WILDWINGS BRAZILIAN JAGUARS -12-28 AUGUST 2006 – TRIP REPORT

12^th AUGUST

 

After the trials and tribulations caused by the security alert of the previous two days it was with some trepidation that we met at Heathrow for our flight to Sao Paulo especially given our connecting flight in Madrid. Would we make our connection, would our bags make the connection, would we have our optics on our arrival in Brazil?

 

Time would tell as we met, clear plastic bags in hand and optics packed in our main baggage. Needless to say despite being advised to arrive at the airport early we were not actually allowed in to the terminal until two hours before our flight. The queues at check-in were horrendous mainly because of the decision to hold everyone back, there did not appear to be any obvious delay at the counters themselves. Having checked in we braced ourselves for the security checks but although the queues were long the process went remarkably smoothly although more than one of the group were questioned about prescription medicines etc. Eventually we boarded the plane and to my relief left within an hour of the scheduled departure time. For those unable to eat at the airport it was somewhat frustrating however to find that Iberia did not have sufficient food to go around and several people went hungry until we arrived in Madrid.

 

13^th AUGUST

 

Those who had missed out on food on the first flight grabbed a quick snack and we left Madrid for Sao Paulo 40 minutes behind schedule but the delay was made up during the flight and we arrived in Sao Paulo on time.

 

Clearing immigration we were delighted to find all our bags had arrived and we quickly extracted our hand baggage and optics from our checked-in luggage before clearing customs. After clearing customs remarkably quickly we were met by Claudio from the ground agents and quickly effected a group check-in to avoid the queues at TAM’s check-in desks. With a couple of hours to spare some went outside to start their Brazilian lists, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird being the highlight, while others spent time exploring the airport before we flew on to Confins airport in Belo Horizonte.

 

We were met by Regina and our driver Emerson and also had our first of several meetings with another group from Northants. They had been less lucky with their luggage not having arrived the day before. They eventually lost two days of their trip as they waited for it to arrive. We met another couple 10 days later who had also been without their bags for 2 days. We had been very lucky!

 

We were soon on the road and after a diversion to avoid road works were on the main road east towards Vitoria. However our progress soon came to an abrupt halt as we were held up by an accident with a lorry having shed its load. We quickly back tracked and found a local restaurant for lunch and spent 15 minutes or so birding around the hotel adding a variety of common species to the trip list. Back on the road we were frustrated to find the road still blocked and the queue even longer so decided to make a detour to avoid the queue. This worked well and we eventually arrived in Caratinga at 2000 90 minutes later than expected and checked in to Vind’s Hotel. Finding the restaurant closed we quickly changed plans and headed into town and had an interesting tour of the town as we tried to find the recommended alternative. Nevertheless we eventually found it and had an excellent meal including for many the best beef of the trip. After another tour of the town we returned to the hotel and finally made it to bed 38 hours after most of us had arrived at Heathrow.

 

14^TH AUGUST

 

A few insomniacs were up early exploring the nearby square but most stayed in bed until breakfast. After breakfast we set out to drive east to Caratinga reserve quickly making stops to look at Red-legged Seriemas and Streamer-tailed Tyrants plus a number of commoner species. A further stop to look at two Black-necked Aracaris showed the power of coincidence as it turned out that they were in the garden of our guide for the day and he went on ahead on his motorbike.

 

Ten minutes later we found him stopped at the side of the road and a Buffy-headed Marmoset calling nearby, he had heard it from his bike! We quickly located the marmoset high in a tree set back from the road and had good views in the scope. Better still it (and the rest of the troop) proved to be very responsive to playback and we were soon watching several marmosets at close range at the roadside.

A great start to the trip as this is often one of the more difficult primates to see.

 

Continuing on Regina spotted our second primate of the day, a group of Brown Howlers, along the approach reserve to the road and we were quickly enjoying scope views of this typically inactive primate.

Being out of photographic range for most we continued on to the visitor centre and left the coach to walk the main track up through the reserve. We were quickly rewarded with good views of at least two Northern Muriquis presumably part of a larger group that had already passed through the area and shortly afterwards found a group of Black Capuchins by the track. The capuchins gave us excellent views and photographic opportunities. Amazingly we had seen all four primates by 1130, a record!

 

Returning down the main track towards the visitor centre our attention turned to birds and we saw a range of new species including Shrike-like Cotinga (found by Mark and a new species for the tour), Crested Becard, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Flame-crested Tanager and a small lek of White-bearded Manakins. Another group of capuchins appeared as we headed back to the visitor centre for our packed lunch.

