Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Pre-Trip Field Report 2015 - 2018
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BRAZIL: IGUAÇU FALLS PRE-TRIP FIELD REPORT 2015 - 2018 LOWER PORTION OF IGUAÇU FALLS AS VIEWED FROM OUR HOTEL © Linette Mansberger Prepared by Jeri M. Langham VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, STE 1003, AUSTIN, TX 78746 Phone: 512-328-5221 or 800-328-8368 / Fax: 512-328-2919 [email protected] / www.ventbird.com Twelve years ago, I had the good fortune to visit Argentina with my son Gary (now Chief Scientist for The National Audubon Society) and we made a visit to Iguaçu Falls from the Argentina side. We were very impressed but it turns out the best views are from the Brazil side. Here are some passages taken from the Journal I write every night for my VENT tours, which I then edit and mail to the participants after I return home. Iguaçu Falls must be experienced in person…there is just no other way to appreciate the spectacle. There are actually 275 narrow to wide individual falls. There is a great view from the entrance to the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas but as one walks down the ¼-mile river trail more and more falls are visible along the way. At the far end, one can walk out a boardwalk to a platform that allows an upriver view up into La Garganta del Diablo or Devil’s Throat. Boardwalk at end of trail that permits a great view of La Garganta del Diablo © Tari Voydanoff My co-leader from the last two years, Oliver (Aveni de Oliveira), met us at the airport and drove us to the wonderful Iguaçu National Park where we checked into the very fancy Belmond Hotel Das Cataratas. We were able to do some late afternoon birding seeing some great birds near the hotel and, of course, staring in wonder at the incredible portion of the falls by the hotel. Some of the special birds on this first afternoon were Toco Toucan, a Southern Lapwing pair claiming the front lawn, Green- headed Tanager, Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Plush-crested Jay, a Rufous Hornero pair building their odd mud nest in a tree in front of the entrance, Great Dusky Swifts returning for the day to roost on the walls behind the falls, and Chestnut-eared Araçari. One cannot miss the tame South American Coatis scampering around and constantly hoping to be fed by the throngs of tourists. Black-fronted Piping-Guan © Tari Voydanoff Plush-crested Jay © Chris Conard This year all eight participants arrived a day early to refresh from the long flight and get a free day for any activities of interest. Five of the participants chose to take an optional boat trip on the Iguaçu River that involves a several mile guided drive in an open vehicle through the forest followed by a ½-mile boardwalk down to the dock. Here they changed into bathing suits, plastic raincoats, and orange life jackets and headed up the river to be taken under one of the waterfalls several times. Our five in front seats © taken by bow guide that photographs the adventure and sells the photos After the elaborate, complimentary, buffet breakfast we met by the pool at 7:30 a.m. and added Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Red-rumped Cacique, Bananaquit, Scaly-headed Parrot, and White-eyed Parakeets to the list of birds seen near the Hotel. We headed for the trail that takes us down along the river to see more and more of the tremendous number of large and small falls and portions of rainbows. I simply cannot convey the euphoria and enchantment I felt as we walked along, stopping at all the special viewpoints. My third tour here is as exciting as the first…there is no way to put into words the sights and sounds. Iguaçu Falls rainbow © Tari Voydanoff Part of upper end of Iguaçu Falls © Chris Conard Some of us met at 5 a.m. to see if we could see some of the owls John and Chris encountered yesterday. It was even more successful, as we had great looks at Tawny- browed Owl, but only heard Black-capped Screech-Owl, Long-tufted Screech-Owl, and Rusty-barred Owl. After breakfast, we met with Oliver and departed for Poço Preto Road (Trilha do Poço Preto). It is an unpaved 9-kilometer long road through wonderful forest. It ends at the Iguaçu River where they have built an Observation Tower that overlooks a shallow pond. Before boarding the open trailer, we called in Lineated Woodpecker and then had distant, but very lucky, looks at two Red-ruffed Fruitcrows. Our open solar powered vehicle © Laurie Langham Unpaved Poço Preto Road © Laurie Langham Our plan was to walk down the road for a while, board the vehicle for a variable distance and then walk again. A Band-tailed Manakin and Surucua Trogon were super, especially since the Band-tailed Manakin was dancing for two females. While we never ran into a huge flock today, we saw some spectacular