8 August. We caught the first bus to the falls and spent
much of the morning agog like the other tourists with the grandeur of it all. It was a very impressive spectacle. From the falls we
got a lift back to the Museum and from there walked back to the campsite looking
down side tracks. We saw Agouti and Coatimundi
scavenging around litter bins on the way but most tracks petered out quickly without
getting into decent habitat. Birds seen included
Rusty-margined Guan, Great Dusky Swift, Red-breasted
and Toco Toucans, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Streak-capped Antwren, Green-backed
Becard, Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Red-crested Finch.
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| Iguacu Falls, awe inspiring |
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| me at Iguacu, note 1980s shorts |
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| Iguacu, possibly the most impressive waterfall in the world, although Victoria Falls runs it very very close |
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| Great Dusky Swift, safe from any predators under the waterfall |
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| approaching the top of the falls, not the view one wants from a boat |
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| a classic view of the falls, Brazil on the left and Argentina on the right |
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| split level falls, the 'white' water suggested little sediment so no recent heavy rainfall and the river not in full flow |
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| Armadillo |
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| Coatimundi, at home around the rubbish bins at Iguacu |
9 August. We were up early and walked into the park before
it was officially open, going as far as the Poco Preco track on which we spent most
of the day. Birds seen included Surucua Trogon, Red-breasted Toucan, Large-headed
Flatbill, Sharpbill, Epaulet Oriole and Blue-naped
Chlorophonia.
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| Iguacu Falls dominated from most places in the park, even when not in view their noise could not easily be ignored |
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| Lineated Woodpecker |
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| Ringed Kingfisher |
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| female Surucua Trogon |
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| Guira Cuckoo |
10 August. Our last day at Iguaçu. We again caught the first bus to the falls for
a bit more stunned gawping. The falls were
no less impressive the second time. We walked
back to the campsite looking for side tracks without any greater success. Birds seen included Muscovy Duck (my only new bird), Ruddy Quail-Dove, Surucua Trogon, Red-breasted
Toucan, Rufous-winged Antwren and Eared Pigmy-Tyrant.
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| more Iguacu views,. it was that sort of place ... |
11 August. We were heading for the Pantanal, not that far
away by direct route but all our internal flights involved changing in either Rio
or Sao Paulo. This time it was the latter
but involved flying almost as far in the opposite direction to get there. Our Sao Paulo flight also left at 6am and we couldn’t
rely on getting a taxi at 4am so we had a choice of either going to the airport
the night before or getting up at 2am and walking. We chose the latter as it was a small airport
and when we’d arrived we’d not noticed anywhere suitable to crash out. Whether we got any better nights sleep at the
campsite is debatable as I was constantly waking up for fear of oversleeping. We didn’t, were up, packed and walked to the airport
in good time. In Sao Paulo we connected with
our flight to Cuiaba where we arrived late morning. All of our internal flights were pretty much on
time. In Cuiaba we hired car and headed off
to drive south to Pixaim in the Pantanal but soon got lost on the edge of town. We picked up a hitchhiker who knew the way and
were off but soon we were stopping for birds flying across the road. Our hitcher soon bailed out preferring a rickety
old truck – a wise move as our progress was slow and we didn’t get to Pixaim until
after dark. The only obvious ‘hotel’ was
a very expensive dive which we suspected had a special ‘gringo arriving after dark’
rate, and not being prepared to be ripped off we continued driving. We found a place to pull off the road about 7
kms further south and slept in the car uncertain of what was outside making lots
of interesting noises! It was at least as
hot as Iguaçu and insects abounded. Stopping
along the road from Cuiaba we saw lots of waterbirds (including Rufescent Tiger Heron and Plumbeous Ibis), Sunbittern,
Bare-faced Curassow, Red-legged Seriema, Golden-collared Macaw, Monk Parakeet, Turquoise-fronted
Parrot, Rufous Chacolote, Rusty-backed Antbird and Yellow-billed Cardinal.
