During the past week Pete has been busy guiding a group of 11 Canadian birders, some of the highlights from this week include Mantled Hawk on our Macae de Cima trail, 4 Red-legged Seriema, several White Woodpeckers and 3 Three-toed Jacamars on the Jacamar excursion, Frilled Coquette and Crescent-chested Puffbird are still in the lodge gardens, Saffron Toucanets and Oustalets Tyrannulet on the Cedae Trail, Itatiaia Thistletail, 3 Swallow-tailed Cotingas and 5 Black and Gold Cotingas on the High Altitude Excursion, 7 Hooded Berryeaters, White-bearded Antshrike, Ochre-rumped and Bertonis Antbirds on the Bamboo Trail.

The fruit feeders at the lodge continue to attract vast numbers of birds as we are now heading into our autumn and fruit in the forest is becoming harder to find. This week has seen 2 Blond-crested Woodpeckers feeding regularly, up to 7 Spot-billed Toucanets, Green-headed, Golden-chevroned, Ruby-crowned and Brazilian Tanagers, Buff-throated Saltator, 2 Green Honeycreepers and several appearances by a couple of Blue-naped Chlorophonias. The hummingbird feeders are also busy with a pair of Brazilian Rubys, Saw-billed and Rufous-breasted Hermits, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, up to 8 Sombre Hummingbirds, 15+ Black Jacobins and several Violet-capped Woodnymphs.

Blue-naped Chlorophonia at the feeders by Simon Warry©

Yesterday was spent on the High Altitude Trail Upper section. We had a great day even though the weather threatened to close in on several occasions. We saw some fantastic birds including small flocks of Bay-chested Warbling Finches, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, a pair of Rufous-tailed Antbirds, a stunning male Plovercrest, White-throated Hummingbird, Diademed Tanagers, Rufous Gnateater, Black and Gold Cotinga and Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant.

The two main target birds of this excursion are without doubt Itatiaia Thistletail and Grey-winged Cotinga, both discovered by us in the area a couple of years ago. These two birds are very range restricted and difficult to encounter elsewhere.

Thankfully we managed with a little effort and perseverance to see two Grey-winged Cotingas and one Itatiaia Thistletail, both great endemics of this region!

Male Plovercrest photographed by Simon Warry© on the High Altitude Trail

A Naturetrek group has just departed after a 7 night stay, racking up over 200 species with a stunning endemic White-necked Hawk perched in the forest close to the lodge being their final bird this morning!

With rain set in for the weekend the bird tables are becoming busy and we are rapidly making our way through 10kg of bananas a day! Over 30 species visited the various feeding stations today, including Blond-crested Woodpecker, Green-headed Tanagers and a party of 5 Spot-billed Toucanets! Our feeders have been nominated by a reader of Winging-it (American Birding Association publication) as one of the best feeding stations in the world!!

Highlights for the first week of March have included the following:
Crescent-chested Puffbird and Frilled Coquette still present around the lodge gardens together with a handful of sightings of Blue-bellied Parrots on the Extension Trail. A male Brazilian Ruby is also spending time at the feeders in the lodge grounds and a Dusky-throated Hermit has been seen briefly on several occasions.

Great views of Large-tailed Antshrike on the High Altitude trail and Spot-winged Wood-quail at the Serra dos Orgaos National park. The Bamboo trail has been productive as normal with good views of the following; Ruddy Quail-dove, Slaty Bristlefront, Hooded Berryeater, White-bearded Antshrike, White-collared Foliage Gleaner, Bertoni’s Antbird and Green-winged Saltator amongst many other species.
The photo below is of a Blue-bellied Parrot in the grounds of the lodge taken by John Rowlett from Field guides.

Crescent-chested Puffbird taken by Cristina in the grounds of the lodge.