TOUR REPORT Southwestern Amazonia 2017 Final
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For the first time on a Birdquest tour, the Holy Grail from the Brazilian Amazon, Rondonia Bushbird – male (Eduardo Patrial) BRAZIL’S SOUTHWESTERN AMAZONIA 7 / 11 - 24 JUNE 2017 LEADER: EDUARDO PATRIAL What an impressive and rewarding tour it was this inaugural Brazil’s Southwestern Amazonia. Sixteen days of fine Amazonian birding, exploring some of the most fascinating forests and campina habitats in three different Brazilian states: Rondonia, Amazonas and Acre. We recorded over five hundred species (536) with the exquisite taste of specialties from the Rondonia and Inambari endemism centres, respectively east bank and west bank of Rio Madeira. At least eight Birdquest lifer birds were acquired on this tour: the rare Rondonia Bushbird; Brazilian endemics White-breasted Antbird, Manicore Warbling Antbird, Aripuana Antwren and Chico’s Tyrannulet; also Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher, Acre Tody-Tyrant and the amazing Rufous Twistwing. Our itinerary definitely put together one of the finest selections of Amazonian avifauna, though for a next trip there are probably few adjustments to be done. The pre-tour extension campsite brings you to very basic camping conditions, with company of some mosquitoes and relentless heat, but certainly a remarkable site for birding, the Igarapé São João really provided an amazing experience. All other sites 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Brazil’s Southwestern Amazonia 2017 www.birdquest-tours.com visited on main tour provided considerably easy and very good birding. From the rich east part of Rondonia, the fascinating savannas and endless forests around Humaitá in Amazonas, and finally the impressive bamboo forest at Rio Branco in Acre, this tour focused the endemics from both sides of the medium Rio Madeira. Check out the summary of our result: Grey and Cinereous Tinamous, Black and Black-and-white Hawk-Eagles, Sungrebe, Ocellated Crake, Hoatzin, Pavonine and Black-bellied Cuckoos, Amazonian Pygmy Owl, Great Potoo, Least and Sand-colored Nighthawks, Rufous Nightjar, Great-billed and Needle-billed Hermits, Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Pavonine Quetzal, Broad-billed Motmot, White-throated, Blue-necked, Bluish-fronted, Bronzy, Paradise and Great Jacamars, White-necked, Brown-banded, Chestnut-capped, Spotted, White-eared and Western Striolated Puffbirds, Yellow-billed Nunbird, Black-girdled, Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbets, Lettered, Red-necked, Brown-madibled, Curl-crested and Chestnut-eared Aracaris, Golden-collared and Gould’s Toucanets, Rufous-breasted and Fine-barred Piculets, Yellow-throated, Golden-green, Scaly-breasted, Chestnut, Rufous-headed, Ringed, Red-necked and Crimson-crested Woodpeckers, Cryptic and Lined Forest Falcons, Tui, Cobalt-winged and Golden-winged Parakeets, Orange-cheeked, White-bellied and Short-tailed Parrots, Kawall’s Amazon, Crimson-bellied, Santarem, Black-capped, Peach-fronted and Dusky-headed Parakeets, Red-bellied, Blue-headed, Chestnut-fronted and Scarlet Macaws, Plain Softtail, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Peruvian Recurvebill, Brown-rumped Foliage- gleaner, White-chinned, Spot-throated, Uniform, Bar-bellied, Hoffmanns’s, Inambari and Rondonia Woodcreepers, Curve-billed Scythebill, Bamboo, Glossy, Natterer’s Slaty, Pearly, Dusky-throated and Saturnine Antshrikes, Rondonia Bushbird, Madeira Stipple-throated (including Roosevelt S-t) and Ihering’s (Bamboo) Antwrens, Aripuana and Predicted Antwrens, Banded, Riparian, Black, Manu, Yellow-browed, Black-chinned, White-lined, Humaita, Rufous-faced, Ferruginous-backed, Goeldi’s, Sooty, White-throated, White-breasted Hary-crested and Dot-backed Antbirds, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Ringed Antpipit, Chico’s Tyrannulet, Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant, Acre, Zimmer’s and Johannes’s Tody- Tyrants, Long-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, White-cheeked and Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatchers, Brownish and Rufous Twistwings, Cinnamon-crested Spadebill, Pale-bellied Mourner, Citron-bellied Attila, Black-necked Red Cotinga, Spangled and Black-faced Cotingas, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Blue-backed, Black, Blue-crowned, Snow-capped, Flame-crested and Fiery-capped Manakins, Amazonian Royal Flycatcher, Varzea Schiffornis, White-browed Purpletuft, Azure-naped (Campina) Jay, Black-collared and White-banded Swallows, Para Gnatcatcher, Buff-rumped Warbler, Red-billed Pied Tanager, Black-masked Finch, Dark- throated Seedeater and Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak. This birding adventure started officially on June 7th at Porto Velho, capital of Rondonia state. Clients arrived in the evening and right after transferred to the comfortable Golden Plaza Hotel for the overnight. June 8th. After an early breakfast we began our birding adventure driving first from Porto Velho to Machadinho do Oeste in eastern Rondonia, where we stopped for lunch. Later we continued for more two hours on dirt roads to get to Vista Linda Farm at Rio Machado’s bank. Some species spotted while driving include Scarlet Macaw, American Kestrel, Red-breasted Blackbird, Laughing