Now beginning to get cooler with temperatures falling down to 12 degrees centigrade at night! The feeding stations are beginning to get very busy again now with Spot-billed Toucanets being seen daily, Azure-shouldered Tanagers have come down from higher altitude. Other recent sightings at the feeders include Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plain Parakeet, Saffron Toucanet, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Pale-breasted Thrush, Ruby-crowned Tanager, Brazilian Tanager, Sayaca 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 Green Honeycreeper. The hummingbird feeders are also attracting good numbers of hummers including Saw-billed Hermit, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Sombre Hummingbird, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Black Jacobin (although smaller numbers now), Violet-capped Woodnymph, Versicolored Emerald and Brazilian Ruby.

Black Jacobin© David Russell

Out on the excursions we have seen the following highlights:

Brown Tinamou, Mantled Hawk, Black and White Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle, Aplomado Falcon, Red-legged Seriema, 10+ Pileated Parrots (fantastic views on the Bamboo Trail), Blue-bellied Parrots (in the lodge grounds), Plovercrest, White-throated Hummingbird, Black-throated Trogon, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, a pair of Crescent-chested Puffbirds (daily in the lodge grounds), Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Woodpecker, Red-eyed Thornbird, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Pale-browed Treehunter, White-collared Foliage Gleaner, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Thrush-like Woodcreeper, White-throated Woodcreeper, Lesser Woodcreeper, Scaled Woodcreeper, Black-billed Scythebill (amazingly close views!), Spot-backed Antshrike, Giant Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Rufous-backed Antvireo (now lower in altitude also), Ferruginous Antbird, Bertonis Antbird, Rufous-tailed Antbird, Ochre-rumped Antbird, Scaled Antbird (great views on the extension trail), Brazilian Antthrush, Suchs Antthrush, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Slaty Bristlefront, Black and Gold Cotinga, Pin-tailed Manakin, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Gray-hooded Attila, Long-billed Wren (still a single bird in the lodge gardens), Olive-green Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager, Gilt-edged Tanager, Bay-chested Warbling Finch, Uniform Finch, Half-collared Sparrow and Black-throated Grosbeak.

Unfortunately we are currently without internet at the lodge, therefore we may take a few days longer to reply to any messages that you send us. Hopefully this problem will soon be resolved!

We have just signed up for the Bird Fair 2010 at Rutland Water in the UK, once we are given our Marquee and stand number we shall post it on this page. For further details on the Bird Fair and the great work that it does for the conservation of birds and their habitats please visit their website:

http://www.birdfair.org.uk/

Scaled Antbird in the lodge grounds© David Russell

Mixed weather over the past couple of weeks and very heavy rain for the last 2 days has made birding somewhat difficult! However, we have been out on an almost daily basis covering the majority of our fixed excursions.

Highlights have included Black and White Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail (still on the feeders daily), Tawny-browed Owl, Tropical Screech-Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Dusky-throated Hermit, Reddish Hermit, Plovercrest, Brazilian Ruby (nice male at the lodge feeders regularly), Three-toed Jacamar, 2 Crescent-chested Puffbirds (in the lodge gardens), Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets (daily on the lodge feeders), Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker and Yellow-browed Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker (daily on the lodge feeders), a fantastic couple of weeks for Foliage Gleaners with the following being recorded; Sharp-billed Treehunter, White-browed Foliage Gleaner, Buff-browed Foliage Gleaner, Buff-fronted Foliage Gleaner, Ochre-breasted Foliage Gleaner, Black-capped Foliage Gleaner, White-collared Foliage Gleaner and White-eyed Foliage Gleaner! Also good for Wodcreepers with Thrush-Like, White-throated, Lesser and Scaled all being see in the past week.

Tawny-browed Owl© John O'Sullivan

Onto the Ant things! Spot-backed Antshrike, Giant Antshrike (amazing views of a male just a couple of metres away), Tufted Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Rufous-backed Antvireo, Star-throated Antwren, Serra Antwren, Ferruginous Antbird, Bertonis Antbird, Rufous-tailed Antbird, Ochre-rumped Antbird, Dusky-tailed Antbird, Scaled Antbird, Streak-capped Antwren, White-bibbed Antbird, Rufous-capped Antthrush (upto 6 in the lodge grounds at the moment), Brazilian Antthrush and Variegated Antpitta! Slaty Bristlefront has been giving great views on the Theodoro Trail, Black and Gold Cotinga, no less than 5 Grey-winged Cotingas giving fantastic views on our High Altitude Excursion, Bare-throated Bellbird (unusual record of a male for this time of year), Pin-tailed Manakin, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Grey-capped Tyrannulet, Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Greenish Schiffornis (first record for over 2 months), Long-billed Wren (still in the lodge grounds), White-rimmed Warbler, Chestnut-headed Tanager (both on the High Altitude Excursion and Macae de Cima), Olive-green Tanager, Diademed Tanager, Brazilian Tanager, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Green-headed Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager, Gilt-edged Tanager, Bay-chested Warbling-Finch, Uniform Finch, Half-collared Sparrow and Black-throated Grosbeak.