REGUA News

14 October 2011

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:02:00 GMT

Avian highlights from around the reserve in September include: Tataupa Tinamou, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Masked Duck, Rusty-margined Guan (visiting the lodge feeders), Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Whistling Heron, Capped Heron, Grey-headed Kite, Snail Kite, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Rufous-thighed Kite (lodge garden), Crane Hawk, Limpkin, Russet-crowned Crake, Rufous-sided Crake, Blackish Rail, Giant Snipe, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plain Parakeet, Blue-bellied Parrot (4x4 Track), Tropical Screech-Owl (at usual roost site), Long-tailed Potoo (roosting on the 4x4 Track), Common Potoo, Spot-tailed Nightjar, Scissor-tailed Nightjar, Sick's Swift, Saw-billed Hermit, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Black Jacobin, Frilled Coquette, White-chinned Sapphire (lodge garden), Buff-bellied Puffbird, White-eared Puffbird, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Spot-billed Toucanet, White Woodpecker (lodge garden), Spot-backed Antshrike, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Ochre-breasted, Black-capped, Buff-fronted and White-eyed Foliage-gleaners, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Southern Antpipit, Oustalet's Tyrannulet (Elfin Forest Trail - photo below), Russet-winged Spadebill (Waterfall Trail), Greyish Mourner, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Large-headed Flatbill, Grey-hooded Attila, Bare-throated Bellbird (lodge garden), Pin-tailed Manakin, Sharpbill, Shrike-like Cotinga, Green-backed Becard, White-thighed Swallow, Long-billed Wren, Hooded, Olive-green, Azure-shouldered, Golden-chevroned, White-bellied, Red-necked and Rufous-headed Tanagers, Temminck's Seedeater (4x4 Track and lodge garden), Yellow-green and Black-throated Grosbeaks and Green-winged Saltator (Wetland Trail).

Oustalet's Tyrannulet, Elfin Forest Trail, September 2011 © Leonardo Pimentel

Grey-eyed Greenlet - another new bird for REGUA!

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:32:00 GMT

Last month our bird guide, Leonardo Pimentel, was birding at the wetland when he found yet another new bird for REGUA - an immature Grey-eyed Greenlet Hylophilus amaurocephalus (photo below). This range of this Brazilian endemic stretches across eastern Brazil from the state of Piauí in the north down to São Paulo State, but the nearest they get to Rio de Janeiro State is eastern Minas Gerais, and so it is very unusual and unexpected to find one at REGUA. This addition brings the REGUA bird list to an incredible 456 species!

Grey-eyed Greenlet, REGUA wetland, May 2011 © Leonardo Pimentel

New articles on the birds of REGUA

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:07:00 GMT

The last few months have seen two articles published on the birds of REGUA. The first is an article written by our guide Leonardo Pimentel and Fábio Olmos, published in Cotinga, summarising the results of survey work carried out at REGUA since 2003. Cotinga is now available online and you can download the article from the Neotropical Birding website. The second article, published in Neotropical Birding, is by REGUA supporter Lee Dingain, and describes where and when to find the REGUA's speciality birds (more on Lee's blog). Neotropical Birding is available to Neotropical Bird Club members. To join please visit their website.

New bird for the Serra dos Órgãos region found at REGUA

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:08:00 GMT

On 11 April, our bird guide, Leonardo Pimentel, was guiding some guests on the Elfin Forest Trail when he heard a call that he immediately recognised as a Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus furcatus! After a little playback the bird came in and although it kept to the dense vegetation he managed to get some photos (below). Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, otherwise known as Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, is a very rare Brazilian Atlantic Forest endemic with a tiny fragmented population, and is classified as Vulnerable by BirdLife International. The nearest populations to REGUA are in southern Rio de Janeiro State and this is the first record for the Serra dos Órgãos region of this distinctive tyrannid (check out the tail pattern). This record brings the total number of birds recorded at REGUA to an incredible 454, including 62 Brazilian endemics and 118 Atlantic Forest endemics! Well done Leonardo for finding such a fantastic bird!

