Barranco Alto and Pantanal, a yearly appointment

[Bush dog]

@@Alexander33

 

Thank you for your support and kind words.

Pantanal is completely different from Amazonia. In Pantanal, you can see, in one day, more than you saw, in 10 days, in Amazonia.

 

@@SafariChick

 

Thank you for continuing to show a great interest for this report and for your comments.

 

@@Kitsafari

 

Beter later than never. Thank you for your comments. And yes, there is more!

[Treepol]

@@Bush dog fabulous anteater photos and I like the White woodpecker too. Thanks for taking the time to post this TR.

[Bush dog]

@@Treepol

 

Thanks to you to follow this report and for your comments, it's a real pleasure to post it.

[michael-ibk]

And a pleasure to read and watch, it can't be said often enough. Which time of year is "best" in your opinion for Barranco Alto?

[Bush dog]

@@michael-ibk

 

Thank you for your appreciation

 

I think that any time from June to October/November is nice. Before, there is still too much water.

But from my experience, the variety of bird species is bigger in October, because of the arrival of the migratory species. I also saw more local species, like toco toucans for example, in October. So I would say October is the best time to go. My two October trips (2 weeks in 2013 & 2012) were great but very hot. Next year, I will experiment the month of June. But having said that, years follow each other, but are not necessarily alike.

[Bush dog]

Continued in the forest

 

Though very common, this is one of my favorite birds, the Road-side Hawk,

 

2009

 

2010

 

2012

 

part of the feeding of the preceding one (2012)

 

 

South American Coati (2014)

 

 

The only yellow anaconda (not a very big one) I ever saw at FBA. Was found by one of the workers of the ranch while he was busy cutting wood in the forest (2008).

 

 

[Bush dog]

Continued in the forest

 

The next pictures are concerning a very good sighting that I had in 2012 of an emblematic bird, the toco toucan. It shows very well its bill and its tongue Its bill is light (it has to be) and his tongue is frayed on each side and thus very sensitive. It was very relax, allowed me to take pictures when it was in its nest and also ouside of it on near branches.

 

 

Toco toucan (2014)

 

 

Crab-eating foxes (2007 and 2009)

 

[Alexander33]

@Alexander33

 

Thank you for your support and kind words.

Pantanal is completely different from Amazonia. In Pantanal, you can see, in one day, more than you saw, in 10 days, in Amazonia.

 

 

 

@ Bush dog

 

You are whetting my appetite. Clearly I need to do more research on the area, but it sounds like a fantastic experience. Apologies if I missed this before, but what kind of camera equipment do you typically use? (Your toucan photographs are wonderful).

Edited October 20, 2014 by Alexander33

[Thursday's Child]

This report is just a joy to follow- I'm running out of superlatives for your photographs.

[Bush dog]

@@Alexander33

 

The toucan pictures were taken in 2012. I used a Canon 500 mm + extender x1,4. With the Eos 7D that has not a full frame captor, it is equivalent to 1120 mm.

[Bush dog]

@@Thursday's Child

 

It is also a joy to receive such nice compliments. Thanks a lot.

[Bush dog]

Continued in the forest. These are the last pictures of Barranco Alto before continuing with some other places in the south and in the north.

 

Taken in 2014

 

Yellow-headed Caracara

 

 

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw feeding on mandovi nuts, their favorite food

 

Yellow-collared Macaw

 

 

Burrowing Owls

 

 

Red-footed Tortoise

 

 

Taken in 2012

 

This tapir was resting in the grass, at the edge of the forest. I think it was half asleep. I managed to approach it carefully and on the right side of the wind.

 

 

And last but not least, a rarity, the Pheasant Cuckoo, often heard, rarely seen. That day, I was with Fernando. He heard the call of the bird and he said « do you want to try to see it ». I said « yes, let’s try ». So we enter the forest and very quickly, there it was on low branches. Usually, it is deep in the forest on high thick foliage. We were extremely lucky. I just had the time to make about ten shots and it was gone. Back to the lodge, Lucas, a bit envious, told me that he had seen it only once in 12 years, without being able to take a decent picture. Last September, Carol told me, proudly, that she had seen one the month before.

 

 

[Game Warden]

@@Bush dog Really cracking photos. I love the study of the toco toucan. Matt.

[Bush dog]

@@Game Warden

 

Thanks. In fact, I was very lucky with the toucan. Those birds are very difficult to approach. Perhaps, it was the exception proving the rule?

[Treepol]

@@Bush dog fabulous photos of the toucan - the large orange bill and the blue eye are such an eye-catching combination.

 

Like the red-footed tortoise photo too and the nonchalent tapir.

[TonyQ]

@@Bush dog

I love the tortoise photo - down at its level, in its world. THe narrow depth of field works really well

[Bush dog]

@@Treepol

 

Thanks a lot, you are obviously not the only one to like the tortoise picture.

 

@@TonyQ

 

I love this picture also, I consider it to be the best one that I made in 2014.

[Bush dog]

My second choice in the south is

FAZENDA BAIA DAS PEDRAS

 

Baia das Pedras is located about 70 kilometers (3 to 4 hours by car) from Barranco Alto and bigger (17.000 hectares). They have about 7.000 cattle heads, much more than FBA (only 2.000) because they have proportionnally more grazing grounds but less lakes and pools.

