OUR GROUP, IN FRONT OF THE TRANSPANTANEIRA "HIGHWAY" SIGN ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 22, 2023. FROM L TO R: ME, NEIL, SUZY, JEFF PARKER, DALE, MICHAEL, AND LICO MARQUES, OUR GUIDE.

Part Four

Jaguars Of The Pantanal

 

Prologue…


Welcome to Part Four of my blog about my August 2023 trip to Brazil with a Jeff Parker tour.  Part One of my blog covers the first six days (August 15-20, 2023) of my trip which were spent in the Amazon Basin region of Brazil in search of Harpy Eagles.  Part Two of my blog tells the story of a day I spent on my own discovering birds and culture of Cuiabá on August 21, 2023.  Part Three of my blog covers the time we spent at two lodges in the Pantanal, Fazenda Santa Tereza (August 22-23, 2023) and Fazenda Pouso Alegre (August 29-31,  2023).  This final blog covers the five days (August 24-28, 2023) we spent at the Southwild Flotel & Jaguar Suites (Jaguar Flotel) on the Picuiri River while we looked for Jaguars and explored the rivers and back channels in the area.  I hope you enjoy reading about our experiences on this amazing trip!

 

Heading to the Jaguar Flotel, Thursday,  August 24, 2023…


I was up early on the morning of Thursday, August 24, 2023 for one last stroll around the beautiful grounds at Fazenda Santa Tereza.  During my walk, in addition to saying goodbye to old friends like the White-tipped Dove, Gayish Baywing, and the gregarious Yellow-beaked Cardinal, I was rewarded with a visit with a new bird, the Picazuro Pigeon.  We had a quick breakfast, said hello to our new driver Gabriel, and loaded up for our drive down to Porto Jofre.  

CROSSING OVER ONE OF THE MANY WOODEN BRIDGES ON THE TRANSPANTANEIRA HIGHWAY ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 24, 2023, BOUND FOR THE JAGUAR FLOTEL.

We spent the morning on the Transpantaneira Highway headed south, making frequent stops to watch birds and wildlife.  It was a beautiful morning, and I was delighted to see many birds, highlighted by a Jabiru nest with nestlings, a Capybara surounded by Caiman, and six new species of birds:  Southern Screamer, Capped Heron, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Hyacinth Macaw, Sun Bittern, and Maguari Stork. A wonderful  morning indeed!

WHILE I ENJOYED THE JABIRU NEST AT FAZENDA SANTA TEREZA, I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE THIS ONE WITH LITTLE ONES ON THE TRANSPANTANEIRA HIGHWAY.
THIS CAPYBARA SEEMED UNCONCERNED THAT HE WAS LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY CAIMAN!
WHAT AN AMAZING SIGHT! TWO CAPPED HERONS ALONG THE TRANSPANTANEIRA HIGHWAY ON THE WAY TO THE JAGUAR FLOTEL.
THIS SUN BITTERN WAS A NEW BIRD FOR ME!
A BRIGHTLY COLORED SCARLET-HEADED BLACKBIRD.
THE LAST NEW SPECIES I WATCHED ON THE DRIVE DOWN TO PORTO JOFRE...A MAJESTIC MAGUARI STORK.
A BEAUTIFUL GREAT BLACK HAWK PERCHED NEAR THE TRANSPANTANEIRA HIGHWAY.
WE GOT A GLIMPSE OF THIS HYACINTH MACAW, PERCHED HIGH ABOVE THE HIGHWAY. WE WOULD SEE MANY MORE WHILE STAYING AT THE JAGUAR FLOTEL!

We arrived at the Southwild Dock in Porto Jofre a little after 11:00 a.m. that morning.  In short order our belongings were loaded onto a boat and we were headed northeast on the Rio São Lourenço.  After about twenty minutes cruising on this beautiful river, we turned onto the Rio Piquiri River, headed for the Jaguar Flotel.  After about another ten minutes, our destination was in view.

