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Because of the widespread burning in southwest Amazonia that was making international headlines around the world just before the start of our tour, I think all of us were worried that our tour route might be affected. Fortunately, the fires were a very long distance south, with winds carrying the smoke mostly easterly, so we saw no evidence of them on our route around Manaus and up the Rio Negro. In fact, weather was about average for September, meaning daytime highs in the low 90s and lows in the upper 70s, with spotty rains. What was unusual, however, was the water level in the lower Rio Negro basin, which was six to ten feet higher than normal. Happily, we were able to access all of our birding trails to at least some extent, and birding was generally excellent!

We got underway on the grounds of the old Tropical Hotel, where we were treated to wonderful views of Variable Chachalacas and a troop of six Brazilian Bare-faced Tamarins, one of the most range-restricted primates in the Neotropics. Next morning, the Ducke Reserve was also highly productive, as fruiting trees attracted five species(!) of toucans including Green and Black-necked aracaris and Guianan Toucanet, and numerous other birds for the first hour of our birding. Woodpeckers were also outstanding, with Chestnut (yellow-crowned, nominate subspecies east of the Rio Negro), Waved, and Cream-colored showing well, along with Yellow-tufted and Yellow-throated, the latter excavating a nest hole right beside the trail. Red-billed Woodcreeper remained aloof, however, only singing in the distance a couple of times. A low, close Caica Parrot that sat for lengthy scope views, a Marail Guan, two austral migrant Pearly-breasted Cuckoos, and an Amazonian Pygmy-Owl were also excellent finds. We returned to Ducke that afternoon to ascend the MUSA tower, which was especially good for Red-fan Parrots, which raised their colorful hackles for us a couple of times, and active nests of both Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant and Painted Tody-Fycatcher. We put a wrap on that first full day with an exciting view of a Curve-billed Scythebill.

Although it had been quite dry for the week or so ahead of the tour, we rented 4-WD vehicles to ensure that we’d be able to get into the famed INPA (Amazonian National Research Institute) tower. The road was in great shape, and we made it in (and back out!) uneventfully – and what a wonderful morning it was atop that tower! There were several fruiting and flowering trees near the tower that attracted a nice variety of species, and a big mixed-species flock in the forest canopy was also quite rewarding. Glossy-backed Becard, Olive-green Tyrannulet, and Ash-winged Antwren can be really hard to get, but all of them performed beautifully, as did Black-spotted Barbet, our first Red-necked Woodpeckers, Guianan Woodcreeper, Yellow-throated and Yellow-margined flycatchers, White-lored and Guianan Tyrannulets, Pink-throated Becard, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Buff-cheeked Greenlet, and Green and Short-billed honeycreepers. We also enjoyed eye-level, comparative views of Band-rumped and Chapman’s swifts. Try as we might, we could not pull in a Dotted Tanager that was singing for several minutes near the tower, and where were the Purple Honeycreepers? On our walk back out to the vehicles we worked a nice mixed-species flock in the understory that yielded good views of Brown-bellied Antwren (soon to be Brown-bellied Stipplethroat), Long-winged Antwren, White-flanked Antwren, Cinereous Antshrike, and Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper. Much to our delight, a Red-billed Woodcreeper we’d heard sing as we climbed the tower just before dawn was later findable from the ground, and we came away with fine views of a pair of these impressive birds.

Three days around the little town of Presidente Figueiredo, about 110 kilometers north of Manaus, got underway with a visit to a nest of supposed White-chinned Swift behind a waterfall, which we saw beautifully on its nest. (I don’t know what that bird truly is, but I don’t think it’s been identified correctly as Cypseloides cryptus.) After a fabulous lunch in Presidente Figueiredo, we checked into our little hotel well away from town to see a lek of Guianan Cock-of-the Rock. Although the birds were very quiet this time, we enjoyed fabulous scope studies of a couple of adult males and one immature male at close range. Capuchinbirds were also seen beautifully, and heard awesomely – what a bizarre bird!! None of us will ever forget the Ferruginous-backed Antbird or the Musician Wren, both of which popped right out to sing for us from bare branches just a few feet away. A morning in the campina and neighboring areas a few miles north and east of town were also quite productive, yielding great views of the rarely seen White-naped Seedeater, Scaled Pigeon, Bronzy Jacamar, Northern Slaty-Antshrike, Crimson Topaz (a couple of stunning males), Pale-bellied Mourner, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, the elusive Pelzeln’s Tody-Tyrant, “Campinarana” (or "Varillal") Flycatcher (soon to be split from the Fuscous Flycatcher complex), and a close Plumbeous Euphonia. A young male Amethyst-throated Woodstar at Mari Mari was an unusual find. In a class by itself was a male Pompadour Cotinga that responded to playback by flying in to land a mere 15 feet away, staring right through us for about a minute, which was simply breathtaking! Trails through taller forest produced a handsome Collared Puffbird, Paradise and Yellow-billed jacamars, Black-banded and Amazonian Barred woodcreepers, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, another pair of Red-billed Woodcreepers(!), the little-known (and very seldom seen on tours!) Cinnamon Manakin-Tyrant (Neopipo), White-fronted and White-throated manakins, Guianan Warbling-Antbird, Spot-winged and Black-headed antbirds, Spot-backed Antwren, Guianan Gnatcatcher, and a Wing-banded Wren which, sadly, was a bit too shy for most people to get a good view of it. Also unfortunate was a Lined Forest-Falcon that came in close but hid itself behind a big limb such that we could see only the end of its tail, arrggh! This proved to be an unusually good tour for Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet, which we saw perched three times (along with the usual fly-overs), and a pair of Point-tailed Palmcreepers also performed to perfection, sitting for scope study.