Falcon, Pearl Kite and White- eyed Parakeet. At the bank of Rio Machado waiting for our boats we spent the time watching few things like Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, Yellow-browed Sparrow, Spotted Tody-Flycatcher, the endemic Glossy Antshrike, Large-billed Tern, Western Osprey, Red-capped Cardinal and Great Black Hawk. It took about fifteen minutes to reach our basic campsite Alto do Bode at the right bank of Rio Machado, the gateway to the phenomenal Igarapé São João and its surrounding forest from Campos Amazônicos National Park. Rest of afternoon was spent in the camp to set everything, with a little recognizing excursion to the clearing behind the camp, where birds like Southern White-fringed Antwren, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Rusty- fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Striped Cuckoo, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-and-yellow Macaws, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-crowned Amazon and Common Ground Dove were seen. June 9th was our first day exploring the forest along Igarapé São João, a small tributary of Rio Machado. Our main goal was to get to right place on a trail to try the enigmatic Rondonia Bushbird in the early morning, so we basically skipped the morning chorus until there, with one very important exception, a stop for decent views of White-breasted Antbird, a Birdquest lifer and stunning Brazilian endemic. Back on the trail to the first Rondonia Bushbird territory (a swampy forest with some Mauritia palm trees, plenty of small Lepidocaryum palm trees and dense bushes of a thin bamboo), we spent a good time there and no signs of 2 BirdQuest Tour Report: Brazil’s Southwestern Amazonia 2017 www.birdquest-tours.com the Bushbird. Though, we heard Rufous-faced Antbird and also the rare Pale-faced Bare-eye which despite all the effort, it kept away from any sighting. The time was passing so we (part of the group) decided to cross this first swampy area to reach the next territory not that far ahead on the trail. On our way through good terra firme forest we had close views of Madeira (Roosevelt) Stipple-throated Antwren (ssp. dentei). Finally at the second territory, it didn’t take long to get a response from Rondonia Bushbird. A male came in cautiously and with a little patience we were able to get perfect looks at it, simply amazing! What a mythical bird. On our way back for lunch we spotted few more good species such as Yellow-browed Antbird, Manicore Warbling Antbird, he uncommon Para Gnatcatcher and Paradise Jacamar. And of course, several birds seen from the boat along the Igarapé São João and Rio Machado – Amazon and Ringed Kingfishers, Wood Stork, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Capped and Cocoi Herons, Blue-headed Parrot, etc. Lunch time at Alto do Bode campsite, we got surrounded by few birds – Black-fronted Nunbird, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Thick-billed Euphonia and Spotted Tody-Flycatcher. One of us even had the uncommon White-browed Hawk flying over the Rio Machado, but that was just too quick. Back in the afternoon to the boat, we made a brief stop near the mouth of Igarapé São João, a little island where we saw a small group of the beautiful Sand- colored Nighthawk, also Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns, Pied Plover, two Black-collared Swallow and plenty of White-banded Swallow. The rest of afternoon was actually very silent and we stayed on the boat along the Igarapé São João. We heard Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher and even spotted a little Flycatcher that could be it, but it wasn’t a good sighting though. We played tapes for few other target species, but no luck with them. Returning to campsite at dusk we saw Ladder-tailed Nightjar on the river and that was it for our first day at Alto do Bode. June 10th. The day started early again by boat to our recluse trail at Igarapé São João. One Band-tailed Nighthawk was seen entering the place while it was still dark. We noticed a pair of Band-tailed Antbird and all the other common riverine birds (herons and kingfishers) until we get to the trail entrance. At the beginning of the trail we were lucky to find a pair of the uncommon Uniform Woodcreeper, which provided simply great views. A little further, another nice one spotted was the stunning Ferruginous-backed Antbird .Finally at the first Bushbird territory, the attempts failed again. On the other hand we worked well to get superb views of a pair Rufous-faced Antbird at that first swampy area. Again, we had to go beyond that to the next territory and happily we succeeded again with the male Rondonia Bushbird, this time seen feeding on the bamboo for a long time very close to us, an awesome moment. Pavonine Quetzal was another mega bird observed in the same place. Walking back we came across with a mixed flock which provided us few other goodies, including Elegant Woodcreeper, Curve-billed Scythebill (ssp. probatus) and common Cinereous Antshrike. The rest of morning was a bit slow but we spent some time birding along the Igarapé São João. There now we got decent views of Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher before coming back to have lunch. Near three pm we went back to the trail at São João, but a different stretch with good terra firme forest.