 

After lunch Carla one of the researchers gave a short but very informative talk on the Muriqui research. Some of the group seemed fascinated by her graphic descriptions of the size of Muriqui’s testes and reproductive behaviour most notably the lack of monogamy in the species and the fact that males will excrete a plug to prevent ejaculation and that the females will subsequently eat the plug. One member of the group (who will remain nameless for fear of litigation) showed particular interest in the subject asking a number of follow-up questions. We were soon able to put some of Carla’s statements to the test as our guide returned to tell us that another group of Muriquis had been found along the approach road. We quickly returned to the coach and sped off to look at the Muriquis. We quickly validated the comments about the testes but perhaps fortunately did not have the opportunity to view the other behaviour described by Carla.

 

After watching the Muriquis and another group of lethargic Brown Howlers for 45 minutes or so some of us headed off up a nearby trail to look for birds but apart from nice views of Blue-winged Macaws it was slow going. We headed back out of the reserve towards Caratinga stopping to look unsuccessfully for Neotropical River Otter, to look at a group of guans, and to allow Bob & Jude to demonstrate the use of the bat detectors for the first time. With four very keen bat workers on the trip we were to encounter a number of new species for the tour over the next 2 weeks.

 

We finally returned to the Vind Hotel and had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant before retiring after an excellent first day in the field.

 

15^th AUGUST

 

After an early breakfast we were soon on the road heading south on route to Caraca.

 

Stopping at Sitia Graciema we quickly found the habituated Geoffroy’s Marmosets which proceeded to give us excellent views. Normally we visit the finca during the afternoon and the morning visit proved beneficial with more birds being seen than usual. Among the highlights were Sapphire-spangled Hummingbird and Scaled Woodcreeper which had not been seen on previous tours, Grey-headed Kite, White-barred Piculet and White-eyed Parakeet.

 

Following a chat with the owner Regina discovered that there was a bat roost in an outhouse on the opposite side of the road, where the ‘batiologists’ as they were later to be called by Regina later in the day, were rewarded with excellent views of Common Long-tongued Bats. For the birders a pair of Brazilian Teal was found on the adjacent river.

 

After thanking the owners of the finca we headed back west stopping at a Graal service station for an excellent buffet lunch. Even here the birders were soon back out in the field finding Whistling Heron (normally only seen in the Pantanal) in a field on the opposite side of the highway.

 

We continued west arriving at Caraca earlier than anticipated just after 1500. This was an unexpected bonus and after checking in provided us with an opportunity to visit the Tanque Grande trail where Tony & Mark briefly saw a Black-tufted Marmoset and Jude found a group of Masked Titi Monkeys which both Regina and I had walked past. The monkeys gave us excellent views.

 

Returning to the monastery we met up with the ‘Northampton 5’ again and were soon joining them on the terrace to watch a Maned Wolf before we even made it in to dinner. The wolf although seemingly quite nervous appeared particularly hungry and re-appeared several times between 1830 and 2130 by which time most of the meat had been consumed. A second individual was seen briefly at the far end of the car park but it did not attempt to join the first individual.

 

Well satisfied most of the group retired for an early night while the batiologists ran up an impressive list of unidentified species on the detectors.

 

16^th AUGUST

 

Several of the group were up at dawn and quickly racked up a good list of species including Guianan Squirrel, Blackish & Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl and Green-barred Woodpecker but the first attempt at finding Brazilian Cavy (and surprisingly all subsequent searches) proved fruitless. Regina emerging from the monastery slightly later than the early birds was surprised to find a Maned Wolf approaching the terrace in daylight, a very unusual event.

 

Returning to the monastery the group had its first experience of a Caraca breakfast complete with the opportunity to prepare their own breakfast on an old range where Les and Jean proved particularly adept at making omelettes.

 

We then returned to the Tanque Grande trail for further views of Masked Titi Monkeys but failed to re-find the marmosets. Bird wise Swallow-tailed (Blue) and Pin-tailed Manakins, Cinnamon Piha and Rufous Gnateater were the highlights.

 

After leaving Tanque Grande Jean and Richard returned to the monastery via the road and were rewarded with brief views of a Black-tufted Marmoset which then seemed to simply vanish into thin air. The others went with Regina to search for Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, and had good views of the streamcreeper and a variety of other birds including another Rufous Gnateater.

 

After lunch in the monastery most people caught up on their sleep or birded around the monastery, a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl roosting in a barn being the highlight for most.

 

Late afternoon saw us back out on the trail towards the waterfall but it was generally quiet and aside from a dead rodent on the trail mammals were conspicuous by their absence. Bird wise the highlights were a White-vented Violetear and a silhouetted Buff-throated Pampa-Finch along the trail and a Frilled Coquette and a pair of Sapphire-spangled Hummingbirds around the waterfall itself.

