Monte Alegre do Sul and Pousada da Fazenda are very cool!

I decided to return once again for a birdwatching trip—or better yet, an owling trip.

I returned in September, after my last visit in July. My main goal was to see a Tawny-browed Owl that roosts at a known spot on the farm where it's possible to see it during the day.

An Amethyst Woodstar hummingbird with vibrant pink throat feathers sitting on a thin branch, with a softly blurred green background.
Amethyst Woodstar

We started our search in the middle of the afternoon, after observing some hummingbirds like the Amethyst Woodstar and the Sapphire-spangled Emerald.

A Sapphire-spangled Emerald hummingbird perched on a branch, partially hidden among leaves with pink flowers softly blurred in the background.
Sapphire-spangled Emerald hiding among the flowers
A Sapphire-spangled Emerald hummingbird, with shimmering blue and green plumage, perches on a bare branch against a blurred green background.
Sapphire-spangled Emerald
A Glittering-bellied Emerald hummingbird with vivid green plumage and a blue-green throat perched on a bare diagonal branch against a soft green background.
Glittering-bellied Emerald

The farm gardens were also full of orchids in bloom.

Two delicate purple and white orchid blooms growing on a woody stem among green leaves at Pousada da Fazenda.
Purple orchid in the farm garden
Clusters of bright yellow orchid flowers hanging from a bamboo-like stem with green leaves, with the farm buildings and trees softly blurred in the background.
Yellow orchid in the farm garden

The first quest was for the Tawny-browed Owl, but animals have their own wills, and that day it wasn't on its perch. Along the trail, however, I came across an Argentine Black and White Tegu basking on the ground, and a White-browed Warbler flitting through the undergrowth. I also saw a Streaked Flycatcher.

Close-up of an Argentine Black and White Tegu lizard with striking black and white patterned scales, resting on mossy ground.
Argentine Black and White Tegu
A White-browed Warbler with a grey head and olive-green body perched on a branch in the forest undergrowth, partially obscured by leaves.
White-browed Warbler
A Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodynastes maculatus) with detailed striped plumage, perched on a tree branch with a soft-focus green background.
Streaked Flycatcher

We then went in search of other owls and saw, still in daylight, a pair of Great Horned Owls and their owlet.

Silhouette of a Great Horned Owl perched on a branch against a twilight sky, surrounded by the dark outlines of leaves and branches.
Great Horned Owl

We moved on and stopped at a marsh to observe some marsh birds. We saw the funny Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Great Pampa-Finch and others.

A Great Pampa-Finch perched on an electric wire with its beak open as if singing, against a pale blue sky.
Great Pampa-Finch
A Yellow-rumped Marshbird with striking black and yellow plumage perched on a wire with its beak open, against a dramatic cloudy sky.
Yellow-rumped Marshbird
Four birds perched on a diagonal wire at dusk, including two brownish females and two darker birds against a pale blue sky with soft clouds.
Yellow-rumped Marshbirds on wire at dusk
A bare tree silhouetted against the dusky sky with a forested mountain in the background, capturing the serene landscape of Monte Alegre do Sul at twilight.
The landscape of Monte Alegre do Sul at dusk
Two Streamer-tailed Tyrants, known for their elongated tail feathers, are perched side by side on a red and black electric wire against a soft blue sky.
Streamer-tailed Tyrants

With the sun setting, we went after the Rusty-barred Owl. Along the way, we heard the Common Pauraque and Band-winged Nightjar, and finally found it. A large raptor also soared dramatically overhead against the last light of the sky.

Silhouette of a large raptor soaring against a dramatic sunset sky with golden light breaking through dark clouds.
Raptor silhouette at sunset
A Rusty-barred Owl is perched on a bare branch at night, with dark foliage in the background. The owl's distinctive barred feathers and round, penetrating eyes are illuminated by a flash, showcasing its natural camouflage and alert posture.
Rusty-barred Owl

eBird trip report