Colombia Day 3, August 25. The Paramo, oh boy....

Colombia Day 3. The Paramo, oh boy….

Despite the Spartan accommodations at Rio Blanco, I woke up refreshed and ready to go. We had a great breakfast and headed back up the hill where we had finished the day before. We parked at a site where workers maintain a water distribution system. Pablo played a tape and a small flock of one of my favorite birds flew in, White-capped Tanagers. These are really spectacular looking birds! Unfortunately my photos were probably the worst I took on the trip, which is saying a lot! Here is a link to a couple of Martin’s photos from my first trip to Ecuador. http://tinyurl.com/n9koml. While in this clearing we also had a flock of migrating Plumbeous Kites go by almost on eye level. Beryl-spangled Tanagers (my favorite tangara!) were working the trees on the edge. Some Andean Siskins flew over.

We walked a beautiful forest trail along a ridge. The trail was level, well maintained and quite easy. We heard one of our target birds, Chestnut Wood-quail, but never got even a brief look. Antpittas and tapaculos were calling from every side. We finally saw a Slate-crowned Antpitta, which we had only heard the day before. We had killer looks at Black-collared Jays. While looking at the jays a gorgeous Crimson-mantled Woodpecker flew distracting us with his antics on a hanging vine.

We drove down to the building where we stayed the night. I was able to take a little time to photograph the hummingbirds while Pablo and Edwin packed the car. The hummers we saw were all widespread species, but it was fun photographing them. We witnessed a bizarre interaction between two Collared Incas. They were obviously fighting. One bird flew to the ground and lay there with his wings and tail spread out. I thought he was injured or possibly dead. The victorious bird sat for a while on a stick above him. When the dominant bird flew off, the loser got up and started to fly away. The other bird came back and the submissive bird went down on the driveway. He eventually flew off, appearing perfectly well.

About 11AM we departed for our next stop, the paramo on Nevado del Ruiz. When someone says “tropical birding” I think of steamy rain forests full of palms, tree ferns, orchids and twining vines. The paramo is not that. Paramo is the area above the tree line. It is full of stunted bushes and plants. It is always cold and usually foggy and rainy. I get chilled even thinking about it. Its one of Martin’s favorite habitats, probably because its just like England! Not so much for me… It does have a very interesting avian community, including many hummingbirds. It’s hard to think of something as seemingly fragile as a hummingbird thriving in this harsh environment!

We drove up to a weather station/café to look for our target bird, Bearded Helmetcrest. It had started to rain, of course and I wasn’t looking forward to trudging around in it. Despite wearing long underwear, a turtleneck, a wool sweater and a rain jacket I was still cold. Luckily the weather station had a covered porch where we sipped coffee and watched the flowering bushes for movements. A female helmetcrest flew in within a few minutes! As we were watching her, a Tawny Antpitta strolled around, allowing me to take my best antpitta shots ever! We eventually saw a really nice male helmetcrest. Martin got some great photos!
http://www.martinreid.com/Misc%20website/CO09Helmetcrest.html

We left the weather station and drove on to look for our other target, Rufous-fronted Parakeets. We grabbed lunch at a hotel where they have hot springs. (Nevada del Ruiz is a volcano, which erupted in 1985, killing 23,000 people in the village of Armero) We were driving along some farmland, looking at old lava flows when we heard the unmistakable sound of parakeets. A flock of eight Rufous-fronted flew by! This is an extremely range restricted bird, so we were more than happy. We also picked up Black-thighed Puffleg, another high altitude hummingbird.

We left the paramo (yea!) to start the drive to our next destination. It was a long drive on winding mountain roads. We soon lost the light and were in fog off and on. It was pretty nerve wracking. The roads are narrow and muddy. There are no guard rails and steep drop offs are common. We came to a village and were stopped by a group of soldiers. They asked the men to get out of the car, but I was allowed to stay. One soldier came over to my open window and said something in Spanish. I became flustered and started babbling “Estoy una Americana aqui por parajos y mariposas. Photography!”, lifting up my camera. The only other Spanish I could think of was to order two beers and ask for a bathroom. Somehow I didn’t think he would be impressed. He looked unamused, shook his head and walked away. The men got back in the car and we progressed.

We were supposed to have stayed at a lodge in La Suiza, which is in a state run park. Unfortunately the concession for the lodge had run out. Pablo secured a small guesthouse for us in the town of La Florida. The accommodations were not what we expected. Pablo did find some other rooms, but we were too tired to move, so we settled in. I will say that the food the owner of the house prepared for us was some of the best food of the trip!

The bird list:
Speckled Teal
Andean (Ruddy) Duck
Chestnut Wood-quail-heard
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Plumbeous Kite
Ruddy Ground-dove
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eared Dove
Rufous-fronted Parakeet
Speckle-faced Parrot
Scaly-naped Parrot
Green Violetear
Sparkling Violetear
Speckled Hummingbird
Tourmaline Sunangel
Long-tailed Sylph
Bearded Helmetcrest
Tyrian Metaltail
Viridian Metaltail
Black-thighed Puffleg
Shining Sunbeam
Buff-tailed Coronet
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
White-bellied Woodstar
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
Powerful Woodpecker-heard
Stout-billed Cinclodes
Bar-winged Cinclodes
Azara’s Spinetail
Pearled Treerunner
Striped Woodhaunter-heard
Streak-capped Treehunter
Strong-billed Woodcreeper
Long-tailed Antbird-heard
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta-heard
Bicolored Antpitta-heard
Chestnut-naped Antpitta-heard
Rufous Antpitta-heard
Tawny Antpitta
Brown-banded Antpitta-heard
Slate-crowned Antpitta
Ash-colored Tapaculo
Blackish Tapaculo-heard
Spillman’s Tapaculo-heard
Paramo Tapaculo-heard
Ocellated Tapaculo-heard
Black-capped Tyrannulet
Rufous-headed Pygmy Tyrant
Cinnamon Flycatcher
Brown-backed Chat-tyrant
Tropical Kingbird
Red-crested Cotinga
Black-billed Peppershrike-heard
Black-collared Jay
Brown-bellied Swallow
Sedge Wren
Rufous Wren
Sharpe’s Wren-heard
Great Thrush
White-capped Tanager
Blue-and-black Tanager
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Blue-backed Conebill
Black Flowerpiercer
Black-backed Bush-tanager
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Plumbeous Sierra-finch
Plain-colored Seedeater
Slaty Brush-finch
Golden-fronted Whitestart
Andean Siskin

Colombia Day 2. August 24 Things aren’t always as you hope.