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| waterbirds on a roadside pool in the Pantanal |
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| Neotropic Cormorant and Anhinga |
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| Brazilian Duck |
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| Jabiru and Wood Stork |
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| Jabiru |
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| Wood Stork |
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| Sunbittern, a firm favourite of mine |
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| Rufescent Tiger Heron |
12 August. Unsurprisingly I didn’t sleep well but seeing
lots of alligators in nearby pools, some only 25m from where we’d parked, made us
glad we’d slept in the car rather than putting up the tent. A track by our campsite was excellent at dawn
and we then spent all day slowly driving down to Porto Joffre, birding along the
way. We arrived about an hour before dusk
and put up the tent in a basic campsite where we were entertained by a tame Blue
& Yellow Macaw. Birds seen included the usual wetland species as well as Boat-billed and Rufescent Tiger Herons, Southern
Screamer, Pearl Kite, Blue-throated Piping Guan, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Sunbittern,
Large-billed Tern, Hyacinth Macaw (8), Band-tailed Nighthawk (40), Gilded Hummingbird,
American Pigmy Kingfisher, Toco Toucan, Arrowhead Piculet, Great Antshrike, Helmetted
Manakin, Bearded Tachuri, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant and Purplish Jay.
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| Snail Kite with what looks more like a crab than a snail |
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| Southern Screamer |
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| Rufous Hornero |
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| Rusty-backed Antbird |
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| Rufous-tailed Jacamar |
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| Nick watching our main target bird for the Pantanal |
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| Hyacynth Macaw, brilliant. |
13 August. We birded around Porto Joffre until mid morning
when we packed up the tent and started the drive back to Cuiaba. We had a few stops on the way, including one for
a puncture. From Cuiaba we continued on to
Chapada dos Guiamares where we arrived at dusk and soon found a decent hotel. Birds seen included Rufescent Tiger Heron, Southern Screamer, Crane Hawk, Blue-throated Piping
Guan, Bare-faced Currasow, Sunbittern, South American Snipe , Hyacinth Macaw (4),
Burrowing Owl, Blue-crowned Trogon, Toco Toucan, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Great
Antshrike, Band-tailed Antbird and Curl-crested Jay.
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| leaving the Pantanal |
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| Amazon Kingfisher |
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| Ringed Kingfisher |
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| Crested Caracara |
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| Vermillion Flycatcher |
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| the drier scrub of Chapada Dos Guamires |
14 August. We spent the morning birding around Chapada dos
Guiamares before driving back to Cuiaba to catch the mid afternoon flight to Sao
Paulo where we slept in airport. Chapada
was an interesting area where, perhaps more than anywhere else on the trip, we wished
we’d had longer. I felt this quite keenly
when I only saw the back end of some Coal-crested Finches that Nick had found but
we then didn’t have time to follow up. Birds
I did see at Chapada included Swallow-tailed
Hummingbird, Yellow-ridged Toucan, Large-billed Antwren, White-backed Fire-eye,
Crested Becard, Fiery-capped Manakin (superb) and Saffron-billed Sparrow.
15 August. After a reasonable night in the airport we caught
the morning flight from Sao Paulo to Vitoria.
We arrived at 11.00, hired car and drove to IBDF office where we need to
get a permit to visit Sooretama, a coastal forest reserve. Unfortunately we arrived at the office just after
it had closed for lunch. Obtaining permission
to visit Sooretama was not made easy by our having no common language with the very
patient and helpful official in charge. After
Nick had a scare that he’d have to try and converse in French (he had an O-level
whereas I only got 4% in my mock) I asked if he spoke any Spanish. He knew about as much as I did (a couple of evening
classes worth) and we just about made ourselves understood. The thing he was most keen to impress upon us
was no colectivo, colectivo prohibido which
seemed pretty clear and we were able to agree wholeheartedly that we wouldn’t collect
any specimens. With permit issued and handshakes
all round we departed mid afternoon for the drive up the coast to Linhares where
we arrived at dusk and found a reasonable hotel to stay in. Rather more of a travel only day than we’d originally
hoped, I saw just 10 species of which Guira
Cuckoo and Common Tody Flycatcher were about the most interesting.
16 August. We left our hotel in Linhares and drove to the
Ranger Station at Sooretama where we arrived at 08.00. The permit worked wonders and we were given basic
accommodation and an armed guide/guard, not that we really wanted the latter. We birded along central forest trail until dusk. Fortunately our guide, who was more of a guard,
was persuaded to follow behind us so as not to disturb anything on the trail ahead. Having heard horror stories of Chagas’ Disease
carrying Assassin Bugs being prevalent in forest huts we were a bit concerned by
the very basic nature of our accommodation.
We felt it would be rather ungrateful if we put the tent up, either in the
room or outside it, so made ourselves as enclosed as possible with mosquito nets
and plastic ground sheets. We also decided
to sleep with the lights on as the bug was supposed to only operate in the dark. Birds seen included Ochre-marked, Maroon-faced and Plain Parakeets, Ferruginous Pigmy Owl, Crescent-chested
Puffbird, Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Salvadori’s Antwren, Scaled Antbird and Green-backed,
Chestnut-crowned and Black-capped Becards.
