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Amazonia Lodge

Red-faced Caracara

Red-faced Caracara

After leaving Cock-of-the-Rock lodge we had a long drive down to the river for a crossing to reach Amazonia Lodge. The temperature in the village from where we caught the boat was hot! Our first Yellow-rumped Cacique sat on a roof and Blue-gray Tanagers built a nest in a nearby house. The river crossing took only about ten minutes but in that time we picked up Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Vermilion Flycatcher, White-winged Swallow and Purplish Jay. We were soon walking the couple of kilometres through the lowland forest to the lodge. The walk was slow, due to both heat and finding birds: Black-tailed Trogon, Undulated Tinamou and Crimson-crested Woodpecker took our attention. Then four very-noisy Red-throated Caracaras flew overhead and landed in trees above us, a Squirrel Cuckoo was found high in the trees, a Gray-breasted Woodrail ran across the path and we found a single Bamboo Antshrike and a Blue-black Grosbeak.

At the lodge we were immediately directed to a large tree to see a roosting Gray Potoo. The gardens held Red-capped Cardinals and Masked Crimson Tanagers. There are numerous small flowering bushes that attracted hummers and we soon found a beautiful male Fork-tailed Woodnymph. Beneath the bushes we found a Pale-legged Hornero, and a Little Cuckoo was found in a tree. A Gray-fronted Dove walked across the grass, two Chestnut-fronted Macaws flew overhead soon followed by a pair of Blue-and-yellow Macaws and a male Golden-tailed Sapphire was attracted to the flowers.

Gray Potoo

Gray Potoo

After getting settled we took a short walk through the forest to a small stream. Here we had our first Hoatzins, six noisy and obvious birds and a Purple Gallinule. Soon we tracked down Blackish Antbird in a bush and a Silvered Antbird feeding on the water's edge. A Rufous-breasted Hermit flew past, a Black-throated Antbird was found and a Chestnut-eared Aracari flew over and landed in a tree. We walked back up the trail we had arrive don earlier and added Band-tailed Antbird and found more Speckled Chacalacas. Frank heard an Amazonian Antpitta and I was lucky enough to be in just the right position when it walked across a small opening behind a fallen tree. We all had more luck with a Black-faced Antthrush that walked rail-like across the leaf-littered ground and showed exceptionally well.

Back at the lodge we were agreeing to time for dinner when a beautiful Gould's Jewelfront suddenly appeared on a hummingbird feeder right next to us. Walking back to where we were sleeping we had our first Black-faced Nunbird and, after dinner, we heard and had good views of a Tawny-bellied Screech-owl and a flypast Short-tailed Nighthawk.

We had the whole day at Amazonia Lodge and new birds were soon found starting with Blue-headed Parrots flying overhead and a Blue-tailed Emerald feeding on the flowers. Black-billed Thrush was found as we watched the nesting Yellow-rumped Caciques. A bird atop a nearby tree turned out to be a Masked Tityra and as we watched this we found a Blue-throated Piping-guan in another tree and noticed at least 11 Swallow-tailed Kites soaring in the distance.

Laughing Falcon

Laughing Falcon

As we investigated the forest around the lodge we found Little Woodpecker, Dusk-headed Parakeet and a Brown Agouti. Searching the understorey we found a Rusty-belted Tapaculo and nearby Buff-throated Woodcreeper and, sitting quietly deep in a bush, a Semi-collared Puffbird. The forest kept producing new species for us: Goeldi's Antbird, Blue-crowned Trogon and Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers. A small raptor flew into a tree and was easily identifiable as a Laughing Falcon. Two Cinereous Tinamous were found on the path and our first Crested Oropendola was seen feeding in a tree. Black-throated Toucanet was next to be added soon followed by Greater Yellow-headed Vulture soaring overhead.

Continuing along the forest trails we hit a foliage-gleaner few minutes: Olive-backed, Chesnut-winged and Chestnut-capped Foliage-gleaners, followed by Juruá Woodcreeper, Long-winged Antwren, Pygmy Antwren and Lineated Woodcreeper. Back at the lodge there is a hummingbird feeder away from the main buildings in the forest. Sitting here we picked up Gray-breasted Sabrewing, a White-bearded Hermit that saw us, moved to within one metre of us and hovered facing us, and, our target bird, the endemic Koepcke's Hermit. Back out in the gardens, a male Rufous-crested Coquette was found feeding on the flowers and a pair of Thick-billed Euphonias visited their nest in a nearby tree.

Lineated Woodcreeper

Lineated Woodcreeper

At lunchtime Jon and I went for a walk along the main path. We had two good birds, neither of which we were expecting. The first was a huge turkey-like blue bird walking through the forest: a Razor-billed Curassow. Delighted and surprised by this bird we didn't think we see much else, especially considering the time of day. However, we were proved wrong when we came across a Collared Forest-falcon sitting in the open.

We returned to the sites for these two birds that afternoon with the rest of the group but didn't relocate the birds. We did get some cracking birds though: a superb Band-tailed Manakin, Grayish Saltator, Yellow-crowned Tyrranulet, White-lored Euphonia, Yellow-bellied Dacnis and Zimmer's Tolmomyias. And there was more to come as these birds proved to be part of a very large flock. Yellow-crested Tanager was found, then White-winged Shrike-tanager and Black-capped Becard. A Black-eared Fairy fly-catched above us and a Slender-billed Xenops added to the flock species, soon followed by White-shouldered Tanager.

The walk back to the lodge was also productive with White-lined Antbird and Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Olivaceous Woodcreeper and, best of all, found by Frank and sitting low in a bush a few metres into the forest and gently calling, a Thrush-like Antpitta. It stayed still for all to see and was still there went we had all moved on.

Chestnut-fronted Macaws

Chestnut-fronted Macaws

Next morning we started birding a new trail and soon had another Little Woodpecker, Green Honeycreeper and two Olive-faced Flycatchers. A few Chestnut-fronted Macaws were in evidence and we admired these just before finding a pair of Lineated Woodpeckers. Overhead were various swifts and we identified both Gray-rumped and Pale-rumped Swifts. A Palm Tanager boosted the already-large tanager list and we had our first Great Kiskadees. Then five Red-and-green Macaws flew overhead and Yellow-tufted Woodpecker was found nearby. Our final new bird at Amazonia Lodge was Black-banded Woodcreeper.

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