Now if I had a telescope that could see around corners I could put this beauty on my apartment list, but however I try to stretch things, I just can’t do it, perhaps an all night vigil from the roof top…?
Stygian Owl, Itaguá © Elis Simpson
So the story starts with Elis and me playing host to a most charming couple from the UK; Janet Waters and Byron Morgan. They had come to Brazil for Byron to attend a conference, and decided to add a few days on the end to do some birding, happily for me they chose Ubatuba as their destination. Pick up at the airport and the usual stop on the way for the São Paulo Antwrens at Biritiba Mirim. It was the middle of the day and extremely hot, so the birds were reluctant to show, but eventually they obliged and gave stunning close up views.
Female São Paulo Antwren © Elis Simpson
Male São Paulo Antwren © Elis Simpson
At Salesópolis the highlight was not one but two Ospreys circling over the lake added to which a pair of displaying Streamer-tailed Tyrants entertained us royally.
One of two Ospreys seen at Salesópolis © Elis Simpson
Streamer-tailed Tyrants © Elis Simpson
The first morning dawned fine and bright despite the previous evening’s wet welcome to Ubatuba. We went to Fazenda Angelim where we got good views of (in order of appearance) Spot-backed Antshrike, Reddish Hermit, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, White-bearded Manakin, Rufous-headed Tanager, White-thighed Swallow and Blond-crested Woodpecker among others.
Spot-backed Antshrike in full song © Elis Simpson
In the afternoon we visited Sertão das Cotias, where we saw Festive Coquette, Sombre Hummingbird, Black Jacobin, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, Blue Mankin and Rufous-thighed Kite.
Rufous-thighed Kite © Elis Simpson
The following morning we made the trek up to Perequê in Rio de Janeiro, it’s a long way, and an early start, but always worth the effort. The prize here of course is the Black-hooded Antwren but the birding is usually so good one doesn’t know where to look next, the antwrens often getting forgotten once ticked off. This day was no exception, birds were everywhere.
Male Black-hooded Antwren © Elis Simpson
At one time we had the Black-hooded Antwrens, Orange-eyed Thornbird, White-barred Piculet, Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher, Lemon-chested Greenlet, Black-throated Grosbeak, Tataupa Tinamou, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Masked Yellowthroat, Yellow Tyrannulet and White-tipped Dove all singing around us at the same time while Rufous-tailed Jacamars called intermittently.
Rufous-tailed Jacamar © Elis Simpson
Once we’d filled up on that lot we moved on finding a superb Grey-hooded Attila (Elis only saw this) and a Pauraque along the way.
Pauraque © Elis Simpson
On the return journey we stopped at Paraty for some culture, but the birding was good at the muddy seafront, so culture took a back-seat. However Byron did bravely walk some of the old cobbled streets in the searing heat, and we took some photos of the old colonial churches, just to salve the conscience. The birds included 12 Semipalmated Plovers, 5 Spotted Sandpipers, a Turnstone (Brazil tick for me), Grey Plover (this would have been a tick for me, but only Elis saw it, and photographed a neat grip-o-gram!), some Cayenne and Royal Terns loafing among the gulls and cormorants and a Yellowish Pipit.
Paraty seafront © Elis Simpson
A colder morning saw us at the top of the Serra. Several birds were heard but few actually seen, it was very windy and so we didn’t stay in the forest too long for fear of falling trees, branches and bromeliads! The birds we heard were Bare-throated Bellbird, Pale-breasted Thrush, Bertoni’s Antbird, Rufous-tailed Attila, Hooded Berryeater and the first Buffy-fronted Seedeater I have heard in Ubatuba for 3 years. The most interesting bird we did manage to see, after a long struggle a Rufous-backed Antvireo. We moved on to the track along to Guainumbi, which was disappointingly closed when we arrived. Some decent birds were seen along the route however including, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Bare-throated Bellbird, an adult seen, if a little distant, Yellow-legged Thrush (now mostly gone from sea level), Green-winged Saltator, Grey-hooded Attila, Cinnamon Tanger, Lined Seedeater, White-eared Puffbird, Campo Flicker, Olivaceous Elaenia, Pallid Spinetail, Green-backed and White-winged Becard and a brief look at a Plovercrest.
Grey-hooded Attila © Elis Simpson
Upon our return to Ubatuba we discovered that Elis had found not only a White-rumped Sandpiper on the beach, but a roosting Stygian Owl!
White-rumped Sandpiper © Elis Simpson
Stygian Owl © Elis Simpson
After lunch we went to Rancho Pica-Pau to look for the Buff-throated Purpletufts, not only did we see them, one of them came down low and sat on top of a Guava tree just to have his portrait taken by Elis.
Buff-throated Purpletuft © Elis Simpson
Last day and Folha Seca, it was relatively quiet. We were greeted by a pair of Laughing Falcons duetting, got a look at a Rufous-capped Antthrush, Red-crowned Ant-Tanagers, Black-throated Grosbeak and a female Slaty Bristlefront as it scuttled across the track. There were a few ‘padders’ along the way such as Sepia-capped and Euler’s Flycatcher and of course the usual array of hummers at Jonas’ feeders.
Birding in Folha Seca © Elis Simpson
Then it was back to São Paulo stopping briefly to add White-collared Swift and White-eyed Parakeet on the way and a drive by Toco Toucan just before the airport turn off!