Ubatuba Birdwatching Centre

28/09/2010

Frog blog.

Filed under: OTHER WILDLIFE — rick @ 13:28
1cm long frog thought to be Brachycephalus pitanga © Rick Simpson

1cm long frog thought to be Brachycephalus pitanga © Rick Simpson

Not being an expert on amphibians, I cannot be absolutely sure about the following identification, but the photograph of this frog on the left looks to me like it is Brachycephalus pitanga. This species has only recently been discovered in the Atlantic Forest by the Biota-Fapesp programme. We came across this creature in reasonable numbers along a trail high in the Serra do Mar.

This species is toxic and should not be handled if your see it on the trails. (Handling any wild creature is not recommended or encouraged by the UBWC team as it impacts on the creature more profoundly than casual observers imagine.) Any brightly coloured frog or toad found in the forest should be treated with caution, there is a very good reason why this creature does not feel the need to hide!

- Rick Simpson.

25/09/2010

One swallow doth not a (austral) summer make!

Filed under: UBATUBA BIRD NEWS — rick @ 19:47

Nor do three Swallow-tailed Kites, nor several Fork-tailed Flycatchers for that matter! However, the Spring is upon us. There are plenty of Yellow-legged Thrushes singing their hearts out in the forests, and in addition to the above mentioned species other summer birds have also returned, such as Tropical Kingbird and Sick’s Swift.

Barn Swallow, Praia Dura, 24/10/2010 © Elis Simpson.

Barn Swallow, Praia Dura, 24/10/2010 © Elis Simpson.

Anyway, back to that swallow. I am referring to the Barn Swallow, the one that old Aristotle was alluding to in the badly misquoted title of this piece. The same species, but a different subspecies of course, this being Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. This species breeds in North America and winters (our summer) down here in the south, in much the same way as the European populations winter in Africa. It is not very common in our part of the world, indeed this constitutes only the second documented record for it in Ubatuba that we are aware of, although I’m sure they are more frequent that it would seem. This individual was seen briefly and photographed by Elis at Praia Dura. She only had time to take one shot before it disappeared but that proved to be quite good enough as a record shot.

Six Black-backed Tanagers have been reported wintering this year.

Black-backed Tanager © Elis simpson

Black-backed Tanager © Elis simpson

Rick Simpson:- UBWC Co-ordinator.

“Brincando com aves”

Filed under: UBWC NEWS AND PROJECT UPDATES — rick @ 18:51

The group of children that Odette has been working with at Palmito na Brasa, has now been given a name “Brincando com aves”. This means literally ‘playing with birds’ but has the sense of enjoying rather than handling the birds, of course.

The kids have been fitted out with birding waistcoats now, thanks to the generosity of Arcacell, a U.K. based I.T. company, that helps us with our technical stuff with the sites. They have also offered to pay for the jackets to be embroidered with the UBWC and Dacnis logos (along with their own of course) and the name “Brincando com aves”. This we hope to get done this week ready for their next meeting next Saturday morning.

Elis with the "Brincando com aves" kids.

Elis with the "Brincando com aves" kids.

This morning, as it was pretty wet and miserable, Odette spent some time talking to the group about what biologically makes a bird a bird.

A small study session before the bird walk.

A small study session before the bird walk.

They lapped up the info, and a mobile Q & A session along the trail proved that the information had sunk in, well done Odette!

Q & A on the move.

Q & A on the move.

We also gave them each a UBWC T-shirt, we hope they will wear these and encourage other young people to come and join the group.

The grgup proudly sporting their UBWC T-shirts.

The group proudly sporting their UBWC T-shirts.

One thing you may notice in this photo of Odette with two of the boys Rafael and Vinicius,  is that the are wearing flip-flops, the only footwear they own. It would be great if we could buy, and supply the whole group with, some wellies (boots: rubber knee), so if anyone out there is reading this and wants to help, get in touch through our e-mail info@ubwc.info and let us know, we and the kids would be very grateful.

Odette with Vinicius and Rafael in their flip-flops.

Odette with Vinicius and Rafael in their flip-flops.

All photos on this post © Elis Simpson. arcacellLogo (cópia)

http://www.arcacell.com/

07/09/2010

Raptor city! AKA Ubatuba.

Filed under: UBATUBA BIRD NEWS — rick @ 18:37

Recently Ubatuba has been something of an attraction for raptor watchers.

