Bird watching in Paradise

Whatever anyone tells you, believe me, birding in Kent has nothing on Brazil!   I've just spent ten days on holiday at Regua, in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest.   Followers will know that it is my second home, and will therefore skip, the next few blogs!   However, despite my regular trips the place just continues to deliver new delights every time.

Early morning from the Garden

The rainforest restoration is expanding rapidly and with that increased species diversity.   With 170,000 trees planted in the last twelve years, and a further 180,000 to go in over the next two years, there are going to be more changes still!

Around the lodge, the view of some of the surrounding mountains has been rescued from the rapidly expanding forest.   A moth wall has been erected and a grand new two-storey Belvedere has been built enabling great views of the wetland and the sunset over the mountains from the edge of the garden.   So good is this new viewpoint, we spent two hours there on our first morning enjoying tanager flocks and blue dacnis at eye level, and scanning the forest canopy for raptors and sloth.  No-one was in a hurry to leave and start the walk!

Familiar sights greet us also, the team at the lodge are as friendly as ever, nothing is too much trouble for them, and great food in the relaxed atmosphere is always a highlight here.   With the arguments between swallow-tailed hummingbirds still continuing over the feeders in the garden which they defend vociferously against the glittering-throated emerald and violet-capped woodnymph its just like coming home.

Chestnut-backed Antshrike

Blonde-crested woodpecker and white-tufted marmoset feeding in the bananas in the garden delayed breakfast and our departure on several days.   Whilst the call of channel-billed toucan and bare-necked bellbird accompanied our days as we relaxed around the pool and on the veranda.