REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 12 November

Our final day in Brazil, and a marathon day at that! At 02:45, Adilei, Helen and I found ourselves blurry eyed and yawning on the Onofre Cunha Trail for our last night walk. Once again things were rather quiet but a Black-capped Screech-Owl (photo 1) showed well, and 2 Black-banded Owl were seen in their usual spot but typically remained just out of DSLR range. A Mottled Owl was heard but there was no sign of any Tawny-browed Owls so we drove to another site, where immediately on arrival we found a Tawny-browed perched up in a cecropia. Mission accomplished! 3 Pauraque on the dirt roads were a bonus, but by now the rapidly gathering light was bringing the mornings night-birding to an end.

Black-capped Screech-Owl on the Onofre Cunha Trail

We decided on a dawn visit to the area of agricultural land at Areal (photo 2) that has become another regular Giant Snipe site, to try and catch up with a few species that are difficult on the reserve now that the reforested areas are becoming more established. 1 Savanna Hawk, 2 Plain-breasted Ground-Dove (scarce here), a Burrowing Owl, 2 Grassland Sparrow, 2 Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, 1 Red-cowled Cardinal, 2 Chopi Blackbird, several White-browed Blackbird and a group of Common Waxbill were amongst the birds seen against a backdrop of displaying Blue-black Grassquits and a beautiful sunrise. There's nothing quite like grasslands at dawn.

Sunrise at Areal

After breakfast back at the lodge I was out again, this time mapping in detail the two trails we marked yesterday. Starting on the Wetland Trail, I had only got to post 300 when I noticed a small black and white tyrant-flycatcher flying out from the bank towards a small grassy island. I knew immediately that this was no White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, but a Black-backed Water-Tyrant, and a new bird for REGUA! Landing in a dead bush, it frustratingly remained rather obscured before flying off just a minute or so later. I was sure that this species was not normally found in RJ state, and only had a few terrible record shots. After over an hour of searching there was no further sign of it so I continued walking the trail hoping to refind it. By now it was getting hot and several White-faced Whistling-Duck (photo 3), 3 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 18 Masked Duck (the highest count of the trip), 1 Capped Heron, 2 Snowy Egret, 1 Squirrel Cuckoo, 2 Greater Ani, 1 Wing-banded Hornero, 1-2 Cattle Tyrant (now rather scarce at the wetland), 1 Short-crested Flycatcher and a Black-capped Donacobius were the best of the other birds seen.

White-faced Whistling-Ducks

A quick walk mid afternoon to map the new Forest Trail found very little bird activity, with a Blond-crested Woodpecker being the most noteworthy sighting. With only two hours left before we had to leave for the airport, I was almost back at the lodge when I refound the Black-backed Water-Tyrant. It was a little distant but I spent half an hour watching it and taking some slightly better photos, before all too soon I had to leave it and rush back for dinner, pack and say my goodbyes. It would have been nice to have had another day to try and get some better shots but I couldn't have asked for a better end to the trip (separate post on this bird to follow).

Trail marking at REGUA

Although there are plenty of trails in the lodge area at REGUA, few have ever been marked out with posts and there is no information readily available to visitors about these trails and the wildlife that can be seen along them. So back in July, Rachel, Raquel Locke, Helen Cavilla and I began the task of developing the trail network and designed two new trails, the Wetland Trail and the Forest Trail, working out and measuring the routes and deciding where to place signs and benches etc. Over the last few days Rachel has been working hard with volunteers and REGUA staff building and painting marker posts and signs, and today (11 November) we were finally ready to mark out the trails.

The Wetland Trail is a circular route that runs for 2.8 km around the edge of the wetland, taking in lakes, marsh, reed beds and reforested areas. It is marked with yellow posts every 50 m and also gives access to two hides. The Forest Trail is a 2.4 km linear route that runs through well established secondary forest, areas recently replanted with pioneer tree species and wet grassland. Rachel and I assembled a team consisting of REGUA ranger Barata, lodge manager Helen Cavilla, REGUA guide Adilei and volunteers Richard Thaxton and Eric DeFonso, and although it was very hot we made light work of what would otherwise have been a time consuming task, and had a lot of fun in the process. Many thanks to everyone for helping out!

