TOUCAN BIRDING TOURS
ATLANTIC FOREST ENDEMICS 2008.

Less than five per cent of the original Atlantic Forest coverage remains in eastern Brazil at present. Fortunately there are some superb reserves maintaining healthy populations in relatively small areas and NGO’s such as the REGUA project must be applauded for their supreme efforts.

During the first two weeks of November 2008 we travelled to few of these sites where we were treated to some of the best birding South America has to offer.About one third of the three hundred and twenty or so species seen during this tour can only be found in the Atlantic Forests, and a sixth were endemic to Brazil!

We began our tour at REGUA, walking the trails around the recently improved wetland and forests there with excursions to dry forest areas. Highlights are hard to pick out but Masked Duck, White-necked Hawks, Eastern Striped Manakin, Pin-tailed Manakin and Slaty Bristlefront were all thrilling. The evening walk for Giant Snipe and stalking that Shrike-like Cotinga were very memorable to say the least.

Itatiaia National Park never fails to deliver the good birds and the easy access to higher elevation tree line and elfin forest is an important feature of birding in the park. Black-capped Piprites, Itatiaia Thistletail, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Black & Gold Cotinga, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin and Black-breasted Plovercrest were all seen at the Agulhas Negras Road (even if we did need two goes because of the weather!). Frilled Coquettes on the hotel feeders are worthy of mention too.

From Itatiaia we travelled down to Ubatuba calling in at Pereque for Black-hooded Antwrens on the way. Pereque is so good for this rare antwren and a lot else too that it may be worth more than just a few hours in the middle of the day. Ubatuba gave us the opportunity to soak up a few of those lowland species including the ultra-rare Buff-throated Purpletuft and we continued with our quest for the “big antshrikes” seeing Spot-backed hot on the heels of the Large-tailed we had at Itatiaia.

This year though it was Intervales that stole the show. It all started well when we saw Parana Antwren on the way to Intervales and then enjoyed one of the best mornings of the tour on the Carmo Road, even in drizzle. Hooded Berryeater, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Swallow-tailed Cotinga and Bare-throated Bellbird made it a “first day cotinga-fest” with a supporting cast of Spotted Bamboo-Wren, Tufted and White-bearded Antshrikes, Long-trained Nightjars and Atlantic Royal Flycatchers. What a place!

Itinerary (November 2008).

1st: Arrival at Rio de Janeiro International Airport and transfer to REGUA.
2nd: Full day at REGUA near the wetland and higher above the reserve.
3rd: Day excursion to Sumidouro Road for the Three-toed Jacamars.
4th: Full day on the trails near the waterfall at REGUA (Shrike-like Cotinga).
5th: Morning on the 4x4 Trail at REGUA (Eastern Striped Manakin). Afternoon drive to Itatiaia where we stayed at the Hotel do Ype.
6th: Full day in Itatiaia National Park starting outside the hotel at the feeding stations. Later we walked to the Hotel Simon by trail where we were collected by our driver, Paulo. Afternoon road birding below the Hotel Simon.
7th: Agulhas Negras Road 1700 – 2000m (Black & Gold Cotinga, Large-tailed Antshrike, Black-capped Piprites).
8th: Agulhas Negras Road in the morning (Itatiaia Thistletails, Plovercrest) and afternoon in the lower park.
9th: Itatiaia – Pereque (Black-hooded Antwrens) – Ubatuba.
10th: Fazenda Angelim (Buff-throated Purpletufts). Afternoon at Folha Seca (Festive Coquette, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail).
11th: Capricornio (Sharpbill, Rufous-tailed Attila, Red-necked Tanager) in the morning and afternoon at Folha Seca (Bare-throated Bellbird).
12th: Ubatuba – Intervales, calling in at Biritiba Mirim (near Moji das Cruces) for Parana Antwren.
13th: Intervales – Carmo Road am. (too much to mention here, see above!), pm. Lajeadu (White-bearded Antshrike).
14th: Intervales – Pesquisa am. (Atlantic Royal Flycatcher), pm. Bocaina (Giant Antshrike – the final “big one”). Long-trained Nightjars after dinner.
15th: Travel back to São Paulo and flights home.

Weather.
The weather rarely let us down on this tour apart from at Agulhas Negras on 7th when the rain set in for the afternoon. A return visit the following day in sunny conditions showed us just what we’d missed! Heavy rain at Ubatuba was mostly overnight and as we left for Intervales. It didn’t stop us from watching the hummers at Johanne’s place that’s for sure. Generally the climate was pleasant even in the higher parts of Itatiaia and cold weather gear was not needed.

Acknowledgements.
Local help is essential on these tours so big thanks to Adilei, Leonardo at REGUA and Luis at Intervales. Rick Simpson gave us plenty of helpful tips at Ubatuba and of course Fred and Paulo were there throughout from Itatiaia until the end of the tour. Special thanks to the group (for their patience, good humour and birding skills): Gary, Ron and Carol, Colin and Anne. Can’t wait to see you all again!

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