We left the hotel in Jardin well before dawn, as we had to arrive at our first birding spot before sunrise. Edwin drove the narrow muddy roads with great finesse. (We would appreciate this skill greatly later in the trip!) Martin was in the front seat and spotted a bird flying up from the road, a Band-winged Nightjar. Unfortunately I was dozing so I missed it. Obviously I started paying attention and a few minutes later was thrilled to see a Lyre-tailed Nightjar fly straight up. I had missed this bird in Ecuador and really wanted to see one.

Our first goal bird of the day was Yellow-eared Parrot, a bird with a very restricted range. They roost at night in the farmland we were heading for. Pablo had seen them along the road only five days before. We parked the car and started scanning the palm trees. Nothing. They had used a different site. Then we heard Barred Parakeet and saw a bird fly over. Then a louder parrot sound, and there they were! A small group flew over, but very high above us. Then another group flew by, still very high. We ended up seeing about 16 birds, but with little detail and no opportunity to photograph them. It was a bit of a let down, but we were glad to have seen them at all.

We started back to the hotel to grab a hot shower and pick up our gear. We birded several spots and got a bird that made up for the poor parrot sightings. We stopped at an open spot with a good view of surrounding hills. Chestnut-crested Cotingas were known to be in this area. This is a bird we had tried very hard for in Ecuador without success. These birds perch in the tops of trees, so we started scanning. At best I hoped for a distant view. I finished one hill and turned to do another. I spotted a bird in the top of a bare tree directly behind us. There it was! A juvenile was showing extremely well and then swa an adult. We got amazing views and I got some poor photos. Martin’s are much better. http://www.martinreid.com/Misc%20website/CO09CrestedCotingas.html

We got back in the car and continued down hill. A low-slung black cat with a very long tail darted in front of the car. It took a couple of seconds before it registered, a Jagarundi!!! My life list of wild cats was particularly short: 1. Bobcat. I had ached to see one of the tropical cats, so this sighting made my day! I was sad though that Dan had missed it. It always knocks the thrill down a notch when someone misses something good. We arrived at the hotel and ran in to take a hot shower, since we wouldn’t have another chance for a couple of days. To say the shower was hot was a total understatement. For once there was no cold water!

We drove into Jardin, grabbed a snack and a couple of photos of the town square and were off to our next destination, Rio Blanco Reserve. Rio Blanco is situated in the hills above the city of Manizales. It was a long drive. We arrived at about 4:30 PM. The ranger at Rio Blanco has learned the fine art of antpitta feeding, developed by Angel Paz in Ecuador. (I wrote about Angel in my trip reports from my first trip to Ecuador) Pablo had called the ranger and asked him to hold off the feeding until we arrived.


Hummingbird feeders line the porch of the building and they were packed. It was tough tearing myself away! We walked a short wooded trail and the ranger put some large cut up earthworms in a bowl and whistled. Almost immediately a Brown-banded Antpitta hopped in. She looked a little peeved that her dinner was late. Shortly after she arrived a second bird showed up, a Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. Pablo mentioned that the Chestnut-crowned was a bit of a bully. The Brown-banded scooted off and he came in. We got amazing looks and decent photos of both, which is normally very difficult with antpittas.

We decided to try for a third antpitta, a Bicolored, which was often found further up the hill. We drove up and spent the remaining light playing a tape for it. It did respond, but we only got a very brief look. Several varieties of tapaculos were calling nearby, including my nemesis, Ocellated Tapaculo. Unfortunately they did what tapaculos do so well, they stayed hidden. As we were getting ready to leave I saw something that to me really captured the dichotomy of South America. A farm worker was riding down the hill on a mule taking on a cell phone. It just made me smile!

We had an excellent dinner at the reserve building. It’s not a lodge by any standards. There are two rooms with two triple sets of bunk beds, no heat and a communal bathroom that you have to go outside to get to. Martin swears there is hot water, but I don’t think there was and I was chilled and didn’t want to find out. I was really exhausted and chose to go to bed. Martin, Dan and Pablo went out with a tape and had five White-throated Screech-owls calling and saw one very well. They came back to get me and of course all five were silent as the dead. Oh well. I was still happy with our day.

Here is our list:

Cattle Egret
Pearl Kite
Roadside Hawk
Yellow-headed Caracara
Southern Lapwing
Ruddy Ground Dove
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eared Dove
Yellow-eared Parrot
Barred Parakeet
Scaly-naped Parrot
Smooth-billed Ani
White-throated Screech Owl
Rufous-banded Owl
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Band-tailed Nightjar
Green Violetear
Sparkling Violetear
Tourmaline Sunangel
Speckled Hummingbird
Tyrian Metaltail
Collared Inca
Mountain Velvetbreast
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Buff-tailed Coronet
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Azara’s Spinetail
Pearled Treerunner
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta
Bicolored Antpitta
Chestnut-naped Antpitta-heard
Brown-banded Antpitta
Slate-crowned Antpitta-heard
Ash-colored Tapaculo-heard
Blackish Tapaculo-heard
Spillman’s Tapaculo-heard
Paramo Tapaculo-heard
Ocellated Tapaculo-heard
Vermillion Flycatcher
Streak-throated Bush-tyrant
Tropical Kingbird
Chestnut-crested Cotinga
Black-collared Jay
Blue-and-white Swallow
Brown-bellied Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Sharpe’s Wren
Munchique Wood-Wren
Great Thrush
Supercilliared Hemisphingus
Oleaginous Hemisphingus
Gray-hooded Bush-tanager
Blue-grey Tanager
Lachrymose Mountain-tanager
Buff-breasted Mountain-tanager
White-sided Flowerpiercer
Masked Flowerpiercer
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Slaty Brush-finch
Common Bush-tanager
Slate-throated Whitestart
Golden-fronted Whitestart
Russet-crowned Warbler
Mountain Cacique
Yellow-billed Cacique-heard
Shiny Cowbird

Colmbia, Its Safe Now! Introduction and Day 1 August 22 and 23 2009

I am giving this title to my trip blogs because almost every single person I told that we were going to Colombia had the same reaction, “Really? Is it safe?” usually given with a horrified look that suggested I was telling them that I was going to rappel down the inside of an active volcano. Yes, Colombia is safe. Gun battles between cocaine cartels no longer echo in the streets of Medallin. FARC rebels are confined to a few small areas, mostly on the borders of Ecuador and Venezuela. We felt safer than we do on the south-side of San Antonio. I hope I can impart just a little of the amazing character of this wonderful country.

