Firstly we must apologise for our abscence, but our internet connection hás been worse than usual, relying on a mobile phone with an aerial!

Bird Fair….win a weeks birding trip for two to Serra dos Tucanos!

Unfortunately we will not be attending the British Bird Fair this weekend (21st-23rd August) as we have done so in recent years, however we do hope to return for 2010. For those of you visiting the Bird Fair you can purchase raffle tickets from the Neotropical Bird Club (Marquee 4, Stands 27&28), first prize is a weeks accommodation and guiding here at Serra dos Tucanos for two people! So, if you fancy winning a birding trip to Brazil please visit the Neotropical Bird Club Stand, dig deep and purchase as many tickets as you can!!

Please also visit film maker Malcolm Rymer at the Bird Fair (Marquee 4, Stand 40) if you wish to purchase the Birds of the Atlantic Rainforest DVD (featuring Serra dos Tucanos Lodge) and showing some great footage of the birds and surrounding s that we have here.

Now well into our spring here in Brazil we are seeing the first signs of displaying birds and nest building, and our first summer migrants are being recorded by Pete out on the excursions. The birds seem to be starting to breed and display earlier every year, last year Star-throated Antwrens were seen nest building around the end of August, this year local birder Peter Lewis-Jones observed a male Star-throated Antwren nest building at the beginning of August! Yellow-lored Tody Flycatchers, Green-headed Tanagers and Brazilian Tanagers are also currently building nests in the lodge gardens. Our pair of Black and White Hawk Eagles are also showing daily at the nest site, giving some good views. One of the adult birds visiting the garden one morning gave an unsuspecting Channel-billed Toucan the shock of its life, but did however delight our guests who were watching the toucan!

Yellow-lored Tody Flycatcher© Tim Keller

2 male Frilled Coquettes have been impressing guests by displaying in front of the photo hide, together with great views of the endemic Olive green tanager, a bird often difficult to see away from the Cedae Trail with numbers reaching 10+ birds on the feeders. Other good sightings in the lodge garden over the last couple of weeks have included Buff-bellied Puffbird, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets, Gilt-edged Tanagers, Grey-hooded Attila (will hopefully breed in the lodge gardens again this year) and a pair of Sharp-tailed streamcreepers have once again taken up residence under the lodge bridge and are busy with nesting material.

Pete has been busy out on the excursions, some of the highlights have included White bearded Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Brazilian Antthrush, Slaty Bristlefront, Spotted Bamboo Wren, Bare-throated Bellbird, Bertonis, Ochre-rumped, Ferruginous, Dusky-tailed, Rufous-tailed and Scaled Antbirds, Pin-tailed Manakin, Black and Gold Cotinga, Hooded Berryeater, Serra do Mar Tapaculo, great views of a pair of Crowned Eagles, Three-toed Jacamar, Yellow-browed Woodpecker, White-collared Foliage-Gleaner, Black-billed Scythebill, Rufous-backed Antvireo, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Long-billed Wren, Rough-legged Tyrannulet, Rufous-headed, Azure-shouldered, Red-necked, Brassy-breasted and Gilt-edged Tanagers.

Three-toed Jacamar© Tim Keller

We have been exploring a new area of lowland forest and hope to make a new half day excursion to this area, species of note that we have recorded so far include Reddish Hermit, Glittering-throated Emerald, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Salvadoris Antwren, Rufous-winged Antwren, Scaled Antbird, Southern Antpipit, Grayish Mourner, Moustached Wren and Long-billed Wren.