Our days around Manaus and Presidente Figueiredo had been highly rewarding, for sure, but I know I speak for all of us when I say we were ready to move onto the TUMBIRA, to bird the beautiful Rio Negro, and Anavilhanas and Jau National Parks. Thus, we pulled away from Manaus on the afternoon of 6 September, settled into our cabins, and, with caipirinhas in hand, enjoyed the omni-present Large-billed and Yellow-billed terns from the breezy top deck, Yayyy! Following our first scrumptious dinner on the boat, we jumped (sort of) into the canoes for a spotlighting excursion to see what was out there, along a narrow tributary to the left (east) bank of the Negro. I had my brand-new “heat scope”, which senses infrared heat signatures, on its maiden voyage, and boy was it fun! We immediately started spotting critters near the river banks, especially native Red-nosed Tree-Rats and small opossums, and also our first Band-tailed Nighthawks, roosting side-by-side; a huge Gladiator Treefrog, Smoky Jungle Frog, Cane Toad, a Diving Lizard, and an impressive Brown Tree Boa a couple of meters long. TUMBIRA cruised smoothly up the Negro through the night, passing the lower part of the labyrinth of linear islands comprising the Anavilhanas Archipelago. That was a refreshing night’s sleep, and we awoke early the next morning to board the canoes for a pre-dawn attempt at seeing Spectacled Owl and the two distinct species of Band-tailed Nighthawks that occur together through the Anavilhanas and some other regions of the central Amazon basin. After a quiet start, we heard the answers of first one, then a pair, of Spectacled Owls. Soon we had one of the birds in view, and even got to watch it deliver its low, vibrating series of hoots. Then, as rosy-fingered dawn crested the eastern skyline, the nighthawks took wing to swoop around the canoes, and perched birds of both distinctive song types could be heard singing here and there. It was a magical moment! All of that before “café da manhã” -- and what a fine breakfast it was, served full-scale on the top deck as the Festive Parrots started hollering on all sides.

Over the past several days, the river had dropped just barely enough for us to be able to walk around a bit on the island. We couldn’t go far, no more than 100 yards, really, but that was exactly enough to get us essentially everything we were hoping for that morning, and then some. Among several five-star performances, “best in show” probably went to spectacular Wire-tailed Manakins doing displays at eye level right in front of us, but a Streak-throated Hermit was also exceptionally cooperative. One after another, birds gave us great views. Antbirds were excellent, the likes of Ash-breasted and Black-chinned antbirds, Klages’s and Leaden antwrens, and a very close Blackish-gray Antshrike. Zimmer’s Woodcreepers appeared several times, Ringed Woodpecker stuck for several minutes of scope study, and a Speckled Spinetail missing 90% of its tail also came in for decent views. That afternoon found us on the right (west) bank of the Negro, at the town of Novo Airão, where many of the local river boats are built (including TUMBIRA). Our first stop was at the front door of a family of Three-striped Night-Monkeys! Despite having lost their usual roost site in a recent windstorm, they were looking out of their new cavity around the other side of the same tree – fantastic! We then visited a floating house where local people have started a conservation initiative to help protect Amazon (Pink) River Dolphins. They are doing a great job of educating people about the dolphins, and their work is paying off. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the dolphins, and participating in feeding them as part of the project regimen.

A widespread rainstorm blew in as we headed up the Negro in earnest. It let up just enough to allow some top-deck birding just before dusk, which was a bit too late for the hoped-for Amazonian Umbrellabirds and Crestless Curassows, but we did pick up Hook-billed and Gray-headed kites, and better views of Festive Parrots. As planned, we awoke the next morning far upriver, at the mouth of the Rio Jaú. Terns, skimmers, and dolphins of both species accompanied breakfast on the top deck and our smooth approach to the entrance of Jaú National Park, where we briefly disembarked to register our arrival. Before long we had boots on the ground in “chavascal” woodland, which is a low diversity plant community with essentially no understory growing along blackwater rivers of the central Amazon that is flooded for most of the year. Fortunately, there was enough exposed ground to permit a short walk, where we had fine views of Amazonian Antshrike (gray-crowned subspecies cinereiceps here), Yellow-crowned Manakin, and Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant. Later, from the canoes, we added Cherrie’s Antwren and Amazonian Tyrannulet, and, with perseverance and a little luck, most folks got to see the as-yet undescribed tody-tyrant that appears to be the sister-species of Pelzeln’s Tody-Tyrant, across the Rio Negro.

