My first movie! - by Louis

This is my first movie.  I learnt how to make movies on I-Movie at Apple Summer Camp before we left.  Its based on the first place we went to called REGUA.  I will make some other movies along with this one later in the trip.

By Louis

The Katydid (like a cricket)

We rescued this green, nice grasshopper from the cold dark swimming pool at Regua's Lodge. We thought he was dead but he was actually alive and he hopped away afterwards.

The Katydid is a long-horned grasshopper that lives chiefly in trees and shrubs. (The term long-horned refers to the antennae.) The katydid is named for its mating call, "Katydid! Katydidn't!'' The call, in most species made by the male only, is produced by rubbing a scraper on one forewing against the toothed edge of the other forewing.  Katydids commonly grow to be 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches (38 to 64 mm) long, but some tropical species exceed 6 inches (15 cm). Many katydids are green and have wings resembling leaves, making them difficult for predators to detect among foliage. 

by Frankie

Our time at REGUA

We have just spent 11 lovely days at REGUA (Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu).  We arrived to a very warm welcome and the children instantly bonded with the young volunteers, guides and other staff here by going out on trail walks and learning about the wildlife and playing table tennis with them.  They’ve even been given rides on pick-up trucks and motorbikes which, for two young boys, is the coolest thing ever!  

We had been slightly concerned when we arranged this trip that, whilst the children have a passion for wildlife, it had tended to be for the larger animals like lions, tigers and rhinos, so we weren’t sure if this would extend to birds, reptiles and insects.  We have been very pleased to find that this visit has aroused a real interest in the smaller species though and Louis and Frankie, have been very content to rummage around in the leaves on guided walks to find the smallest of insects and walk long trails to the location of a moth light at dawn to find out which moths were attracted to it. 

From the busy city of Rio to the tranquil setting of REGUA the boys have enjoyed a sense of freedom and independence here at the reserve which feels reminiscent of England when you used to be able to leave your door open and kids could play outside on the street. (not that I'm that old!)  The Brazilians are very family-oriented and extremely welcoming to children and like to involve them in all activities.

Aside from nature walks both in the day and at night (see Animals we have seen tab) we’ve experienced all sorts of other fun things, including a night ride in a little rowing boat to hunt for caimen; picnics and swims in local rivers and waterfalls; visits to local villages and the local school (see Guapiacu school visit) and a lot of football and table tennis. 

The photos give a flavour of our time there, and also show a few of the animals, moths and butterflies that we photographed, including a Wolf Spider, White Moth, Humming Bird, red bananas and orange lemons, trees that know how to protect themselves against other strangler vines, a beautiful stripey owl that we rescued after it inadvertantly flew into the lab and couldn't get out, as well as lots of the boys' friends.

If we are lucky enough to get out to Rio again for the World Cup or Olympics, then a visit back here will be high on the agenda!

Guapiacu school visit pictures

We spent 11 days at REGUA, an ecological conservation area in the severely depleted Atlantic Rainforest, 80 kilometres north east of Rio de Janeiro.   It's managed by Nicholas and Raquel Locke, and while we were there, we enjoyed a couple of afternoons at the local school that Raquel helped to establish when her children, now in their twenties, were at primary school age, so that they could get a good education locally.

Louis and Frankie were a little overawed by all the attention at first, but quickly settled, helped no doubt by the very warm reception from the children there.  Quite frankly getting them to attend school in August in the first place was quite an achievement!  We started off in a classroom of children aged between seven and nine where Louis and Frankie told the other children their names and ages, and then repeated in Portuguese, as best they could, the other children's names as they went around the room.

We showed a few slides that gave the children there a picture of life for the boys back home - their school, their friends, the sorts of activities they do - and this gave Louis and Frankie a chance to briefly share a little about their lives (fortunately all translated by Raquel as their English was about as non-existent as our Portuguese!)

There was plenty of time in the playground on the first afternoon and then after a healthy school lunch, they shared a game of dodgeball together, which Louis and Frankie picked up pretty quickly even if Jules and I, although we watched, couldn't quite grasp.

The second afternoon was back to back games for our boys, playing with two separate classes in the playing field - a large garden belonging to a kind neighbour 100 yards down the road.

The Brazilian children were absolutely lovely, and it was amazing even though they couldn't speak a word to each other, you saw camaraderie and friendship emerging even in that short time.  You also witnessed at grass roots level why Brazil have won five World Cups and we've only won one......

Here are a few of the pictures from the school visits.

The Capybara

We were on a walk at REGUA  having a nice time and saw lots of Capybaras getting into the water for a swim.  I said they look like mini hippos, and the next day we saw a family of capybaras on our football pitch.

The capybara is a grazing herbivore, eating mainly grasses and aquatic plants. Capybara dive and may remain underwater for as long as five minutes.

By Louis

Nature's orchestra

It can be quite nice all sleeping in one room. Sometimes if only two of you are awake you can play whispering or sign games while the others are asleep.  This morning I was lying awake listening to the cacophony of sounds at dawn. It's a little like hearing a song and trying to listen out for the sound of a specific instrument. But in the Atlantic Rainforest, there are so many different sounds, squeaks, tweets, squawks, low-pitched whistles, from the various animals, birds, frogs and insects, punctuated by the cockerel* (whose time clock is out as he starts at about 4am every day) that it's impossible to count how many sounds there are.  We also enjoy a vigorous rustling in the roof of the bats every morning and evening, with their high pitched almost cartoon-like laughing. 

Louis looked over and could see I was awake and gave a little wave and a smile. Suddenly, there was a piercing shriek, much louder than the rest of the sounds.  Louis' eyes widened in surprise - "What was THAT?" he whispered.  I had absolutely no idea and given all the birds out here have very long names like “great-breasted falsetto-warbling ant-shrike”, my guess would invariably be way off the mark, but I explained I imagined that it was how a passing pterodactyl might have sounded, and we shared stifled laughs together.  

I wonder if that's our 4am cockerel....

"Daddy, I can't sleep with that chicken"' he said, referring to the cockerel and settling down with his fingers in his ears. Unable to block out the cockerel though, Louis put his head torch on and started making hand shapes on the wall.  An extra shape appeared and we realised Frankie was up too!

* We did wonder whether there was an outside chance of a cockerel-eating spider that might be encouraged to make an appearance. Alas not.

My 7th birthday

At 06:46, I woke up and put my hand under my pillow.  I felt something papery and then I took it out. It was my tooth and my money!!!!!!

I told Daddy that I didn’t expect a present and Daddy agreed. Then I got out of bed and found 3 presents and 2 cards!!!! The 3 presents were Jacks, a Kindle and a Moshi Fling, I liked them a lot. 

I went down to breakfast and then everyone sang “Happy Birthday!” It made me feel brilliant!  

After breakfast, we went on a trail walk with David and Richard. We saw lots of little animals and insects. We also saw red bananas, green oranges and orange lemons.  I swung on a Tarzan vine, it felt awesome!  Louis found a wolf spider that had a picture of a spider on it’s abdomen. 

When we got back I had a double surprise birthday cake.  Jorge made the sticky chocolate cake and David made the banana and caramel cake, they were yum! I also shared my cake with Marleson and Wenderson, two Brazilian boys I have made friends with.

I thought my birthday was 100%!

By Frankie

The wolf spider

I spotted this spider on a nature walk in the Atlantic Rainforest among the leaves and nobody saw it except me.  It is a medium size spider, about 8cm long, with another spider on it's abdomen and we thought that that spider might have had another spider on its back too, and It kept ongoing on for ever!  It could give a small bite but is not really poisonous.

By Louis