 

Returning to the monastery for dinner we were soon back out on the terrace watching last night’s Maned Wolf gorging itself again. A little later it was replaced by a second individual which also gave prolonged views as it fed on the meat provided by the monks.

 

The evening log provided light amusement with Derek asking everyone if they had seen his pen only to find that he was holding it. A clear sign that he had been up too long looking for bats but he did’nt learn as proved the following day.

 

17^th AUGUST

 

Derek (I don’t need sleep) was up at 0430 looking for bats around the terrace and was rewarded with as he described the surreal experience of being joined in the dark by a Maned Wolf looking for food a few feet away, pure magic!

 

The later risers again looked unsuccessfully for cavies (there is no truth in the rumour that we had eaten them all over the previous two days) although a few birds were added to the list before breakfast. Mark and Regina headed for the Piscina where they saw Hyacinth Visorbearer and Buff-throated Pampa-Finch while the rest returned to the Tanque Grande trail were we re-found the Masked Titi Monkeys (three more groups could be heard elsewhere in the forest). We also had an excellent hour birding, the highlights being at least two Swallow-tailed Cotingas and a Crescent-chested Puffbird.

 

We then returned to the monastery to check out but before leaving we obtained permission from the monks to climb up into the roof of the chapel where a few of the group walked along the beams to discover a sizeable roost of Black Myotis, yet another unexpected bonus.

 

We left Caraca somewhat later than planned for the long drive to Sao Roque stopping near Belo for lunch and adding Guira Cuckoo to the trip list in the process. We eventually arrived at Sao Roque just before 2000 with Mark seeing two mice dash across the road in front of the coach towards the end of the drive. After an hour relaxing we retired to the nearby Girraso restaurant for an excellent dinner.

 

18^th AUGUST

 

The garden of the hotel was remarkably quiet at dawn White-eyed Parakeet being the highlight.

 

After breakfast we headed off into Canastra making a brief stop at the visitor centre to see photos of the target mammals and birds. As is often the case mammals were almost non-existent during the morning until a male Pampas Deer put in the briefest of appearances around midday. We also found a fresh burrow of one of the smaller armadillos. We did however add a number of new birds to the trip list including Curl-crested Jay, a distant King Vulture, Burrowing Owl, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Wedge-tailed Grassfinch, White-collared & Great Dusky Swifts, Cock-tailed Tyrant and Yellow-rumped Marshbird before reaching the car park at the top of Casca D’Anta where we had our picnic lunch.

 

Traditionally the afternoon is the best time to see mammals and in particular Giant Anteaters in Canastra and in the past we have seen up to 20 in an afternoon so we were not too concerned that we had not seen any during the morning. However by 1600 hours we still had’nt scored and when my prediction that we would see the first at 1620 proved as accurate as my prediction earlier in the year that England could win the World Cup some of the group were becoming slightly edgy. Good views of Black-chested Buzzard-eagle and Sharp-tailed Tyrant and a distant Greater Rhea were scant consolation.

 

While Emerson turned the coach I walked off down the track and found a distant Maned Wolf which gave everybody reasonable views while Bob wandered further down the track and found a disused Giant Armadillo burrow. One day we’ll actually see the beast itself.

 

We returned to the main track and finally just before 1700 Regina and Mark spotted a Giant Anteater on a ridge on the right hand side of the track. Unfortunately it quickly disappeared but we soon re-located it and had good views through the scope a gully preventing us from getting close to it. Our only Red-winged Tinamous of the trip were inadvertently flushed as we approached the anteater.

 

Somewhat relieved we returned to the coach just as Mark spotted another anteater on the opposite side of the road 100 metres or so from the coach. Unfortunately although the wind was in our favour this particular individual was moving quite quickly and we were unable to get close to it.

 

Back in the coach we headed back towards Sao Roque and were soon watching another Maned Wolf walking along the road towards us. It quickly disappeared into long grass but by good fortune we stopped at a spot further down the road from where we were able to see it stalking across the grasslands.

 

We continued to Sao Roque where we ended the day with another excellent meal at the Girraso.

 

19^th AUGUST

 

After the long day in the grasslands yesterday we decided to spend the morning in the lower part of the park seeing Narrow-billed Woodcreeper just outside Sao Roque and Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper and Swallow Tanager on the edge of Vargem Bonita. A number of stops along the river to the south-west of Vargem Bonita eventually turned up a group of six Brazilian Mergansers which gave good views through the scope.

 

Unfortunately the need to reverse the itinerary in Minas Gerais meant that we visited Casca D’Anta on a Saturday and our visit coincided with the visit of a party of noisy school children. Nevertheless we still managed to see a stunning male Helmeted Manakin and a variety of commoner birds. On route back to Sao Roque we stopped for a roadside White-eared Puffbird and at a craft shop in Vargem Bonita where we had stunning views of Stripe-breasted Starthroat and Swallow-tailed Hummingbird on the feeders.

