Ubatuba Birdwatching Centre

Here are some more shots by Elis of some of the lovely birds that the UK has to offer. OK there are not great flocks of tanagers and the like, but the birds of old Blighty have a charm that is hard to ignore.

It’s not just the birds that Elis turns her artistic eye to. Thanks to Mick Watts of the UK who identified the Bumblebee as Bombus vestalis and the plant as Common sea lavender Limonium vulgare.

As previously mentioned we spent some time at Titchwell with Milena and Arthur, we saw some good stuff and it was interesting to note their comments about the differences between UK and Brazilian birding. What became evident to them was the long tradition of not just birding, but of bird conservation in the UK, the setting up of reserves that were clearly designed to protect the wildlife, but at the same time provide enjoyment for birders and the like, who would, by their presence, be paying for the conservation. A trick that the Brazilians have yet to catch on to. In Brazil the scientist types see us birders and irrelevant, in the UK we are the main providers of both money and also information. In Brazil few birders are just observers, they are, for the most part, photographers, it is rare to see a pair of bins in action.

As well as stopping at Titchwell we ventured further along the coast to Cley. This of course was not short of birds either. There was a small group of Spoonbills on Arnold’s marsh and we stopped to enjoy brief views of a Bearded Tit, sadly neither of these were photograph-able, but Reed Bunting and Marsh Harrier were more obliging.

We came across this tiny Common Toad on the east bank.

We also stopped off to ‘feed the ducks’ at Salthouse. I wrote this in inverted commas because actually we ended feeding more than just ducks, including Black-headed Gulls and Mute Swans.

There were a nuber of swallows gathering on the cables along the roadside at Salthouse, among them were a couple of Sand Martins.

After Norfolk we stopped off at Sandy on the way back to London.

Elis and I later visited Sandy again, this time with my mother and father. The highlight being Great Spotted Woodpecker.

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I have grown very fond of shorebirds, or waders as we Brits call them, enjoying the challenge of their identification. Whilst in the UK Elis and I visited Titchwell RSPB reserve and spent some time with our friends Arthur and Milena, studying these fascinating birds. Titchwell is a great place to look at waders as they are often very close to the hides there making them easy to study and photograph.

Elis rose to the challenge and produced some great shots of the birds, both on the pools and on the beach. In no particular order…

Spotted Redshank:

Red Knot:

Eurasian Curlew:

Avocet:

Ringed Plover:

Dunlin:

Ruff:

Curlew Sandpiper:

Wood Sandpiper:

Northern Lapwing:

Ruddy Turnstone:

Sanderling:

Grey Plover:

Little Stint:

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Elis, Oliver and I have just spent a couple of days in the south of São Paulo state around the Iguape / Ilha Comprida area. Oliver was most interested in seeing Scarlet Ibis which I didn’t think we had much hope for as I was under the impression they only bred there and then moved away. I was keen to see the Restinga Tyrannulet again and hoped we might bump into a Red-tailed Parrot.

At Ilha Comprida on the first afternoon we didn’t have much luck with any of the birds we were after, but we didn’t have much time before it got dark. The next morning we had time to go looking for the tyrannulet before heading for Iguape. We drove south along the island and a movement of a bird caught my eye. I don’t know what made me stop for this bird and reverse 100m up the road, but something was telling me to do so. When I got back to the spot the bird concerned was still sitting atop the roots of a fallen tree, and its identity was immediately obvious even if its name didn’t come readily to my excited lips. “Its a #*@$%# White-winged, I mean White-barred… no White-banded?… yes! White-banded Mockingbird! And so it was. A lifer not just for Oliver but for Elis and me too.

This bird was well north of its normal winter range and despite my optimism that I had found perhaps another first for SP I discovered that it is probably the 5th documented record. Indeed, this or another had already been photographed on Ilha Comprida this month.

Moving on we came to some likely looking restinga, and after a few failed attempts we finally located and saw a Restinga Tyrannulet. After this we set off for Iguape stopping briefly to look again at the mockingbird.

As we came off the bridge into Iguape we drove along noting both Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned night Herons in the mangroves.

Suddenly Oliver shouted, scaring the living daylights out of me… “Its a Guará!” Now why he shouted the Brazilian name neither he nor I will ever know, but the fact is there was an adult Scarlet Ibis sitting in the mangrove trees. As we stopped to get a better look at the bird another group flew up and they all landed just 50m from us across the river. There were 23 in total, just 2 of which were juveniles, the rest were adults in non-breeding plumage, that is to say with pink and not black bills.

From there we drove down along the SP222 to KM 75 where we turned off along a track. As we entered the track we came across a small group of birds, the first was a Restinga Tyrannulet, the second was a stunning Sharpbill, in a tree just 5m in height.

