Toucan Birding Tours:
Eastern Venezuela 24 November – 8 December 2007.
Tour Participants: Chris & Mandy Farman, Lars Samuelson, Anne & Colin Horne, Jane Ridal Hopkins & John Hopkins, David Severn and Howard Ackford.
Leader: Colin Bushell with assistance from Alejandro Nagay.
ITINERARY
The Toucan Birding Tours Venezuela departure was a considerable success despite some bad fortune in the northern mountains.
The bird of the trip – Harpy Eagle – was the easiest I’ve ever known it in Venezuela (or anywhere come to that!) and Imataca held many new birds for everyone. However the best was saved until last with the Escalera Road providing us with the most rewarding part of the tour. Indeed some participants considered it the best birding road they’d experienced in South America, “even better than Manu” according to some!
24 November:
Arrival in Maiquetia Airport and transfer to Macuto where we spent the night. Sooty-capped Hermit in the garden of our hotel.
25 November: Early return to Maquetia Airport and flight to Barcelona where we are met by Frankie our driver for the tour. Drive to Araya Peninsula where we see Vermilion Cardinal, Buffy Hummingbird, Northern White-fringed Antwren, Black-faced Grassquit and Yellow-shouldered Parrot.
26 November: Early departure for Caño Ajies where Rufous Crab-Hawk is a no-show. Cinnamon Attila, Black-crested Antshrike and a rather sick looking Audubon’s Shearwater the only highlights from a rather disappointing boat-trip. Overnight in Aripa.
27 November: Most of the day birding on Cerro Humo in atrocious conditions (rain and wind). A very poor day indeed but some manage to see a White-tailed Sabrewing and Venezuelan Parakeets are easy near the refugio. Overnight Irapa.
28 November: Early morning at Sabocucal is very profitable with Crimson-hooded Manakin, Black-dotted Piculet, White-necked Puffbird and White-chested Hummingbird all seen. Evening visit to Oilbird Caves (100’s seen) and overnight in Caripe.
29 November: Full morning Cerro Negro where we fail to locate Grey-headed Warbler despite fair weather conditions. Plenty of White-tailed Sabrewings on the way up as well as Groove-billed Toucanet and Handsome Fruiteaters. Afternoon transfer to Maturin.
30 November: Morning at Caño Colorado (Horned Screamer, Red-billed Scythebill, Guianan Slaty-Antshrike, Blue & Yellow Macaw, Black-dotted Piculet and Cream-coloured Woodpecker. Afternoon transfer to El Palmar with overnight at Parador Taguapire.
1 December: Full day in Imataca and Rio Grande area with Harpy Eagle as one of our first birds of the day! The “Harpy Clearing” was in fact very good for birds with Grey-headed Kite, Pearl Kite, Black-headed Parrot, Black-necked Aracari, Cayenne Jay and Yellow Oriole all seen. Our forest walk on the trails near Rio Grande was a little more testing but Yellow-billed Jacamar and Ferruginous-backed Antbird are appreciated. Overnight in El Palmar.
2 December: Another full day in Imataca Forest walking the trails and logging tracks. A slow start on the trails still produces Great Jacamar and a great understory flock including Dusky-throated Antshrike, Cinereous Antshrike, Ash-winged Antwren, Brown-breasted Antwren and Long-winged Antwren. Birding the logging tracks and clearings after lunch proves productive with Paradise Jacamar, Black-spotted Barbet and Yellow-throated Flycatcher.
3 December: Final morning at Imataca before leaving El Palmar for Las Claritas. A pair of Black Curassows on the track starts our day well and our good fortune continues with Marail and Spix’s Guans on our first walk. We finally obtain views of Red-fan Parrot and locate a Blackish Nightjar right by the road with Pied Puffbirds and Green Aracaris seen in the canopy. Afternoon spent travelling from El Palmar to Las Claritas stopping for Jabiru and at the Rio Cuyuni bridge. Distant swallows here are probably Black-collared but just too distant to confirm.
4 December: Our first morning on La Escalera and what a start! Star birds include Rufous-brown Solitaire, Orange-bellied (Tepui) Manakin, Tepui Greenlet, Roraiman Antwren, Peacock Coquette and another Black Curassow on the lower Escalera before moving up to the “Alcabala” (check post). Golden-tufted Mountain-Grackles were common here and after a brief spell higher (for Tepui Brushfinch and Tepui Swift) we return to the Alcabala to walk a trail. Red-banded Fruiteater, Rose-collared Piha, Tepui Whitestart, Tepui Spinetail, McConnell’s Spinetail, Olive-backed Tanager, Olive Manakin and Rufous-breasted Sabrewing are our rewards here. Flutist Wren is added to our list at the end of the day as we make our way back to Las Claritas.
5 December: A male Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock is one of the first birds seen this morning and this enforced stop on the lower Escalera produces Sharpbill amongst a feeding flock. A Bearded Bellbird skilfully located by Frankie is our next bird before heading out across the Gran Sabana where we see Black-faced Tanager, White Bellbird and Tepui Goldenthroat.
6 December: A wet morning start to our walk on a lowland forest trail but the rain stops after a short while and bird activity increases. After a slow start things picked up considerably when a Black-throated Antshrike is located followed by a pair of Red & Black Grosbeaks! Other birds include Rufous-bellied Antwren, Pied Puffbird, Golden-headed Manakin and Purple-throated Fruitcrow before lunchtime. Our afternoon was even wetter but from the shelter of Barquilla de Fresa we managed great views of Crimson Topaz, Black-throated Mangos, Eastern Long-tailed Hermits and Rufous-breasted Hermit before heading off to a forest patch to look for Capuchinbird. No luck this afternoon in the dreary weather conditions but there’s always tomorrow.
7 December: Fantastic views of at least 5 Capuchinbirds this morning lekking with their “chainsaw song”. Then it’s off back up the Escalera picking up White-throated Foliage-Gleaner, Violet-browed Brilliant, Streak-backed Antshrike, Scarlet-horned Manakin and Two-banded (Roraiman) Warbler before heavy rain finishes our day prematurely.
8 December: A very early departure for Cuidad Guyana and our flight to Maiquetia connecting with international flights back to Europe.
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