Newly painted marker posts for the Forest Trail.

From left: Richard Thaxton (Loch Garten RSPB site manager), Barata and Rachel.

From left: me and Helen Cavilla.

Richard Thaxton and Rachel.

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 10 November

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.

Male Russet-winged Spadebill

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.

Rufous-capped Antthrush

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.

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 9 November

A hot and very quiet day on the Veludo Trail today. 2 Saw-billed Hermit (photo below), 1 male Frilled Coquette, 1 Rufous-tailed Jacamar, 1 Yellow-throated Woodpecker, a male Variable Antshrike, a pair of Spot-breasted Antvireo, 1 Ochre-breasted Foliage-gleaner, 1 White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, 2 Grey-hooded Flycatcher, 1 White-throated Spadebill, 2 Euler's Flycatcher, 1 Blue Manakin, 3 Yellow-green Grosbeak, 1 Orange-bellied Euphonia and a Chestnut-bellied Euphonia were the best of the few birds seen, and yet again we came frustratingly close to a calling Variegated Antpitta but failed to see it. Elsewhere, a White-eared Puffbird was on the dirt road leading to the trail head.

Austral migrant tyrant-flycatchers

During the austral spring (September and October), large numbers of migratory birds arrive in the Atlantic Forest and across southern South America to breed. Avian migration in South America is very poorly understood compared to many other parts of the world, with seasonal distribution and migration routes unclear for many species. However, some species, particularly some tyrant-flycatchers, are known to migrate very long distances, and a few are potential vagrants to North America and perhaps beyond.

Several Fork-tailed Flycatchers (photo 1) are currently about on agricultural land around REGUA. There are four races of this stunning bird, and the nominate Tyrannus savana savana is a long distance migrant, breeding in southern South America, mainly south of the Tropic of Capricorn², and spending the austral winter (April to August) in the northern half of the continent, as far north as western Columbia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. Fork-tailed Flycatcher occurs almost annually as a vagrant in the US and Canada with over 120 records, mainly in the east and involving 1st winter birds of the nominate race³. Most have occurred as reverse migrants in September and October, when birds wintering in northern South America move south to their breeding grounds, but some have occurred as overshoots in the northern spring when birds are heading north for the austral winter. Incredibly, one even made it to Spain in October 2002³!

Fork-tailed Flycatcher of the nominate form T. s. savana, REGUA, November 2011.
This long distance migrant is recorded almost annually as a vagrant in North
America, and the first record for the Western Palearctic occurred in 2002.

Variegated Flycatcher (photo 2) is also a common summer visitor to the Atlantic Forest and can be seen around the wetland and at forest edge habitats at REGUA at the moment. Widespread throughout South America east of the Andes, nominate Empidonomus varius varius is highly migratory in the southern part of its breeding range, with birds moving as far north as Trinidad, Venezuela and as far west as eastern Colombia and eastern Ecuador for the austral winter. Variegated Flycatcher shows a similar pattern of vagrancy in North America to Fork-tailed Flycatcher, albeit but with far fewer records (Fork-tailed Flycatcher is a very conspicuous species, so maybe Variegated Flycatchers are going unnoticed?) - 3 have been recorded in the US (2 in the east) and 1 in south-east Canada, with all but one recorded between September and November. None have been assigned to race for certain, but a bird in Washington in 2008 showed characteristics of the nominate varius⁴, suggesting migrants from southern South America are involved rather than the nearer but sedentary Mexican population. With Fork-tailed Flycatcher having made it across the Atlantic, could Variegated Flycatcher follow?

Variegated Flycatcher of the highly migratory nominate race E. v. varius, REGUA,
October 2007. Birds breeding in southern South America winter in the far north of
the continent. 4 have so far occurred in North America, including 3 in the east, but
more possibly go unnoticed. The larger size, longer bill and rufous tail separate it
from the similar Piratic Flycatcher.

Piratic Flycatcher is similar to Variegated in appearance, but is smaller with a shorter bill and less rufous tones in the tail and rump. Like Variegated, the nominate L. l. leucophaius is migratory and moves north for the austral winter. Nine had been recorded in North America up until 2009⁴, with one record from eastern US (Florida). Similarly, the local race of Streaked Flycatcher, M. m. solitarius (photo 3), is also highly migratory in the southern end of its range. So far Streaked Flycatcher has not been recorded north of Mexico⁴, but this is one of the most common austral summer migrant tyrant-flycatchers in RJ state, and must be considered a potential vagrant to North America.