Fork-tailed Pygmy-tyrant, Elfin Forest Trail, REGUA, April 2011 © Leonardo Pimentel

REGUA's first book is published

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 17:45:00 GMT

Over the last two years Alan Martin with his co-authors Alexandre Soares and Jorge Bizarro have been working on the comprehensive A Guide to the Hawkmoths of the Serra dos Orgaos, South-eastern Brazil, which is due to be printed at the end of April. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive guide to all the 110 species of hawkmoths that have been recorded in the region, and for each species there is a detailed text which includes taxonomic nomenclature, distribution and flight times, along with key identification features. There are 37 colour plates illustrating all the species from above and below for males and females, and there are over 120 colour photos showing many of the hawkmoths in their natural resting postures which were mostly taken at REGUA. Using these illustrations, photos and text any keen observer, with no prior knowledge, should be able to readily identify any of the species described. The book also includes several introductory chapters which cover general information on the Serra dos Órgãos and hawkmoth life history and development, and these chapters are provided in both English and Portuguese. The Appendices also include a comprehensive list of larval host plants by genera. Although the book focuses on the Serra dos Órgãos, many of the species covered have wide distributions across the neotropics. This book should therefore appeal not only to those interested in the hawkmoths of Brazil, but to a much wider audience.

This is planned to be the first of a series of guides to be produced on REGUA and the immediate area, and will hopefully help to stimulate further interest and research into the remarkable biodiversity of the area. The profits from the sale of this book will support the research programme at REGUA.

The book will be distributed by NHBS Environment Bookstore but there is a pre-publication offer for REGUA supporters of £20.00 plus postage and packing (£2.50 in the UK) for orders sent direct to Alan Martin at alanmart@globalnet.co.uk.

A Guide to the Hawkmoths of the Serra dos Orgaos, South-eastern Brazil

March sightings

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:07:00 GMT

Some interesting sightings this month, including Snail Kite, Brown-backed Parrotlet, very low records of Blue-bellied Parrot, Plumbeous Pigeon and Green-chinned Euphonia around the wetland and one of the few records of Lineated Woodpecker on the reserve! Highlights from some of the trails include:

4x4 Track to Casa Anibal: Rusty-margined Guan, Saw-billed Hermit, Surucua Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Channel-billed Toucan, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Sooretama Slaty Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Unicoloured Antwren, Rufous-winged Antwren, Scaled Antbird, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Slaty Bristlefront, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tyrant, Brazilian Tanager, Red-necked Tanager, Rufous-headed Tanager and Yellow-green Grosbeak.

Onofre Cunha: White-necked Hawk, Limpkin, Tawny-browed Owl, Saw-billed Hermit, Reddish Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-capped Motmot, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant and Long-billed Wren. Unfortunately, Giant Snipe, Mottled Owl and Black-banded Owl were just heard this month.

Waldenoor: Mantled Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plain Parakeet, Brown-backed Parrotlet, Scaly-headed Parrot, Frilled Coquette, Rufous-capped Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-eared Puffbird, Channel-billed Toucan, Spot-billed Toucanet, Saffron Toucanet, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Plain Antvireo, Star-throated Antwren, Scaled Woodcreeper, Sharpbill, Black-crowned Tityra, Black-tailed Tityra, Green-backed, Chestnut-crowned, White-winged and Crested Becards, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Brassy-breasted Tanager and Yellow-backed Tanager.

Waterfall Trail: White-necked Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Long-tailed Potoo, Saw-billed Hermit, Reddish Hermit, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Spot-billed Toucanet, Saffron Toucanet, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Unicoloured Antwren, Scaled Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, White-throated Woodcreeper, Spix's Spinetail, Ochre-breasted, Black-capped, Buff-fronted and White-eyed Foliage-gleaners, Plain Xenops, Southern Antpipit (photo below), Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Russet-winged Spadebill, Greyish Mourner, Large-headed Flatbill, Grey-hooded Attila, Pin-tailed Manakin, Thrush-like Schiffornis, White-thighed Swallow, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, White-bellied Tanager, Rufous-headed Tanager and Black-throated Grosbeak.

