Birding in Mato Grosso and Brazil

AMAZONIAN BRAZIL

Alta Floresta, the Rio Azul, and Cristalino Jungle Lodge

 

Daily accounts:

 

February 8th: Our early morning owling rained out, I met Mark at the Floresta Amazônica Hotel in Alta Floresta to bird the forest patch behind the hotel. We started with an early morning vigil from the football field, kicking things off with a smart Tiny Hawk which flew overhead then perched at the forest edge for scope views. The early rain seemed to have taken the edge off bird activity, but parrots played a prominent role in the morning’s birding: we had nice flight views of Scarlet, Red-and-green, Chestnut-fronted and Red-bellied Macaws, White-eyed Parakeets, Blue-headed Parrot and Yellow-crowned and Mealy Amazons. A fruiting tree was attracting Lettered and Chestnut-eared Araçaris in addition to Crested Oropendola, Yellow-rumped Caciques and a dozen or more Bare-necked Fruitcrows. After an hour or so on the pitch it seemed that nothing further was forthcoming, so we headed for the forest. A second Tiny Hawk was a pleasant surprise. Our forest trail was deathly quiet but for a vocal White-browed Hawk which frustrated by calling from nearby but managed to remain hidden from view. A short distance from the hotel we arrived at the nest site of the resident pair of Harpy Eagles, finding the massive adult female standing upon her nest. As we watched she hopped onto a nearby limb, allowing scope views of her massive talons and thick feathered tarsi as she clambered to higher branches to dry off in the morning sun.

 

Once we had finally had our fill of Mark’s first Harpy, we continued along the forest trail where we found a couple of understory antbirds including a pair of Plain-throated Antwrens and some skulking White-shouldered Antshrikes. After a short search we found a calling Screaming Piha at a traditional lek site and enjoyed watching him belt out his loud advertising call in the scope. Things were mostly quiet otherwise and we returned to the hotel for lunch.

 

After lunch the rain which had let up in the morning was back, and even stronger than before. As I drove through Alta Floresta to meet Mark I found the downtown choked with water and passed several streets flooded by blocked storm drains. Since our afternoon birding site lay more than 20 minutes west of Alta Floresta by car, there was a chance that it would not be raining there. So we set off for the Rio Santa Helena, where sure enough the skies were relatively clear and the dirt access road was bone dry. The Santa Helena is a narrow river with providing good access to an excellent range of riparian species. It is also adjoined by one of the largest remnant forest patches in the immediate area around Alta Floresta. It is perhaps due to the latter fact that we should not have been overly surprised by our first bird of the afternoon: a fearless juvenile Harpy Eagle which flew out from its perch at the roadside to check us out, hovering over my car for a few seconds before returning the forest edge and perching for a prolonged study!

 

Continuing, we parked before a small bridge and birded the rest of the afternoon from the roadside. Here we saw Amazonian Antpitta, Amazonian Antwren, Red-necked Araçari, Cinnamon Attila, female Spangled and Pompadour Cotingas, Madeira Parakeet, Buff-breasted Wren, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Yellow-bellied Dacnis, Red-billed Pied-Tanager and others. Our third Tiny Hawk of the day put in an appearance. As dusk fell we picked up Lesser, Common and Short-tailed Nighthawks and heard a Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl.

 

February 9^th: Another early owling session was rained out. This morning we headed directly into the forest behind the hotel, stopping to look at Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant at the forest edge. After a quick look at the female Harpy Eagle snuggled deep down in her nest, we walked the Primates Trail picking up a few bits and pieces including a stellar male Rose-breasted Chat, a pair of the near-endemic Black-girdled Barbet, White-tailed Trogon and close views of a family of Chestnut-tailed Antbirds. A couple of mammals put in appearances, including a Nine-banded Armadillo, and a mixed group of Dusky Titi-Monkeys, Silvery Marmosets and Brown Capuchins. A stop at a flooded area known locally as the fish ponds found us a pair of Hook-billed Kites and a couple of vocal Striolated Puffbirds.

 

After a pleasant lunch at a restaurant in town, we met up with Carlos of the Pousada Rio Azul for the five hour transfer to the lodge on bumpy dirt roads with plenty of stops for birding. Along the way we picked up a number of new open country species including Cocoi and Striated Herons, Pearl and White-tailed Kites, Purple and Azure Gallinules (the latter a rare migrant in the region), good numbers of 5 species of macaws including our first Blue-and-yellows, Orange-winged Amazon and White-lined Tanager. A big highlight was the impressive adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle seen low in trees around the ferrymaster’s residence at the banks of the Teles Pires river, obviously casing the yard and eyeing his chickens with interest. As we crossed the state border from Mato Grosso into Pará, I informed Mark that we were entering Hyacinth Macaw territory. Sure enough, some 20 minutes later Carlos stopped the truck and asked to borrow my binoculars, indicating a pair of macaws perched low in a palm on the left side of the road: it was quickly confirmed – Hyacinth Macaws! These birds are part of a small offshoot population of the larger numbers found in their Amazonian stronghold to the north on the Serra do Cachimbo, and we’ve been finding the species quite reliably in the ranchland near the Pousada Rio Azul since our first visits in 2007.

