Rick Simpson Birding Services

Started the day, with Elis and Don Hill (who had been with us at the Noddy twitch) with a look at the beach, after the rain yesterday it was possible that something may have been blown in. Nothing much was about however, except this strange siting of a juvenile Wattled Jacana on the beach. This species is not seen often in Ubatuba since there are few marshy or boggy areas for it to thrive in. The nearest I have seen them is Cambucá a few Kms along the coast towards Rio. This is the first time I have seen one in the town area, and definitely the first time on the beach!

Juvenile Wattled Jacana on Itaguá beach © Rick and Elis Simpson.

We went to Perequê-Açu to see if any shorebirds were on the mud as it was low tide. The only birds we found were two Spotted Sandpipers, one in full spotty regalia the other in winter plumage with just the odd spot… strange.

Unspotty Spotted Sandpiper © Rick and Elis Simpson.

This afternoon I was with a couple from Scotland, Ron and Edith Forrester, he the brother of the late Bruce who did so much to advance birding in Brazil. It was their first day with me and we had what can only be described as a golden moment. At one point on our walk I stopped to check out a Ferruginous Antbird and some Spot-breasted Antvireos, when I heard a Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant call, one quick blast on the iPod and the bird lept into view, a cracking bird in its new pristine plumage. As we enjoyed this spectacle a Yellow Tyrannulet called behind us, another quick playback and a pair popped into view, again, as we were feasting on this pair actively feeding, a Spotted Bamboowren sang briefly. I played the call and waited, but not for long, the bird appeared in the nearest bush almost immediately and showed really well for about five minutes even coming to the front of the bush a few times, quite possibly the best and most prolonged views I have ever had.  During this time I heard a Squamate Antbird sing. It was all I could do to drag the Forresters away from the Bamboowren to look at the fine male bird that showed incredibly well. A real purple patch.

Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant © Cláudia Komesu

Other birds of note were the Long-billed wrens that serenaded us along the track, a White-bellied Seedeater that had been elusive, finally showed well, and the icing on the cake, as we arrived back at the car, a Black-billed Cuckoo flew over and landed in a nearby tree, showing well for the next ten minutres being mobbed by varoius species the while.

Dark-billed Cuckoo © Rafael Fortes.