted a Swallow-tailed Cotinga in a nearby tree, everyone abandoned their plates and headed to the deck for great views of this wonderful bird!

With lunch finished, we had a quick briefing about the week ahead and took a short break before heading out into the lodge grounds and onto the White Trail. We had a great afternoon’s birding with many new species, these included Spot-billed Toucanet, Hooded Siskin, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Orange-eyed Thornbird, Bertoni’s Antbird, Ochre-faced Tody Flycatcher, Streaked Xenops, Rufous-capped Spinetail, Bare-throated Bellbird and as we arrived at the end of the White Trail, a Such’s Antthrush! Not everyone managed to see the Antthrush as it walked across the path, so we headed into the newly built hide and used some playback, calling the Antthrush out just enough for everyone to see it. Next up we used some playback to call in a Half-collared Sparrow, which came in to feed on some corn left on the ground, again, great views of this Atlantic Rainforest endemic from the hide!

Further down the track I used some playback to call in a pair of Plain Antvireos and then to our surprise two trogons flew in, amazingly, one of each species, a male Surucua Trogon and a male Black-throated Trogon, very nice! Next up we used a little playback to call in a pair of Blond-crested Woodpeckers, which showed briefly but with better views required.

Nearing the lodge, we came across a small mixed flock that included Scaled Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager and a Streaked Xenops.

We returned to the lodge around 17.40 and completed our first daily checklist of the tour. Soon afterwards we took a short walk up to the start of the White Trail again to look for the Long-trained Nightjar and as usual, just after 18.00, the Nightjar arrived, flew around a couple of times and landed on its usual spot, giving the whole group great views! Shortly afterwards we took a short walk down towards the pond, used some playback for Rusty-barred Owl, minutes later we were having great views of this large owl, the perfect way to end the first day of the tour!

Dinner was served at 18.30.

MONDAY 7TH OCTOBER

Our first full day of the tour saw us heading down to the Tres Picos State Park and an altitude of just over 300m. We departed shortly after breakfast and arrived at the park some 50 minutes later. We spent the first 30 minutes birding by the Park entrance, picking up Green-headed Tanager, Sombre Hummingbird, Black Jacobin, Palm Tanager, White-collared Swift, Rufous-thighed Kite, Plain Parakeet, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Yellow-olive Flatbill, a nice male White-barred Piculet, a pair of Streak-capped Antwrens, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Star-throated Antwren, Swallow Tanager, Plain-winged Woodcreeper and a Whiskered Flycatcher, not a bad start at all! … (continues)

 

 

Below are some photos from the tour!

Photo Credits: Andy Foster