 

We arrived at the lodge in the late afternoon, unpacked for a 5-night stay and settled in with the first of many delicious meals – Ivaní’s cooking was once again a major trip highlight!

 

February 10^th: After a pre-dawn breakfast we started birding in the small clearing in which the lodge buildings are situated. A tape responsive Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper in the spotlight was our first bird. As the day brightened we found Rufous-winged Antwren, White-lored Tyrannulet, Ringed Woodpecker, Paradise and Rufous-tailed Jacamars, a trio of Black-girdled Barbets, Curl-crested Araçari, White-flanked Antwren, Long-billed Gnatwren and a Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant. We then walked the entrance road to the lodge to bird the stunted campina vegetation found there, where we encountered plenty of hummingbirds in low flowering bushes including numerous Green-tailed Goldenthroats, Black-eared Fairy, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and a Black-bellied Thorntail or two. There were some White-collared Swifts overhead, forced lower by the threatening skies. In the taller forest bordering the campina we had Cream-coloured Woodpecker, Spix’s Warbling-Antbird and a pair of Bronzy Jacamars. A male Red-shouldered Tanager was a nice find, and also our last bird before a steady rain began which forced us to turn back to the lodge for hot coffee.

 

The rain didn’t last much more than an hour and as it tailed off we headed to a nearby observation platform overlooking a beautiful lagoon with crystal clear waters. Aside from the numerous species of tropical fish and sting rays noted, we also found Gray-chested Greenlet, Amazon and Green-and-rufous Kingfishers, Chestnut Woodpecker, Green-and-gold and Turquoise Tanagers and quick flyby views of a flock of 5 Bald Parrots. We returned to the lodge clearing in the hopes that the parrots had perched nearby, but didn’t manage to relocate the birds. A fruiting tree at the forest edge had parrots, but all with feathered heads: Madeira Parakeet, Golden-winged Parakeet and Dusky-billed Parrotlet. I suggested we walk down to the river edge, but our path was blocked suddenly by three Razor-billed Curassows foraging calmly at the trailhead. Mark filmed these magnificent birds to his heart’s content. Our progress was halted again by the appearance of a smart Tapajós Hermit nectaring at low bushes beside the path – this species, due to be described shortly in the Auk, is easy in the clearings at the Pousada Rio Azul. Any further thoughts we had of reaching the river before lunch were dashed by the appearance of a large mixed flock at the edge of the clearing. It seemed to be comprised largely of woodpeckers: Bar-breasted Piculet, Red-stained, Golden-green, Yellow-throated, Scale-breasted and Ringed Woodpeckers were joined by Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Pygmy Antwren, a sharp male Spangled Cotinga and Rufous-bellied Euphonia. A singing male White-browed Antbird was glimpsed in the undergrowth. This action took us nearly to lunchtime, but I was insistent on walking the short distance to the river, whereupon we bumped into Striped, Wedge-billed, and Olivaceous Woodcreepers and a pair of Blue-necked Jacamars.

 

After lunch and a short and refreshing rain shower, we headed out for our afternoon’s outing and our first look at the Rio Azul itself. From the boat we noted plenty of White-banded Swallows and both Channel-billed and White-throated Toucans, a couple of Red-throated Piping-Guans and a single Dusky-chested Flycatcher in an area with a few Mauritia palms. The highlight of the afternoon was an aggressive male Crimson Topaz which harassed other hummingbirds, consistently returning to its perch atop a tree at the river’s edge. Terrific! Further downstream we anchored the boat in a narrow stretch of the river and played pygmy-owl tape, attracting a number of small passerines including Bay-headed, Green-and-gold, Swallow and Paradise Tanagers, Black-faced Dacnis, Purple and Short-billed Honeycreepers. Returning to the lodge we ‘spied’ a Pied Puffbird in a leafless tree which afforded only brief views before it dropped from sight.

 

A short session in the lodge clearing as dusk fell produced Blackish Nightjar (we later found a nest at the edge of the clearing with a single egg), a singing White-necked Puffbird and a family of Opal-rumped Tanagers heading to roost in one of the isolated young trees planted near the cabins.

 

February 11^th: This morning we repeated yesterday’s woodcreeper trick, but this time with Red-billed Woodcreeper at the edge of the lodge clearing. Instead of lingering in the clearing we headed directly into the adjacent forest along an old trail once used to transport small boats around a set of dangerous rapids above the lodge. An elusive Spot-winged Antshrike in the canopy made us work for views but finally showed above our heads. A male Gould’s Toucanet was more co-operative, calling and bowing and seen in the scope. While we were glimpsing a singing Musician Wren in the undergrowth a curious Long-tailed Hermit came and checked us out at close range. The harsh song of Snethlage’s Gnateater was heard nearby, and with little bit of work with the tape were we enjoying excellent views of this striking antbird, his white eyebrow glowing in the dim undergrowth.

 

While I thought that activity could have been a little better along this usually active trail, we managed to see a number of good birds throughout the morning in the riverine and terra firme forests including Gray Antbird, Grayish Mourner, Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin (after a lot of chasing the ventriloquil vocalizations), a pair of sharp White-browed Purpletufts in the canopy, and a family group of Madeira Parakeets investigating a potential nest cavity. A Yellow-footed Tortoise halfway crossed the trail in front of us before deciding better and turning back.