birds. Two of the top ones were the huge Robust Woodpecker and the pair of Spot-billed Toucanets. Robust Woodpecker © Chris Conard Spot-billed Toucanet © Chris Conard We would record 75 species on this rainforest road today! We saw Russet- winged Spadebill, the tiny São Paulo Tyrannulet and the tiny Southern Bristle-Tyrant, all of which are tough to get birds. Along the trail to the Observation Tower, we picked up Buff-fronted and Black-capped foliage-gleaners. The tower, which overlooked a long and shallow pond, produced Ringed, Amazon, and Green kingfishers, Muscovy Duck, Smooth-billed Ani, Black-capped Donacobius and more. On the return drive Oliver heard, and we stopped for, a Rufous-capped Motmot. Green Kingfisher © Chris Conard Black-capped Donacobius © Chris Conard I remembered from the first year when I took the boat ride that the dock was covered with butterflies when we returned so I knew many species would be seen again this year. However, when John, Chris, and I walked the main road back from Bananeiras Road, we saw literally hundreds of dozens of many species. This is a paradise for butterfly enthusiasts. Hydaspes 88 © Chris Conard Agathina Emperor © Chris Malachite © Cynthia Berg Conard Our bus dropped us off at the entrance to Bananeiras Road and we walked the entire road. Our morning started incredibly well when we heard a Brown Tinamou that flew across the road in front of us. I then played back the song of a Tataupa Tinamou and eventually got it to cross one way and then back the other. Two species of Tinamou seen in a 10-minute span! On the way to the river, everybody saw a female White- bearded Manakin and White-eyed Foliage-Gleaner. We boarded a boat for a trip upriver to the dock of the Poço Preto Road. A Yacaré Caiman, Osprey, Capybara, Cocoi Heron, and Gray-fronted Dove were the highlights of this ride. After the boat ride, we again walked the trail to the Observation Tower where we had our best flock of the day with Golden-rumped, Purple-throated, Chestnut-bellied, and Violaceous euphonias, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Three-striped Flycatcher, Green-headed Tanager, Tropical Parula, Black-goggled Tanager, Ochre- breasted Foliage-Gleaner, and more. Green-headed Tanager © Chris Conard Ochre-breasted Foliage-Gleaner © Chris Conard Someone called out that there was a flock beyond the bridge and over we went. Fawn-breasted Tanager, Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet and others made us work to see them. Then, everyone heard the Blond-crested Woodpecker and, eventually, we all got to see this beautiful woodpecker specimen! As we continued out, Oliver spotted what turned out to be a lifer for me, a Long-tailed Potoo! Blond-crested Woodpecker © Chris Conard Long-tailed Potoo © Jeri Langham Each evening we were treated to a beautiful Iguaçu Falls sunset © Tari Voydanoff Brazil Iguaçu Falls Pre-trip example of photos from 2016 tour Band-tailed Manakin Eared Pygmy-Tyrant Rufous Hornero and its elaborate mud nest São Paulo Tyrannulet Robust, Blond-crested, and Lineated Woodpeckers Iguaçu Falls National Park & Cuiabá River Hotel das Cataratas View of Iguaçu Falls from hotel room Misty view from a platform half-way along trail View from large, end-of-trail platform Cattle Tyrant Pale-breasted Thrush Magpie Tanager Russet-winged Spadebill Surucua Trogon Coatimundis quarreling Yellow-fronted Woodpecker Plush-crested Jay Azara’s Agouti Sibilant Syristes Toco Toucan Scaly-headed Parrot Blue-naped Chlorophonia So. Bristle-Tyrant Chalk-browed Mockingbird Photoshop and Design by Jeri Langham with photos by Linette Mansberger (19), Christiane Shannon (6) and Sue Taylor (3). Brazil Iguaçu Falls Pre-trip example of photos from 2017 tour Anna's 88 Butterfly Squirrel Cuckoo Rufous Gnateater Green-headed Tanager Plain Xenops Ruby-crowned Tanager Black-throated Trogon Great Dusky Swifts Chestnut-eared Araçari Blond-crested Woodpecker Rufous-capped Motmot View from large, end-of-trail platform View from half-way along trail Misty rainbow view View of Iguaçu Falls from hotel room Spot-billed Toucanet Red-rumped Cacique Violaceous Euphonia Toco Toucan White-eyed Foliage-gleaner orning snack on Poço Preto Road Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Rufous Hornero and mud nest M Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Violet-capped Woodnymph Three-striped Flycatcher Black-goggled Tanager Southern Lapwing Plush-crested Jay Photoshop and Design by Jeri Langham with photos by Liz West (16), Laurie Dann (9) and Frances Oliver (5). The orders of the families, common names and scientific names in this Field List are those in the eBird/Clements Checklist v2017 with all current updates through August of 2017. My data in Columns IF, II, P, and III were compiled from four VENT tours to Iguaçu Falls and five to the Pantanal.