Três Picos State Park, Brazil: 6 November

Spent the day birding in higher altitude forest on the Theodoro Trail at the nearby Três Picos State Park that borders REGUA. On route to and from the trail we stopped at the fruit feeders set up by locals on the road up into the mountains. The feeders provide good photographic opportunities and attracted small numbers of Ruby-crowned, Brazilian, Green-headed (photo 1) and Red-necked Tanagers, a pair of Burnished-buff Tanagers (photo 2), 3 Green Honeycreepers (photo 3), Violaceous Euphonias (photo 4), at least 3 Chestnut-bellied Euphonias (photo 5) and a couple of Blue-naped Chlorophonias (photo 6), as well as a few other species. We only spent half an hour or so here, but with more time you could get some excellent images.

Green-headed Tanager

Male Burnished-buff Tanager

First summer male Green Honeycreeper

Male Violaceous Euphonia

Male Chestnut-bellied Euphonia

Female Blue-naped Chlorophonia

My second lifer of the trip, a Bertoni's Antbird, was seen soon after starting up the Theodoro Trail, and other decent birds seen here include 1 Plumbeous Pigeon, 1 White-throated Hummingbird, 1 Yellow-browed Woodpecker, 3 White-shouldered Fire-eye, 1 Slaty Bristlefront, 1 Rufous-capped Spinetail, 1 White-collared Foliage-gleaner, 1 Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher (photo 7), 1 Bare-throated Bellbird, 1 Sharpbill, 2 Brassy-breasted Tanager and 2 White-browed Warbler.

Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher

Back at REGUA in the late afternoon, a few Biscutate Swifts were picked out from a low flock of White-collareds feeding over the lodge, and the Rufous-thighed Kite and Greenish Elaenia were still around, as well as a showy 1st cycle male Chestnut-backed Antshrike. A night trip to the Onofre Cunha Trail wasn't very productive with just a Black-banded Owl and 1 Tropical Screech-Owl seen, and Tawny-browed Owl, Mottled Owl and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl heard.

Chestnut-backed Antshrike. The black tips to the greater coverts and the chestnut
tips to the black crown show this is a 1st cycle male.

View of the reserve from the lodge garden