 

Shortly thereafter we also decided to turn back in the hope that activity might pick up as the day warmed a little. However, some tinamous calling nearby first tempted us into the forest to ‘give them a go’. We sat down on the forest floor and I began to whistle, then switched to tape as we tried to coax a Brazilian Tinamou in for a peek. In the end we were treated to more than a peek, as a cautious but inquisitive individual approached silently and strolled about, albeit somewhat skittishly, just a few metres away from where we sat quietly. Mark even managed to film the bird (look for the clip and many others on the Internet Bird Collection in due course).

 

Reinvigorated by our success with the tinamou, we seemed to pull birds out of thin air for a while: Spix’s Guan, Yellow-browed Antbird, Black-faced Antbird, a soaring Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Cinereous Antshrike, White-eyed Antwren, Lafresnaye’s Woodcreeper and White-bellied Tody-Tyrant and Rufous-tailed Flatbill were all see within the next half hour. A big canopy flock near the lodge caught us by surprise (and perhaps waning a little due to the late hour?) but we still picked out some new birds including Flame-crested Tanager, Sclater’s Antwren, Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner and Yellow-margined Flycatcher. The real prize was a tricky Guianan Gnatcatcher which disappeared for anxious periods of several minutes before I could put Mark on it, the white outer tail feathers and obvious gnatcatcher shape and behaviour finally all coming together for nice views of this tough canopy dweller as it flitted about in slender outer branches. The gnatcatcher in the bag, we adjourned for a well deserved lunch.

 

Our planned afternoon outing was a visit to some bamboo-dominated forest accessed by bad ranch roads. Carlão was worried about the road and said that if it rained or looked like heavy rains were approaching, we would have to change our plans. I convinced him that we should give it a shot anyway, since the track we wanted to bird has always been very productive, even in mid-afternoon. In the end we didn’t even reach the area in question. A very muddy corral and a fast-moving front of rain clouds forced us back to the lodge. The backup plan was to bird the entrance road. Immediately upon arrival I heard a Tataupa Tinamou call nearby, and encouraged by our earlier success gave it a blast with the tape. Surprisingly, the tinamou came rocketing out of a thicket where it had been calling, running through a dense cover of low ferns and coming to a stop nearly at our feet. Very nice indeed. A noisy gang of Plush-crested Jays vied for top billing as well. We were frustrated by two pairs of Spotted Puffbirds which we simply could not find in the dense campina forest, finally seeing one bird very briefly in silhouette as it perched in the open on a thick limb before disappearing again in the dimming light. Our attention shifted to a more cooperative (thankfully) Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl who obliged us with excellent views and even posed for video footage at the forest edge. Carlão headed back to the lodge in the truck to see that dinner was on track, while Mark and I opted to walk back to the lodge. No more owls, but we did find a cute Paca foraging at the edge of the lodge clearing. This animal prompted one of my classic massive misidentifications when I initially pegged it as a Brazilian Tapir (obviously due to the similarity in the markings of the paca and young tapirs... erhm, cough cough)... perhaps a dwarf tapir?

 

February 12^th: Our morning started under a dawn fog in the campina along the entrance road. The low vegetation in this area typically affords good views of various species of parrots in flight in the early morning, and today the recently (1989) described Kawall’s Amazon was a highlight. After chasing a female White-fringed Antwren which was singing intermittently for a while, we shifted our attention to the showy Plush-crested Jays nearby. While watching the jays, a Red-throated Piping-Guan burst from the forest nearby, chased by a large Accipiter nearly three-quarters its size. We hurried along the track to try to re-find the raptor, first encountering a trio of Red-fan Parrots and a Laughing Falcon perched on snags near the road. An alarmed Channel-billed Toucan drew my attention to the sought raptor, and scope views indicated that it was a subadult Bicoloured Hawk.

 

By the time we had finished with the hawk the early mist had burned off and replaced in the sky by an angry tropical sun. So into the forest we went, starting with the campinarana at the far end of the Woodcreeper Trail. Here we saw Thrush-like Schiffornis, a male Plain-throated Antwren, and a ‘well-put-together’ Ringed Antpipit which performed down to just a couple of metres. A fruiting tree had Red-necked Araçaris and Red-throated Piping-Guans while a couple of male Fiery-capped Manakins found nearby showed their distinctive striped underparts while they zipped about in the subcanopy above us.

 

Transitional forest along the river’s edge produced a couple of shy terrestrial species in the form of a Variegated Tinamou on the trail and one or possibly two Ruddy Quail-Doves which we flushed a couple of times. An active antswarm had Lafresnaye’s, Spix’s, and Plain-brown Woodcreepers and we heard but didn’t manage to see Black-spotted Bare-eye. We still had a little time before lunch upon reaching the lodge, so we headed to the lagoon where we picked up Collared Trogon and Amazonian Antshrike before adjourning for another delicious meal.

