Pantanal 2018 - To the Paraguay River and (almost) Bolivia
Oct 25
This morning we would continue towards the west and then turn north onto the Paraguay River. The scenery really began to change here. Accustomed to a very flat landscape, hills and mountains were now visible to the west.
Sergio spotted a LEAST BITTERN peeking up through the tops of marshy riverside vegetation. Raptors really took to the air mid-morning, and glancing upward paid off in the form of a dark morph adult WHITE-TAILED HAWK. Had never before seen a dark morph before!
Later that afternoon we would set foot on land for the first time in a while, at the Acurizal Reserve on the west bank of the Paraguay River. Safe from jaguars here, we could actually walk around a bit. The forest here was a bit quiet, but we did manage fine views of a GUIRA TANAGER.
Oct 26
We returned to Acurizal in the morning for a walk and tractor ride around the grounds. The bird of the morning was certainly the BOLIVIAN SLATY-ANTSHRIKE that spent several minutes singing off-trail. We did manage a few brief views. This is about as far east as this species gets.
After our walk, we continued north up the Paraguay River to Lagoa Gaiva, which lies partly in Brazil and partly in Bolivia. We motored right up to the marker, where an Osprey was guarding the border.
This was as far northwest as we would get. It was time for us to turn around and head back in the direction of Porto Jofre. As we cruised back down the Paraguay we noted two migratory flocks of SNAIL KITES, one 155 birds and the other 110. These birds keep very tight kettles in migration, which was a first for me to witness.
Later that day we returned to the stellar oxbow with all the terns that we had seen a couple days prior. This time we had more light to enjoy the show.
Oct 27 (AM)
This morning's wildlife cruise took us almost all the way back to Porto Jofre. A flyby BICOLORED HAWK was a nice surprise, as was a flock of 21 MISSISSIPPI KITES. The status of MIKI in the Pantanal has apparently only been clarified in recent years, as difficulty in separating from the resident Plumbeous Kites kept the MIKIs hidden in plain sight for a long time.
The Negrinho tributary was again productive.
We would return to the heart of Jaguar country for the afternoon...
- NB
This morning we would continue towards the west and then turn north onto the Paraguay River. The scenery really began to change here. Accustomed to a very flat landscape, hills and mountains were now visible to the west.
Sergio spotted a LEAST BITTERN peeking up through the tops of marshy riverside vegetation. Raptors really took to the air mid-morning, and glancing upward paid off in the form of a dark morph adult WHITE-TAILED HAWK. Had never before seen a dark morph before!
 |
| Least Bittern |
 |
| White-tailed Hawk (dark morph adult) |
 |
| immature Rufescent Tiger-Heron |
 |
| Bare-faced Curassow |
 |
| Wattled Jacana on giant lily pad |
 |
| Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks |
 |
| Hyacinth Macaws |
 |
| Straight-billed Woodcreeper |
 |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher |
Later that afternoon we would set foot on land for the first time in a while, at the Acurizal Reserve on the west bank of the Paraguay River. Safe from jaguars here, we could actually walk around a bit. The forest here was a bit quiet, but we did manage fine views of a GUIRA TANAGER.
Oct 26
We returned to Acurizal in the morning for a walk and tractor ride around the grounds. The bird of the morning was certainly the BOLIVIAN SLATY-ANTSHRIKE that spent several minutes singing off-trail. We did manage a few brief views. This is about as far east as this species gets.
 |
| Bolivian Slaty-Antshrike |
This was as far northwest as we would get. It was time for us to turn around and head back in the direction of Porto Jofre. As we cruised back down the Paraguay we noted two migratory flocks of SNAIL KITES, one 155 birds and the other 110. These birds keep very tight kettles in migration, which was a first for me to witness.
 |
| migrating Snail Kites |
Later that day we returned to the stellar oxbow with all the terns that we had seen a couple days prior. This time we had more light to enjoy the show.
 |
| Large-billed Tern |
 |
| juv Large-billed Tern |
 |
| Large-billed Tern |
 |
| Large-billed Tern |
 |
| Southern Screamer |
 |
| Roseate Spoonbill |
Oct 27 (AM)
This morning's wildlife cruise took us almost all the way back to Porto Jofre. A flyby BICOLORED HAWK was a nice surprise, as was a flock of 21 MISSISSIPPI KITES. The status of MIKI in the Pantanal has apparently only been clarified in recent years, as difficulty in separating from the resident Plumbeous Kites kept the MIKIs hidden in plain sight for a long time.
 |
| Mississippi Kites |
The Negrinho tributary was again productive.
 |
| Amazon Kingfisher |
 |
| Green Ibis |
 |
| Cocoi Heron |
 |
| Rufescent Tiger-Heron |
 |
| Black-and-Gold Howler Monkey |
 |
| Hooded Capuchin |
 |
| Amazon Kingfisher |
 |
| Toco Toucan |
 |
| Sunbittern |
We would return to the heart of Jaguar country for the afternoon...
- NB
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