Rio de Janeiro and the Atlantic Rain Forest - Salvaging 2020 (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Nice report. I've also been reminded of my visits to many of the same areas. A fantastic region for birding.

 

[pbjosh]

Lovely report, thank you for sharing! SE Brazil is absolutely fantastic, and I still need to get to a couple of the major sites... somehow I've managed to spend roughly 6 yrs in S America and have still not seen your two Cotingas or some of the other specials!

A couple pedantic spelling / naming corrections that hopefully are more helpful than nitpicky

Dec 12: Bertoni's Antbird and Ochre-rumped Antbird on Dec 12. And yes, both are are skulkers that can be hard to get good looks at, as with almost all Drymophila.

Dec 13: Sepia-capped Flycatcher and the name of White-browed Blackbird (along with Red-breasted) has changed to White-browed Meadowlark but I think IOC is lagging on this English name change?

Dec 14: Collared Swift is White-collared Swift, I assume...

Dec 15: Blue-billed Black-Tyrant and Velvety Black-Tyrant

Dec 17: Silvery-flanked Antwren - Here it is SACC/Clements that seems to be slow in taking up this split

Again, thanks for letting us live vicariously

 

[lgonz1008]

Great report, reminds me of the trip I had planned for next year but had to cancel due to work constraints. I plan to someday make it to Itororo Lodge and bird the Atlantic Forest, though I doubt I'll have 10 days to do it like you.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Good stuff, love the description of the last minute bird on the last day.

 

[Trystan]

Thanks everyone, also for the nomenclature input. I did joke a bit about how nearly everything had Ant in the name and how many variations of Rufous, Rufescent, Rusty, Chestnut... takes some digesting!

 

[DMW]

Nice report - it's a fantastic region with some great birds! Makes me want to go back.

 

[dandsblair]

Great report Rob, we did Iguasu and around Rio a few years ago but there looks enough for another visit for us.

 

[Trystan]

Thank you.

It was really good, I think my lack of experience in the area was a setback for being able to focus quickly on some of the harder birds as such a large amount was new. If you go with some experience and some of them already under your belt, I'm sure you'll find even more that I didn't see.

 

[lammergeier05]

Trystan, certainly a wonderful selection of birds you saw in a region of the world on my shortlist of most wanted destinations. I have birded NE Argentina by Iguazu which hosts an appetizer of Atlantic Forest birding but not yet had the chance to visit Brazil. Awesome!

 

[MKinHK]

Wow that's a lot of Ant-things! Congratulations on a cracking finish - there's always something special about "last minute" birds!

Cheers
Mike

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Mouthwatering report. Thanks for posting . Could you give a idea of the cost excluding flights? (apologies if you already mentioned this upthread)

 

[Trystan]

Thanks Daniele, Mike and Larry.

Not the cheapest trip I've ever done, but definitely paying for quality. Was working out about £350 per day with full board, vehicle, driver and guide.

 

[lammergeier05]

Thanks, Trystan. That price point is really eye opening. For me it’s high even if it was split in half (with the exchange rate to CAD is 600) never mind for one person. In Asia I have had as low as 1/6 all inclusive and no more than 1/3. Seems like with many trips a group of 4 would be ideal for the economics but hard to bring together, especially in these times! Well good to wish for some day.

 

[Mysticete]

I've looked into in the future doing something via Regua, which also has a lodge and excursions. A week trip seemed fairly reasonable through them.

 

[Trystan]

Thanks, Trystan. That price point is really eye opening. For me it’s high even if it was split in half (with the exchange rate to CAD is 600) never mind for one person. In Asia I have had as low as 1/6 all inclusive and no more than 1/3. Seems like with many trips a group of 4 would be ideal for the economics but hard to bring together, especially in these times! Well good to wish for some day.

Yes, it's hard to get groups together and in the current situation, even more so. I had accumulated some savings through the year from not getting on other planned trips and decided the price was acceptable for my own sanity. Also total freedom to chop and change the plan and not worry about whether other people in the group have different targets or priorities!

 

[kb57]

Thanks Daniele, Mike and Larry.

Not the cheapest trip I've ever done, but definitely paying for quality. Was working out about £350 per day with full board, vehicle, driver and guide.

Great trip report, I think this puts Brazil's Atlantic Forest more firmly on my bucket list. The price of doing it solo / with my partner would be a major consideration for me too. I wonder how easy it would be to get from place to place by bus, and hire guides at some key sites? It worked well for me in Colombia that way in 2019, but I'm sure I was missing a lot on the days when I went birding on my own.

Thanks, Trystan. That price point is really eye opening. For me it’s high even if it was split in half (with the exchange rate to CAD is 600) never mind for one person. In Asia I have had as low as 1/6 all inclusive and no more than 1/3. Seems like with many trips a group of 4 would be ideal for the economics but hard to bring together, especially in these times! Well good to wish for some day.

A Regua package looks like a possible solution if I could combine it with some solo travel - I'm learning Portuguese at the moment too, although I've a long way to go before I'd be competent to hold a conversation.

Yes, it's hard to get groups together and in the current situation, even more so. I had accumulated some savings through the year from not getting on other planned trips and decided the price was acceptable for my own sanity. Also total freedom to chop and change the plan and not worry about whether other people in the group have different targets or priorities!

I've actually managed to save this year too, although I've blown a bit on stuff to make my life at home more pleasant, now that I'm spending more time here. Unfortunately I can't blow it all on birding trips, as I'm still trying to figure out how to avoid poverty in my impending retirement!

 

[Hamhed]

Such an extensive and well written report, it took me all month to get through it. Thanks for all the writing and taking my mind to far off and exotic places.

Steve