We arrived in Bogota on August 22 at 9:00PM, two hours late due to weather delays in Miami. The flights were pretty stressful, inspiring Martin to say, “That’s it! We are going to think long and hard before we do another flight. I have had it!” (The last several trips we have done have had glitches, some pretty serious) We were also upset to find out that our good friend Dan Peak, who was supposed to join us in Miami for the last flight had been bumped and wouldn’t be arriving until the following afternoon at the earliest.

We were met at the airport by a cab driver that our guide for the week, Pablo Florez Valencia, had arranged. Hector, the driver was great! He and Martin chatted on the ride into town in both English and Spanish. We felt much better. The drive into Medallin is spectacular. Set in a bowl on the western slope of the central Andes, the city with thousands of lights is spread out below you as you come over a mountain pass. Pablo met us at our hotel and despite the late hour, took us to a fabulous Italian restaurant a couple of blocks away.

After a few hours sleep we got up at 5AM to start out birding. Right outside the hotel a Black-billed Thrush was singing. Of more interest to me was a huge bat hawking insects in the street light. We met our driver, Edwin, who has a great 4x4 6 seat SUV. We took off for La Romera, a protected watershed on the south east side of Medallin, pausing for a quick breakfast at a nearby bakery. (I could easily blog about the food in Colombia! Its fabulous!) Our target bird was, believe it or not, a grackle. But this is no ordinary grackle. We were looking for Red-bellied Grackles, a Colombian endemic and a very attractive bird!

The road into La Romera is steep and winding. We were there on a Sunday and it was fairly busy with recreational walkers and cyclists, but that was no problem. We parked on a slope and I spotted a Sickle-winged Guan in a tree across the valley, my first life bird of the trip! Pablo played a tape of the Grackles and to our delight they quickly responded. We saw at least 15 in our time there. We searched long and hard without success for Yellow-headed Manakin. We were still very happy, as the grackle is not an easy bird to get. I was also pleased to get an Emerald Toucanet almost on eye level and a Rufous-naped Greenlet, two other life birds.

Dan was arriving at 2PM so we headed out towards the airport after a snack at the same bakery where we had breakfast. We did a little birding near the airport with some success. The elevation was rather high so we moved slowly. My ankle, which I broke in Panama in March, was bothering me some, as it did through out the trip, but it was more a nuisance than anything else. Probably the best birds we had there were Whiskered Wren and our first Golden-fronted Whitestarts.

We got to the airport, where we were relieved to see Dan arrive. He cleared customs easily and we took off for the town of Jardin. Our original plan was to bird around Jardin, looking for the rare Yellow-eared Parrot, but we realized we couldn’t make it by dusk as its about a 3 hour drive. We birded some along the way, picking up Bar-crested Antshrike and a few other birds. We arrived after dark at a really lovely resort hotel on the outskirts of the town. After dinner on the patio, we retired, ready for an early start.

Here is my list for the day:
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Roadside Hawk
Sickle-winged Guan
Southern Lapwing
Ruddy Pigeon
Eared Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Blue-headed Parrot
Bronze-winged Parrot
Squirrel Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Chestnut-collared Swift
White-collared Swift
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Greenish Puffleg
Highland Motmot
Red-headed Barbet
Emerald Toucanet
Azara's Spinetail
Spotted Barbtail
Bar-crested Antshrike
Ash-colored Tapaculo
Rufous-breasted Flycatcher
Sepia-capped Flycatcher
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Mountain Elaenia
Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant
Black Phoebe
Tropical Kingbird
Golden-crowned Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Cinereous Becard
Inca Jay
Black-billed Peppershrike
Red-eyed Vireo
Rufous-naped Greenlet
Andean Solitaire
Great Thrush
Black-billed Thrush
Whiskered Wren
Rufous-and-white Wren
House Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Blue-and-white Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Slate-throated Redstart
Golden-crowned Warbler
Three-striped Warbler
Bananaquit
Common Bush-Tanager
Crimson-backed Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Golden Tanager
Scrub Tanager
Metallic-green Tanager
Blue Dacnis
White-sided Flower-piercer
Red-bellied Grackle

The Craziest Chase Ever

I am a person who loves lists. One of my favorite movies is High Fidelity. I could totally see myself sitting around the record store with John Cusack and Jack Black, discussing "top five films" or "top five breakups". This penchant for lists fits right into birding. Besides my life list and all of my year and state lists, I have always maintained a top ten most wanted bird list in my head. For a very long time Ivory Gull topped that list. It was a bird I had little hope of seeing, as it spends its life beyond the Arctic Circle. Martin was also wanting to see this bird badly. We had even toyed with doing a cruise out of Spitsbergen Norway, which isn't exactly a cheap little weekend get away.

Last weekend I read that an Ivory Gull had turned up in Gloucester, MA, an hour north of Boston. My heart skipped a beat, but figured that it would be a one day wonder and knowing that getting to Boston on short notice probably would not be doable. Then the bird did something surprising, it stayed. Martin and I started wishfully talking about going up for it. Then we became a bit more serious. I found that I could get a frequent flyer ticket and the fare on these flights was more than reasonable for Martin. We decided it would save us a bundle, compared to doing that cruise. We booked the flights for Friday night and started checking the Mass Birds list server every 15 minutes to see if it was still there.

We were stunned when a second Ivory Gull turned up in Plymouth, MA a couple of days later. This was too good to be true! We still were nervous, but kept telling ourselves that even if we didn't get one of the Ivory Gulls, there were other interesting birds in the area. I could get a couple of other life birds. It seemed like Friday evening would never arrive. The Gloucester Gull disappeared on Thursday, making us feel even more tense, but the Plymouth bird continued.

