Day 5 - Quixada to Potengi (07Feb2026)

Day 5 was going to be a long haul, traveling from our hotel in Quixada all the way to Potengi, about 5 hours away with no stops but we had plenty of stops to make.  

Approximate route.

However, before setting off we did some birding around the hotel grounds.

Green-barred Woodpecker

White-naped Jay

Ochre-backed Woodpecker - Brazil endemic!

White-browed Guan

While we birded the entrance road, our guide Brad heard a Nothura and started scanning the valley below.

White-bellied Nothura - can you see the little spec in the road behind the gate?  Don't worry, we got closer views a little later.

Golden-green Woodpecker

After bagging this woodpecker we headed down the entrance road to check the fields where we saw the Nothura.

Cactus Parakeets

White-bellied Nothura - at first this cryptic tinamou stayed distant but eventually it came closer.

Awesome!

Back at the hotel, the owner was hearing a Lined Seedeater singing which he said was not usual for his hotel so we tracked it down.

Lined Seedeater

We said our goodbyes to the Pygmy Nightjars but they didn't seem like they would miss us.

Scaled Dove

On the way out from the hotel we spotted this Rock Cavy family through the van window.  Very cute.

Once on the road, we only stopped for gas or food, but some of the stops offered some nice opportunities to shoot birds that I normally would ignore in favor of our targets.

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

At a pond stop we had a fly-by Limpkin.

Our first Southern Pochards!

I wasn't expecting to see hundreds of Masked Ducks, a species that was a lifer only a couple days prior.

Comb Duck!  This bird stayed on the far side of a private pond so unfortunately we did not get very close.

Southern Pochard pair.

When the Comb Duck finally decided to fly, I was not ready and only managed this poor shot.

We arrived at Sitio Pau Preto in Potengi in the early afternoon, with plenty of time to bird the grounds.  This birding lodge is a small family operation run by a birder named Bob and his mother Ivette.  These folks know how to set up feeders with good perches for photos.

Red-cowled Cardinal

Plieated Finch

After everyone got settled into their rooms, we took a nice stroll around the trails surrounding the property.

Greater Wagtail-Tyrant!  Although this is not a Brazil endemic, it does have two very disjunct populations which are ripe for a future split which would make this sub-species a an endemic.

Variegated Flycatcher

Ultramarine Grosbeak!

Creamy-bellied Thrush

Orange-headed Tanager

Striped Cuckoo

White-browed Guan - rehabbers frequently take birds that have been rehabbed to this spot and release them.  This Guan was saved as a chick and so it has imprinted on the host here and is totally tame.

Gretchen lost her iPhone while we were on this trip and she loves to take pictures of the food spreads so I took this one for her.  Making me hungry!

A cool moth I have yet to identify.

We would be lucky enough to spend two nights at Bob's place, so there will be another full day post from his property coming next.

Day 4 - Guaramiranga to Quixada (06Feb2026)

Day 4 would be a repositioning day, but not with a ton of long drives.   The distance was only 2 hours between locations, but we took many stops for birds.  I am not sure of the actual roads we took, but below is a map showing the approximate route.  I think the hotel was actually in the town Juatama just south of the red pin.

The morning started out with another crack at Pico Alto in Guaramiranga.

The Ceara Gnateater showed more nicely than the previous day.

A Plain Antvireo made a quick appearance but didn't stay for a proper crushing.

Violaceous Euphonia - Euphonias are tricky to ID.  The combination of the throat and crown patterns are what is needed to decipher them. 

Versicolored Emerald 

Reddish Hermit 

We spent a lot of time trying to get better looks at the Short-tailed Antthrush again.  We got some looks but alas no photos.  Audrey did get some audio which she posted on our checklist.

I still have not identified this butterfly.

Black-capped Antwren - we had much better looks this time.

After checking out of our hotel, we stopped in some farming areas to scan the fields.  

Ferruginous Pygmy-owl - in a tiny wooded area between farm fields.

White-browed Meadowlark - very far off in the fields.

Red-cowled Cardinal

Cactus Parakeets

White-naped Jay - A Brazil endemic.  We would see many throughout the trip.

As we made our way to Quixada, we stopped at a bunch of roadside ponds.

Brazilian Teal 

Guira Cuckoo

Black-necked Stilt

Fence Lizard of some sort.

White-throated Seedeater - yet another northeast Brazil endemic!

The roadside farm where the seedeater and lizard were hanging out.

Striated Heron

Brazilian Teal - another pair from another roadside stop.

The "Pedra da Galinha Choca (Brooding Hen Stone)" is a natural rock formation in Quixada Brazil.  This area is well known in Brazil for these rock formations and the area is frequented by hikers but also hang gliders who jump off the cliffs.

White-faced Whistling-Ducks and a Wattled Jacana - A roadside restaurant stop for lunch had some good birds.

Southern Lapwing

Great Antshrike

Greater Rhea - a domestic no doubt but cool to see anyhow.

Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle - we saw these as we made the approach to our hotel, soaring in the thermals created by the cliff faces.

White-tufted Marmosets - these cuties greeted us upon our arrival at the hotel.  They are native and wild but the hotel owner lures them in with fruit.

Another lizard I need to work on ID for...

Pygmy Nightjars!!!  The main reason for the stop at this hotel is that these northeast Brazilian endemics day roost on the rocks next to the pool!  During the high season there can be hordes of people at the pool but the hotel owner says the birds hang out on the rocks anyhow.  I should have taken a pic of the pool so you could see how these birds were only steps away.

The view from the pool!

White-browed Guan - the hotel owner also puts out feed for the birds!

Green Kingfisher - it started to rain but we got out the umbrellas and walked the property none the less.

Eventually the rain had us throw in the towel and I went swimming in the pool and watched the Pygmy Nightjars feeding on termites that were forced out of their rock hiding places with the rain.  I didn't have my camera but one of our group got great flight shots of the nightjars feeding.

Tropical Screech-Owl - very wet and grumpy.

Unidentified Frog - the rain brought out tons of amphibians.

I will get ID through iNat later!

Here is the link to the hotel.  https://wildlife-lodges.com/lodge/hotelpedradosventosresort/

Clearly the best way to bag lots of species is to go on a guided trip, but Brazil is safe and easy to drive in so if you have time to explore on your own, this would be a great stop.