Southern Antpipit, Waterfall Trail, March 2011 © Alan Martin

Wetland, adjacent forest trails and lodge garden: Tataupa Tinamou (photo below), 12+ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Masked Duck (second photo below), Rusty-margined Guan, Anhinga, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Capped Heron, Snail Kite, Harris' Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Russet-crowned Crake, Rufous-sided Crake, Ash-throated Crake, Blackish Rail, South American Snipe, Scaled Dove, Blue Ground-Dove, Pale-vented Pigeon, Plumbeous Pigeon (very low altitude for this species), Maroon-bellied Parakeet (including 50+ daily in the garden), Blue-winged Parrotlet, Orange-winged Parrot, 2 Blue-bellied Parrot, Striped Cuckoo, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Striped Owl, Biscutate Swift, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Reddish Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire (including birds now coming to the lodge garden), Crescent-chested Puffbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Sooretama Slaty Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren (third photo below), White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Wing-banded Hornero, Southern Antpipit, Yellow Tyrannulet (photo below), Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, Euler's Flycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Lemon-chested Greenlet, Moustached Wren, Long-billed Wren, Black-capped Donacobius, Hooded Tanager, 8+ Swallow-Tanager, 3+ Black-legged Dacnis, 6+ Red-legged Honeycreeper in the lodge garden (photo below), Lined Seedeater, Pileated Finch and 3 immature Green-chinned Euphonia by the REGUA conservation centre.

Masked Duck, REGUA wetland, March 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

Red-legged Honeycreeper, lodge garden, March 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

White-flanked Antwren, March 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

Yellow Tyrannulet, REGUA wetland, March 2011 © Leonardo Pimentel

Finally, mammal sightings have included a good number of Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths and this fantastic Southern Anteater wandering around the lodge garden (photo below).

Southern Tamandua, lodge garden, March 2011 © Leonardo Pimentel

Blue-bellied Parrots on the brown trail

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:34:00 GMT

On 30 March, Adilei was walking on the brown trail at the back of the wetland with Finn from Denmark, Heather Mandow and Jorge with Cornelia when he saw two birds glide into a fruiting tree. He had a hunch as to their identity and asked everyone to hush up and follow him. Quietly they stalked the birds and and came across a pair of Blue-bellied Parrots feeding on some fruits. They looked in awe as this is the first time they have been seen so low, just 38m above sea level, and he was able to take these photos with his new lens. He did return the following day to try for a better image but alas they were no longer present. The Blue-bellied Parrot is an Atlantic rainforest endemic with a very unlike parrot call and in Brazil they call this bird "Sabia cica" as if it was a thrush. So the next time you hear a thrush in the forest, take a close look as it might be this near-threatened species.

Blue-bellied Parrot, brown trail, March 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

Green-chinned Euphonias at the wetland

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:00:00 GMT

When Adilei came to the office last week and said in his normal tranquil voice, "it is nice to see the Green-chinned Euphionias are coming to the wetlands", of course everyone jumped off their seats, grabbed their binoculars and went rushing to see these birds. We were rewarded by two males and a female at the top of the Guarea trichiloides tree busy eating and chirping in their familiar manner. These Atlantic rainforest endemics are normally associated with quality habitat and we do take guests to see them though everyone will tell you these are the toughest euphonias to see!! To have them come down the mountain side and feed close by is another fantastic bit of evidence that our wetlands are working very well and habitat restoration is the best thing to do to help the local bird populations.

Immature male Green-chinned Euphonia, REGUA wetland, March 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

Does anyone have any old unwanted digital cameras?

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:37:00 GMT

REGUA currently employs 10 rangers who regularly patrol the forest to prevent hunting and other illegal activities, but they also maintain the forest trails and help guide visitors, volunteers and University students. Most of the rangers are ex-hunters who have had a very limited formal education, and so it is difficult to expect them to maintain written records of anything interesting they may encounter on their walks - such as evidence of hunting, animal tracks, snakes, orchids etc. One solution that seems to work well is to provide them with a cheap small 'point and shoot' camera that they can use to record anything of interest, and these photos can then be downloaded in the office by our volunteers and written records made. The cameras need to be easy to use and they don't have to be the latest model, so if you know anyone who is buying a new camera and discarding the old one, then we could find a very good use for it. Obviously they have to be in good working order as the cost of repairs can outweigh the replacement cost.

If you can help then the cameras should be sent to Alan Martin at Alureds Oast, Northiam, East Sussex TN31 6JJ and he will ensure they get to REGUA. Thanks.