 

Our afternoon had a single goal: better views of the Bald Parrot. To that end, we headed to the observation platform at the edge of the small lagoon near the lodge. This platform has good sightlines and to date has been a reliable place to see this special parrot during the afternoons. We saw few birds here, mostly species we had seen before, and enjoyed the fish again while keeping our eyes and ears open for sign of the parrots. Shortly after 5 pm I had the sharp cry of our target, but the birds remained hidden from view. I tried playing tape, and suddenly a pair of Bald Parrots popped up in the canopy of a tree at the far end of the lagoon. Scope views ensued until the birds dropped out of sight as quickly as they had appeared. Thinking that the birds may not have left the area, we tromped around in the forest around the tree that had held the parrots, but our search came up empty.

 

Another frustrating game of tag with the Spotted Puffbirds on the entrance track did little to dampen our high spirits in having nailed the star bird of the Rio Azul. As Mark put it, the ‘pressure’ was off.

 

February 13^th: Rain! Just after breakfast, as dawn broke so too did the clouds which had been building overnight. Beforehand, however, we had time for a quick foray into the forest behind the restaurant to try for the Cryptic Forest-Falcon I heard calling. No luck, but we did manage good views of a nice Collared Puffbird in the dawn twilight. But then a steady rain kept us inside for the next couple of hours of the morning. Finally, with the rain still coming down strong, at Carlão’s suggestion we explored a promising area of Amazonian caatinga where we found few birds aside from Orange-winged Amazons and a Short-crested Flycatcher and a small gang of Speckled Chachalacas en route to the site. With the rain easing up a little we returned to the river and headed downstream. Here we had (in my opinion) our best views yet of Bald Parrots, with three perched in a bare snag at the river’s edge. Other additions included Capped Heron and Spotted Tody-Flycatcher and a mammal tick for Mark in the form of a lone Neotropical Otter above the first set of rapids.

 

Our destination was a track through partially logged forest dominated by extensive stands of Guadua bamboo in the forest reserve of a neighbouring ranch. Even though we arrived in the late morning we still managed to find a fair few new birds. Moustached Wrens skulked beside the track, while a flock of 8-12 Slate-coloured Seedeaters feeding on seeding bamboos was a pleasant surprise. This erratic species is poorly known in this region of Brazil, but shows up at this location now and again. Farther from the river we found some low-flying White-thighed Swallows and several raucous pairs of Blue-and-yellow Macaws. Also along the edges were Long-tailed Tyrant, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Blue-black Grosbeak and Epaulet Oriole. A big canopy flock kept us busy for some time, and it was comprised of Green Honeycreeper, Turquoise and Palm Tanagers, a pair of Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireos, Red-stained Woodpecker, Black-crowned and Masked Tityras, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Buff-throated Saltator, Collared Trogon, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Paradise Jacamar and perhaps best of all, a nice Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak pair. A nearby stand of bamboo held a number of specialist species including Crested Foliage-gleaner (terrific views of a singing bird), Large-headed Flatbill, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant and Manu Antbird. Also in attendance were some White-backed Fire-eyes and a pair of Fasciated Antshrikes. It was well past our normal lunch time when we headed back upriver toward the lodge, but one of the advantages of the familiar, customized attention at the Pousada Rio Azul is the great flexibility in mealtimes and their increasing understanding of birders’ needs. Lunch was served shortly after our arrival, piping hot and sumptuous as always.

 

In the afternoon we walked a loop combining three trails from the lodge. All was quite quiet, and indeed we only found two birds all afternoon. But what birds they were. A bit of speculative tape work in an area of vine forest brought a tepid, almost inaudible response from a distant Rufous-necked Puffbird. The bird was not overly interested in challenging its phantom rival, thus we were forced to slip into the forest to track down this special bird. Finding it was made difficult by the bird’s reluctance to sing, but we finally traced the source of the quiet alternate calls – a stunning combination of brown, white, black and rufous sitting in the open on a thick vine.

 

Doubling back toward the lodge on a riverside trail, we ended up at a small stream behind the restaurant to try for the recently described (2002) Cryptic Forest-Falcon which we had heard pre-dawn. After just a couple of minutes playing the tape, I spotted a slim raptor fly in and land in the subcanopy above our heads. It was indeed our bird, and in the end it put on a brilliant show, hopping along limbs and looking down at us curiously before ascending into the canopy and beginning to call without end, re-asserting its claim to this corner of the forest. We emerged with the forest flushed with success, agreed that it would be difficult to top such an experience before dinner, and thus adjourned the day’s birding.

 

February 14^th: With a few specialties of the stunted campinas still missing from our list, we headed once more to the entrance road this morning. Heard again, but not seen were a pair of Spotted Puffbirds. A calling Pale-bellied Mourner attracted our interest, and we entered the low forest on a side trail to get closer. Stopping in a small clearing, we needed to insist with the tape in order to call the bird in several times to secure good views of this white-sand specialist for Mark. During the pursuit a pair of Plush-crested Jays eyed us curiously as they came and went from a hidden nest site. Deeper in the forest we found a young White-crowned Manakin before backtracking to look for (and find) a singing male Natterer’s Slaty-Antshrike.

