Rick Simpson Birding Services

We had a few days to spare, some airmiles to use up and an enormous desire to travel and to see new birds.

Blue-grey Tanager. Ubiquitous common species.

So, we packed our bags and headed for Manaus; which was full! There was a cinema convention, or something similar, happening there and we could find ‘no room at the inn’.

Chestnut-bellied Seedeater. Also fairly common.

After a night in a dubious motel, we headed 107km due north along the BR 174 to Presidente Figureido. We birded in some of the housing developments along the way, seeing common birds was good for us among the orchards and lawns of the well-to-do of Amazonas.

Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, takes the place of our Yellow-fronted Woodpecker.

Arriving at Pres. Figureido we discovered that it was a good choice, being quiet, and having vacancies at the hotels. We birded around some of the local hot-spots, it was very hot and humid, but there was plenty for us to see. The birds at least, it seemed, were accustomed to the temperature.

Bronzy Jacamar, relatively common in the forested areas.

One species we were particularly interested to find was the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock. We were successful initially in only seeing, albeit really well, the female, but we did find a spot in town where every morning and evening a male flew across the road. We saw him several times, watching where he entered the forest, but we were unable to locate him perched unfortunately.

Female Guianan Cock-of-the-rock.

The local race of our Channel-billed Toucan looks very different with it’s blue face and bill base, and the locally common White-throated Toucan was a new bird of course.

Channel-billed Toucan, quite different to our bird.

So here are a some of our record shots from that trip, all photographs on this page copyright Rick and Elis Simpson.

Variable Chachalaca.

Pied Puffbird.

Blackish Nightjar.