WE ARRIVE IN PORTO JOFRE AND BEGIN TRANSFERING OUR LUGGAGE TO A BOAT.
OUR BOAT MOORED AT THE SOUTHWILD DOCK IN PORTO JOFRE.
I WAS EXCITED TO FINALLY BE IN JAGUAR COUNTRY!
WE GET A LOOK AT OUR HOME FOR THE NEXT FIVE NIGHTS, THE ONE AND ONLY JAGUAR FLOTEL.

Getting Settled Into the One and Only Jaguar Flotel…

We arrived at the Jaguar Flotel and were immediately assigned our rooms.  I was assigned room #6, which faced the shore side of the boat.  The room was pretty basic, but was very comfortable and functional over the course of the next five days.  

ROOM NUMBER 6, MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE AMAZING WORLD KNOWN AS THE JAGUAR FLOTEL.
MY BED WAS ALWAYS A WELCOME SIGHT AFTER A LONG DAY ON THE WATER.
MY ROOM ON THE JAGUAR FLOTEL WAS SPARSELY DECORATED, BUT QUITE FUNCTIONAL AND VERY COMFORTABLE FOR THIS OLD MAN.
AS IS MY CUSTOM, A SHOT OF MY BATHROOM. NOT VERY LARGE, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT ON A BOAT, AND CLEAN AS A WHISTLE.

What is Hugh Grant Doing Out Here?!  Meet Xavier (Xavi) Tobin, Naturalist…


After depositing our gear in our respective rooms, we met in the large meeting room adjacent to the dining hall on the upper level of the Flotel.  This meeting room is also a library, and in one corner you find the desk of Xavier (Xavi) Tobin, the Naturalist who was working this season.  Xavi, who immediately reminded me of Hugh Grant, gave us an orientation briefing, explaining, among other things, safety regulations, scheduling of daily boat trips to look for wildlife, and Southwild’s efforts to protect and document the wild Jaguars in the region.  Xavi was possessed of boundless enthusiasm, energy, and knowledge of all the living creatures we expected to encounter during our visit.  Xavi gave nightly lectures after dinner, and he informed us that tonight’s presentation would be on the Giant Otter.  Xavi was a delight to get to know, and was such an encouraging and patient fellow–  he answered all of my sometimes stupid questions over the next 6 days with a scholarly flair and detailed facts.  It was such a pleasure, Xavi!

XAVIER TOBIN, SOUTHWILD NATURALIST, AT HIS DESK SHORTLY BEFORE OUR ORIENTATION LECTURE.
XAVI EXPLAINING THE MAZE OF RIVERS AND CHANNELS WE WOULD BE EXPLORING OVER THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
XAVI AND SOUTHWILD MAINTAIN A LARGE DATABASE CONSISTING OF OVER 230 INDIVIDUAL JAGUARS. THEY RECORD IDENTIFYING MARKINGS, LOCATION, MOVEMENT, AND LINEAGE, AMONG OTHER THINGS. THE NAME EACH JAGUAR, AND SOME ARE LIKE OLD FRIENDS!

After Xavi’s excellent orientation presentation, we went next door for lunch.  Jeff asked us to meet at 2:00 p.m. to depart on our first boat ride and hopefully our first Jaguar sighting.  Excitement was certainly in the air!

JEFF AND LICO AT THE LUNCH BUFFET AFTER OUR ORIENTATION LECTURE.
HEADING OUT ON OUR VERY FIRST BOAT EXCURSION FROM THE JAGUAR FLOTEL ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 24, 2023.

Learning the Boat Routines and Meeting Our First Named Jaguar, Ginger!


As we set out that afternoon, we soon learned that all of the boats were equipped with radios and if they spotted a Jaguar, they radioed the other boats with the location of the sighting.  Once we got word of a sighting, we would make a mad dash for the location and start jockeying for a position where we could watch and photograph the Jaguar.  Otherwise we would cruise along the shorelines looking for wildlife.  The waterways were quite confusing at first, but toward the end of our stay we had a much better grasp of the different rivers and channels.  