We continued down to the Sítio Cauiá where we were to stay. The sítio is run by a charming couple called Milan and Dora who made us most welcome. The accommodation is basic but comfortable and surrounded by forest. Birds were in evidence everywhere. In front of the sítio there was a muddy bank exposed by the low tide, on it were more Scarlet Ibises and a Little Blue Heron. I could imagine it covered with shorebirds in the Summer.

Walking along a trail in the forest behind the sítio we found another Restinga Tyrannulet, Squamate Antbird, Black-backed Tanager, Unicoloured Antwren, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Long-billed Wren, Blond-crested Woodpecker and Black-cheeked Gnateater.

We drove back along the road to collect some provisions (beer) and spotted a group of Azure Jays, a Black-tailed Tityra and a White-necked Hawk.

The next morning we walked the trail again adding a few common Atlantic forest species  including Greenish Schiffornis, Robust Woodpecker, Dusky-legged Guan, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Variable Antshrike and best of all for us Ochre-collared Piculet.

We didn’t get to see out Red-tailed Parrots, but we did hear them and Milan said they often fly over the sítio, so maybe next time.

After this we drove home stopping at São Sebastião to get South American Tern on Oliver’s list.

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The last morning before returning to Porto Alegre, we spent some time looking for bids along the road to Pelotas. We had a tick, Red Shoveler, but they, like most of the waterbirds that morning were too far away to photograph. We birded along one track that allowed Elis to take these photos.

After this we drove back to Porto Alegre to spend the night, the next morning we flew back to São Paulo and drove home to Ubatuba. All-in-all a very pleasant trip, made all the better by the pleasant company and expertise of both Batista in Tavares and Rafael in Rio Grande… thanks chaps!

We hired a local guide for the day, one Rafael Dias. What a great decision, he knows the bird’s habits and localities like the back of his hand and he is eager to please; on top of that he is a thoroughly likeable bloke! So, as you will have guessed by now, we had a really productive and enjoyable day.

It started on a marsh near to town (Rio Grande). Here we picked up a three ticks in the form of Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail, Bar-winged Cinclodes and Freckle-breasted Thornbird. The first was very elusive but eventually gave itself up unphotographed and the second was flight views (albeit very good ones) only while the third showed well and sang in the open for us.

While at the marsh we had a couple of Willets fly in and land some distance away from us. Rafael was most excited by them and as Elis managed to photograph them, he thought that this may be the first documented record of the species in the state, indeed there are non on wikiaves.

We then moved to an area with open fields, the target here was Small-billed Pipit, but there were none of the four species of pipit to be see anywhere. However the site was saved by the appearance of two Black and White Monjitas, another tick. Across the road from the grassy area where we were searching there was some saw grass marsh. Here we tried for Sulphur-throated Spinetail, but, although we heard one, due to the strong winds that had suddenly developed, the birds stayed well hidden low in the saw grass and thus out of sight.

We then headed for the beach, operation Olrog’s Gull. We drove for several km along the beach and saw many terns and gulls, closely inspecting all likely candidates of the latter, but to no avail, we did get some really good views of a Common Miner on the beach and then we returned for lunch.

After lunch we headed again for the beach, stopping to check all the gulls and for seabirds, thus finding a Yellow-nosed Albatross not far offshore.

We drove a little further along the beach this time. until time and tide dictated that we should stop. We got out of the car and walked a little, and while Elis and I watched and photographed a rather more obliging Bar-winged Cinclodes, Rafael went on ahead to check the gulls. An excited shout alerted us to the fact that he had been successful, we rushed to join him, almost losing Elis in quick-sand in the process!

The bird in question was a first winter individual, very easy to pick out from the young Kelp Gulls at this age. We watched it for a while until it flew off and the tide came in to a degree that forced us to leave rather urgently. Returning along the beach we came upon the gull again, it had now become obvious among the Kelp Gulls, all the scrutinisation of the minutiae of the young Kelps was all pretty much a waste of time. Near adult birds are I understand, a different kettle of fish, however that was not our problem on this day.

Returning to land side of the beach shortly before the sea cut off our return route, we decided to check the Sulphur-bearded Spinetails again as the wind had abated. This time we had no time to wait until one showed briefly and then shortly after another was much more accommodating.

A pleasant meal with Rafeal and his wife rounded of a great day most pleasantly.

The next morning we took advantage of the decent weather and headed back to Mostardas and then for the track we hadn’t found the first morning.

At Mostardas we stayed in the marsh area this time and didn’t venture into the dunes or to the beach. As dawn broke we heard, and then saw, a Great Horned Owl, this bird sat for some time, calling occasionally, very close to the car, it didn’t seem at all perturbed even when we alighted.