Our flights were on Northwest, connecting through Memphis. We had a fairly tight connection, but I felt like it wouldn't be a problem. Friday afternoon I checked the flight status and was a little bit disturbed to see that the flight from Memphis to Boston was delayed due to the flight crew being late, but I figured they had plenty of time to get the crew together. We got on our flight with no problems and arrived in Memphis. We went to gate and saw that the flight was even further delayed. We ate dinner and came back, only to see that it had been pushed back another 2 hours. We would not arrive in Boston until well after 1AM. At that point we started discussing whether it would even go. The desk agent made an announcement that passengers could change to the flight at 9AM in the morning and get a voucher for a hotel and meals. This pretty much confirmed to us that we were not going to get to Boston that night.

I went up to talk to the agent, who seemed overwhelmed. I asked her a couple of questions about the flight in the morning and discovered that we wouldn't get in until 1PM, not giving us much time, considering we were returning Sunday at 3PM. The flight then was cancelled, so we had no choice, at least that is what we thought. I then overheard an impatient business man make different arrangements, flying to Newark that night, then on to Boston earlier in the morning, getting in at 10AM. That was better, so we asked if we could do the same. We were confirmed and ran to the gate for the flight to Newark, which also was delayed!

As we were waiting for the flight, we got to talking about possibly getting a rental car when we arrived in Newark and just driving. A young couple from Austin overheard us and said they would like to share the car with us. I made some calls, got a car and we were ready to roll! We made arrangements to skip the Newark to Boston portion of the flights and got on board. We arrived in Newark at 1AM and took off for Boston.

We drove through part of New Jersey, into New York, past Manhattan, then through Connecticut, Rhode Island and into Massachusettes. I can't tell you a thing about any of these states, other than they seemed more wooded than I expected. We arrived in Boston, dropped off our new friends Angel and Craig. We back tracked to Plymouth, after getting lost in downtown Boston, arriving at dawn. There were already a few birders gathered.

It was very cold and there was a foot of snow on the ground. Even though the parking lot had been cleared it was a bit icey and slippery. I was not really dressed for cold. I had expected to spend the night in a hotel and dress for the weather then. I drug a sweater out of my suitcase and put it on under my parka, but I still only had sneakers and jeans on. We shuffled around waiting for the gull, as more birders arrived. I was feeling a bit nauseous, thinking that horrible drive had been for nothing, then someone shouted "There it is!"

The gull looked like an angel. It's a slight bird, pure white with black eyes. It lit on the railing of the jetty, quite nearby. I could see that the bill was a bluish green with a yellow tip. It was the most beautiful gull I had ever seen. It took a few turns around the parking lot, thrilling us all. Finally it lit next to a chicken carcass that someone had put out for it. Ivory Gulls normally feed on carrion, so this was a perfect meal for it. Other larger gulls had been picking at the carcass, but this little guy drove them off and started gorging. The sound of camera's clicking was never ending. It was so worth the trip.

We tore ourselves away after an hour or so and headed north to Gloucester to bird with two local birders. That part of the trip was also very successful. I got two more life birds, Dovekie and Black Guillemot. I also added Common Eider and Razorbill to my ABA list. I totally enjoyed the day and the next morning. Gloucester is a beautiful town.

Our return home was as uneventful as could be. We got home last night at about 10PM, tired and still glowing. Now, I have to figure out how to see my newest most wanted bird, Ross's Gull!

Brazil Day 13 and 14. Winding Things Up

I felt a real sense of sadness as we woke for our last day of birding in Brazil. We were taking a boat back the road to be picked up that afternoon. In some ways it felt like we had been there for a very long time, much longer than two weeks. Those of you reading my blog probably feel the same! We had been almost totally without outside communication for the entire trip, other than a brief period when I was able to get online at the Floresta Amazonica. It was wonderful to be able to forget the economic situation and all of that mess. I didn't even know the latest on Brittany Spears! (Thank goodness)

We put the sadness behind us and took off down the river for the Brazil Nut Trail. The weather was a bit threatening, but we had our rain jackets and had become acclimated to birding in the usually light morning rains. One of the first birds we heard had a rich beautiful complicated song. It was the kind of bird song that stops you dead in your tracks. It was a Southern-nightingale Wren. Brad got out the I-pod and again demonstrated his skill. It took quite a while, but we finally got decent looks at it. He then tried to draw in a Musician Wren, another amazing singer, but with no luck.

A Rufous-breasted Hermits checked us out. A Tapajos Hermit also gave us the once over. Hermits are rather plain colored hummingbirds with long decurved bills. We had seen several different species on this trip. The rain seemed to be getting heavier and the bird activity lighter. We pushed on.

We came to the end of the trail, where there is one of the biggest trees I have ever seen, a massive Brazil Nut Tree. (Maybe this is why the trail is called the Brazil Nut Trail!) We stood under the tree as the rain got heavier. The thick canopy was providing a pretty good shelter. We noticed our boat pilot Algirio talking to Brad in a rather earnest manner. Brad turned and said "Lets go back to the boat, we are going to wait out the rain at a farm on the island". We had visited this island earlier in the trip. We were a bit puzzled, as we thought we were fine under the tree. Brad explained that Algirio told him that it was the season that the Brazil Nuts fall from the trees. We were more than happy to move, as a hit on the head from a Brazil Nut could be fatal. I mean, how embarrassing would that be for Martin, to come home and explain that I had been killed by being hit on the head with a Brazil Nut! (If you have not read my earlier blogs I explain what Brazil Nuts look like in Day 8)

We motored up river to the island where a small farm house stood near a Cashew orchard. We got out and walked up to the house, where the residents, who knew Brad and Algirio well, offered us small cups of a wonderful hot sweet coffee. We sat under the porch waiting for the rain to slow. There were some chickens which I watched for a while. At least they were birds! Finally the sky lightened and the rain slowed to a drizzle. A few birds flitted in the Cashew trees, most the ever present Silver-beaked and Palm Tanagers. Tropical Kingbirds were flying from snag to snag. We could hear a Cinnamon Attila calling.

