We climb over 50m to see new birds. We’re out on the trails again at first light, aiming to be up the Cristalino Canopy Tower as early as possible, but progress is difficult because we keep coming across new birds on the way! The tiny Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, Grey Antbird, Gray-breasted Sabrewing and White-chinned Sapphire all add themselves to the list. Then we reach the Canopy Tower, looks sturdy enough built of steel, but as it disappears completely from view up through the tree canopy we can’t see how far we’ve got to go. So we start climbing the narrow stairs, a tight fit when you’re carrying bins, scope, cameras etc. We climb and we climb and we climb. Past the two intermediate levels we head straight for the top which has us bursting out into the early morning sunshine way above the treetops. Wow, what a view! In every direction we look, all we can see is forest, forest and more forest. And then we start picking up birds, making the most of being able to look down at the canopy rather than breaking our necks to look up. White-browed Purpletufts, Gould’s Toucanet, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, Flame-eared and Yellow-backed Tanagers all flit through the treetops, while an obliging pair of Striolated Puffbirds sit still long enough for a spot of digiscoping. By late morning we’re frying in the burning sun on the exposed platform, so it’s time to retreat for the morning.
In the afternoon we take a boat up the river to look for birds and a snake. Not just any snake, but an 8m Anaconda which has apparently recently eaten a Capybara and is unable to move while its meal is digested, a 40-day post-meal rest. Suitably impressed with the slumbering snake with its large bulge halfway along its length, we concentrated on new birds, and a bunch of tricky skulkers were finally tracked down including Black-spotted Bare-eye, White-backed Fire-eye, and Bare-eyed Antbird. Returning back downstream after dark, we spotlighted a Common Potoo and a Ladder-tailed Nightjar hawking for moths.
Bird species total: 2510
Posted 22nd June, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Alta Floresta, Brazil