Encarnacion Part 1

APRIL 13^th

Sean, Sjouke, Vikki and I went on a trip to Encarnacion to visit Paul and do some birding in the area. Friday and Monday was spent travelling which involved three bus journeys which totaled thirteen hours each way give or take the odd puddle and rickety bridge!

In Encarnacion we stayed at Casa de la Y Paul’s mother –in-laws Bed and Breakfast which is situated within walking distance of the beach along the Rio Parana and the border with Posadas Argentina. Our room was perfect and highly recommended should you be visiting the area. Vikki became a honorary boy for the weekend joining the banter in the boys room.

The garden where we took breakfast and an ensado on the last evening was beautifully arranged and attracted Bananaquit, Glittering Bellied Hummingbird, Gilded Sapphire and House Sparrow to get our eyes focused for the days birding. We were joined on both days by Roberto a photographer and birding friend of Paul’s.

Saturday was spent at Hotel Tirol which is a small area of dense Atlantic Forest which surrounds the hotel.

(Hotel Tirol)

Paul and Roberto identified birds on a single call and playback was used to lure the trickier species into view. Sepia Capped Flycatcher was the first bird to join my trip list.

(Sepia Capped Flycatcher)

A Red Crowned Ant Tanager was the first lifer of the day followed by dip of the day in the form of a Forked Tailed Woodnymph a lifer I managed to miss on three occasions!!

A flurry of lifers followed in quick succession Ruby Crowned Tanager, Black Goggled Tanager and Yellow Tyrannulet. The trails are not used too often and some areas were difficult to negotiate but usually there were rewards waiting on the other side of the obstacle or high grass.

(Yellow Tyrannulet)

A Chestnut headed Tanager and a very obliging White Spotted Woodpecker joined the growing list of lifers. 

(Green barred Woodpecker)

We took lunch at the Hotel restaurant and then debated (Not sure there was any debate really!) whether to spend a couple of hours in the upper grounds or return to the B & B. The birds in the upper grounds did not disappoint with Green Barred Woodpecker, Purple Fronted Euphonia, Blue Naped Chlorophonia, Rufous bellied Thrush, Chestnut bellied Aracari and a bird which I had heard and seen on camera trap images at Laguna Blanca. The Rusty Margined Guan who caused major excitement and exclamation by Paul and I before it disappeared up and along a branch of a tree. Fantastic this bird had eluded me several times in the past!

A great start to the birding weekend! Part two to follow after some sleep!

List of sightings:-

Tataupa Tinamou, Neotropic Cormorant, Black Vulture 6, Roadside Hawk, Southern Caracara,

Rusty-margined Guan, White-tipped Dove, Monk Parakeet 2, Chestnut-eared Aracari 3, White-spotted Woodpecker, Green-barred Woodpecker, Grey-bellied Spinetail, White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Variable Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Rufous-winged Antwren,

Blue Manakin, Yellow Tyrannulet, Sepia-capped Flycatcher Eared Pygmy-tyrant, Boat-billed Flycatcher, House Wren,Pale-breasted Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Rufous-browed Peppershrike

Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, White-rimmed Warbler, Chestnut-headed Tanager, Black-goggled Tanager,Ruby-crowned Tanager, Guira Tanager,Chestnut-vented Conebill, Purple-throated Euphonia, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Red-crowned Ant-tanager. Squirrel Cuckoo, Ochre Collared Piculet (Heard), Brown Tinamou (Heard), Fork Taled Woodnymph, Blue Dacnis.