Volunteering at REGUA 2011

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:59:00 GMT

Our programme of the International Volunteers at REGUA has started very well this year. We had a large group arriving in February with Chris, Timmo, Bea, Monica, Beca, Jose, Ed, Rowan and Lisa and though the weather was hot and rainy, they have helped with the nursery, planting trees and their cultivation. Luckily Ed, Rowan, Lisa and Jose under Beca's translation skills were really keen to pass their basketball skills and the kids loved every moment (first photo below). We put up a net and the ball has been bouncing since. Beca with her experience in teacher work in US parks passed her vision of the world free of garbage and her preparation of a PowerPoint presentation did well to enthuse the young volunteers that we are all responsible for our clean up (second photo below). Our congratulations to these young teachers who help inspire the kids here and multiply the message.

Teaching basketball at the REGUA Conservation Centre © REGUA photo library

Teaching the young rangers © REGUA photo library

Another successful land purchase at REGUA

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:14:00 GMT

At the end of March the latest land purchase at REGUA was completed for another 35 hectares in the Matumbo area. REGUA has been very successful at acquiring a series of small parcels of land in this area, which is essential to provide a safe corridor between the core REGUA reserve and the newer purchases from the brothers Carlos and Ricardo Lemgruber. Pressure on this area continues from small houses and will grow when the track from Guapiaçu to the main Cachoeiras road is paved, which is currently underway. There are still another 50 or so hectares that have been offered for sale in this area, but because of the housing potential unfortunately the price is high at about R$4,000 per hectare (about GB£1,500).

This purchase takes the land owned by REGUA to about 4,500 hectares and was generously funded by the Body Shop and the World Land Trust.

February sightings

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:00:00 GMT

February brought some great birding, including another new bird for the reserve. Highlights around the reserve include:

Onofre Cunha: Limpkin, Uniform Crake showing well at times (first photo below by Adilei Carvalho da Cunha, second photo below by Leonardo Pimentel), Black-capped Screech-Owl, Tawny-browed Owl, Black-banded Owl, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-capped Motmot, Black-necked Aracari and REGUA's first Olivaceous Flatbill found and photographed by Adilei (photo below).

Uniform Crake, Onofre Cunha Trail, February 2011 © Adilei Carvalho da Cunha

Waldenoor and Veludo Trail: Mantled Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Plain Parakeet, Frilled Coquette, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, White-bibbed Antbird, Scaled Woodcreeper, Green-backed, Chestnut-crowned and White-winged Becards and Yellow-green Grosbeak.

Waterfall Trail: White-necked Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Long-tailed Potoo, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Saw-billed Hermit, Reddish Hermit, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird (photo below), Spot-billed Toucanet (photo below), Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Unicoloured Antwren, Rufous-winged Antwren, Scaled Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, White-throated Woodcreeper, Spix's Spinetail, Ochre-breasted, Black-capped, Buff-fronted and White-eyed Foliage-gleaners, Plain Xenops, Southern Antpipit, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Greyish Mourner, Large-headed Flatbill, Grey-hooded Attila, Wing-barred Piprites, Pin-tailed Manakin, Thrush-like Schiffornis, White-thighed Swallow, Rufous-headed Tanager and Yellow-green Grosbeak.

Wetland, adjacent forest trails and lodge garden: Tataupa Tinamou in the lodge garden, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (breeding again), Masked Duck, Rusty-margined Guan (on the lodge feeders), Anhinga (photo below by volunteer Will Freeman), Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Cocoi Heron, Capped Heron, Snail Kite, Laughing Falcon, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Russet-crowned Crake, Rufous-sided Crake, Ash-throated Crake, Blackish Rail, South American Snipe, Solitary Sandpiper, Blue Ground-Dove, Pale-vented Pigeon, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Orange-winged Parrot, Striped Cuckoo (including a juvenile being fed by a Yellow-chinned Spinetail), Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Striped Owl, Biscutate Swift, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Reddish Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crescent-chested Puffbird, White Woodpecker (on lodge feeders), Blond-crested Woodpecker, Sooretama Slaty Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Wing-banded Hornero, Southern Antpipit, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, Euler's Flycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Lemon-chested Greenlet, Moustached and Long-billed Wrens, Black-capped Donacobius, Hooded Tanager, Swallow-Tanager and Pileated Finch.

World Land Trust runners fund a REGUA ranger

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:08:00 GMT

A team of runners from the World Land Trust who took part in the London Royal Parks Half Marathon last October have raised an incredible £5,333 for REGUA! The money will enable us to fund a local ranger to patrol the reserve and protect it from hunting and other threats. Hunting on REGUA land has been reduced by about 98%, enabling us to introduce Critically Endangered species to the reserve such as the rare Red-billed Currasow, a bird that became extinct in Rio State during the 60s and with now only 250 remaining in the the wild! An enormous thank you to everyone who donated and to the dedication of the runners who took part.

