Urgent birding!!!

Two weeks with very little birding and I woke up with the urgent need of beeing in the forest, I needed to listen, feel and hear the forest.
I had planned to go to Itatiaia today and try a good picture of the Atlantic Royal Flycatcher, that André had showed me the nest 2 weeks ago, but, due to work, I had to put it off.  Very luckly I live only few KM from the amazing urban forest, the Tijuca national Park, not bad for a backyard. I left home with the feeling I would finaly see the Brown Backed Parrotlet, but I was wrong...they were not there. I had anyway a great morning with the very commom birds of our park. Here are some pictures.

Eye-ringed Tody flycatcher

Rufous-breasted Leaftosser

Olivaceous Woodcreeper

Red-eyed Vireo

???Butterfly

Star-throated Antwren

Scaled Antbird

Itatiaia, Teresopolis and Caledonia

It was a 5 days trip with intense birding. A nice and big group and 2 very rare birds, 2 young girls on their mid 40´s.
Among all good birds we had axcellent view of the Mantled Hawk in Itatiaia, another great encounter with the super rare Gray-winged Cotinga at Caledonia, a surprizing vew of an imature Black-and-gold Cotinga with the plumage of the female turning into the black plumage of the adult male. Not even one good picutre onf any of the birds. I clearly need more photo practices.

Tour october 2013

Finishing another wonderful tour of 15 days.
Great company: the half brazilians Patricia and David from Texas, the beautiful Amy from Minesota, the lovely Leslie and Jackie, and the very nice couple Lindsay and Robin from NY state. We were all guided by KJ.
Great places; Intervales with Betinho, Ubatuba with no rain this year, Itatiaia and REGUA with Lelei. Excellent birds including 4 lifers: Red and white Crake and Gray Bellied Hawk at Itervales, Gray Hooded Gull at Praia Seca and Crowned Eagle, incredibly spotted by KJ at the noisy and busy Serra das Araras...great views, but poor photos...sorry.
Among all the good birds, we had specially great close views of the super rare Salvadori´s Antwren at REGUA and momorable encounter with the Crowned Eagle.
OK, I know I have to go better with the pictures, but here are some of the "best ones".

Gray Hooded Gull 

Black Breasted Plovercrest

Mouse colored tapaculo

Brown Tanager

Surucua Trogon

Ruby Crowned Tanager - Female

Crowned Eagle

Salvadori´s Antwren