 

After a brief stop in Sao Roque we returned to the upper part of the park where we spotted a very distant Maned Wolf which gave prolonged views as it hunted in the grasslands, pouncing on something on several occasions. We continued our search for anteaters and Mark determined to make the most distant observation of the trip found a Giant Anteater which was virtually in outer space. Not only did he find it but he found it with binoculars when most people could barely make it out through the scope at 50x magnification. Amazing and without doubt the spot of the trip.

 

Despite further searching anteaters remained elusive and we returned to the entrance gate with a Pauraque near the source of the Rio Sao Francisco the only species of note.

 

Leaving the park we slowly descended towards Sao Roque to be brought to a rapid halt by an armadillo scuttling across the road. Although the views were brief and although much discussion ensued at the pre-dinner log that evening we eventually concluded, principally on Regina’s advice, that it was a Seven-banded.

 

Opting for a change we had dinner in the nearby Malibu Restaurant before retiring for the night.

 

20^th AUGUST

 

With most people having missed Black-tufted Marmoset in Caraca we headed for the Hotel Chapadao da Canastra on the edge of Sao Roque to look for the marmosets known to occur in the hotel garden. The marmosets proved elusive (as did the mergansers seen there the previous week) but White-necked (Cocoi) Heron and Purple-throated Euphonia were added to the trip list.

 

Seeing that the forest extended further along the river we decided to look for further access points and ended up visiting another spot along the river a kilometre or so from the hotel. Within minutes we had found a group of Black-tufted Marmosets which performed superbly for everyone proving that effort does pay off.

 

We returned to Pousada Barcelos, checked out of the hotel and headed for Belo Horizonte stopping at a roadside pool on route to Piumhi finding several new birds including Grey-necked Wood-Rail, Black-capped Donacobius, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant and the only Chestnut-capped Blackbirds of the trip. Closer to Piumhi our only Spotted Nothura of the trip was seen by some as it walked along the road.

 

We continued our journey back east and Jaap saw two more Black-tufted Marmosets along the road just west of Piumhi before we stopped for lunch at Formiga. After lunch we continued on to Belo where we took an evening flight to Cuiaba via Brasilia. We eventually arrived at the Amazon Plaza Hotel at 2330.

 

21^st AUGUST

 

After the appetizer of Minas Gerais we woke with great expectations of our week ahead in the Pantanal. We were not to be disappointed.

 

After leaving Cuiaba we headed south by coach for the Hotel Beira Rio at Pixaim. Before we even left the tarmac at Pocone it was clear that it was much wetter than normal and this was borne out further when we hit the Transpantaneira just south of Pocone where there were pools with herons and egrets further north than normal. Nevertheless our first bird of note was a Greater Rhea in a roadside field.

 

Entering the park itself we soon had our first mammal a Capybara in a roadside ditch and at our first stop on the flood plain just south of the entrance barrier Derek disappeared under the bridge and found a roost of Long-nosed (Proboscis) Bats. The flood plains were alive with birds with huge numbers of Jabirus and egrets and smaller numbers of Roseate Spoonbill, Maguari (further north than usual) and Wood Storks, Large-billed Terns, Black Skimmers and a single Little Blue Heron. Birds of prey were well represented by Snail Kites, Black-collared and Savanna Hawks, Southern Caracara and Black and Turkey Vultures. The pools were alive with Pantanal Caiman.

 

Continuing our way south two South American Coatis were briefly seen disappearing into scrub, three Black and Gold Howlers were seen in a tree with a Common Iguana in the same tree, a second group of howlers were seen a little later, and our first Marsh Deer was seen as we approached Pixaim.

 

After lunch at the hotel with cardinals, finches et al for company, a few people (either mad dogs or englishmen) decided to check out the riverside trail but it proved to be largely unproductive in the heat of the day. However a Yellowtail Cribo, a large yellow and grey snake, was briefly seen and three of the group had brief views of a Giant Otter. As the afternoon cooled we headed out on to the Rio Pixaim to look for Giant Otters and soon encountered an elusive individual on the main river. Our first Sungrebe and Sunbittern were also seen.

