Another hike up the Elfin Forest Trail today, this time via the Waterfall Trail. An adult Rufous-thighed Kite just before the trail head by Casa Pesquisa got things off to a good start, and then things got even better shortly afterwards with one of the highlights of the trip. Luciana Barcante, a student from Rio de Janeiro State University studying changes in bird populations with altitude, was ringing on the Waterfall Trail and had just caught a pair of Russet-winged Spadebill (photos 1 & 2)! Its not everyday you get the opportunity to see such rare a bird at close range, so I stayed and watched Luciana process the birds, taking a few pics in the process. Check out the white crest - I've never seen this in the field. Incredible birds! This pair was not caught at one of the regular spots on the reserve for this species, so they could be yet another pair. A White-throated Spadebill seen shortly afterwards provided a timely comparison.
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| Male Russet-winged Spadebill |
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| Female Russet-winged Spadebill |
Also caught were 1 Saw-billed Hermit, 1 Violet-capped Woodnymph, 1 Rufous-capped Antthrush (photo 3), 1 Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (photo 4) and a Grey-hooded Flycatcher.
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| Rufous-capped Antthrush |
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| Ochre-bellied Flycatcher |
On the Elfin Forest Trail I finally managed to connect with Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant (at post 2250), with 1 or 2 birds seen after a what felt like a very long wait. Unfortunately they weren't very showy so I was unable to get any decent photos. Also seen on the Elfin Forest Trail were 1 Mantled Hawk, 1 Least Pygmy-Owl being mobbed by 2 Red-necked Tanagers, a Scale-throated Hermit, 1 Saffron Toucanet, 1 Yellow-throated Woodpecker, a male Salvadori's Antwren, 1 White-bibbed Antbird, 1 Spotted Bamboowren, 1 Planalto Woodcreeper, 1-2 Scaled Woodcreeper, 1 Ochre-breasted Foliage-gleaner, 2 Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, a Pale-browed Treehunter, 1+ Sharpbill, the male Shrike-like Cotinga again, 2 Black-capped Becard, 1-2 Rufous-browed Peppershrike, 4 Brown Tanager, 2 Black-throated Grosbeak and a Golden-crowned Warbler.
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