We decided to head back to the river and take a slow trip back to the lodge. We said goodbye to our hosts and got back into the boat. The rain was almost over and it was really pleasant. The regular river birds were in good numbers, with Green Ibis, a Rufescent Tiger-heron, a Razor-billed Currasow, Neotropical Cormorants and Anhingas either flying over or feeding on the banks. White-winged and Band-breasted Swallows zipped by, low over the water. From time to time the scent of blooming flowers was almost overwhelming. It truly is a very sensual place.

As we were skirting the river bank Brad jumped to attention and told Algirio to stop and go back. He had heard a call that needed to be checked. We were thrilled to see a female Crimson Topaz, the "star" hummingbird of Rio Azul! This species had never been documented at Cristalino. She gave us good looks and Martin was able to photograph her. She made dealing with the bad weather totally worth while! A flock of Scarlet-winged Parrotlets flew by and we were more than content. We arrived back at the lodge a bit earlier than expected, but we still had packing to do, so that was fine.

After we got our gear together Martin and I wandered around the lodge clearings. Martin was still keen to find more dragonflies and I just wanted to drink in every last drop of Cristalino. Martin got out the door of the cabana a few minutes before me. When I went outside I heard some familiar sounding call notes. I spotted a Masked Tanager, one of my favorite tangaras, in a tree right next to the porch. There were several other birds with him, but unfortunately just as I saw the flock they flew deeper into the woods, where I could not follow. Brad had told us that sometimes mixed flocks worked the trees in the clearings, so I hoped they would return to an area where I could see them.

I walked down towards the dining room and saw Martin. The flock had circled around and he was watching a xenops which was a different species than the Plain Xenops that we had seen several times. Martin got off several pictures before it flew off. From the photos he was able to confirm that it was a Slender-billed Xenops, a new bird for both of us! More tanagers moved through, including a White-shouldered Tanager, which was new for the trip. Mixed flocks are always exciting. You never know what you are going to see! We heard the double bell that they ring at the dining room announcing meals, so we walked up. The minister of tourism was still there, so the food was even better than usual.

After lunch a group of people, including the tourism minister left the lodge. We were due to be picked up at the road after them, at 330PM. Brad was a bit uneasy, as the phone was down at Cristalino and had been for 4 days. He was concerned that there might be some confusion about when we were to be picked up. He told one of the employees of the lodge, who was leaving with the minister, to let them know at the Floresta Amazonica that we needed picking up when she got there. Thank goodness he did this!

At about 230PM we decided to go ahead and go down river to the pick up point, as we could bird that area for a little while. Our plan was to stop on the way back to Alta Floresta for a little birding before dark at a place with Point-tailed Palm-creeper, which we both really wanted to see. We got to the landing and it started to rain again. Our luggage was covered with plastic and there was a small shelter, like at a bus stop, where we sat. The expected pick up time came and went. We started to feel a bit nervous. We debated about what to do. The phone was still dead at the lodge, so going back would do no good. Algirio took the boat across the river to where the head guide was leading a group. He told him that we should just wait, so we did.

The rain had stopped so we walked up and down the road and did some birding. Brad was very happy to show us a Short-tailed Pygmy-tyrant, which is thought by some to be the smallest passerine in the world. (It depends on how you measure the bird) An adult was feeding a begging juvenile, which inspired a sense of "Oh how cute!", even though I constantly say birding isn't cute. Finally we heard a distant truck approaching. We were saved! The driver was only two hours late. He should have left Alta Floresta long before the minister and his group got back there. So, when they arrived and the mistake was discovered it took some time to recover.

We stopped at the grove with the palm-creepers, but it was dusk and there was no sign of them. We did see many Burrowing Owls and Smooth-billed Anis along the way. The seem well adapted to the cleared pasture land. We got back into town and were dropped off at the hotel. Brad went home and got Jessica, his wife, and they came back to take us out for Brazilian pizza. We drove into the center of Alta Floresta and it was so weird to see lit Christmas decorations in that tropical atmosphere. Snow men and pine trees seem a bit out of place!

We were delighted to find all of the Ivani and all of her kids from Rio Azul at the pizza place. They were staying in town and Brad invited them to join us. They told us that they would really miss us. I was so touched! The food was good and the company was even better. I almost cried when we parted. By the way, the only thing Brazilian pizza and American pizza have in common is the crust. It was so different, but just as good.

We had an early start the next morning. Our flight to Sao Paolo was in three legs. It was supposed to depart at 530AM, so we left the hotel at 430AM after more chocolate cake for breakfast. We noticed it seemed a bit foggy, but not too bad. The plane was packed. I noticed three nuns sitting right behind us. I whispered to Martin "Oh, oh. We are in trouble now. In every movie I have ever seen with a nun on a plane things always go very badly..." These words came back to haunt us.

We waited and waited and waited. The fog seemed thicker. They announced over the speaker that we were delayed because of fog. I watched out the window, keeping track of a tree that I could barely make out in the mist. I kept checking it, to see if the fog was getting any better. As that tree became more visible, I found another one further out, and then another. I kept saying to Martin that it didn't seem that bad. He reminded me that the plane could probably take off, but if something went wrong it might be too thick for it to land again. I settled down. Almost two hours later we taxied out and took off.

We landed in Cuiaba and about half the people got off, including two of the nuns. We hoped that the plane would be a bit less crowded on the next leg. We were wrong. They boarded at least as many people. We took off without any problems and flew on to Brasilia. We landed and repeated the same unboarding and boarding, with things being just as crowded. The one nun remained in the seat behind us. We started our last leg on to Sao Paolo, a bit late, but some we had made up some of the time lost to the fog.

One of the flight attendants announced in both Portuguese and English that we were approaching Sao Paolo. I was watching out the window with great interest. We didn't appear to be getting any lower. I thought I saw some forest that I had seen before. We flew and flew. Then the pilot came on and made an annoucement in Portuguese only. I thought he probably was saying we would land in 15 minutes or something like that. We flew on, still not descending. I was certain that we were circling. Then he made another announcement in Portuguese. The passengers all seemed to be concerned and were talking among themselves. It was a very disconcerting feeling to have no idea what was happening. We couldn't ask the flight attendants, as they were strapped in for landing. Still the plane circled.

