2012

Alastair Rae's wonderful shots from the 2012 tour can be seen here

Karen Hargreave has kindly shared some of her amazing images from the Pantanal with us. Click here to see more on her Picasa page.

 

 

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Roger has just returned from the 2012 trip. The first few photographs are just coming in, including this superb adult and well-grown chick Harpy Eagle. (photos thanks to tour participant, Phil Jones)

  

 

 

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In August 2011 Roger visited South America's prime wetland, the Pantanal, in search of rare birds and elusive mammals. Highlights included three Jaguars, Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Brazilian Tapir and Ocelot, not to mention hundreds of bird species. Here are a few of Anne's pictures. More can be found on her Picasa site here

Jaguar cub swimming to join its mother

Southern Tamandua (tree anteater), and Hyacinth Macaws

Greater Rhea, Giant Otter and Capped Heron

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Kay Preston also sent us these photographs taken during our 2011 trip

Hyacinth Macaws at their roost site

Nacunda Nighthawk outside our hotel

Rufous Hornero, the original Ovenbird

Jabirus in the Pantanal can be very obliging

Capybara family, jaguar lunch!

the immaculate Pied Lapwing

 

Jaguar!

Capped Heron

 

Wood Storks are abundant here

Giant Otter eating piranha

 

A rare Marsh Deer stag crossing the river

On our way to Sunbittern

 

Blue-throated Piping Guan

 

Great Potoo at a daytime roost

Southern Caracara, with the full red flush to the face

 

Orange-backed Troupial glows in the trees

 

Boat-billed Heron

 

Amazon Kingfisher

 

Brown Capuchin

 

Grey-necked Woodrails are common and showy in the Pantanal

 

Our lodge at Pixaim

Donacobius

 

 

Rufescent Tiger Heron adult

 

Rufescent Tiger Heron immature

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PANTANAL 2007

Phil's photographs on this page were taken during Roger's Tour to Brazil. Phil joined the group as a client having heard how good it was and he was not disappointed .

This was our fifth trip to the country and it was the fifth tour that celebrated seeing Jaguar.

In addition, Phil stayed on for 2 weeks to recce new parts of the country. Roger had already done some exploratory visits and Paul will continue this reconnaissance work in December. This is in readiness for a different Brazil itinerary. There are some additional pictures from extension to wet your appetite.

 

We spotted a Giant Anteater in the Pantanal. It allowed us to get close views as long as we remained down-wind of its sensitive nose.

Later, Phil was able to spend time watching another digging for ants. By keeping silent, still and down-wind, the creature slowly approached to 2m, before Phil's nerve went and he retreated. These animals are said to be able to open up the chest of a man with their powerful claws.

 

The claws on this animal were about 2 inches long.

A family of Giant Otters were in the river in the Pantanal. They approached our boat too close to focus on at times!

 

This Tropical Screech Owl was one of a pair that called outside my bedroom!

 

 

 

Campo Flicker is a big ground-loving woodpecker that is common in dry open grasslands.

Aplomado Falcons are one of the smartest of raptors. This one moved from tree-to tree as we tried to pass it.

Immature Tiger Herons have a whacky crest that can be raised to threaten any stork that gets too close.

Male Snail Kites specialised in eating crabs on this visit rather than Apple Snails.

This Sun Bittern was bothered by a fly that kept landing on its bill as it tried to fish. After shaking the fly off a few times, it ate it allowing it to hunt in peace.

The Do-ype trees were in full flower along the road into the Pantanal.

Snail Kite

This American Pygmy Kingfisher had a mayfly on its bill.

Being a nightjar nut, Phil opted to try and get some flight shots of Nacunda Nighthawks, while others watched them from the shade by the pool.

Jacanas were tiny compared to the giant water-lilies.

This Ringed Kingfisher watched from one of the less 'solid' bridges in the Pantanal.

Hyacinth Macaw is one of the star attractions here.

These Nunbirds were singing in a chorus together, while swinging on the branch.

This Jaguar was hiding beneath a tree enjoying the shade above the river.

It was probably waiting for a quiet moment to swim across the water, as it moved along the bank beside our boat rather than retreating into the jungle.

 

 

After a while it sat down by the bank again to watch the tourists pass by.

More Nacunda Nighthawks. These birds feed over the open waters and grasslands of the Pantanal.