2012 Tour Narrative
Our tour started well at the Caroni Rapids with a very close Capped Heron in full breeding plumage and distant, but ‘scopable Black-collared Swallows. After driving to El Palmar (stopping for a good selection of raptors along the way including our only Black-collared Hawk and a fine pair of Aplomado Falcons) we headed out along the road towards the Imataca forest and birded open meadows, ponds and forest patches quickly becoming familiar with such delights as Black-necked Araçaris, White-throated Toucans, Streak-headed Woodcreepers, Red-breasted Blackbirds and Yellow-rumped Caciques. The best bird was left until the end of the afternoon though, when at our final stop we saw two Red-shouldered Macaws - only the second time this species has been seen on our Venezuela tours.
The next day everyone awoke with excitement and anticipation as this was the day for the Harpy Eagle. Our local guide had told us it was just an hour’s drive and we’d be at the nest. Well, it was a Venezuelan ‘hour’ followed by a short hike through cow pastures, dodging the cow pats, but eventually we were there and sure enough in a large tree set back into the forest we could see first the massive stick nest of the bird and then the adult female eagle. And what a bird! This was what most people had come on the tour to see and they were not disappointed. We watched it for an hour or more perched on various branches in the tree as well on the nest itself, and then eventually we saw the head of the small fluffy chick as well - which we learned was just six days old. Mission accomplished - and this was a lucky group as we often only see a well grown chick, not the adult itself.
The rest of our time in the Guianan lowlands was spent near the Rio Grande bridge and in the forest reserve just beyond. Highlights included a flock of 11 massive Red-and-green Macaws, a beautiful Crimson Topaz hummingbird, three gorgeous Ferruginous-backed Antbirds, noisy Purple-throated Fruitcrows (our first Cotinga), unusually obliging Cayenne Jays, an all-too-fleeting view of a male Rose-breasted Chat, and a Slate-colored Grosbeak. We were hoping to find an antswam with its attendant flashy antbirds, but the forest floor was too wet from recent rain and the ants weren’t active. We still wandered around the grid of forest trails in the hope though, and ample compensation came in the form of a singing Rufous-winged Ground-Cuckoo, which by some miracle managed to find its way into the ‘scope, allowing us all to enjoy stunning views of its head, red eye ring and all! This is the first time this rare and elusive species has been seen on our Tepuis tour, and only the third time it has ever been seen on any of our many Venezuela tours.
The next day we moved down to the mining community of Las Claritas - Venezuela’s ‘wild west’. En route we picked up some good birds in the drier country including the very local White-bellied Piculet, pretty Northern White-fringed Antwrens, a noisy White-bellied Antbird, a male White-winged Becard that has lost its tail, and some very aggressive Buff-breasted Wrens. Further south we walked a side road through beautiful rainforest, scarred by a pylon ride taking power to Brazil but still great for birds which included a pair of the poorly-known Dusky Purpletufts, colourful Painted Parakeets, a very cooperative Mouse-colored Antshrike, more Purple-throated Fruitcrows, and our first Green Oropendolas.
From Las Claritas we spent the next four days exploring the Escalera, a wonderful road that winds up through the rainforest of the Sierra de Lema into Canaima National Park and eventually up onto the Gran Sabana with its distant (and only visible on clear days) table-topped Tepuis. Here we concentrated on finding Cotingas and the various pan-Tepuis endemics which are restricted to this area which straddles the borders of Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil. Our views of Pompadour Cotinga were all rather distant, but close views of male and female Guianan Cocks-of-the-rock in flight, were good compensation - though it took us several attempts to finally see them perched. Further up the male bellbirds were easier to see perched high in the trees and calling loudly - White and Bearded often audible at the same time. And after much searching (and initially foregoing his lunch) Stuart finally found us a male Red-banded Fruiteater. Our only Sharpbill this year was very mobile in a large mixed-species flock and proved elusive with only some people obtaining brief views. Sadly the Capuchinbird lek had been disturbed by large numbers of Brazilian miners who have moved in to the forest close to the old lek site, and we couldn’t even hear them calling in the distance.
We did well with the various pan-Tepui endemics gradually building up a healthy list. Favourites included the Blue-fronted Lancebill at close range on the red flower patch, the Tepui Goldenthroat out on the Gran Sabana, the gorgeous Roraiman Barbtail, the pair of Streak-backed Antshikes that came in silently in response to playback, the male Scarlet-horned Manakin (finally after much searching), the delicate Tepui Whitestarts, and perhaps best of all - the Greater Flowerpiercer - our first sighting of this species for quite a few years. Bizarrely, we missed Tepui Brush-Finch.
After returning to Caracas on a delayed flight, most of the group spent an ‘extra’ day in Avila Park where we were guided by David Ascanio. Here we picked up a whole bunch of new birds as we were in a different avifauna - that of the coastal mountain range. And these included some Venezuelan endemics and near-endemics such as Blood-eared Parakeet, White-tipped Quetzal, Groove-billed Toucanet, Black-throated Spinetail, and Caracas Tapaculo, as well as such other delights as colourful Golden-breasted Fruiteater and the endangered Cerulean Warbler. An excellent ending to a fine trip. 376 species in ten days birding can’t be bad! David Fisher
Updated: May 2012