The morning continued in this exciting vein, we added two lifers, Black-and-Rufous Warbling-Finch and Warbling Doradito then we got cracking views of the incredible Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant.

After this we headed for the track, and to my immense surprise and delight came across a small trip of Tawny-throated Dotterel. This was a bird that I had really wanted to see, but had been advised that it was not common and not often seen. I saw a bird fly in and land behind a cactus, I had thought that it looked somewhat unfamiliar, so I checked the locality with my bins, the bird had moved slightly and was now obscured by a hillock, suddenly the bird stretched its neck and its head appeared above the mound, clearly showing a tawny throat and a stunningly striped head pattern, my pulse raced and I was elated. I seem to remember punching the air or something equally vulgar!

After all this excitement we set off for the south, unsure of how far we’d get. We stopped at a place near São José do Norte to look at some magnificent South American Sea Lions. They were loafing and swimming around a man-made barrier at the mouth of the Lagoa dos Patos where it reaches the sea.

After this we hot-footed it to São José to catch the last ferry to Rio Grande.

From there we made the decision to continue our journey south, we drove into the night narrowly missing several Crab-eating Foxes and a Molinas Hog-nosed Skunk, whilst occasionally having our nostrils invaded by the those that had not been so lucky! We ended up in the border town of Chuí which straddles the border between Brazil and Uruguay. An incredible piece of coincidence was that we bumped into Batista and his family who were staying in the same hotel!

Chuí is a most interesting place in one respect, the main high street straddles the border; to one side Brazil, to the other Uruguay. If you enter the shops on the Brazilian side everyone speaks in Portuguese, and the Uruguayan side in Spanish, I know that sounds obvious, but it was most peculiar to be charged in Reais on one side of the street and in Uruguayan Pesos for our dinner on the other. The two roads on either side were both two way.

We then headed off into Uruguay and were delighted to get a lifer there in the form of Spot-winged Pigeon. Their range seems to almost coincide with the political boundary. We did see one, just inside Brazil, but after that, when we were heading back north, we saw no more.

After our brief sojourn into a new country we headed north again stopping frequently to look at birds, especially around the Taim area where we got fantastic views of great Black Hawk and another lifer, Ringed Teal a natty little duck.

We also saw many more Southern Screamers, Long-winged Harriers and Ibises, both White-faced and Bare-faced.

We ended up in Rio Grande to spend the night.

A day out with Batista in his Landrover is always worthwhile. Our target for the day was to find Andian Flamingo, which sadly we were to fail to do, but it wasn’t for the want of trying, if I had a pound for every Chilean Flamingo I checked out that day…!

The day had a very Chilean theme to it. What with the thousands of Chilean Flamingos and our only tick of the day, Chilean Swallow…

… and to round off the piece there was the dramtic, constant cloud in the sky to the west which we assume to be volcanic ash emanating from the Chilean vulcano, Puyehue.

Other good birds that day included Rufous-chested Dotterel, Common Miner, Spectacled Tyrant and an American Kestrel, which although not rare was rather obliging and posed to have its photo taken.

I asked Batista if he had ever seen any albatrosses from the beach and he replied that he had not; however as we were driving along said beach later on, Elis spotted a bird out to sea. We stopped and scoped it, it turned out to be Batista’s first albatross. From the small amount of white on the underside of the forewing, I’d say this was a Yellow-nosed Albatross.

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Elis and I just spent a week in Rio Grande do Sul, the aim of our visit was to see and photograph southern migrants.

We flew to Porto Alegre and hired a car, from there we drove south to Tavares. En route we saw a number of common birds of the region such as Maguary Stork, Southern Screamer, White Monjita and Long-winged Harrier among others. However, the star bird of her first day for us was the Giant Wood-Rail that was a lifer for us both.

We spent the night at the Hotel Parque da Lagoa in Tavares.

The next morning, we had some urgent banking to do and then we couldn’t find the track we were looking for, so we headed for Mostardas. Here the only tick for the day was Yellow-winged Blackbird, sadly we didn’t get a shot of it. We headed to the beach where there were many American Oystercatchers and Brown-hooded Gulls and an obliging Chimango Caracara.

We spent the night at the same hotel.

We just spent two weeks in sunny England, and it was sunny too, it only rained on the day we left. The problem was I felt rough with a bad cough and cold for most of the trip and had to cancel some of the things I had planned, not least among which was a weekend in Kent with our friends Janet and Byron Morgan. Still we did see some good birds during our stay.

We also got to spend a warm afternoon at Sandy RSPB HQ and saw some smashing birds from the hide there.

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