 

The ranch buildings are along the « vazante do castelo ». It’s a vast flood plain that stretches from the rio Taquari to the rio Negro, and connect it at the level of Barra Mansa. It is filled with water in the rainy season and dries out in the dry season. It’s often completely dry at the end of July.

 

The rooms are about the same style as those of FBA and the food is good, but not as diversified as in FBA. Rita Jurgielewicz, the owner is a very dedicated person but does not speak english very well. So to go there, you need to be accompanied by, at least, a translator. Though, it was said to me that she is actually using the services of a good guide, Manoela.

 

They offer the same activities as FBA, but the water activities (fishing, canoeing and boating) are no more available when the level of the water in the vazante becomes shallow. It is an excellent place to see giant anteaters and they also have many pumas. It’s a better place than FBA for those interested in ranching activities, like rounding up of cattle. June is the best month for it. As FBA, it’s remote and pristine.

 

I went there in 2007 and 2009.

 

On the way to Baia das Pedras, Nine-banded Armadillo

 

 

Ranch buildings and the vazante do castelo in July

 

 

Jabiru

 

 

Pampas Deer

 

 

Red-legged Seriema

 

 

White-rumped Monjita

 

 

Yellow Armadillo

 

[Bush dog]

Continued on Baia das Pedras

 

Rounding up of the cattle for vaccination, counting and marking of the calves.

 

[michael-ibk]

Looks like an interesting place! Did you have a guide from the ranch there who spoke English, or did you come with your own guide?

[Bush dog]

@@michael-ibk

 

I came twice with my own english speaking guide. The first one was more a translator than a guide. The second was a good guide, a young woman, Manoela Bernardy. Last year before going to FBA, I went to other places with a good english speaking guide, an uruguayan, named Rodrigo.

[Bush dog]

Continued Baia das Pedras

 

Jabiru’s nest

 

 

South American Coati. I was at the foot of the tree and the coati on it, looking at me

 

 

This was my first great sighting of a giant anteater

 

 

Burrowing Owl

 

 

Solitary Sandpiper

 

 

Maguari Storck

 

[TonyQ]

@@Bush dog

 

It is very interesting to hear about Baia das Pedras.The Coati shot is great - and as for the baby anteater......

[Bush dog]

@@TonyQ

 

Thanks

 

I have been to other places in the southern part of Pantanal, but those did not meet all my expectations.

 

BARRA MANSA is only 30 minutes drive from FBA. It is a much more smaller property, but having access to the Rio Negro, so that they offer the same activities as FBA. Because of its size, there are less chances to see interesting wildlife. There is nothing really relevant to say against this place. I found this place unattractive, mainly because I felt no passion and no real love or attachment to the region from the management. The premises are not very nice and the food is ordinary. The owner speaks english. I was there last year.

 

Striated Heron

 

 

Cream-backed Woodpecker (not very common)

 

 

Burrowing Owl

 

 

Anhinga

 

 

Ringed Kingfisher

 

 

REFUGIO DA ILHA is in another part of southern Pantanal, close to Miranda. It’s a place I can recommend. They offer the same activities as the others. The rooms are small but cosy and comfortable. The owner is a real « cordon bleu » and her husband, a master of the BBQ. I was there more than 5 years ago. They and their guides were not speaking english, only their son did. But it might have changed. Their website is now also in english. In just a few days, I saw giant anteaters and a tapir crossing the river. The river Salobra, with its cristal clear waters, is just a few meters from the lodge. The boat trips are, in my opinion, the most interesting activity they offer. The river, in a first part, is narrow and have shallow waters. Because of the waters’ clarity, you can see the fishes and particularly the freshwater stingray. Then the river runs into a wide marshy area with a great bird life. Because of the shallow waters, that they are fond of, it’s known to be a good place to see anaconda. The only negative point is that it’s not a remote place. It’s close to the road network and easily accessible by normal cars. Because of that, it’s frequently visited by local families with noisy children and when you have to share a boat or a car with them, it can become a problem.

 

 

Least bittern ; very common in all America but obviously rare in the Pantanal. I remember my guide was sio excited to have seen it.

 

 

White-headed Marsh Tyrant

 

[Bush dog]

Continued

 

POUSADA AGUAPE is a big lodge with more than 20 rooms. I was there last year for 3 days. I did not see a lot on game drives and on the boat. 3 days are to short, of course, to have an objective and definitive opinion on this place. But I can say that for a big lodge, they are fairly flexible. The food is good and the rooms are, like in many places, « brazilian ». I did not make more photographs than those of birds fed by the kitchen.

 

Crested Oropendola

 

 

Plush-crested Jay

 

 

In the southern part of Pantanal, I met pessimistic owners, extremely concerned about the protection of the area. Some of them invest themselves, intensely, in the defence of the region, refusing to deforest and to increase their livestock, even creating their own natural reserves. They are afraid of the soja growers, the intensive stock breeding on parcels that become more and more smaller, and the charcoal industry. They know that they have some tiny chances to succeed to preserve the biodiversity and this magnificent environment by diversifying their activities. It is very important to maintain the indigenous population in the region and so avoid the rural depopulation. In this way, they support the creation of small bush schools and the employment of the pantaneiros’ wifes and daughters (cooks and housemaids) in the lodges they built.