Our daily fair is Roadside Hawk, Southern and Yellow-headed Caracaras.

On one afternoon this week a group led by Rick Simpson saw eight species; the aforementioned three, a Grey-headed Kite and Black Hawk-Eagle photographed at Fazenda Angelim; White-necked and Short-tailed Hawks thermalling with Black Vultures over Perequê Açu and a Black and White Hawk-Eagle over the casanga road near the Rancho Pica Pau.

Grey-headed Kite © Elis Simpson

Grey-headed Kite © Elis Simpson

Black Hawk-Eagle

Black Hawk-Eagle © Elis Simpson

White-necked Hawk © Elis Simpson

White-necked Hawk © Elis Simpson

Short-tailed Hawk © Elis Simpson

Short-tailed Hawk © Elis Simpson

Black and White Hawk Eagle © Elis Simpson

Black and White Hawk Eagle © Elis Simpson

Other recent sightings include Mantled Hawk photographed by both Rafael Fortes and João Marcelo of Guianiumbi at Folha Seca, where Ricardo Gagliado, visiting from Rio de Janeiro, saw and recorded the call of Great Black-Hawk, which is extremely rare in the region, and could even be the first record for Ubatuba.

If you consider the New World vultures to be raptors, then of course I could include here that a King Vulture was again seen recently over Folha Seca.

03/09/2010

September 2010

Filed under: BIRD NEWS FROM THE REGION — rick @ 18:03

02/09/2010 Fazenda Angelim, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Swallow-tailed Cotinga (4)tesourinha-da-mataphibalura flavirostris. Seen by many observers including Rick Simpson, Shel Severinghaus, Lucia Severinghaus, et al; Folha Seca, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Black-legged Dacnis – saí-de-pernas-pretasDacnis nigripes, seen by Tuomas Seimola et al.

03/09/2010 Estrada da Casanga, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Giant Cowbird (10) – iraúna-grandeMolothrus oryzivorus. In weedy field opposite the banana plantation. One male, the rest females.

04/09/2010 Fazenda Angelim, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Grey-headed Kite – gavião-de-cabeça-cinzaLeptodon cayanensis, photographed by Elis Simpson; White-necked Hawk – gavião-pombo-pequeno – Leucopternis lacernulatus and Short-tailed Hawk – gavião-de-cauda-curtaButeo brachyurus, seen by Rick Simpson and Shel and Lucia Sveringhaus, photographed by Elis Simpson; estrada da Casanga, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Black and White Hawk-Eagle – gavião-patoSpizastur melanoleucus.

05/09/2010 Salesópolis, São Paulo. Wilson’s Phalarope – pisa-n’água - Phalaropus tricolor, 2 seen with 2 Lesser yellowlegs – maçarico-de-perna-amarelaTringa flavipes seen by Rick and Elis Simpson, Shel and Lucia Severinghaus.

10/09/2010 Itaguá, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Swallow-tailed kite – gavião-tesouraElanoides forficatus, 3 seen together, first returning summer visitors.

23/09/2010 Salesópolis, São Paulo. Wilson’s Phalarope – pisa-n’água - Phalaropus tricolor, 1 still present with 14 Lesser yellowlegs – maçarico-de-perna-amarelaTringa flavipes and 2 Solitary Sandpipers – maçarico-solitárioTringa solitaria seen by Rick and Elis Simpson.

24/09/2010 Praia Dura, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Barn Swallow – andorinha-do-bandoHirundo rustica, 1 seen over the beach and photographed by Rick and Elis Simpson. Although this certainly must have occurred more often, this is only the second record known to us.

August 2010

Filed under: BIRD NEWS FROM THE REGION — rick @ 17:56

07/08/2010 Folha Seca, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Orange-breasted Thornbird – joão-botimho-do-brejoPhacellodomus ferrugineigula, photographed by Jarbas Mattos.

15 & 29/08/2010 Folha Seca, Ubatuba, São Paulo. Mantled Hawk – gavião-pombo-grande - Leucopternis polionotus, photographed by Rafael Fortes (15th) and João Marcelo da Costa (29th).

30/08/2010 Hotel do Ypê, Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro. Swallow-tailed Cotinga (4)tesourinha-da-mataphibalura flavirostris. Seen from the pool area collecting nesting material. Seen by many observers including Rick Simpson, Shel Severinhaus, Lucia Severinghaus, Mark Egger et al.

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