About 45 minutes after we left the Flotel, we received word of a sighting.  We dashed over to the site and found that the Jaguar was mostly hidden under an overhang on the bank.  We stuck around for a while, never getting a good enough view to see the head of the animal.  The view was so poor that we could not identify the animal.

OUR VIEW AS WE APPROACHED THE AREA WHERE AN UNIDENTIFIED JAG WAS MOSTLY HIDDEN IN A CAVITY UNDER A BANK OVERHANG.
THE BEST PHOTO I GOT OF THE PARTIALLY HIDDEN AND UNIDENTIFIED JAGUAR. NOT A PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE FIRST SIGHTING!

As we cruised around after our first sighting, we saw lots of wildlife, including Caiman, several Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys (both male and female), a beautiful Laughing Falcon, and several Capybara.

A LARGE CAIMAN SUNNING HIMSELF ALONG THE RIVER BANK.
A MALE HOWLER MONKEY THAT WE WATCHED.
THIS FEMALE HOWLER MONKEY WAS VERY NEAR THE MALE IN THE PHOTO ABOVE.
THE LAUGHING FALCON THAT WE WATCHED DURING OUR FIRST BOAT EXCURSION.
A COUPLE OF THE MANY CAPYBARA THAT WE SAW THAT AFTERNOON.

Just when I thought we were not going to get a decent look at a Jaguar on our first day, our guide Liko spotted a Jaguar walking along the river bank in high, dense brush.  Liko was able to identify the Jaguar as a female named Ginger, who, Liko told us, is a sister of Amber.  While we didn’t get any completely open looks at the animal, we did get a number of partial looks.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO GINGER!
YOURS TRULY, SHORTLY AFTER WE LOST SIGHT OF GINGER IN THE HEAVY BRUSH ALONG THE RIVER.

After we lost sight of Ginger we did some more exploring, finding nothing of note.  We headed back to the Flotel, arriving just before the sun set.  We freshened up before having a nice dinner, then attended Xavi’s evening science lecture.  The Giant Otter was the subject of the lecture and I found it very interesting and entertaining.  To see a gallery of some of my photos of the Giant Otter, as well as my notes from Xavi’s lecture, look here.  After the lecture I was ready to hit the sack, where I slept like a log!

THE SUN WAS SETTING AS WE HEADED BACK TO THE FLOTEL AFTER OUR SIGHTING OF GINGER.

Friday, August 25, 2023, Our First Full Day on the Water…


We got an early start on this day, leaving the Flotel at 5:45 a.m.  Jeff Parker liked to get an early start so that we would be in position to see and photograph wildlife at first light.  In short order we saw a Great Potoo, already fast asleep high up in a tree.  This unusual bird, which was new to me, was so cleverly camouflaged that I would have never seen it on my own.  Thank you Liko, guide extraordianire!

WE QUICKLY GOT USED TO BEING WELL UNDER WAY AS THE SUN WAS JUST COMING UP.
THE CLEVERLY CAMOUFLAGED GREAT POTOO THAT WE WATCHED.

Around 6:45 a.m. we heard a report of a sighting on the Rio Cuiabá, about twenty minutes away.  We raced to the location and a little after 7:00 a.m. we got our first look at a female named Ryan, who was laid out fast asleep on the river bank.  We ended up watching her for about an hour, when she woke up and headed into the trees.  One of the other boats reportedly saw her two cubs, but they did not make an appearance while we were there.  A great way to start the day, none-the-less!

WHEN WE ARRIVED RYAN WAS SLEEPING PEACEFULLY ON THE BANK, OBLIVIOUS TO SEVERAL BOATS FULL OF ADMIRERS.
RYAN WAS SOUND ASLEEP FOR MOST OF THE TIME WE WATCHED HER.
WAKING UP WITH A HUGE YAWN AND A STRETCH.
AFTER SHE WOKE UP, RYAN TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO LOOK AROUND.
AND INTO THE WOODS SHE GOES!

