On Day 11, we spent the day slowly repositioning from Lençóis to Mucugê along the western flank of the Chapada Diamantina mountains. Our first stop was just south of the town of Palmeiras.
Planalto Slaty-Antshrike - We were looking for a sparrow, but some bonus birds got in the way.
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Caatinga Antwren
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Glittering-throated Emerald
Silvery-cheeked Antshrike
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Sao Francisco Sparrow!! The main target for the day. This is a Brazilian endemic with a very restricted range in Bahia state and Mines Gerais state, straddling the Sao Francisco River.
Apparently it can be pretty hard to find, so our guide was relieved when we did.
A little further down the road we had our first East Brazilian Chachalaca of the trip. As you can probably tell from the name, this was yet another endemic.
Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch! Not an endemic but our first of the trip.
Horned Sungem!!! Not an endemic but one of the most striking birds we would see.
White-banded Tanager - used to be called Shrike-Tanager.
Rufous-sided Scrub-Tyrant
Pale-breasted Spinetail
Stripe-tailed Yellow-finch
Collared Crescentchest!!! This skulker is often hard to see, and we missed it on our first trip to Brazil despite trying hard for it.
Blue Finch - this is one we didn't miss last time. However, we were happy to see it again. This species is a near-endemic to Brazil with a little crossover into Bolivia.
Plain-crested Elaenia
Cinnamon Tanager
Stripe-tailed Yellowfinch
Chestnut-capped Blackbird
One of the many side roads we explored.
Variable Oriole - this subspecies looks different than the ones we saw in the Pantanal. The patch on its shoulder is yellow instead of orange. I suppose that's how it got its name.
White-bellied Seedeater
White-crested Tyrannulet
Copper Seedeater - not endemic but another lifer for me.
Dubois's Seedeater! Brazilian endemic.
East Brazilian Chachalaca
When we got to Mucuge, we stopped in a little preserve downhill from the town. This preserve was full of Pink Powderpuff (Calliandra brevipes) which the hummingbirds love. This plant looks like the blooms of the Persian Silk Tree which we have in NC as an invasive, but it sticks close to the ground.
Glittering-bellied Emerald
Diamantina Tapaculo!! Yet another extremely range restricted endemic found only in Bahia state. Very difficult to see and photograph.
Crested Caracara
We arrived in Mucugê, a lovely little town that is a great base for some of the local endemic birds. We had dinner and then were getting ready to turn in for bed when our driver alerted us to an owl that was calling from the parking lot area of the hotel.
Stygian Owl!
Great way to end another long day on the road.
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