 

Heading in to one of the tributories we had more luck encountering at least six different animals all of which gave good views close to the boat, both in the water and on land. Although we do not feed them on the tour the otters at Pixaim are habituated as a result of them being fed by the boatmen and at least two of the otters we saw were being fed by another boat. We continued up the tributory encountering our first Boat-billed Herons (unusually common this year) and Green and Rufous Kingfishers and our first Neotropical River Otter which gave good albeit brief views near the boat. The boat trip had already been good and the journey back was equally exciting with Nacunda Nighthawk and large numbers of Band-tailed Nighthawk over the river and large numbers of Greater Fishing Bat appearing as we approached Pixaim. A high flying ‘noctule-like’ bat at Pixaim has still to be identified.

 

The day had already been a great success but there was still more to come and after dinner at the hotel we headed out in our open-backed truck for our first spotlighting session of the trip. We had barely left the hotel grounds when we found our first Marsh Deer and a few minutes later our driver stopped after hearing a noise alongside the Transpantaneira. To our delight the source of the noise proved to be a superb Southern Tamandua ripping open a termite next on the side of a tree and we all had superb views of it hanging upside down having a feast. Finding the vegetation south of Pixaim to be on the dense side we made a quick sortie along the Santa Theresa Lodge road where we found a second Marsh Deer before heading along the road to the north of Pixaim. Although initially quite slow we eventually saw a distant Crab-eating Raccoon, another Marsh Deer, three Red Brocket Deer and another superb Southern Tamandua walking along the Transpantaneira. What a great first day in the Pantanal!

 

22^nd AUGUST

 

As is sometimes the case the pre-breakfast walk along the riverside trail was relatively quiet although we did see Mato Grosso Antbird, Rusty-backed Antwren, Barred Antshrike and White-lored Spinetail and as we returned to the hotel for breakfast a group of seven Giant Otters swam up river.

 

Heading south the drive to Pousada Jaguar where we stopped for lunch was relatively uneventful. However a nice Neotropical River Otter was seen on a roadside pool, another roost of Long-nosed Bats was found under a bridge, we saw our first Common Tegu Lizard and our first Southern Screamers and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures were seen. Stops on bridges provided great opportunities to photograph herons and egrets.

 

The lunch stop by contrast was rewarding with excellent views of our first Hyacinth Macaws. However the legendary passion fruit moose for lunch was by its normal standards rather disappointing. After lunch we had nice views of a Red Brocket Deer and we were able to visit the nearby IBAMA research station where we found two Seba Short-tailed (Fruit) Bats roosting in one of the disused buildings.

 

We continued our journey south towards Porto Jofre and after a brief meeting with Eduardo the owner of Pousada Jaguar set off on an anaconda twitch. Sure enough on arriving at Campo Jofre we found a large Yellow Anaconda devouring an egret and had prolonged views of it as it finished off its meal. A Great Horned Owl on a nearby nest provided a temporary distraction.

 

Well satisfied we continued our journey stopping for everyone to take photos of Capybara with young, and for the large number of waterbirds on the southern floodplain including our only South American Snipe and Solitary Sandpiper of the trip. A few kilometres to the south a nice troop of 10+ South American Coatis entertained us in roadside trees.

 

After checking in at the hotel, checking out the bats down by the river and having dinner we were back out on the road. The southern stretch of the Transpantaneira was excellent for cats on both recces but has proved disappointing on the tours to date. However the session started well with a Brazilian Tapir only 2-3 kilometres from Porto Jofre and a Red Brocket another kilometre to the north. Unfortunately after this it dried up and we saw relatively little other than Great Horned Owl for the rest of the night.

 

23^rd AUGUST

 

The birders were out in the field for dawn but most of us had a lie in ahead of our day on the river looking for large spotted cats.

 

The morning started with Crane Hawk close to the jetty and Pied Lapwing (with young) and Collared Plover on the first sandbank. The first tributory visited was disappointing with few signs of cats or other mammals although we did meet another boat that had seen a Jaguar earlier in the morning. We returned to the main river and headed for the Rio Piquiri where we have had good luck on previous tours. On entering the Piquiri we soon found another Yellow Anaconda, this one seemingly raiding birds’ nests in the riverbank, and saw three Neotropical River Otters and two Black and Gold Howlers along the river together with our first Osprey of the trip which we later saw fishing along the river.

 

After lunch back at the hotel we returned to the Piquiri in the late afternoon where three Giant Otters were seen, one sitting just a few feet from us as it devoured a fish. A distant wing-spreading vulture on a sandbank provided brief excitement when it was called as a possible tapir. Well it was very distant.

 

We headed back out on to the main river disappointed at the lack of Jaguars and steamed back towards the hotel before slowing to ensure that we were still on the river when the fishing bats started to appear. Shortly afterwards to Les’s own amazement (he could’nt believe that nobody else had seen it first), and to everyone’s delight and relief, Les spotted a male Jaguar on the left bank. Although the light was fading we all had good views of it for 10-15 minutes particularly when it came to investigate the boatman’s (Matteus) impression of a female Jaguar ‘on heat’ and as we drifted closer to the bank for better views.