After Ryan woke up and made her exit,  Jeff and Liko suggested we move several hundred yards down the river and wait some more.  The idea being that we might see Ryan and her cubs making their way down in the river bank in search of breakfast.  We waited patiently, but mama and her cubs were nowhere to be seen.  We started cruising around and before long we encountered Ginger strolling on the beach.  What a pleasure it was to watch this elegant animal make her way along the shoreline and beaches.  Beautiful! 

LIKO, DILIGENTLY LOOKING FOR RYAN AND HER CUBS. IT WAS AMAZING HOW FOCUSED LIKO WAS ON THE WILDLIFE ALONG THE RIVERS.
OUR FIRST LOOK AT GINGER, ON THE BEACH.
GINGER MAKING HER WAY ALONG THE SHORE BETWEEN OPEN BEACH AREAS.
GINGER WAS WELL AWARE OF HER SURROUNDINGS, AND CONSTANTLY ON GUARD.
JEFF KEEPING WATCH AS WE POSITION OUR BOAT TO GET THE BEST VIEWS OF GINGER ON THE BEACH.
GINGER, PAUSING FOR A DRINK OF WATER.
ONE OF OUR LAST LOOKS AT GINGER, JUST BEFORE SHE CLIMBED THE BANK AND HEADED INTO THE WOODS.

After a great time watching Ginger, we headed back to the Flotel for lunch.  On the way we saw a beautiful Capped Heron, and paused to watch a cute Hooded Capuchin Monkey drinking at the shore’s edge.

THE STUNNING CAPPED HERON WE WATCHED ON THE WAY BACK TO THE FLOTEL.
THIS CHARMING CAPUCHIN MADE A GAME OF DARTING DOWN TO THE RIVER TO DRINK, THEN RUNNING BACK HIS PERCH ON A LOG.

After lunch and a little rest, we were ready for our afternoon cruise.  We left the Flotel about 2:30, and in short order we spotted a Jaguar in high brush far from the river bank, so far that Liko could not identify the animal.  A short time later, we saw a female named Stella, the sighting was very brief I was only able to get one half-way decent photograph.  That was it for the afternoon when it came to Jaguars.  We spent the rest of the afternoon cruising around and saw lots of birds, four species of which were new to me:  Boat-billed Heron, Black-capped Donacobius, Plumbeous Ibis, and Gray-fronted Dove.  The real stars of this afternoon were the Giant Otters.  We saw a number of them and followed one family group back to their den.  The den was well hidden, but the nearby latrine was in the open and clearly visible.  I got a number of decent photographs of the Otters catching and eating fish.  Here are a few photos from this afternoon.  

LIKO AND ME, READY FOR OUR AFTERNOON ON THE BOAT. LIKO WAS ALWAYS VERY PUNCTUAL, VERY COURTEOUS, AND VERY HAPPY!
WHEN IT CAME TO JAGUARS, THE PICKINGS WERE PRETTY SLIM ON OUR AFTERNOON BOAT TRIP. THIS IS STELLA, AND THIS IS THE ONLY SHOT I GOT OF HER. WE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF ANOTHER JAGUAR, BUT IT WAS TO FAR AWAY TO IDENTIFY OR PHOTOGRAPH.
THE BEAUTIFUL BOAT-BILLED HERON THAT WE SAW IN FLIGHT THE EARLY AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 25, 2023.
THE BLACK-CAPPED DONACOBIUS THAT WE SAW ON THE AFTERNOON BOAT TRIP.
THE THREE JUVENILE PLUMBEOUS IBIS THAT WE SPOTTED HIGH UP ON A SNAG.

Here are some pictures of the Giant Otters that entertained us for most of the afternoon, as they noisily fished, ate, played, and fought.  Never a dull moment with them around!