Martin said he was worried. There seemed to be a lot of high cumulus clouds building into thunderheads. He thought we might be diverted to another airport. Our flight back to Dallas left at midnight. We had time, but if we were at another airport.... Then we started wondering if there was something wrong with the plane and they were circling to burn off fuel. I remembered the smart aleck remark about nuns on the plane and couldn't help but feel a bit queasy. Finally Martin asked if anyone could speak English. A very nice young woman that had gotten on the plane in Brasilia said that she did. She explained that there was no place to park the plane in Sao Paolo, so we were waiting. We felt a huge sense of relief. Shortly after that we finally did descend. The same young woman helped us find our luggage and the bus we needed to take to the other airport. It was a huge relief!

We had flown into one of the smaller airports in Sao Paolo, so we had to get across town. Brad had suggested the airport bus. It was great! It was roomier than the plane had been and didn't circle over and over. We even got a few birds from the bus. My last life bird for Brazil was a Pinnated Bittern in a wet land we drove through. I also picked up Whistling Heron. We got to the main airport, took a day room at an in airport hotel, got three hours sleep and hopped the plane home.

Martin and I both said that this was our best birding trip ever! Having Brad as a guide freed Martin to enjoy the birds and bugs. He is a great guide, but its so much work. We are ready to go back. If you have any questions about our trip or are interested in setting something like this up for yourself, please email me! Sngcanary@yahoo.com I hope you enjoyed reading this half as much as I enjoyed writing it!

List for both days
Whistling Heron
Pinnated Bittern
Black Vulture
Campo Flicker
Shiny Cowbird
Neotropic Cormorant
Anhinga
Muscovy Duck
Brazilian Teal
Capped Heron
Striated Heron
Rufescent Tiger-Heron
Green Ibis
Black Vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Plumbeous Kite
Black Caracara
Bat Falcon
Razor-billed Curassow
Bare-faced Curassow
Sungrebe
Southern Lapwing
Pale-vented Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Gray-fronted Dove
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
Red-bellied Macaw
White-eyed Parakeet
Crimson-bellied Parakeet
Painted Parakeet
Dusky-billed Parrotlet
Golden-winged Parakeet
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet
Blue-headed Parrot
Orange-winged Parrot
Smooth-billed Ani
Burrowing Owl
Blackish Nightjar
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Gray-rumped Swift
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Gray-breasted Sabrewing
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Crimson Topaz
Black-eared Fairy
Long-billed Starthroat
Collared Trogon
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Paradise Jacamar
Black-fronted Nunbird
Swallow-wing
Lettered Aracari
Red-necked Aracari
Channel-billed Toucan
Bar-breasted Piculet
Lineated Woodpecker
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Striped Woodcreeper
Spix's Woodcreeper
Curve-billed Scythebill
Slender-billed Xenops
Great Antshrike
Pygmy Antwren
Long-winged Antwren
Gray Antwren
Band-tailed Antbird
Scale-backed Antbird
Screaming Piha
Spangled Cotinga
Bare-necked Fruitcrow
Amazonian Umbrellabird
Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin
Forest Elaenia
Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant
Drab Water-Tyrant
Cattle Tyrant
Cinnamon Attila
Short-crested Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Thrush-like Schiffornis
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Gray-chested Greenlet
Black-capped Donacobius
Buff-breasted Wren
House Wren
Scaly-breasted Wren
White-winged Swallow
Purple Martin
Gray-breasted Martin
White-banded Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Red-capped Cardinal
Bananaquit
Flame-crested Tanager
White-shouldered Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
White-lored Euphonia
Turquoise Tanager
Paradise Tanager
Masked Tanager
Yellow-bellied Dacnis
Blue Dacnis
Blue-black Grassquit
Yellow-rumped Cacique

Brazil Day 12, Back up the Tower.

We got to sleep in again, so after our 5:00 AM breakfast we set out on the Rocky Trail, which led to the tower. Unfortunately it was raining. Luckily it wasn't pouring, but it was enough to subdue our spirits a bit. Also I wasn't exactly excited to do that 50 meter climb, as my knees were in bad shape.

We made a detour by the salt lick. At first we thought nothing was there. Then we saw them, more Dark-winged Trumpeters! We froze and they slowly worked their was across the clearing. We couldn't believe our luck. Another birder at the lodge had been trying to see trumpeters for three weeks with no luck. We moved on to the tower, taking a round about trail where we added several antbirds.

We reached the tower and it was still raining a little. We decided to bird the second platform, as the top platform provided a roof. When we got up there we could hear voices and realized there were other people up above us. Only a limited number of people were allowed on the tower at one time. With the three of us and the three of them we had pretty much reached the limit. We called up our hellos and continued birding.

The rain was not helping visibility. There was very little bird activity. Martin spotted a dark bird perched on the top of a tree waaaaayyyy out on the horizon. It was difficult to make out any detail. We got the scope, but it only made it a bigger fuzzy object instead of a little fuzzy object. We thought initially that it was a hawk, but something didn't seem right. The rain lifted slightly and we could see a bit more detail. Instead of looking black the bird looked brown and there was a glint of white on the wing. Martin started questioning the hawk ID. Then the brown turned to deep maroon. It wasn't a hawk at all, but a Pompadour Continga! As the light got brighter the color got deeper. It is a gorgeous bird that Martin and I had both been aching to see.

Brad decided to go up on top to see what the other group was seeing. The birding on the second level was even slower than it had been on our earlier visit to the tower. We could hear Brad talking to Roger, the British birder who was at the lodge, his translator, and the guide. Finally Martin and I decided to go up. When we got up on top we found out that they had been looking at a juvenile Harpy Eagle! We had just missed it. If we had not seen the Harpys at Alta Floresta it would have been just a little devastating. But we were satisified with the Continga, which was still perching up.

Finally the sun came out, the bees came back and it got a little bit steamy. I spotted a Yellow-throated Woodpecker below us. Then a Red-stained Woodpecker flew in. Some dacnis played in the crown of a tree next to the tower. A Flame-crested Tanager joined the group, along with a Tooth-billed Wren and several tyrannulets. Then Brad spied a Red-billed Pied Tanager in a tree off of the other side of the tower. It was joined by a singing Slate-colored Grosbeak. The entire time we were hearing Screaming Pihas.