However, the World Land Trust are not stopping there. Their 2011 campaign, Keepers of the Wild, is raising funds to employ rangers on all of their project partners reserves, including REGUA. If you would like to donate then please click here.

Rio Bird Club visit

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 23:09:00 GMT

REGUA has recently received another visit from the Rio de Janeiro Bird Club. Gustavo Pedro and Virginio stopped by for some birding and photography and took some fantastic photos, including some great shots of the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, which are breeding once again at the wetland. Check them out on Gustavo's website.

Roundup of the 2010 birding year at REGUA

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:00:00 GMT

Bird photographer and author, Edson Endrigo and Rafael Bessa got the birding year off to a flying start by finding the first new bird for the reserve for 2010 - not one but at least 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoos (first photo). The birds showed extremely well for several days in February feasting on catapillars in the lodge garden. Also in February, a pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (second photo) bred at the wetland producing 8 young. This constitutes the first breeding record for Rio State and the birds are still present at the time of writing.

The higher reaches of REGUA (above 900 m) are extremely remote and inaccessible and therefore have been explored very little so far. REGUA bird guide, Leonardo, spent some time surveying the higher altitude forest and found an incredible eight new bird species for the REGUA list: Plovercrest, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Red-eyed Thornbird, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Greenish Tyrannulet, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Shear-tailed Grey Tyrant and Hellmayr's Pipit. Although these species are difficult to see at REGUA, guests can see most of them quite easily on several of our excursions.

The REGUA bird list then stood at 450, but it wasn't long before the 451st species was found. On 22 April, Adilei and REGUA volunteer Scott Watson found a fantastic male Rufous-capped Antshrike at the wetland (read Scott's review here), and the bird remained in the area, on and off, for much of the year. In the same month, birder, author and BBC broadcaster, Bill Oddie, visited us for a few days with World Land Trust CEO John Burton. Bill was very impressed with the work we are doing to restore the Atlantic Forest and kindly made a short video about REGUA while walking around the wetland (to watch, click here). Later, Bill also stopped by the REGUA stand at the Birdfair to find out how things were progressing.

In May, Luciana Barcante, from Rio de Janeiro State University, began a two year study of hummingbirds at REGUA. Leonardo has been assisting her and has found a number of scarce birds in the mist nets, such as Barred Forest-Falcon, Dusky-throated Hermit, Planalto Woodcreeper and White-browed Foliage-gleaner. Also in May, while studying a roosting Long-tailed Potoo on the Waterfall Trail, REGUA supporter Lee Dingain discovered what appears to be a previously undescribed feature that is unique to this species. Lee is currently preparing a short paper for publication (more here). In June another new bird for REGUA was found when Adilei came across a Grey-bellied Spinetail on a newly purchased part of the reserve.

2010 was a record year for tourism at REGUA, with both independent birders and several tour companies visiting us. Most of the REGUA specialities showed well, with plenty of good sightings of Shrike-like Cotinga, Spotted Bamboowren and Masked Duck, as well as record numbers of Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Salvadori's Antwren, Russet-winged Spadebill (at least four birds) and Black-legged Dacnis being recorded. A number of species only rarely recorded at REGUA were also seen, including the second record of Black-necked Aracari and the third record of Great Black-Hawk, as well as memorable sightings of Bat Falcon, Blue Ground-Dove, Brown-backed Parrotlet, White-vented Violet-ear, Amethyst Woodstar, White-bearded Antshrike, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Hooded Berryeater and Gilt-edged Tanager. But the action didn't stop at dusk. Up to three Black-banded Owl showed very well at times (photo below copyright © 2010 Sacha Haywood), along with frequent encounters with Giant Snipe, Tawny-browed Owl, Mottled Owl, Striped Owl, Long-tailed and Common Potoos and Short-tailed Nighthawk.

In October Leonardo did it again and found yet another new species for the REGUA list, this time in the form of a beautiful Plumbeous Rail at the wetland (photo below). It is perhaps surprising that this widespread species hadn't been recorded before and hopefully they will become a permanent addition to the reserve's avifauna. The number of bird species recorded at the wetland area alone is now more than 220!