LOOK AT THE HANDS ON THIS GIANT OTTER!
IT WAS AMAZING HOW QUICKLY THEY COULD CATCH AND DEVOUR FISH.
SOME OF THE OTTERS WOULD USE TREE LIMBS IN THE WATER TO BRACE THE FISH WHILE THEY ATE THEM.
THE FISH IN THIS OTTER'S MOUTH IS A BARRED SORUBIM, WHICH SEEMED TO BE A FAVORITE.
AFTER THIS SMALL GROUP SWAM TO THE AREA IN FRONT OF THEIR DEN, THEY HAD SOME "TOGETHER" TIME.
THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE LATRINE (LOCATED IN THE TOP CENTER OF THE PHOTO, TO THE LEFT OF THE WASTE TRAIL) LOCATED NEAR THE DEN OF THE OTTERS WE FOLLOWED.

The sun was almost set by the time we made it back to the Flotel.  After dinner we enjoyed another science lecture by Xavi.  The topic this night was the Capybara.  To see my notes from Xavi’s lecture, and a Capybara Gallery, look here. 

EJOYING A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET AS WE HEAD BACK TO THE FLOTEL ON THE EARLY EVENING OF AUGUST 25, 2023.

Saturday, August 26, 2023, A Jaguar Extravaganza!


Our group was now comfortably settled into the daily routine of life on board the Jaguar Flotel.  After an early breakfast, we were once again on the water at the crack of dawn, leaving the Flotel at 5:50 a.m.

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE IN THE PANTANAL!
I THINK OUR FEARLESS LEADER IS IN HIS HAPPY PLACE! I AM GRATEFUL I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE BRAZIL WITH JEFF PARKER!

Shortly after we left the Flotel, we received word of a Jaguar sighting. Twenty minutes later we were sitting watching Stella, who was stretched out on a limb out over the water.  We were amazingly close, and it was an almost surreal experience!  We spent the next hour and a half watching as Stella relaxed, changed limbs, and eventually jumped down onto the bank and disappeared into the forest.  An outstanding way to begin our day!

I TOOK THIS PHOTO WITH MY CELL PHONE TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO STELLA. IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET!
MOST OF THE TIME WE WATCHED HER, STELLA WAS ASLEEP, OR VERY RELAXED ON HER LIMB.
EVERY SO OFTEN, STELLA WOULD PERK UP AND SURVEY HER SURROUNDINGS. MY GUESS IS SHE WAS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A BREAKFAST OF CAIMAN OR GIANT OTTER.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GIRL!
AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, STELLA GOT UP AND MOVED TO A DIFFERENT LIMB ON THE OTHER SIDE OFTHE THE TREE.
STELLA RESTED IN THIS SPOT FOR A WHILE, THEN JUMPED DOWN AND HEADED INTO THE WOODS OUT OF OUR SIGHT. THANK YOU STELLA!

If you would like to see more photos of Stella (and the other Jaguars I met on this trip) click here to go to my Jaguar Gallery. 

After Stella took her leave, we headed toward another sighting.  We arrived too late and the Jaguar was already gone. Almost immediately we got word of another sighting and this time we were in luck.  We arrived to find Ofelia, lazily eating grass and leaves at the river’s edge. 

OFELIA WAS EATING LEAVES ON THE RIVER'S EDGE. JAGUARS ARE MEAT EATERS, BUT EAT GRASS AND LEAVES FOR FIBER AND DIGESTION PURPOSES.
OFELIA IS A YOUNG JAGUAR, ONE OF RYAN'S CUBS.
AS OFELIA LEFT THE RIVER'S EDGE, YOU CAN SEE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO SEE THE ANIMALS ONCE THEY ARE IN THE TALL WEEDS. THEY BLEND IN QUITE WELL!

