High ISO bird photography

It's been an excellent couple of days forest birding at REGUA. The trails through the secondary forest near the lodge hold some really great birds and plenty of endemics. As the reforested areas through which these trails pass become more established, more and more forest species are being recorded. A walk along a couple of these trails yesterday produced great views of Grey-hooded Attila, White-bibbed Antbird, a Shrike-like Cotinga at the regular wintering site (top two photos) and a ridiculously showy Southern Antpipit (bottom photo). Today we birded the higher altitude Matumbo Trail and found a number of large mixed species flocks. Highlights were Green-backed Becard, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Scaled Woodcreeper, Ferruginous Pigmy-Owl, Black Hawk-Eagle, Variable Antshrike (my bogey bird seen at last!), Hangnest Tody-Tyrant (a REGUA tick and a good bird for the Reserve), Tufted Antshrike, White-shouldered Fire-eye and Black-capped Foliage-Gleaner (probably my favourite of this family).

Bought a Canon 7D DSLR a few days before this trip and I've been blown away by it! The autofocus is lightning fast and the high ISO (up to 6400) with little noise is ideal for forest photography where light is in short suppliy. Here's a few shots from yesterday, all taken at ISO 3200 and would have been impossible without a flash at lower ISO.

Black-legged Dacnis

Another look at the wetland today produced a small flock of the hoped for Black-legged Dacnis - a rare and endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest endemic that is difficult to catch up with, but lately seems to have become a REGUA speciality. Otherwise the birding today was fairly quiet, although a sortie this evening for Black-banded Owl was partially successful with 2 birds heard calling. I'll be trying hard to see these birds on this trip. This reintroduced Red-billed Curassow, one of 48 birds released at REGUA, has taken up residence in the lodge garden - an amazing looking bird!

The REGUA wetland

After arriving at REGUA late last night we decided on an easy day around the restored REGUA wetland today. How things have changed in 18 months since our last visit! The final phase of landscaping and flooding of the wetland is now complete, increasing the total area of lakes, pools and channels to 18 hectares. Since 2005, around 60,000 trees have been planted around the edge of the wetland and growth rates have been phenominal with many trees now over 20 ft tall! Wildlife has been quick to move back in and as the forest edge is effectively brought nearer to the lodge, forest-dwelling birds are becoming increasingly common. A year ago, Maroon-bellied Parakeet was rarely seen in the lodge garden, but today about 100 were on the feeders or nearby - a good indicator of the quality of the replanted forest. Highlights today included 4 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (the first breeding record for Rio State), a Brazilian Ruby at the lodge feeders (very low altitude for this species) and some excellent mammals including a pair of Greater Grison, around 40 Capabara and this gorgeous orphaned Orange-spined Hairy Dwarf Porcupine.

REGUA - my neotropical patch

In 2006, after two years of planning, Rachel and I quit our jobs, packed up our stuff, let out the house and set off on a trip around South America. We saw a lot of amazing wildlife, but one of the highlights was three months volunteering at REGUA (Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu) - an NGO protecting a large area of Atlantic Forest in south-east Brazil. We took on the task of developing the Reserve's tourism, set up to generate funds for their conservation work, and during our stay we fell in love with the place and made some life-long friends. Since our trip we've continued our work for REGUA, which has included building the website and representing REGUA at the Birdfair. REGUA is now becoming a top birding destination and we like to think we have helped put REGUA on the birding map. All income generated goes towards protecting the habitat the birds depend on and so tourism here helps conserve this highly threatened biome.

The Atlantic Forest is of the world's top five biodiversity hotspots and dripping with endemics! Over the last few years I've got to know the birds well and adopted REGUA as my foreign patch. Each year we try to return to see how the Reserve is developing and tomorrow we fly out for a three week trip. This time we'll be spending two weeks at REGUA before embarking on a mini tour to Caraça and I'm hoping to write the occassional post, internet access allowing. To find out more about birding in the Atlantic Forest and REGUA visit http://www.regua.org/.

Rachel and I in 2006 with Adilei (left) - one of REGUA's bird guides

A few more year ticks

I didn't have much opportunity for birding this weekend, but a walk today along the Cuckmere Valley and up on the South Downs near Alfriston in East Sussex produced my first Common Whitethroats and Sedge Warbler of the year, lots of Blackcaps and about 20 Swallows.

3rd watch from Tower 42

Clear skies and light northerlies over London produced a rather quiet day at Tower 42 today. Personal highlights were 3 Common Buzzard north over, including a spectacular show put on by two birds being harassed by a local Peregrine. Other birds seen include a Common Swift (my first of the year) and up to 4 local Peregrine including a bird perched on St. Paul's Cathedral. Joining us on the roof today was a film crew from BBC Natural World, making a film about wildlife in the capital.

For more on the day's watch, including other birds seen, see Tower 42 Bird Study Group and Non-stop Birding.

Migration picks up

A noticable increase in movement today. A morning visit to Thomas Cleeve Wood on the edge of Dartmoor produced an early singing male Wood Warbler, a male Pied Flycatcher, a Tawny Owl (flushed by a dog walker), up to 9 Marsh Tits (top photo) and loads of Siskins. Back in Budleigh Salterton (via a tea room of course), we were chilling in Jaffa's garden when we looked up to find 2 male Wheatear sitting on the chimney! A surreal sight, the birds spent a good half hour preening before dropping down to feed in the park in front of Jaffa's house!

Another look at the sea at Brandy Head in the evening produced a trickle of Swallows moving north, 27 Manx Shearwaters heading west, 20+ Common Scoter, 1 Guillemot and a flock of 25 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flying in and landing on the sea. Spent a bit of time trying to photograph birds in flight - difficult!

For more on the weekend's birding see Cream Tea Birding.