Just begun a private 10 day tour for a group of 4 friends from the UK. Had a great couple of days, yesterday we arrived at Itororo Lodge from Rio and spent the rest of the day birding the lodge grounds. The lodge feeders were very busy with Azure-shouldered Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager, Black-goggled Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Ruby-crowned Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Magpie Tanager, Burnished-buff Tanager, Plain Parakeet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Green-winged Saltator, Pale-breasted Thrush, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Black Jacobin, Scale-throated Hermit, Sombre Hummingbird, Brazilian Ruby and White-throated Hummingbird…. not bad for the first 30 minutes! We had a great afternoons birding on the White trail seeing Ochre-rumped Antbird, Uniform Finch, Variable Antshrike, Rufous-capped Motmot, Surucua Trogon, Orange-eyed Thornbird, Bertoni’s Antbird, Rufous-capped Spinetail, Dusky-legged Guan, Chestnut-headed Tanager, Ochre-faced Tody Flycatcher, Blue Manakin, Pin-tailed Manakin, Rufous Gnateater, Euler’s Flycatcher, and rather good looks at a very obliging Variegated Antpitta! 

Today we birded the high altitude area at Pico de Caledonia, a very productive day with highlights including Rufous-backed Antvireo, Diademed Tanager, Rufous-tailed Antbird, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Bay-chested Warbling Finch, Green-crowned Plovercrest, Blue-billed Black-Tyrant, Velvety-black Tyrant, Black and Gold Cotinga, Itatiaia Thistletail, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Red-legged Seriema, Pallid Spinetail, Scaled Woodcreeper, Olivaceous Eleania and Grey-capped Tyrannulet.