Today we should have been going to attempt the Waterfall
Trail, but as it rained all night and was still throwing it down over breakfast
we decided to take an easy morning and relax. Neotropic birding is such a trial!
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| Roadside Hawk |
We did some birding in the garden through the showers, and
saw Social Flycatcher, Bananaquit, Yellow-headed Caracara, and Claire spotted a White-rumped Swallow. Violet-capped Woodnymph and Rufous-breasted
Hermit fed on the sugar water when the Swallow-tailed would let them. A Reddish Hermit buzzed around the heliconia
flowers on the far side of the garden.
Around 10.00 am the rains stopped and some of us wandered to
the wetland whilst others took the main driveway to the nursery and then down
the road towards Guapi Assu. After a
detour to see the Canonball tree, we
stopped to see the Tropical Screech Owls – only one roosting this morning.
On the wires two Southern Rough-winged Swallow perched. In one of the mature trees laden with
bromeliads, lichen and mosses Red-rumped Cacique cackled, Chalk-browned
Mockingbird preened, Saffron Finch and Brazilian Tanager fed.
In the nursery we saw several butterflies, one like our
Tortoiseshell, and a small yellow butterfly with black edges to the wings. Several 88 butterflies were around, one in
particular liked Jim’s camera, glasses and hat!
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| A slightly worn but beautiful butterfly |
Masked Water-tyrant and House Wren were seen by some. A Roadside Hawk sat high up on an arching
bamboo stem. As we moved along into the
more open countryside, cattle grazed in the long grass and Smooth-billed Ani
perched on the fence posts.
Blue-and-white Swallow swooped over the distant reeds. A White-browed Blackbird hid in the top of
the long grass some way off.
As was becoming a well worn habit this year, the rain
started when we were at our furthest from the lodge so, with lunch calling, we
returned to the lodge. Marmosets came
down to the bananas on the bird tables, and the only birds still braving the
weather were the Swallowtails. Claire
created a new species, a Vibrating Euphonia – probably the highlight of the
day.
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| A caterpillar in the nursery |
As the rains continued to fall we began to wonder about this
dry season in Brazil, when would it end?
How far would we have to go to avoid it? Questions, questions.
Maybe tomorrow we would have some answers . . . .
