REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 22 July

I awoke this morning to the calls of a Common Potoo and a Tawny-browed Owl drifting through the window. A quick search before dawn failed to find them but I didn't have time for a longer look as we had an early start today. At least I've got early tomorrow morning to try. The moon isn't rising until the early hours at the moment which might explain why these birds are not so vocal in the evening?

The Elfin Forest Trail is one of the best trails for birds at REGUA and is particularly good for several Threatened and Near-threatened Atlantic Forest endemics such as Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Blue-bellied Parrot, Salvadori's Antwren, Spotted Bamboowren and Brown Tanager. But this is a long and difficult hike and not the easiest trail to bird. For starters, the trail begins at post 2350 of the Waterfall Trail and so there is a long walk before you even reach the trail head, and also much of the trail is rocky and very steep, particularly the final kilometer to the top, which lies at 950 metres above sea level. However, the forest here is excellent quality primary and selectively logged forest and is some of most beautiful Atlantic Forest I've seen. The trees are dripping with bromeliads and orchids and the pristine stunted elfin forest and views at the top are awesome.

We arrived at the start of the Elfin Forest Trail at around 08:30. The forest was fairly quiet and many more birds were heard than seen, but as we moved up the trail we encountered some good mixed species flocks which included 2 Pale-browed Treehunters busy ripping apart bromeliads while 2 Black-capped Foliage-gleaners, 2 Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaners, a Spot-breasted Antvireo and a Rufous-browed Peppershrike were amongst the species foraging under the leaves. A little higher up the trail at post 1700, another mixed species flock contained a male Salvadori's Antwren along with at least 1 White-collared Foliage-gleaner and a White-throated Woodcreeper, and a Shrike-like Cotinga started calling! Post 1700 is a location of a breeding territory for Shrike-like Cotinga, which are thought to move to lower altitudes in the austral winter, so what is this bird doing here at this time of year? Maybe the adults remain higher up all year and the immatures move lower after being forced out of their parents territories? One thing is for sure, there is a lot more to discover about altitudinal migration and post breeding dispersal in the neotropics!

Things were very quiet at the top of the trail with a Spot-billed Toucanet, 1 Velvety Black-Tyrant (photo 1) and 1 Long-tailed Tyrant being the only noteworthy sightings. At this point the weather closed in and we decided on a rapid descent. On the way down 2+ Ferruginous Antbirds and a Large-headed Flatbill were seen in the bamboo and 4 Spot-winged Wood-Quail ran/flew across the trail in front if us (only my second lifer on this trip)! Also seen on this trail throughout the day were a pair of Surucua Trogon, 1 Plain-winged Woodcreeper, 1 White-throated Spadebill, 1 Crested Becard, Black-goggled Tanager and 2-3 Golden-crowned Warbler.

View at the top of the Elfin Forest Trail overlooking remote Atlantic Forest
with a cold front approaching

The top of Elfin Forest Trail

At this altitude bromeliads grow on the forest floor

Birds seen on the dash up and down the Waterfall Trail include a White-barred Piculet, a pair of Plain Antvireo, 1 Unicoloured Antwren, 1 Scaled Antbird, a female Black-cheeked Gnateater, 1 Plain-winged Woodcreeper, 1 Olivaceous Woodcreeper, 1 Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, 2 Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, 1 White-throated Spadebill, 1 Crested Becard, 3 Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, 4+ Flame-crested Tanager and a Tropical Parula.

Also found today on the Elfin Forest Trail were no fewer than three signs where a Puma Puma concolor had scent marked the trail. We see tracks and signs of these cats almost every time we come up here and I'd love to camp out sometime to try and see one.