Serra dos Tucanos is a well known birding lodge located in the Três Picos State Park, about an hour drive from REGUA. The fruit feeders here are some of the best I've seen in the neotropics with almost constant activity. Andy and Cristina, the lodge owners, have built an excellent photography hide (photo 7) next to the feeders which provides amazing photo oppotunities, so after a walk around the grounds I spent a few hours busily snapping away in the hide. With the lodge lying at around 400 metres above sea level the feeders here attract a different mix of species to those at the lodge at Guapi Assu Bird Lodge. Highlights on the feeders this morning include Sombre Hummingbird (Serra dos Tucanos is easily the most reliable place to see this Brazilian Atlantic Forest endemic), a very brief Rufous-capped Motmot, 1 Spot-billed Toucanet, 1 Blond-crested Woodpecker, 2 Ruby-crowned Tanager, a pair of Brazilian Tanager (photo 1), fantastic views of an Azure-shouldered Tanager - an altitudinal migrant (photo 2), lots of Green-headed Tanager (photo 3), a pair of Burnished-buff Tanager (photo 4 - female), a stunning male Green Honeycreeper (photo 5), Orange-bellied Euphonia, 2 Chestnut-bellied Euphonia and a Blue-naped Chlorophonia (photo 6). I also managed some nice shots of Rufous-bellied Thrush (photo 6).
Other species seen around the grounds were 1 Black Hawk-Eagle, 1 Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Plain Parakeet, 1 White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, 1 White-throated Spadebill, a pair of Red-crowned Ant-Tanager and several Red-necked Tanager. I strongly recommend a stay at Serra dos Tucanos, especially if bird photography is your thing, and make sure you bring plenty of memory cards! Check out their website at
www.serradostucanos.com.br.
Rachel and I then spent a relaxing afternoon catching up with our dear friends Andy and Cristina, chilling out on the veranda of their beautiful house overlooking the forest, eating and drinking - which is what we do best!
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