After we moved on from watching Ofelia, we had a little lull in the action.  But before we knew it, Liko had spotted a Jaguar swimming across the river. Turns out it was a female named Patricia.  We watched as the she made it to the other side and climbed on shore.  What transpired next was almost magical.  Our boat driver, under Liko’s expert direction, positioned us so that we got to watch Patricia walk almost directly toward us on a sandy beach area.  We watched her as she made her way from open beach to open beach, providing us with excellent looks over an extended period of time.  This was by far my favorite sighting of this day!  Below are a few of the photos I took of Patricia.  To see more photos of her from that morning, look at my Jaguar Gallery. 

WHEN WE FIRST SAW HER, PATRICIA WAS SWIMMING ACROSS THE RIVER, AT A VERY WIDE SPOT. IT TOOK HER A WHILE TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
AFTER SHE GOT OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, PATRICIA BEGAN WALKING ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RIVER, CROSSING A SERIES OF OPEN, SANDY AREAS. THIS PROVIDED US WITH SOME OUTSTANDING VIEWS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL.
PATRICIA KEPT MOVING SLOWLY ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RIVER, NEVER STOPPING TO REST.
WE GOT MANY HEAD-ON LOOKS AT PATRICIA.
ONE FINAL SHOT OF PATRICIA, ON THE BEACH. THANK YOU PATRICIA, FOR A GREAT SHOW!
I MISSPOKE, THIS IS THE FINAL PICTURE OF THE ELEGANT PATRICIA.
WE WERE NEAR THIS BOAT JUST AS WE SPOTTED PATRICIA SWIMMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS GOING ON HERE??!

We saw one more Jaguar  that morning before heading back to the Flotel for lunch– a large 3 year old male named Shy.  As a matter of fact, Shy is Patricia’s son.  Anyway, Shy lived up to his name and remained in an area that did not provide any clear views.  The photo below is the best I could manage.  

SHY SEEMED QUITE CONTENT TO RELAX IN HIS COZY LITTLE AREA, SURROUNDED BY BUSHES AND SMALL TREES.

After spending some time with Shy we headed back to the Flotel for our mid-day break.  It had been a very productive and enjoyable morning!  I think my shutter finger was just about worn out.  After a nice lunch and a little down time, we headed back out on the water at 3:00 p.m.  In short order we found Juliet, sister of Ofelia and daughter of Ryan.  She was very cooperative, parked in the open on a high bank.  We watched her until she was distracted by a Brazilian Guinea Pig!

QUEEN JULIET AND HER COURT.
JULIET WAS MORE THAN COOPERATIVE. SHE POSED LIKE A PROFESSIONAL MODEL! HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WILD ANIMAL.
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL GIRL!
NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD!

After we finished watching Juliet, we started cruising around and wound up in a channel that was very birdy.  We ended up spending the rest of the afternoon in this area and saw a lot of birds including good looks at a Boat-billed Heron and a pair of fiesty Ringed Kingfishers.  I also met three birds that were new to me: a Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, a White Woodpecker and a Greater Ani.  It turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon in a beautiful area of the Pantanal.

JUST AS WE ENTERED THE SMALLER CHANNEL, THIS COCOI HERON FLEW BY.
THE MALE MEMBER OF THE PAIR OF RINGED KINGFISHERS THAT WE WATCHED THAT AFTERNOON.
I WAS DELIGHTED TO WATCH AND PHOTOGRAPH THIS BOAT-BILLED HERON. PREVIOUSLY I HAD ONLY SEEN THIS BIRD IN FLIGHT.
IT WAS HARD TO MISS THIS BRIGHTLY COLORED GREEN-AND-RUFOUS KINGFISHER.
I AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO ADD A NEW WOODPECKER TO MY LIFE LIST. SUCH WAS THE CASE WITH THIS WHITE WOODPECKER THAT I SAW THAT AFTERNOON.

What an enjoyable day this was!  Lots of Jaguars in the morning, and lots of birds in the afternoon– a great mix.  We returned to the Flotel for dinner and our nightly science lecture from Xavi.  This evening he spoke to us about the Jaguar.  To see my notes from Xavi’s lecture as well as my Jaguar Galleries, look here. 

