We have just had a couple of weeks without guests here at the lodge, this has given us the opportunity to go on some exploration trips and try to add some more excursions to offer our guests. The Portao Azul excursion will soon be up and running, this will be a half day excursion and is approximately an hours drive from the lodge. The habitat is a mixture of mature forest with bamboo and some semi-open secondary growth. A visit there last week turned up Black-legged Dacnis, Temmincks Seedeater, Buffy-fronted Seedeater, White-bearded Antshrike, White-collared Foliage Gleaner, Ferruginous Antbird, Ochre-rumped Antbird, Uniform Finch, Gilt-edged Tanager, Tufted Antshrike, Grey-bellied Spinetail and several sites for Half-collared Sparrow.

Ferruginous Antbird. Andy Foster.

On another exploration trip to a private farm the other side of Nova Friburgo we have found a stronghold for Serra Antwren, this is a bird that we have only recorded a handful of times on the Jacamar Excursion, the previous site wasn’t brilliantly reliable, however, at this new site we recorded over 5 individual pairs within a very small area. We intend to make further visits to this area so watch this space!