REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 9 July

Arrived in Rio de Janeiro at 5:30 this morning after a mainly sleepless overnight flight. The early morning two hour drive north-east to REGUA in the Serra dos Órgãos mountains produced the usual common birds including several Little Blue Heron in Guanabara Bay, a Savannah Hawk, 2 Ringed Kingfisher and a Burrowing Owl. On arrival at REGUA's Guapi Assu Bird Lodge all traces of tiredness were forgotten with the sight of the fruit and hummingbird feeders heaving with birds. Good numbers of Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds, 60 Maroon-bellied Parakeets and lots of Blue Dacnis (photo 1) on the bananas made great viewing in the garden. 1 Rufous-breasted Hermit, several Violet-capped Woodnymphs and Glittering-throated Emeralds and a Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher (photo 2) were amongst the other species seen.

A walk to the new wetland hide to look for Boat-billed Heron failed to find any of these charismatic birds, but the sun was quite intense and they were probably just taking cover in the shade. However, the REGUA wetland is very birdy and it was good to take it easy getting reacquainted with the more common species. Most noteworthy were 1 Rufescent Tiger-Heron, 2 Capped Heron, 1 Aplomado Falcon, 1 Blue-winged Parrotlet, 2 Tropical Screech-Owl (at the usual roost site), 1+ Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, 3 Chestnut-backed Antshrike, 2 Rufous Hornero (photo 3), 1 Yellow-browed Tyrant (one of my favourite Tyrant-Flycatchers), 2+ Grey-breasted Martin and 1 Fawn-breasted Tanager. Also this Great Kiskadee (photo 4) provided excellent entertainment diving into the water after small prey items!