Brazzzzzil

Just back from a superb three weeks in NE Brazil with Jon Hornbuckle, Rod Martins and Barry Wright.  We were guided by the legendary Ciro Albano who drove us 6950 kms to find pretty much all the important birds between Fortaleza and Porto Seguro.  Highlights were many - a few of the best for me being Hooded & Ceara Gnateaters, Araripe Manakin, Lear's Macaw, White-browed Antpitta, Great Xenops, Collared Crescentchest, Hooded Visorbearer, Peasant Cuckoo, Horned Sungem, Pin-tailed Manakin, Giant Snipe, White-winged Potoo and Banded Cotinga.

Other than only hearing Stresemann's Bristlefront all disappointments were not related to the birding. I left the UK the day before Martin Casemore's brilliant Acadian Flycatcher find, I managed to break my small 'digiscoping camera' and worst of all lost memory cards containing images from all but the last few days of the trip. Fortunately Barry took excellent images of everything I had, and more, so my blog will be illustrated, just somewhat delayed.

waiting for Stresemann's Bristlefront.  It didn't appear although had called very intermittently from not far away (Ciro standing, Barry and Jon sitting)

Jon without the usual spring in his step returning having only heard Stresemann's.  No Gullick/Swedish listers here.

the end of a very faithful servant