birding never sleeps: AMAZONIAN BRAZIL 2022: Rondonia: Porto Velho and Tabajara 28 May-01 June

This is the second, of four, blog posts covering a very successful trip to Amazonian Brazil with Matt Eade (who we were about to join, us having had several days in Amazonia National Park), Paul Noakes and Nick Preston. Originally with just my images it has been greatly enhanced by the inclusion of some of Paul's. They are accredited and included in a larger format although would be easy to spot otherwise.

Saturday 28 May. We were up at 01:35 and left the Ibis Hotel at 01:45 and were at Manaus Airport soon after 01:50. Our flight to Porto Velho in the State of Rondonia left at 03:10, arriving at 04:30. Brad went to sort out the car (a 4WD Ford Ranger) bought some packed breakfast items and we drove a short distance to Slaviero Hotel where Matt was waiting. We left our bags in storage and crossed to the west bank of the Rio Madeira on a relatively new bridge. We birded along a trail and the road at Linha C01 from 06:25-11:45. We returned to the hotel for a buffet lunch then at 14:30 drove back over the Rio Madeira bridge to Linha C30 where we birded from 15:25-18:15 by which time it was getting dark. Birds seen included Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, Bluish-fronted and Paradise Jacamars, Western Striolated Puffbird, Bonaparte's Parakeet, Chestnut-winged Foliage-Gleaner, Predicted Antwren, Fasciated Antshrike, Hairy-crested (a stunning male), Black and Humaita Antbirds, Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant, Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant and Campina Jay. A great day although disappointing only to hear and get fleeting glimpses of White-throated Antbird.

Yellow-throated Flycatcher along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black Antbird along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Bonaparte's Parakeet along Linha C01 (photos: Paul Noakes)

Chestnut-winged Foliage-Gleaner along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black-banded Woodcreeper along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Elegant Woodcreeper along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black-tailed Trogon along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Fasciated Antshrike along Linha C01

Fasciated Antshrike along Linha C01 (photos: Paul Noakes)

Western Striolated Puffbird along Linha C01 (photos: Paul Noakes)

Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant at Linha C01

Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant at Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Bluish-fronted Jacamar at Linha C30

Bluish-fronted Jacamar at Linha C30 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Campina Jay at Linha C30

Campina Jay at Linha C30 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Predicted Antwren at Linha C30 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Squirrel Cuckoo along Linha C30

Sunday 29 May. We were up at 04:40, left at 05:00 and drove to Linha C01 again. A Crested Owl was calling and taped in as we started on a field breakfast. The first I’ve seen in flight and I was surprised how big it looked. We walked a km further down the road seeing White-throated Antbird well (yesterday’s disappointment soon forgotten), 9 Curl-crested Aracaris and, for me, a brief view of a very skulky and not very responsive female Undulated Antshrike. Also Glossy Antshrike, Sooty Antbird, Blue-crowned Manakin, Grey-chested Greenlet and Rufous-bellied Euphonia. We left at 10:25, picked up our bags from the Slaviero and drove 390km to Tabajara with stops for lunch and petrol. An amazing Dark-winged Trumpeter crossed the road and lingered on the verge just not quite long enough for me to extract my camera from the bottom of my bag. It was one of the birds of the trip. The journey took 6.5 hours, the last part on dirt roads. We left our bags in Pousada Tabajara and spent the last hour of light on the bank of the Rio Machado seeing White-winged and White-banded Swallows and over 200 Yellow-rumped Caciques flying to roost. Pousada Tabajara was the only accommodation in town and somewhat basic. It didn’t have internet or provide food but a lady in a house on the edge of town, being something of a Jane of all trades, provided both.

Crested Owl along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Curl-crested Aracari along Linha C01

Curl-crested Aracari along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-necked Puffbird at Linha C01

Sooty Antbird off Linha C01

Sooty Antbird off Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-bellied Parrots along Linha C01

White-bellied Parrots along Linha C01 (photos: Paul Noakes)

Scaly-breasted Woodpecker along Linha C01 (photo: Paul Noakes)

Buff-breasted Wren at Tabajara (photo: Paul Noakes)

Glossy Antshrikes at Tabajara (photos: Paul Noakes)

Grey-chested Greenlet at Tabajara (photo: Paul Noakes)

Monday 30 May. Breakfast had been arranged in a place opposite the posada at 05:00 after which we drove to Lota San Miguel, a nearby white sand forest. Here we birded from 05:50-07:55 and seeing Buff-cheeked Tody-Tyrant and Chico’s Tyrannulet. We continued along the Ramal Do Caldirao trail where we spent 8 hours. Lots of activity and some excellent birds including Collared Puffbird, Pavonine Quetzal, Blue-necked Jacamar, Black-girdled Barbet, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, White-breasted, Rondonia Warbling, Southern Chestnut-tailed and Rufous-faced Antbirds, Wing-barred Piprites and male White-winged Shrike-Tanager. An Amazonian Grosbeak zipped around us but frustratingly I only heard it. We returned to the car and continued down the track towards the village of 2 November. On our return at dusk an American Barn Owl was sat on a fencepost by the road. Another nice meal on the edge of town.