 

Although we still craved better views and more importantly photos we returned to the hotel very satisfied.

 

The night drive after dinner maintained our poor record on this section of the Transpantaneira with Marsh Deer, two Great Horned Owls and several nice Scissor-tailed Nightjars being the only species of note.

 

24^th AUGUST

 

Heading back out on to the river at 0630 we headed out to the area where we had seen the Jaguar the night before but drew a blank in a 30 minute search. Our frustration grew when we then met the ‘Northampton 5’ further up river just after they had seen a Jaguar. To make it worse when we met them an hour later they had seen another one. (Amazingly they had two more sightings later in the afternoon). Our first Chestnut-eared Aracaris of the trip provided no consolation at all.

 

Searching the same tributories as the day before drew a blank although a Sungrebe perched on a branch was slightly unusual so we headed back on to the main river to search the area between the Rio Piquiri and Porto Jofre. Fortunately however before we even reached the Piquiri Regina spotted a superb female Jaguar on the bank of the main river and we were treated to superb close range views for 25-30 minutes with memory sticks and flash cards taking a veritable pounding. We had maintained our record of obtaining great photos on every tour to date. Long may the run continue.

 

Being greedy we continued to search for more Jaguars in the Piquiri and along the main river on our way back to Porto Jofre but drew a blank. Nevertheless it was a very happy group that enjoyed lunch at the hotel.

 

The group decided to split up for the afternoon, some wanting to return to the river, the others wanting to go spotlighting near Pousada Jaguar. However before we were able to do so Derek, Jaap and Mark decided to go looking for capuchins along the Transpantaneira and Mark came running (well sort of running) back to tell us they had been successful. We headed out to join the others and were treated to great views of a troop of Black-striped Capuchins including some walking across the road on their hind legs. Nine primates down one to go. Jaap also saw the first Azara’s Agouti of the trip.

 

The boating group (Les & Joan, Bob & Jude) headed off with Regina for another afternoon looking for Jaguars along the river but unfortunately drew a blank. The rest of us headed north along the Transpantaneira seeing Marsh Deer on route to Santa Isabel Road. Once at Santa Isabel Road we spent the hour prior to dusk on foot seeing Turquoise-fronted Parrot, Black and Gold Howlers and another troop of Black-striped Capuchins but surprisingly no agoutis and very few cracids (guans and currasows)..

 

As it grew dark we switched on the spotlights with Mark taking over from Regina in her absence and we soon had brief views of an Ocelot walking along the road. The rest of the pre-dinner drive was relatively quiet until we approached Pousada Jaguar and had a small brown snake which reared up in the spotlight before disappearing under the truck much to the driver’s concern. After convincing ourselves that it had’nt climbed aboard we continued on to Pousada Jaguar for dinner.

 

After dinner we returned to Santa Isabel Road, the drive out along the road produced good views of three Great Potoos. Another was seen later in the night. As we turned Mark picked up the first Grey Brocket of the trip and shortly afterwards a stunning Brazilian Tapir gave us superb views as it crossed the track. Surprisingly it showed bright eye-shine as did another individual later in the trip. Most tapirs show little eye-shine. Continuing along the road a Crab-eating Raccoon also showed well.

 

Returning to the Transpantaneira we turned south with Jaap taking over spotlighting duties from Mark. As is often the case spotlighting the southern section of the Transpantaneira was on the slow side but we did have superb views of our first Crab-eating Fox of the trip and a distant unidentified brocket deer.

 

We arrived back at Porto Jofre at 2330 well satisfied with our evening to find a note on several doors about a visit the following morning to a possible bat roost.

 

25^th AUGUST

 

The insomniacs and batiologists were up at dawn for a visit to a disused building on the opposite bank of the river. No bats were found but a Barn Owl was the first we have seen on the tours.

 

 

We checked out of the hotel and headed north but not before a Blue-tufted Sapphire, another new bird for the tours, was found in a flowering tree near the entrance. Heading north a Marsh Deer was the first mammal of the day but was quickly superceded by a small group of Black-tailed Marmosets, our 10^th and final primate, alongside the vehicle. Most people managed to see them well as they quickly moved through roadside trees.

 

A short stop at a trail south of Pousada Jaguar was uneventful but another Yellowtail Cribo was seen crossing the road shortly afterwards. We continued north to Pixaim and were surprised to find a Neotropical River Otter crossing the road right in front of the truck. Two Marsh Deer were also seen.