 

We were due to meet Carlos on the road to head out to the neighbouring ranches, so we returned to the track, filming a male Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch and seeing the same trio of Red-fan Parrots along the way. A light rain started to rain as we loaded into the truck, but it didn’t interrupt our birding in the ranchland where we watched a large family of Burrowing Owls and saw many macaws before stopping at an inauspicious area of bushy fields where I called in a cracking pair of Masked Yellowthroats. Mark had mentioned that he’d like to see Hyacinth Macaws again as he had not managed good video footage the first time around. Carlos quickly obliged us as we drove along, spotting a pair of Hyacinth Macaws perched in a high snag beside the road, surrounded by a half dozen Black Vultures. We stepped down from the truck to enjoy and film these charismatic birds. Nearby I managed to elicit a response from a pair of Ash-throated Crakes in the grassy ranchland; eventually the macaws flew off and we walked to the edge of the fence to try the crakes. Within a matter of mere seconds we watched as the two birds stepped out from the tall grass to duet in the open less than three metres away from us!

 

Soon it was time to return to the lodge for an early lunch, after which we said our goodbyes and loaded into the truck once more to make the return trip to Alta Floresta. En route we picked up a few new birds in the form of a flock of Red-breasted Blackbirds, a sharp White Hawk sitting on a fence post swallowing a still-twitching snake, and a couple of Black-capped Donacobius at a roadside pool. In town we switched vehicles at the Floresta Amazônica Hotel, bidding Carlão and Carlos farewell and starting off on the 45 minute transfer to the banks of the Teles Pires river (White-tipped Dove) where Francisco awaited to take us to the world-famous Cristalino Jungle Lodge. The trip up the Rio Cristalino had just one new bird for us (Rufescent Tiger-Heron), but the serenity of the river and the impressive forest along its banks are enough to impress even the most dedicated of twitchers.

 

February 15^th: This morning we set off in the brightening dawn heading for Cristalino’s showpiece attraction, the 50-metre canopy tower. However, with Mark one species shy of a significant milestone and having noted his predilection for all things ‘pitta’, I had us detour on a side trail in pursuit of a hollow hooting vocalization. Fortune was once again good to us, as it didn’t take too long to call in a curious Spotted Antpitta with imitations. Moreover, he had the good grace to sit up on a fallen log in clear view! It was with great pleasure that we watched this spectacular creature puff out its throat with each vocalization, putting on a show befitting Mark’s 5000^th world bird. I was tempted to call it a day then and there.

 

But the canopy tower awaited, and we forged onward (and upward), settling in at a middle platform at 30 metres above the forest floor to watch and wait as the morning mist cleared away. An industrious Red-necked Woodpecker was working a nearby snag for #5001; there were lots of birds around the tower and we enjoyed Swallow-tailed Kites, Red-and-green and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Kawall’s and Mealy Amazons (the latter uncommon at Cristalino), Curl-crested Araçari, Black-girdled Barbet, a Forest Elaenia at little more than arm’s length, Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher, Tooth-billed Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, White-lored Euphonia, Bare-necked Fruitcrows and a noisy family group of Red-billed Pied-Tanagers. The ‘upper deck’ brought more sightings in the form of a perched King Vulture awaiting a thermal and an extremely distant but easily recognizable juvenile Harpy Eagle near the horizon – our third in just a week! A big canopy flock passed near to the tower and we saw Black-bellied Cuckoo, Black-eared Fairy, Red-stained Woodpeckers, Violaceous Trogon, Gray Elaenia, Slender-footed Tyrannulet, Masked Tanager and Blue Dacnis. A large emergent tree beside the tower was fruiting and pulling in a number of colourful birds for our enjoyment. An exceptional pair of Red-necked Araçaris hopped up to the upper branches and sat quietly for more than a half hour, offering close-range photo opportunities from a unique perspective – looking down on them!

 

We did a quick loop trail after descending the tower which was mostly quiet. A notable exception was the responsive and daring Short-billed Leaftosser which approached us very closely indeed.

 

In the afternoon we headed down the Cristalino to Teles Pires river under threatening skies. After some unsuccessful attempts for Rusty-backed Spinetail we stopped on a large river island to shelter from rain showers which passed very quickly. Then it was back to the boat and over to a couple of tiny islets (at this time of year entirely submerged) where we quickly found Amazonian Tyrannulet and Drab Water-Tyrant. Returning to the larger island we walked a wide trail without seeing much aside from a family of Red-capped Cardinals and a pair of Undulated Tinamou which crossed the path in front of us. At dusk we headed upstream to return to the lodge, spotlighting some exquisite Ladder-tailed Nightjars along the way. We also tried a number of spots for Black-banded Owl but had to settle for heard-only Tawny-bellied Screech- and Crested Owls.