Plush-crested Jay at Lota San Miguel (photo: Paul Noakes)

Chico's Tyrannulet at Lota San Miguel

Buff-cheeked Tody-Tyrant at Lota San Miguel (photo: Paul Noakes)

birding along Ramal Do Caldirao

Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Rondonia Warbling-Antbird along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black-girdled Barbet along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Wing-barred Piprites along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Saturnine Antshrike along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-eyed Stipplethroat along Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

unidentified frog

Saddle-backed Tamarin

Scarlet Macaw at Ramal Do Caldirao

the incomparable Collared Puffbird at Ramal Do Caldirao

Puffbirds are a great family and Collared is probably my favourite

Collared Puffbird at Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Rio Tapajos Saki Monkey at Ramal Do Caldirao, an amazing looking animal

Rio Tapajos Saki Monkey at Ramal Do Caldirao (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black-tailed Marmoset at Ramal Do Caldirao

Black Caracara leaving Lota San Miguel

Red-tailed Boa on the road to the village of 2 November

Red-tailed Boa (photo: Paul Noakes)

Crab-eating Fox heading for 2 November

Tuesday 31 May. Breakfast opposite the hotel at 05:00, we then drove a short distance to meet local boatmen who were taking us out. We headed east up the Rio Jiparana for 40 minutes to the entrance of the much smaller Rio Marmelo then up it, landing on the west bank after 10-15 minutes. Paul, in the front boat with Brad, spotted a Razor-billed Curassow in his thermal scope and they, and Nick and Matt in our boat saw it. Despite Brad using a laser pen the angle of the boats meant I couldn’t work out where it was before it disappeared over the riverbank. For me it was shades of being in the wrong vehicle in Bolivia when I also missed this species as one crossed the road. We spent from 07:45-14:00 walking several kms along a decent trail and back, returning for lunch before being ferried across to the east bank where we birded along another trail from 14:30-17:00. Good forest, but some frustrations as I was increasingly finding in picking up birds especially in poor or varied light although most came good and I did see Kawall's Amazon, White-chinned Woodcreeper, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Rio Madeira Stipplethroat, Sclater's and Aripuanan Antwrens, Scale-backed, Manicore Warbling and Black-faced Antbirds, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant, White-crested Spadebill, Rufous-tailed Flatbill, Tooth-billed and Southern Nightingale Wrens and Golden-bellied Euphonia. We had disappointingly distant views of a skittish Sungrebe going further up the river where fallen logs blocked our progress. Our boatmen were keen to return in daylight and hopes of drifting quietly down to the Rio Jiparana were abandoned. Motoring down I spotted a Dark-winged Trumpeter in my thermal camera but it climbed up the riverbank and out of sight before I could work out where it was. Nick had no such trouble catching it just before it disappeared. More poor light issues for me.as it only appeared on my day list as Uncle Trumpeter - Thermal Image Only (TIO), perhaps more appropriate in a Spanish speaking country?

Apocalypse Now moment on the Rio Jiparana

landing on the Rio Marmelo's west bank at dawn

Capped Heron on Rio Marmelo

Capped Heron on Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Kawall'a Amazon on west bank of Rio Marmelo

female Pearly Antshrike on the west bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

female Black-faced Antbird on the west bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant on the west bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Rio Madeira (Roosevelt's) Stipplethroat on the west bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Aripuana Antwren on the west bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Croesus Eyemark by the Rio Marmelo

Dido Longwing seems a close match for this one?

Iodora Leafwing by the Rio Marmelo

Pavonine Quetzal on the east bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Flame-throated Tanager on the east bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

female Common Scale-backed Antbird on the east bank of the Rio Marmelo (photo: Paul Noakes)

Capybara mum and kids on the Rio Marmelo riverbank at dusk (photo: Paul Noakes)

Wednesday 01 June. Breakfast opposite the hotel at 05:00 we then drove back to the Ramal Do Caldirao. We birded there from 06:00-12:30 seeing Little Nightjar at Lota San Miguel and, for some, Undulated Tinamou which I only heard. Along the track we saw Spix's Guan, Pavonine Quetzal, Blue-necked Jacamar, White-eyed Stipplethroat, White-shouldered Antshrike, Grey, Scaled-backed and Black-faced Antbirds, female Spangled Cotinga, Plush-crested Jay, Amazonian Grosbeak (me only in flight) and Red-billed Pied Tanager. Best of all were 3 Pale-faced Bare-eyes and 4 White-breasted Antbirds which gave good views attending a small slow moving antswarm. We returned to Tabajara for lunch then collected our bags from Posada Tabajara. We left at 13:45 for the drive back to the Porto Velho and, after stops for leg stretching, celebratory Magnums and petrol, we arrived at the Slaviero Hotel at 19:30.