RFI - one day near Sao Paulo (1 Viewer)

[jurek]

Hello,

I will have one day in Sao Paulo in early August, after the birding trip to Pantanal. Who can point a good place to watch birds and possibly mammals? Is it possible to see any species of Lion Tamarin?

best,

Jurek

 

[Xenospiza]

If you're willing to drive 2.5 h Campos do Jordão would get my vote, although it will likely be busy in August. But you'd have a good chance of a very rare parrot... and you might feel more at ease there (not too many favelas) than while birding next to one of the largest cities in the world. I didn't see any mammals there myself.
If you're there in the weekend, or not willing to drive too far, or not afraid of a nasty encounter, there's the Parque Estadual da Serra da Cantareira, with Southern Bristle-Tyrant.
For some good info: http://ricksimpson.wordpress.com/jeremy-minns-site-notes/sao-paulo/

 

[The_Partridge]

how far's Itatiaia from SP ?

I went by bus from Rio but from memory it's somewhere roughly in the middle of the 2 cities ?

some cracking birding up there

 

[dacol]

Lion Tamarins are not possible near the city of SP and it would take more than one day to go and return to the areas where there is a very small possibility of seeing them (2 species in widely separated areas). However Parque Estadual da Serra da Cantareira has the following primates Brown Howler Monkey (easy to see), Brown Capuchin Monkey, Tufted-ear Marmoset and Masked Titi Monkey. Also, among the larger mammals, South American Coati, Ocelot, Tayra - the first relatively easy to see, the other two very difficult. PESC is easy to reach from Guarulhos airport but it is open only on weekends unless you have made prior arrangements with the park's administration or you hire a guide that has access to the park during weekdays. Birding is good but hampered by the late opening [ 8:30AM on weekends].

Campos do Jordão also mentioned by Xenospiza can also be done in a day. Best birding is along the Pedra do Bau road, a car is necessary. If you can manage some Portuguese you could negotiate with a taxi cab driver in Guarulhos (but not at the airport-only very expensive cabs from the airport co-op are available there). You can take the shuttle bus to one of the hotels in the city of Guarulhos and then negotiate with a taxi driver to take you to CJ, drive you around and return to the airport. It would be a bit more expensive than renting a car but you would have an experienced driver. Otherwise it might be worthwhile to hire a birding guide for a day. I believe that Rick Simpson, owner of the website mentioned by Xenospiza, can put you in contact with somebody in SP. It would be more expensive than renting a car or hiring a taxi driver but it would have other obvious advantages, specially if time is very short. But do notice time constraints: 2.5 hours to CJ, maybe another .5 hour to find Pedra do Bau road, then maybe another 3 hours to return, and one has spent 6 hours plus birding time.

I agree with Xenospiza that with just a day these two places would be the best birding options close to SP.

 

[AndreSilva]

If you want some good places nearby Sao Paulo you can contact Octavio Campos Salles (http://www.octaviosalles.com.br/blog_english/) and maybe he can guide you. He is an awesome photographer and he can lead you to some good spots for birding...