 

February 16^th: A foray upstream to the Haffer trail started with an unsuccessful attempt to see a calling pair of Zigzag Herons near the lodge. En route to our trail we stopped at a quiet igarapé to listen for trumpeters but instead found a sharp female Dot-backed Antbird which paid off the stop with change to spare. A Ruddy Quail-Dove at the head of the Haffer trail was a positive start. A male Scale-backed Antbird was also nice, and followed later by an even better Black-spotted Bare-eye which circled us in response to tape. A wonderful Rufous-capped Antthrush was attracted by tape and put on a show as it bounced back and forth along a branch, seeking out its challenger. We picked up more new birds in the form of a pair of Dot-winged Antwrens at the edges of a mixed flock which slipped away as quickly as it had appeared; another somewhat more stationary flock contained Spix’s Woodcreeper, Saturnine Antshrike, Tawny-crowned Greenlet and Red-crowned Ant-Tanager.

 

The Haffer trail is a short loop so there was time left over to stop in an area of igapó forest along the Rio Cristalino to look for Flame-crested Manakin. Francisco led the way and less than two minutes later we were admiring a handsome subadult male near its favourite patch of vines. Collared Trogon and Blue-necked Jacamar were also present. We played plenty of tape for trumpeter but no response was forthcoming. Onward to lunch.

 

Rains came and went after lunch, and we headed into a dripping forest to check out the area around the salt lick to try again for trumpeters and night birds. Certainly no trumpeters about, and in fact we saw very little at all – just a couple of Pectoral Sparrows becoming active as dusk neared. None of the usual owls or nightjars were singing near the hide, so we began walking back to the lodge, stopping now and again to troll for a couple of targets. We had just one positive response, a distant Ocellated Poorwill which sang once or twice but refused to approach. Tough crowd.

 

February 17^th: This morning we started well before dawn on the river, trying a number of likely spots for one of the most difficult birds at Cristalino, the Black-banded Owl. Not surprisingly we had no luck, but were amply rewarded for our efforts with marvelous views of an advertising Zigzag Heron (see my photograph in the gallery below, taken with a handheld point-and-shoot digital camera at 3x zoom). After breakfast back at the lodge we checked out the beginning of the Caja trail specifically to see the local pair of Bare-faced Curassows which obliged in the sense that they were strolling ‘round the lodge clearing upon our return. Fair enough. Then it was off to the Rochas trail via a series of side trails where we managed to find a couple of mixed flocks with Long-tailed and Spot-throated Woodcreepers, Wing-barred Piprites, Plain Xenops and Rufous-tailed Foliage-gleaner. Near the forest salt lick we found a showy male Spot-backed Antbird in the undergrowth. A small flock at a stream contained Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner and a pair of Euler’s Flycatcher. The salt lick and immediate area had been turned upside down by peccaries, and Francisco (who met up with us here) informed us that we had just missed a large band by less than an hour. The trees around the salt lick held our primary target for the morning, a small flock of Crimson-bellied Parakeets, and as a bonus, a nice Brown-banded Puffbird perched in the upper reaches of the canopy (expertly spotted by Francisco). It was at this point that Francisco informed us that the peccaries were returning, and that if we climbed into the observation hut we would stand an excellent chance to watch the animals if they decided to stop at the salt lick again. Up we went. After 15-20 minutes the first White-lipped Peccaries began to filter into the small clearing, and before we knew it the ground was black with more than 100 of these noisy, smelly, charismatic forest pigs. We watched the peccaries for more than half an hour before finally stepping out of the hide and into the heavy rain which had begun shortly after they arrived at the salt lick, quick-marching it back to the lodge just in time for lunch.

 

The rain continued throughout the early afternoon and until 4 pm when we decided to go for a short walk to the Secret Garden to look for hummingbirds. Speculative use of pygmy-owl tape brought in a single bird, a dazzling male Gould’s Jewelfront. The photographs I managed to take of this bird represent the first documented record for this species at Cristalino, where it is probably an uncommon wet season migrant. Unfortunately the rain was still coming down and we changed the plan, heading to the river instead.

 

The drizzle kept activity low on the river though we did see many Red-throated Piping-guans, some Blue-and-yellow Macaws, a Sunbittern on a nest and as dusk fell, Short-tailed Nighthawk and Ladder-tailed Nightjars. We returned to the lodge spotlighting and broadcasting for owls. No owls, but we did find a Common Potoo hawking insects. A far better sighting, however, was the Ocelot which Francisco somehow managed to see amidst a tangle of vegetation in a treefall at the river’s edge. The cat was worth the outing entirely in and of itself, and perhaps we were a tad blasé about the pair of Feline Night Monkeys I spotlighted at the boat landing upon our return to the lodge.

 

February 18^th: Upstream this morning to the Serra Nova trail to search for Snow-capped Manakin and trumpeters. While neither of the target species fell into place, things started out well with a mixed flock containing Buff-throated and Pará Foliage-gleaners, Gray and Long-winged Antwrens, Red-crowned Ant-tanager and more. As we watched an active lek of White-bearded Hermit, the classy hummers zipping around, singing loudly, and fighting, the telltale snarls of obligate antbirds were heard nearby. I only managed to see Black-spotted Bare-eyes, but Mark also found a cracking male Bare-eyed Antbird and a Slate-coloured Grosbeak. Further along we found the distinctive female of the nigrigula race of Scale-backed Antbird. We were again frustrated by a calling Curve-billed Scythebill at a small stream at the base of the hill, but here we found Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, White-browed Antbird and a nice pair of Ornate Antwrens.