 

We stopped for lunch at the Hotel Beiro Rio where Tony proceeded to find another bat roost but unfortunately inadvertently flushed the visible bats before the rest of us arrived. Shame on him. The drive north to Araras Ecolodge was uneventful apart from two Marsh Deer and a dead Crab-eating Fox.

 

We arrived at Araras shortly after 1400 and most of the group were back out in the field within an hour to explore the boardwalk. Most people saw Planalto Woodcreeper and Regina and Jean saw the only trogon of the trip, a Blue-crowned. As we approached the Tower Hide we found a group of Black and Gold Howlers along with most people’s first Azara’s Agouti, and five Marsh Deer were visible from the hide. A South American Coati was also spotted and some of the group walked out along the edge of the marsh to try to photograph it. Four coatis were seen later in the afternoon. The first Great Antshrike of the trip was found as we walked back to the hide.

 

Returning to the boardwalk we were soon watching a superb Giant Anteater feeding close to the track much to everyone’s delight given the failure to get close to one in Canastra. I returned to the Tower Hide to let Regina and Jean know just as they found another distant animal from the tower. They returned and also saw the original animal well. Eventually the anteater moved away from the boardwalk and Les anticipating where it would appear out of the wood was fortunate enough to be able to photograph it as it walked towards him.

 

I then returned to the Tower Hide where an Undulated Tinamou was showing well below the hide. Climbing the tower I found a distant party of peccaries, most probably White-lipped, but unfortunately by the time I found the others they had already returned to the lodge.

 

Previous spotlighting sessions at Araras have always been good and given Les’s request that we should find everything we had missed the night before we hoped that our previous success would be repeated. Les was not to be disappointed. Heading out on a private track opposite the lodge we quickly found three Grey Brockets and then had stunning views of a Tapir feeding out in the open for several minutes totally unconcerned by the green-filtered spotlight. Next up was the first of five Crab-eating Raccoons followed by another Grey Brocket and nice views of Great Potoo.

 

Turning back towards the lodge we took another track and had just stopped to look at a potoo when the driver suddenly reversed and we found ourselves within touching distance of a stunning Southern Tamandua on the side of a tree. It remained there for several minutes before suddenly shooting up the tree at high speed.

 

Heading back on to the Transpantaneira we headed south and quickly picked up the first of four Crab-eating Foxes and more potoos. On reaching the entrance to Rio Clarinho we had brief views of another Tapir. We turned around at the entrance to Rio Claro and had only gone 3-4 kilometres when an Ocelot was found a few metres from the road. It quickly disappeared but with a bit of squeeking it was soon out investigating the noise. It disappeared again too quickly but not before everyone had had great views in the green lights.

 

Well satisfied with a great night’s spotlighting most people retired to bed when we returned to the lodge at 2320 but glutons for Richard, Derek, Mark, Jaap and Tony and I headed for the boardwalk where amazingly we found eye-shine almost as soon as we reached the forest. The eye-shine emanated from a small opossum which gave us great views in the spotlight. We eventually concluded that it was a Brown Four-eyed Opossum. Returning to the lodge the batiologists turned their attention to the bats picking up insects from the floor of the verandah and emerging from roosts in the roof above the restaurant and from a nearby tree.

 

26^th AUGUST

 

After an early breakfast we were soon out heading for the trail opposite the lodge while we waited for the truck. We had gone no more than 100 metres from the lodge when we were amazed to find fresh Puma tracks overlying the truck’s tracks from the previous evening. Several of the group had been woken up at 0410 by the chachalacas going crazy and it seems likely that the Puma had gone through the lodge grounds at this point. If only we had realised!

 

The trail opposite the lodge produced Grey Brocket, Marsh Deer, a small group of South American Coatis and a number of new birds for the trip list plus excellent views of large numbers of Turquoise-fronted Parrots. After a short diversion to see a tame Collared Peccary we then headed off on foot along a trail where Tayras had been seen recently and had great views of a Black-tailed Marmoset on the side of a tree but failed to find the Tayra. White-edged Piculet was an addition to the trip list.

 

On our return to the lodge most people headed out on to the boardwalk where a good selection of birds was seen including Helmeted Manakin, Large-billed Antwren, Flavescent Warbler and Straight-billed Woodcreeper. Shortly afterwards Derek had close views of a Tayra from the boardwalk but unfortunately it disappeared before anyone else saw it.

 

Amazingly a few minutes after ascending the hide another Tayra appeared at the edge of the marsh and most people (but unfortunately not Jaap who had been just behind Derek when he saw the first one) had brief views of it. Three Marsh Deer were again viewable from the hide and on our way back to the lodge the Giant Anteater was found again and a Coati was found sprawled across a branch.