Farther into the park, up the Rio Jaú, we worked more in the terra firme forest, hoping for mixed-species flocks, army ant swarms, and potoos. All told, we did very well! Among the highlights was a Chestnut Woodpecker (dark-crowned subspecies jumanus, west of the Negro), Golden-green Woodpecker, Gilded Barbet, a stunning male Pavonine Quetzal that stayed put for proper admiration in the scope, White-shouldered Antshrike, Fulvous-throated Antwren (now Fulvous-throated Stipplethroat), Yellow-browed Antbird, Black-faced Antbird, Long-tailed and Ocellated woodcreepers, a highly sought Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner, White-eyed Tody-Tyrant, Blue-crowned Manakin, Wing-barred Piprites, Cinereous Mourner, Dusky-capped Greenlet, Coraya Wren, and the rarely seen Rio Negro Gnatcatcher (Jaú may be the most reliable place for this one). Despite our concerted efforts, we came away without even hearing a Tawny-tufted Toucanet or Pearly Antshrike. We did hit two fairly large army ant swarms, but both were lightly attended by birds. We all saw White-cheeked Antbird well, but a persistent pair of Chestnut-crested Antbirds was seen (with binoculars) by only about half of us this time around, and there was no sign of White-plumed Antbird or Reddish-winged Bare-eye, which usually accompany the swarms in Jaú. Nightbirding was outstanding, producing in quick succession a very low, close Rufous Potoo and good scope views of a White-winged Potoo, followed a little later by a couple of more distant Common Potoos, spotlighted from the canoes. Yip Yip Yip!!! Oh yes, and more rats picked up with the heat scope, which I’ve decided to start calling “the rat scope”. A final morning in the park, birding from the canoes on a narrow tributary of the lower Jaú was perfect for Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Lafresnaye’s Piculet, Black-crested Antshrike, Three-striped Flycatcher, and Brown-headed Greenlet, among others.

The islands in the Rio Solimões (the Amazon River west of its confluence with the Rio Negro) brought us a whole new suite of birds. Our first stop, in tall forest, was certainly the most productive, as there was just enough dry (somewhat dry) ground for us to walk around reasonably well. About the first bird seen was a Green-throated Mango catching flying gnats, a great start. Castelnau’s Antshrike also came easily, and we had great views of the rarely seen Scaled Spinetail then, moments later, Rusty-backed Spinetails. Cinereous, White-winged, and Chestnut-crowned becards all showed well, as did Little and Spot-breasted woodpeckers, Yellow-crowned Elaenia, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, “Island Fuscous Flycatcher” (subspecies fuscatior), Lesser Kiskadee, Dull-caped Attila, and Bicolored Conebill. Afternoon stops on younger islands were difficult due to high water levels and treacherous mud, but we managed to get at least a few of the species restricted to that plant community, especially Olive-spotted Hummingbird, Parker’s Spinetail, Brownish Elaenia, and Pearly-breasted Conebill.

For our final morning of the tour, we revisited the MUSA tower, where we were treated to great scope studies of a pair of Black-faced Hawks (which had eluded us up to that last minute!), Golden-collared Woodpecker, another pair of Red-necked Woodpeckers, several species of tanagers, and a close male Golden-sided Euphonia. That afternoon we went downtown to the famous Teatro Amazonas (Opera House), and did a little shopping at several tourist stores and kiosks around the main plaza and market, which was fun. Then, after our final checklist session and dinner aboard TUMBIRA, we had time to pack up and relax a bit before heading to the airport to check in for the American flight to Miami, departing after midnight.

Marcelo and I certainly enjoyed birding with all of you, and sharing birds and memorable experiences on these great Amazonian rivers. Take care until we meet again, probably in some far-flung corner of big, beautiful Brazil! -- Bret & Marcelo

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The small bats we saw regularly along forest trails, early and late in the day, were Myotis nigrescens. The large rats we spotted on our night outings were identified by Junior as Red-nosed Tree Rats, but I can't find a scientific name matching that name (I think the genus is Echimys). The big rat we spotted during the day, which ran into a cavity about 7 meters above ground (see video), seems to have been a Rio Negro Brush-tailed Rat (Isothrix negrensis). Some of us also saw, briefly, one of the small species of "Four-eyed Opossum". Interesting herps included a Brown Tree Boa about 5 feet long; several enormous Green Iguanas; Gladiator Tree Frog (Hypsiboas boans), Map Tree Frog (Hypsiboas geographicus), Smoky Jungle Forg (Leptodactylus pentadactylus), and Cane/Marine Toad (Bufo marinus). We also saw a fairly large Diving Lizard (Uranoscodon superciliaris), and a Coral snake sp.

Totals for the tour: 441 bird taxa and 20 mammal taxa