Streaked Flycatcher of the migratory race M. m. solitarius, Vale das Taquaras,
November 2007. This common long distance austral migrant is a potential vagrant
to North America and maybe elsewhere.

References

¹ del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. & Christie, D. (eds.) 2004. Handbook of the Birds of the World, 9. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
² Erickson, H.T. 1982. Migration of the Fork-tailed Flycatcher through southeastern Brazil. American Birds 36: 136-138.
³ Gutiérrez, R. 2008. The Fork-tailed Flycatcher in Spain - a new Western Palearctic bird. Birding World 21: 325-328.
⁴ Mlodinow, S.G. & Irons, D.S. 2009. First Record of the Variegated Flycatcher for Western North America. Western Birds 40: 47-50.

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 8 November

A very long but fantastic day birding to the top of the Elfin Forest Trail today, with plenty of Atlantic Forest endemics seen. A quick walk along the Grey Trail en route produced 1 each of Plain Parakeet, Blue-bellied Parrot, Spot-backed Antshrike, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Planalto Woodcreeper, Ochre-breasted Foliage-gleaner, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Russet-winged Spadebill, Grey-hooded Attila, Pin-tailed Manakin and Blue-naped Chlorophonia.

The Elfin Forest Trail reaches 950 m above sea level, and although rocky and very steep in places, is one of my favourite birding trails anywhere. The forest here has only ever been selectively logged and the trees are dripping with bromeliads and orchids, supporting a whole range of animals scarce in secondary forest. A calling male Shrike-like Cotinga (photos 1 & 2) showed very well between posts 850 - 900, with another seen briefly in the same place. At the top of the trail 1 Spotted Bamboowren (photo 3) was eventually coaxed out into a relatively open area of bamboo, and 1 Mantled Hawk, 1 Scale-throated Hermit, 1 Versicolored Emerald, 4 Saffron Toucanet, 1 Yellow-browed Woodpecker, 2 Ferruginous Antbird (photo 4), 1 White-bibbed Antbird, 1 White-throated Woodcreeper, 1 Black-billed Scythebill and a Rough-legged Tyrannulet were seen. Other notables logged include 1 Surucua Trogon, 1 Rufous-capped Motmot, 3 Spot-billed Toucanet, 1-2 White-collared Foliage-gleaner, 1 Pale-browed Treehunter, 1 Azure-shouldered Tanager and a Black-throated Grosbeak. Frustratingly, we failed to see the Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrants recently found on this trail despite hearing them call at close range. The return walk along the Waterfall Trail added a Plain Xenops and a White-thighed Swallow.

Above and below: Male Shrike-like Cotinga (Elegant Mourner) at the regular breeding spot at
post 850 on the Elfin Forest Trail

Spotted Bamboowren - rubbish photo, tough bird

The brightest coloured Drymophila antbird, Ferruginous Antbird is found at higher
altitudes and is often associated with bamboo.

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 7 November

A quiet day on forest trails around the wetland produced nothing out of the ordinary. A walk along an unmarked trail and then onto the Forest Trail produced 1 Rufous-thighed Kite, a pair of Sooretama Slaty Antshrike (photo 1), 5 White-flanked Antwren, 4 Unicoloured Antwren, 1 Plain-winged Woodcreeper, 1+ Grey-hooded Flycatcher, 1 Sepia-capped Flycatcher, 2 Streaked Flycatcher, 1 Variegated Flycatcher, 1 Short-crested Flycatcher, 2 Moustached Wren (photo 2), 1 Long-billed Wren and the Green-winged Saltator. A short hike up the São José Trail found little activity, with just 2 more White-flanked Antwren, 1 Unicoloured Antwren, a Streaked Xenops and another Long-billed Wren for company.

Male Sooretama Slaty Antshrike

Moustached Wren

In the evening a group of low swifts over the lodge included a few Biscutate Swifts and some Sick's Swifts and a night walk around the wetland produced a male Scissor-tailed Nightjar and several Pauraque (photo 3).

Male Pauraque