 

After lunch most people took a well-deserved rest only interrupted by a Crab-eating Fox sleeping close to the lodge, with only the diehards returning to the boardwalk where Great Rufous Woodcreeper was added to the trip list. At 1530 we returned to the truck and headed out on another private track where we added Rufous Casiornis and two superb Golden-collared Macaws before having great views of a Great Potoo on the nest. A troop of Coatis was seen as we returned to the lodge.

 

After last night’s success much was expected from the night’s spotlighting although Jean decided that she was more than satisfied with what she had already seen and opted to catch up on her sleep. With the ‘Northampton 5’ having arrived and spotlighting the private track first we headed south on the Transpantaneira and were soon enjoying prolonged views of another Tapir. No sooner had this one disappeared than another, this one clearly a male, appeared nearby again providing great views. Continuing south we picked up our first Crab-eating Raccoons and Foxes of the evening and a bird which flew up from the roadside later proved to be a Tropical Screech Owl. Further south a Southern Tamandua performing well to the east of the road was our 4^th of the trip, another record.

 

We turned back north at Rio Clarinho and soon found a terrific Giant Anteater close to the road. Could it get any better? Yes!

 

Next up the driver stopped and sitting in the road in front of us was the Tropical Screech Owl seen earlier. As some of us watched the owl Bob picked up eye-shine away from the track and further investigation revealed a distant Ocelot which quickly moved away from us. We moved forward and picked up the eye-shine again. Switching off the headlights we fitted the green filters and started squeeking. To everyone’s delight the Ocelot responded and walked steadily towards the track eventually stopping within 15-20 metres where it remained for several minutes curious about the source of the squeeks. The views were superb even eclipsing the great views in the same area in 2005.

 

Well pleased with our efforts we returned north meeting the ‘Northampton 5’ who had seen four more tapirs, Giant Anteater etc themselves. They had also seen Brazilian Rabbit which we had missed to date so we set off down the track opposite the lodge. We quickly found another Tapir, probably the individual seen the night before, and then amazingly two more further down the track. Five in one night exceeds the total number of Tapirs seen on any previous tour. We were still on a roll.

 

Finally as we turned and headed back towards the lodge Regina found the elusive Brazilian Rabbits, yet another addition to the trip list, but amazingly not the last. That was to follow the next day.

 

We arrived back at the lodge at 2340 in time for the batiologists to have another attempt at seeing and photographing bats around the lodge while the others retired for the night very happy with what we had seen. Yet again spotlighting at Araras had produced the goods.

 

 

 

27^th AUGUST

 

Unfortunately the demise of Varig had meant that we had to change our international and domestic flights with the loss of our final morning at Araras. However despite our late return from spotlighting and being woken by a storm at 0330, Mark, Derek, Jaap, Tony and I were out on the boardwalk shortly after 0430 with the spotlights and we were rewarded again with another species of opossum (Grey Four-eyed Opossum) being seen twice. We were further rewarded with a Common Potoo and a South American Coati along the boardwalk.

 

Breakfast back at the lodge produced a final Crab-eating Fox and after packing we were back on the road heading for Cuiaba this time in a coach which was a blessing as the skies opened as we neared Cuiaba.

We arrived back at the airport in good time for our flight despite a temporary scare when the coach lost power and were soon in the air for our flight back to Sao Paulo.

 

On arrival at Congonhas (the domestic airport) we met Claudio and transferred to our coach (together with the Northampton 5) for the journey across the city to Guarulhos (the international airport) but not before bidding a fond farewell to Regina before she returned to Belo.

 

As we travelled across the city Claudio pointed out some of the highlights of the city. It did seem slightly strange however that he pointed out a Macdonald’s restaurant and told us how many there were in the city but did not comment on an impressive statue of a horse in one of the squares that we passed.

 

We arrived at Guarulhos and on finding the Iberia check-in closed retired to an airport restaurant for a superb final meal. Eventually the check-in opened and with Claudio’s ‘negotiation’ skills we managed to organise a group check-in avoiding the huge queues at check-in. Given the levels of security in Europe it was slightly surprising to find our bags being checked-in without the passengers even being at the check-in desk!

 

Despite warnings of long queues we cleared security quicker than normal and were soon in the air on our flight back to Madrid.

 

28^TH AUGUST

 

 

After the fun on the way out we expected the return flight to be a breeze in comparison but Iberia had other ideas on our arrival in Madrid changing our gate number as we waited for the flight twice in 15 minutes and we eventually departed an hour late.

 

We arrived back at Heathrow 45 minutes late but were amazed to find the baggage waiting for us when we reached the baggage carousel, the quickest turnaround that I have ever experienced at Heathrow. A fitting end to another great tour.

 

 

 

RICHARD WEBB
1 SEPTEMBER 2006