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| superb forest track at Sooretama, or it was once we persuaded our guard to walk a few paces behind us ... |
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| Ochre-marked Parakeet |
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| Swallow-tailed Hummingbird |
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| Crescent-chested Puffbird |
17 August. We got up early, not having slept that well with
the light on and imagining that every insect was an assassin. There was no immediate sign of our guide so we
quietly headed back to the central forest trail. We’d hoped he’d not be with us as although he
was no problem we were happier not having to be concerned by him – even if we’d
felt like talking to him while birding we had no common language. However returning to the car mid morning we found
him by it. Fortunately he seemed happy to
either tag along or wait by the car, perhaps keeping an eye on two mad gringos was
an easy duty for him? We spent the rest of
the day on the central forest trail and southern perimeter track and returned to
HQ at dusk. Birds seen included Solitary Tinamou, White-necked Hawk, Rusty-margined
Guan, Red-billed Currasow, Red-browed Parrot, Tawny-browed Owl (2 by HQ after dark),
Yellow-throated Woodpecker, Band-tailed Antwren, Scaled Antbird and Yellow-Green
Grosbeak.
18 August. For our last day at Sooretama we concentrated
on the central forest trail and northern perimeter track with our guide seemingly
happy tagging along. Birds seen included
Solitary Tinamou, Rusty-margined Guan, Rufous-tailed
Jacamar, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Striated Soft-tail, Band-tailed and Rufous-winged
Antwrens, Scaled Antbird, White-bearded Manakin and Moustached Wren.
19 August. We said our goodbyes to the head Ranger and I
gave him a small compass he’d been quite interested in when we’d arrived – I’d tried
to get across that with it there was little danger of us getting lost in the hope
we wouldn’t need a guide – he seemed pleased iwt hit, or was very polite! We left the Ranger Station soon after dawn and
drove back to the main road which cuts through a corner of the National Park, birding
along there for a few hours without seeing that much. We’d hoped to see some cotingas perched up but
had no success, nor could we find any tracks into the forest although we would have
been reluctant to leave the car, with all our gear in the boot, by the side of the
road unattended for any length of time. Where
was our guard when we really needed him!
We drove back south to Vitoria, returned the car and caught a flight to Rio
where we slept in the airport. Birds seen
included Laughing Falcon, Mealy Parrot, Burrowing
Owl, White-tailed Trogon and Swallow-wing.
20 August. Our last day and after a quick walk along an almost
deserted Copacabana (most of Rio doesn’t get up early) we headed to the Cog Railway
Station for a trip up to Corcovado. It was
still early but the sight of armed guards along the way was rather off-putting. Corcovado gave superb views over Rio and the Christ
the Redeemer statue was very impressive but we had an ulterior motive for our visit
as Long-billed Wren could be seen along the tracks near the top. We found one but saw little else and curtailed
our visit due to the large number of people now arriving. We walking halfway down before deciding to catch
the train the rest of the way, the areas reputation for tourist robberies was playing
on our minds. We spent the rest of the day unmemorably in Rio and caught the overnight flight back to London. Brazil was a much more interesting and varied destination than I had expected, obviously helped by seeing about 480 species of which 250 or so were new. The trip cost us approximately £1250 each which included £550 air fare to Rio and £200 for a three week airpass. Nick was a brilliant companion as always and it was a privilege to have spent time birding with Bruce Forester.
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| Early morning along the Copacabana |
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| Corcovado from afar |
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| Corcovado Cog Railway |
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| our guide book suggested that walking this route rather than getting the train was a sure-fire way to become parted with ones money and a number of armed guards patrolling it gave some credibility to that possibility. We got the train up and only walked halfway back down assuming any muggers didn't get up that early or walk that far ... |
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| Christ the Redeemer |
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| view from Corcovado |
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| looking down on Sugarloaf Mountain |
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| forested hills at Corcovado |
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| typical view of Rio |
Some weeks later. What I thought was a persistent mosquito/chigger
bite on my ankle kept weeping and refused to heal. Occasional sudden painful twinges from it made
me suspect that it might be a Botfly larvae.
A guide book suggested gluing up its breathing hole would kill it but my
attempts to do so only caused me to stick the hairs on my leg together. I decided a more direct approach was needed and
covered the area with iodine. This was more
painful but worked as a few hours later I managed to extract a dead half-inch long
larvae after which the wound soon healed.
[blogged March 2013]