Sunday, August 27, 2023–  Two New Cubs and Hyacinth Macaws

 

It was a beautiful morning as we set out from the Jaguar Flotel, headed upstream for the Piquiri Lodge, which is home to a large number of Hyacinth Macaws.  But a short time after leaving the lodge we ran into Carmen who was lounging on a shelf halfway up the steep river bank. 

LIKO GREETS THE SUNRISE ON THE MORNING OF SUNDAY, AUGUST 27. 2023. THIS YOUNG WAS ALWAYS EARLY, ALWAYS SMILING, AND ALWAYS A JOY TO BE AROUND!
CARMEN, AS SEEN IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT ON THE PICUIRI RIVER, UPSTREAM FROM THE JAGUAR FLOTEL.

We watched Camern for a few minutes, then she began to move along the shelf of the river bank.  She settled behind some brush, and we decided to continue our journey to the Piquiri Lodge upstream.  Here is a little video I made of Carmen as she walked along the river bank and settled behind the brush pile. 

Shortly after we finished watching Carmen we encountered several birds, the most notable being a beautiful Sun Bittern, and, to my delight, I manged to get what Jeff Parker called “the money shot”– a photo of the top of the wings showing the design that gives the bird its name.  

SUN BITTERN IN FLIGHT.
AS THE SUN BITTERN STARTED TO LAND, I MANAGED TO GET A "MONEY SHOT">
SUN BITTERN STANDING ON THE SHORE AFTER LANDING AND PUTTING ON AN IN FLIGHT DISPLAY FOR US.

Meeting Katniss and Her Two Cubs, the Highlight of Our Pantanal Experience…


As we said goodbye to Carmen and the Sun Bittern, and once again headed upstream toward the Piquiri Lodge,  little did we know that we were about to experience the highlight of our time looking for Jaguars.  About 25 minutes after we left Carmen, Suzy spotted another Jaguar, who turned out to be a female named Katniss.  In short order Liko spotted not one, but two cubs.  For the next hour we watched this threesome, and it was a joy!

ONE OF MY FIRST LOOKS AT KATNISS. WE ASSUMED SHE WAS BY HERSELF, BUT WE WERE IN FOR A BIG SURPRISE!
MY FIRST LOOK AT ONE OF THE CUBS. THE CUBS WERE NEVER FAR FROM THEIR MOTHER, BUT AT FIRST WERE HANGING BACK IN THE SHADOWS.
THIS PHOTO SHOWS KATNISS (ON THE LEFT) AND THE FIRST CUB WE SAW, ON THE RIGHT.
ONE CUB JOINS KATNISS...
...THEN BOTH CUBS JOINED THEIR MOTHER. WE WERE SO EXCITED!

As we watched Katniss and her cubs slowly make their way along the river bank (in a loose group) we suddenly noticed Katniss become very alert, as she stalked a Caiman.  The Caiman was at the river’s edge below the bank, and we watched Katniss slowly make her way closer and closer.  Something alerted the Caiman and it left the scene in haste, with a big splash.  The hunt was over!  We watched Katniss and her cubs for about an hour as they gradually moved out of our view.  To see more of my photos of this memorable sighting, go to my Jaguar Gallery. 

YOU CAN SEE THE SPLASH IN THE LOWER LEFT OF THIS PHOTO AS THE CAIMAN KATNISS WAS STALKING MAKES A HASTY RETREAT.
KATNISS AND ONE OF HER OFFSPRING.
THE CUBS WERE NEVER FAR FROM THEIR MOTHER.
ONE FINAL PHOTO OF KATNISS AND ONE OF HER CUBS. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES KATNISS!

After enjoying our quality time with Katniss and experiencing the excitement of two cubs that had never been seen before, we headed for Piquiri Lodge and the more mundane task of watching Hyacinth Macaws. We arrived at the Lodge a little before 9:00 a.m. and spent about an hour exploring the grounds and looking at birds.  There was a large flock of boisterous Macaws that kept us entertained.   I also enjoyed watching a Great Horned Owl, and saw a pair of Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, a new species for me!