I can't tell you how often during the trip I asked Brad "What's that call?" And most of the time he would answer "A Screaming Piha". I finally quit asking, but then Martin did! Screaming Pihas have a lot of vocalizations. It sounds to me like they say "oh well, Oh Well!, OH WELL!!" and then they go off like our neighbors over sensitive car alarm does at 3:00AM. Its a really amazing sound. And they do it all the time.

The heat and bees were getting old and we were not seeing any birds, so we went down. We walked a circuitous route back to the lodge. I think my favorite bird that we got was a Ringed Ant Pippit. This bird looks like one of our Ovenbirds, bopping along on the forest floor. It has a great call, which you hear long before you see him. We heard monkeys overhead, White-nosed Bearded Saki Monkeys. We got back, had our lunch and then siesta.

I did rest for quite awhile, but decided to do a short walk before our last afternoon river trip. I was walking between the cabana clearing and the lodge when I heard a huge racket. Up above me a big troop of the Saki monkeys were overhead. There was a mother with a baby on her back. A few youngsters were running along side the adults. They were feeding on fruit in the tree tops. A few stopped and looked at me, screaming a high pitched cry. I could see that they would be a lot happier when I was gone.

As I mentioned we were doing our last afternoon river ride. We went down stream to a trail where we could possibly see Crypic Forest Falcon, a bird that was only recently discovered. Its very similar to Barred Forest Falcon, and was originally considered conspecific with it. We had heard one earlier in the week and Brad knew they sometimes hung out in an area of the woods we were entering. We got to a clearing and Brad played the tape. The falcon called back! He was sitting deep in a wooded area and was totally invisible. I was standing frozen, not wanting to frighten it off. A bird flew over, which I didn't see. Then a falcon called from behind us. The original bird kept calling. This went on for quite some time. Then the second bird flew over and I missed that one too! I was a little frustrated.

It had started to get dark so we decided to head back. When we were out on the river at dusk the previous times Brad had been playing a tape of a Zig-zag Heron. This tiny heron has the most amazing call. It reminded me of the baritone horn I played in high school. Very little was known about this heron until recent times. It was almost mythical. Suddenly one answered! It flew in close, but was still difficult to see. Then we saw it fly across the river. We jumped in the boat and went to the other side. The bird perched nicely for us, sitting on a branch over the water. Our pilot was incredibly patient, manuevering the boat so Martin could get photos. We were very happy!

When we got back there was a candle light dinner in the outdoor pavillion. The minister of tourism was at the lodge with his wife, so the staff was going all out! We started the meal with a bowl of Piranha soup, which was quite good. After dinner we headed back to the cabana to pack for the start of our trip home the following day.

Day List
Gray Tinamou
Cinereous Tinamou
Neotropic Cormorant
Anhinga
Muscovy Duck
Capped Heron
Zigzag Heron
King Vulture
Double-toothed Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Cryptic Forest-Falcon - Heard
Bat Falcon
Red-throated Piping-Guan
Bare-faced Curassow
Plumbeous Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
White-eyed Parakeet
Dusky-billed Parrotlet
Golden-winged Parakeet
Orange-cheeked Parrot
Blue-headed Parrot
Kawall's Parrot
Short-tailed Nighthawk
Blackish Nightjar
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Gray-rumped Swift
Fork-tailed Palm-Swift
Long-tailed Hermit
Gray-breasted Sabrewing
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Black-eared Fairy
Violaceous Trogon
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Bronzy Jacamar
White-necked Puffbird
Brown-banded Puffbird
Black-fronted Nunbird
White-fronted Nunbird
Swallow-wing
Red-necked Aracari
Chestnut-eared Aracari
Channel-billed Toucan
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Red-stained Woodpecker
White-throated Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Long-tailed Woodcreeper
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Striped Woodcreeper
Spix's Woodcreeper
Lineated Woodcreeper
Speckled Spinetail
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
Plain Xenops
Pygmy Antwren
Sclater's Antwren
Plain-throated Antwren
Long-winged Antwren
Gray Antwren
Spot-backed Antwren
Rufous-winged Antwren
Gray Antbird
Screaming Piha
Spangled Cotinga
Pompadour Cotinga
Red-headed Manakin
Wing-barred Manakin
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher
Ringed Antpipit
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant
Large-headed Flatbill
Rufous-tailed Flatbill
Yellow-margined Flycatcher
Drab Water-Tyrant
Cinnamon Attila
Thrush-like Schiffornis
Masked Tityra
Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo
Gray-chested Greenlet
Dusky-capped Greenlet
Tawny-crowned Greenlet
Hauxwell's Thrush
Tooth-billed Wren
Long-billed Gnatwren
White-winged Swallow
White-banded Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Rose-breasted Chat
Red-capped Cardinal
Red-billed Pied Tanager
Flame-crested Tanager
Silver-beaked Tanager
Palm Tanager
White-lored Euphonia
Rufous-bellied Euphonia
Black-faced Dacnis
Blue Dacnis
Purple Honeycreeper
Slate-colored Grosbeak
Blue-black Grosbeak
Amazonian Oropendola
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Epaulet Oriole

Brazil Day 11, He's going to take your I-pod!

Brad was kind and let us sleep in, with breakfast at 5:00AM! We felt like total slackers. We took the boat across the river to a new trail, at least new for us. This was to be the morning of the Furnariidae, aka ovenbirds. These are the true ovenbirds, not the misnamed warbler that we see in the states. This family contains horneros, spinetails, woodhaunters, foliage-gleaners, leaf-tossers and xenops, among other birds. They are mostly brown. They can be tough to see and I love them!

We had seen various furnarids in the past days, but we scored nicely on this morning. We had a couple of foliage-gleaners, Rufous-tailed and Rufous-rumped, a Striped Woodhaunter and two Leaf-tossers, Short-billed and Black-tailed. Leaf-tossers seemed particularly difficult to see. They were on the forest floor, moving very quietly, just flipping leaves over. In the undergrowth it was hard to make them out.