 

With birding a bit slow down in the forest we decided to undertake the short climb up the hill to try for Amazonian Pygmy-Owl and see what else was about. The skies were overcast but it was quite hot nevertheless and few birds were around. A noisy flock comprised of Golden-winged and Madeira Parakeets scuttled from tree to tree while a White-browed Purpletuft pair sat atop a snag. Recent rains meant that a number of perennial streams on the summit were filled with amphibians. The most abundant frog appeared to be the handsome Spot-legged Poison Frog, a couple of which led me on merry chases through spiny terrestrial bromeliads in my quest to photograph them – ouch.

 

It was obvious that the birding here wasn’t going to pick up, so we headed back down the hill, picking up Yellow-olive Flycatcher along the way. We met up with Francisco to try for Snow-capped Manakin without success. I did call in a nice Cinereous Mourner but otherwise we added nothing new on the return to the boat.

 

In the afternoon we birded the Cacau trail, again in search of manakins and trumpeters. Again to no avail. The few birds we did see included another close Short-billed Leaftosser and three Great Jacamars. A small canopy flock had Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, Rufous-bellied Euphonia and Bay-headed Tanager. We kept ourselves busy into dusk with another canopy dweller, an elusive Amazonian Pygmy-Owl who remained hidden for more than an hour before we finally lured it into the relatively open canopy of a tree beside the trail where I got it in the scope for well-deserved views. A good end to a tough day.

 

February 19^th: It may seem a little repetitive, but this morning we headed out with two special targets in mind: Snow-capped Manakin and Dark-winged Trumpeter. To that end we walked directly to a small forest stream near the salt lick, seeing a Razor-billed Curassow en route. At the stream a singing pair of Spot-winged Antbirds wouldn’t show themselves and we managed only fleeting views of Speckled Spinetail in a quick-moving flock. Hmm. Plenty of Collared Trogons were along the stream, and slightly further along we found a nice pair of Black-throated Trogons, new for the trip and perhaps the most difficult of the local trogon species. After a bit of judicious tape work and some intent staring (for lack of better terminology for the fieldcraft employed here) we finally nailed one of our biggest outstanding targets: a stonking male Snow-capped Manakin. Hard to beat this one, and we barely gave a second look to an obliging White-crested Spadebill which also decided to perch quietly nearby. Continuing on the overgrown trail we saw a pair of Musician Wrens belting out their beautiful songs and also called in a male Rose-breasted Chat which Mark was able to film. The trail, a little-used path leading to the Rio Teles Pires, was overgrown beyond its summit and we turned back. Crossing the stream to return to the main trail, Mark was nearly knocked off the precarious log bridge by a Green-and-rufous Kingfisher which zipped in hoping to land on the handrail. Francisco nearly succeeded in making me fall into the stream with his goofy antics alone, no kingfishers necessary!

 

A little later we were looking for some calling Blue-backed Manakins when for the second time in three days we heard the unmistakable sounds of a band of White-lipped Peccaries nearby in the forest. This time we weren’t safely tucked away in an elevated observation hide and instead on foot some ten metres from where the first members of the group began to appear. The pigs appeared to be headed in a different direction however, and our rush of adrenaline was short-lived. And then, of course, it began to rain. We hot-footed it back to the lodge.

 

During lunch Francisco approached me with an ambitious plan to fulfill our ongoing quest to find trumpeters. I ran the idea by Mark who was agreeable enough, and the plan saw us on the Cacau trail shortly afterwards. Francisco’s advice had been: “walk the entire length of the Cacau trail, listening for signs of trumpeters all the way. I’ll meet you at the other end in an hour or so.” I have birded enough with this man to give him the benefit of any number of doubts, and so we tried it. Recent winds had taken down a few trees along the length of the trail, and more than once we were forced to hack around the resulting mess to find the trail on the other side. We also passed up a couple of possibly promising mixed flocks and saw little of interest other than a family group of White-backed Fire-eyes. Francisco met us at the other end and confirmed that he hadn’t found anything either. Fair enough, we’d try another reliable area for the birds. Up to the Serra Nova trail, where once again we came up empty-handed. Dusk was arriving, so we decided on a last ditch effort at the bottom of the Cacau trail, perhaps the best place at Cristalino for trumpeters. Once again, nothing. A nice Long-billed Woodcreeper was new for the trip, but it wasn’t a trumpeter.

 

February 20^th: We awoke to a light rain which intensified as we walked to the canopy tower. The rain didn’t let up and in fact came down quite hard for a while as we waited atop the upper platform, mostly just chatting and waiting for something of interest to happen by. As it happened the birds only started to move about as the rain died off, and our patience was eventually rewarded with a White-browed Hawk in the distance. A white spot on the horizon puzzled us for a while before resolving itself into a Laughing Falcon. Several species of psittacids were up and about after the rain, and we had eye-level flyby views of Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws and terrific views of perched White-bellied Parrots. The upper platform is an excellent place to watch swifts, and today we saw Gray-rumped, Pale-rumped, Chapman’s and Short-tailed Swift.

