Well, its been a busy month with several tour groups coming through and some great birding going down in the process! Cirilo has been out guiding on almost a daily basis and been busy showing guests numerous different species!

The lodge feeders have also been busy with plenty of Tanger, Toucanet and Slaty-breasted Wood-rail sightings. Yesterday also saw a visit from a family of 3 Tufted-eared Marmosets. As usual the photo hide is proving popular with guests with some great photos being taken. During an average week the following species visit the feeders in front of the hide on a regular basis:

Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plain Parakeet, Saffron Toucanet, Spot-billed Toucanet, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Pale-breasted Thrush, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Bananaquit, Ruby-crowned Tanager, Brazilian Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Palm Tanager, Violaceous Euphonia, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Green-headed Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Blue Dacnis and Shiny Cowbird!

The photo hide!

Spot-billed Toucanet from the photo hide

Andy Foster

Green-headed Tanager from the photo hide
Andy Foster

Brazilian Tanager from the photo hide
Cristina Foster

Blond-crested Woodpecker from the photo hide

Cristina Foster

Plenty of breeding birds in and around the lodge grounds at the moment, the most exciting record is of a Solitary Tinamou nest where six eggs have hatched out! The Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper is busy carrying food in and out of its nest just under the bridge by the lodges main entrance and the now resident Long-billed Wren is still calling for a mate! Grey-hooded Attila is also nesting in the grounds as are several species of Tanagers and Rufous-capped Motmot.

Highlights from the various excursions have recently included Black and White Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle, Bat Falcon, Red-leged Seriema (now with 1 chick in the nest!), a flock of 16+ Blue-winged Macaws, great views of a male Plovercrest on the Macae de Cima excursion, Amethyst Woodstar, Three-toed Jacamar, Buff-bellied Puffbird (from the lodge grounds), Yellow-browed Woodpecker, Pallid Spinetail, Itatiaia Thistletail, Ochre-breasted Foliage Gleaner, Black-billed Scythebill, Giant Antshrike, Tufted Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Serra Antwren (now being seen on the Jacamar excursion again), Dusky-tailed Antbird, Scaled Antbird (on the lodges extension trail), Rufous-capped Antthrush, Brazilian Antthrush, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Black and Gold Cotinga, Grey-winged Cotinga, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, both Blue Manakin and Pin-tailed Manakins (lekking on the lodges extension trail), Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Eye-ringed Tody Tyrant, great views of Brown Tanager (in the Serra dos Orgaos National park), Gilt-edged Tanager, Half-collared Sparrow and both Green-winged and Thick-billed Saltators on the High Altitude Excursion.