We heard several species of manakins, but only saw one, Wing-barred Piprites. (Are these not some of the best bird names ever?) We ran into a mixed flocked. One bird in particular stumped Martin and me for a few minutes. It was a fairly dark brown flycatcher with a pale throat and a huge crest, held to the back of the head. There was a flash of orange in the crest. It has almost a hammer-head look. Brad never saw it. After puzzling over it for a few minutes, Martin realized what it was, an Amazonian Royal Flycatcher! This is a great looking bird. When it spreads its crest, which is a very rare event, it goes side to side, like the hat Napolean wore.

The weather was becoming a bit threatening so we headed back to the lodge. We birded the lodge area until lunch, seeing the usual Silver-beaked, Palm and Blue-and-gray Tanagers. After lunch I tried to be a bit wiser with my siesta time, after the bad experience of the day before. I did lay down for a bit, but it was almost impossible to rest, thinking about what I was missing! I finally got up and decided to go for a short walk. For some reason that I can not remember, I did not have either my binoculars or my camera. Well, of course, I found a good bird. A Bare-faced Currasow jumped out of a tree over my head. He strolled down the path at a leisurely pace. I could have taken killer photos! Arrgghhh! I was happy to see him anyway, as I had been extremely jealous that Martin had seen him the day before.

At 3:30 PM we headed back to the boat launch. We were going up river to the research island. This large island has dormitories where different students and scientists live while exploring the flora and fauna of Cristalino. Its quite large and has some very interesting habitat. The river floods every year during the rainy season. The island is underwater most years during this time. The vegetation is a bit stunted and is quite different.

We were looking for Amazonian Antpitta. I have mentioned antpittas in previous trip reports, but for any new readers, I will review. These stubby tailed long-legged birds look like overgrown chicks. They are extremely stealthy and have a well earned reputation for being hard to see. We worked our way down the island listening for the birds call.

We came to an interesting area, a natural lagoon with a salt lick. Unfortunately the lagoon was close to being dried up. It did still contain a couple of water birds, an adult Rufescent Tiger-heron and a Capped Heron, one of the prettiest herons I have ever seen. Martin was more than happy to see a large number of dragonflies circling the little water that was left. Then we heard it, the antpitta.

Of course the bird was calling from an incredibly thick twist of vines and branches. This tangle was almost impossible to see into. Brad got out his I-pod and started playing the call. The antpitta became a bit agitated and we could tell it was moving around in the thicket, but it wasn't coming out. Brad searched and searched the thicket and finally found a place where we could see in, a bit of a clearing under the overhanging vines. He lay down on his belly and shimmied under the vines. He put his rain jacket on the ground and laid the I-pod, still playing the call on a loop, on top of it. He quickly and silently slid out, remaining on his belly.

Martin and I came up behind Brad, staying as still and quiet as possible. Suddenly I saw the antpitta jump up on a log next to the I-pod. He was still calling away. He looked down at the I-pod and I seriously thought he was going to grab it and run. He studied it for a second or two and then flew up into the brush above it. He was still visible and Martin got a few pictures. Finally the bird realized we were there and took off. We felt totally victorious.

Leaving the clearing we headed back to the river for some after dark water birding (and batting!) As much as fun as birding the river during the day is, its even more fun at night. Brad spot lighted the bank. Most of the eye shine was from Spectacled Caiman, sliding into the water as we disturbed them. Long-nosed Bats flushed up from the snags as we passed. A Greater Bulldog Bat, a type of fishing bat, flew in front of the boat. As Brad scanned with the light, it looked like it was snowing there were so many insects in the air. We got great looks at a Ladder-tailed Nightjar perching on a branch hanging over the water. A Paca, a large rodent that Brad said, perhaps teasing, was the best tasting animal in South America, was drinking from the river. I was disappointed when we got to the lodge!

Day List
Cinereous Tinamou
Neotropic Cormorant
Anhinga
Muscovy Duck
Capped Heron
Striated Heron
Rufescent Tiger-Heron
Green Ibis
Black Vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Double-toothed Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Black Caracara
Red-throated Caracara
Bat Falcon
Spix's Guan
Red-throated Piping-Guan
Bare-faced Currosaw
Sunbittern
Dark-winged Trumpeter
Pale-vented Pigeon
Plumbeous Pigeon
White-tipped Dove
Gray-fronted Dove
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Chestnut-fronted Macaw
White-eyed Parakeet
Dusky-billed Parrotlet
Golden-winged Parakeet
Blue-headed Parrot
Kawall's Parrot
Mealy Parrot
Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl
Blackish Nightjar
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Gray-rumped Swift
Gray-breasted Sabrewing
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Black-tailed Trogon
Collared Trogon
Violaceous Trogon
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Paradise Jacamar
Black-fronted Nunbird
Swallow-wing
Chestnut-eared Aracari
Channel-billed Toucan
Bar-breasted Piculet
Yellow-tufted Woodpecker
Red-stained Woodpecker
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Spot-throated Woodcreeper
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Striped Woodcreeper
Spix's Woodcreeper
Lineated Woodcreeper
Striped Woodhaunter
Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner
Chestnut-winged Foliage-gleaner
Short-billed Leaftosser
Black-tailed Leaftosser
Glossy Antshrike
White-shouldered Antshrike
Plain-winged Antshrike
Amazonian Antshrike
Cinereous Antshrike
Pygmy Antwren
Sclater's Antwren
Plain-throated Antwren
Long-winged Antwren
Gray Antwren
Gray Antbird
Black-faced Antbird
Black-throated Antbird
Dot-backed Antbird
Amazonian Antpitta
Screaming Piha
Band-tailed Manakin
Red-headed Manakin
Fiery-capped Manakin
Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin
Wing-barred Manakin
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher
Forest Elaenia
Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant
Yellow-margined Flycatcher
Royal Flycatcher
Rufous-tailed Attila
Tropical Kingbird
Lesser Kiskadee
Thrush-like Schiffornis
Masked Tityra
Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo
Dusky-capped Greenlet
Thrush-like Wren
Tooth-billed Wren
Buff-breasted Wren
Long-billed Gnatwren
White-winged Swallow
Brown-chested Martin
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Rose-breasted Chat
Silver-beaked Tanager
Sayaca Tanager
Palm Tanager
Rufous-bellied Euphonia
Bay-headed Tanager
Slate-colored Grosbeak
Buff-throated Saltator
Amazonian Oropendola
Yellow-rumped Cacique