 

Another big canopy flock stopped in the large emergent beside the tower, and we enjoyed spectacular views of a number of species, many of which Mark was able to film: Violaceous Trogon, Paradise Jacamar, Black-girdled Barbet, Chestnut-winged Foliage-gleaner, Slender-billed Xenops, Cinnamon-throated and Lineated Woodcreepers, Yellow-margined Flycatcher, Tooth-billed Wren and Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireos. We closed out another successful tower session with stellar views of a Brown-banded Puffbird which I called in close to sit in the open on a limb mere metres from the platform, right under our noses.

 

After a final tasty lunch at Cristalino, we boarded the boat and said our goodbyes to the friendly lodge staff. Our final new bird for the trip turned out to be a beautiful pair of Purple-throated Euphonias which responded to tape over the sound of the rushing Teles Pires river, showing off in treetops on a small islet. Soon enough the vehicle arrived to take us back to Alta Floresta. We bid Francisco farewell, thanking him for his efforts, particularly for the various strategies and efforts he employed attempting to find us trumpeters. While we were unsuccessful this time, the obvious dedication and persistence of the local staff is one of the hallmarks of the Cristalino experience and part of what sets this lodge apart from all others in the Amazon basin.

 

It turned out that we didn’t have much time to stop along the way to Alta Floresta, but we stopped for 45 minutes at a Mauritia palm swamp where we heard, but did not see Point-tailed Palmcreeper. Also here were some Fork-tailed Palm-Swifts, White-eyed Parakeet and a handful of Sulphury Flycatchers. We arrived at the Floresta Amazônica Hotel just before dark, where Mark checked in and later we had a very nice farewell dinner at the on-site restaurant.

 

February 21^st: Last chance for owls in Alta Floresta. With Mark’s flight leaving at 6 AM, we had to leave early at 2:30 in the morning to have a chance for owls (targets: Tropical Screech- and Striped Owl) before returning Mark to the hotel in time for a quick shower and a bite to eat. After our first two attempts at these owls were rained out, perhaps we could have determined that we faced an unkind destiny. This morning was mostly dry (rain beginning only as we gave up and returned to the hotel) but certainly very quiet. We only saw a single Burrowing Owl and a family of Capybara for our efforts. A somewhat inauspicious end to what was certainly a very successful tour – I suppose it was a case of ‘C.S.E.’ – can’t see everything!

Bird List:

 

The following list reflects our observations from 08 – 20 February 2009.

Heard birds are marked with an ‘H’ while birds only seen by the tour leader are marked with an ‘L’.

 

February

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

TINAMOUS

TINAMIDAE

1

Great Tinamou

Tinamus major

H

2

Cinereous Tinamou

Crypturellus cinereus

H

H

H

3

Little Tinamou

Crypturellus soui

H

H

X

4

Undulated Tinamou

Crypturellus undulatus

X

H

H

5

Brazilian Tinamou

Crypturellus strigulosus

H

H

X

H

H

H

H

H

6

Variegated Tinamou

Crypturellus variegatus

H

H

X

H

H

H

7

Small-billed Tinamou

Crypturellus parvirostris

8

Tataupa Tinamou

Crypturellus tataupa

H

X

H

H

GREBES

PODICIPEDIDAE

9

Least Grebe

Tachybaptus dominicus

X

X

X

CORMORANTS

PHALACROCORACIDAE

10

Neotropic Cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

ANHINGAS

ANHINGIDAE

11

Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga

X

X

X

HERONS, EGRETS, & BITTERNS

ARDEIDAE

12

Capped Heron

Pilherodius pileatus

X

X

X

X

X

X

13

Cocoi Heron

Ardea cocoi

X

14

Great Egret

Ardea alba

X

X

X

X

X

X

15

Striated Heron

Butorides striata

X

X

X

X

16

Rufescent Tiger-Heron

Tigrisoma lineatum

X

H

H

17

Zigzag Heron

Zebrilus undulatus

H

X

H

H

IBIS AND SPOONBILLS

THRESKIORNITHIDAE

18

Green Ibis

Mesembrinibis cayennensis

X

X

X

H

X

X

X

X

DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS

ANATIDAE

19

White-faced Whistling-Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

X

20

Muscovy Duck

Cairina moschata

X

21

Brazilian Teal

Amazonetta brasiliensis

X

X

X

NEW WORLD VULTURES

CATHARTIDAE

22

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

23

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

X

24

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

Cathartes burrovianus

X

X

X

25

Greater Yellow-headed Vulture

Cathartes melambrotus

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

26

King Vulture

Sarcoramphus papa

X

X

HAWKS, EAGLES, AND KITES

ACCIPITRIDAE

27

Hook-billed Kite

Chondrohierax uncinatus

X

X

28

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

X

X

X

29

Pearl Kite

Gampsonyx swainsonii

X

X

X

30

White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

X

31

Snail Kite

Rostrhamus sociabilis

X

X

32

Plumbeous Kite

Ictinia plumbea

X

33

Tiny Hawk

Accipiter superciliosus

X

34

Bicolored Hawk

Accipiter bicolor

X

35

White-browed Hawk

Leucopternis kuhli

H

X

36

White Hawk

Leucopternis albicollis