THE REMOTE PIQUIRI LODGE DID NOT HAVE A DOCK. HERE IS LIKO HELPING DALE ONTO THE BEACH IN FRONT OF THE LODGE.
DALE POSING BY THE ONLY SIGN AT THIS REMOTE AND BARE-BONES LODGE, DEEP IN THE HEART OF THE WILDS OF THE PANTANAL.
ONE OF THE MAJESTIC HYACINTH MACAWS I WATCHED AT THE PIQUIRI LODGE ON AUGUST 27, 2023.
THE MAINSTAY OF A HYACINTH MACAW'S DIET ARE NUTS FROM PALM TREES. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF THE MACAWS EATING SOME OF THESE NUTS.
I WAS ABLE TO GET A FEW SHOTS OF THE MACAWS IN FLIGHT.
ONE MORE SHOT OF A COUPLE OF THE HYACINTH MACAWS I WATCHED AT PIQUIRI LODGE.

After a very entertaining and enjoyable visit to the Piquiri Lodge, we headed back to the Flotel for lunch and our mid-day break.  While we saw lots of birds and other creatures during the trip back, there was nothing extraordinary.  We did see, and watch for a while, Katniss.  But there was no sign of her cubs.  Perhaps sleeping in the shade somewhere nearby?  Anyway, we made it back to the Flotel safe and sound, feeling exhilerated about our morning’s adventures, especially seeing the two cubs that Liko believed had never been reported before. 

WE SAW THE BEAUTIFUL KATNISS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ONE DAY ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE PIQUIRI LODGE. NO SIGN OF THE CUBS, HOWEVER!

A VIP Joins Us For the Afternoon…


After a filling lunch and a brief rest, it was time to head out again.  We were delighted to be joined by Xavi Tobin.  He had been told about (and shown pictures of) our sighting of Katniss and her two cubs, and wanted to accompany us to see if he could see them for himself.  It was not to be, as the only sighting of Jaguar was a very brief glimpse of Olivia.  When we saw her, she was swimming, then climbed out onto the bank and quickly disappeared into the brush.  But our afternoon was filled with lots of birds.  None of them were new to me, but I enjoyed some good looks and took lots of pictures. 

XAVI SUITED UP IN A LIFE JACKET PREPARING FOR OUR AFTERNOON CRUISE.
THE ONLY JAGUAR WE SAW THAT AFTERNOON WAS OLIVIA. THE ONLY PHOTOS I GOT WERE OF HER SWIMMING, AS SHE SCURRIED INTO HEAVY BRUSH AS SOON AS SHE EXITED THE RIVER.
WE STUMBLED UPON A WHITE WOODPECKER NEST AND WERE ENTERTAINED BY SEVERAL ACTIVE WOODPECKERS.
THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE AFTERNOON-- A BABY HERON CHICK ADORNED WITH FLUFFY WHITE DOWNY FEATHERS. SO CUTE!
OUR VIP GUEST XAVIER TOBIN, SOUTHWILD NATURALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE.
SPEAKING OF EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, OUR TOUR LEADER JEFF PARKER. I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING MORE TRIPS WITH JEFF IN THE FUTURE!
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DON'T MENTION ONCE AGAIN WHAT AN OUTSTANDING JOB OUR SOUTHWILD GUIDE DID. THANK YOU LIKO!
ONE FINAL PIC FROM OUR AFTERNOON BOAT RIDE-- A KINGFISHER WITH HIS DINNER.

We had dinner after our very full and fruitful day.  After dinner we attended Xavi’s lecture.  His topic this night was Caimin.  For my notes from his presentation, look here.

XAVI, ABOUT TO BEGIN HIS LECTURE ON THE CAIMAN. SUCH A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG ENGLISHMAN!

Monday, August 28, 2023, Our Last Day at the Jaguar Flotel…


As was our established pattern, we left the Flotel before 6:00 a.m. and headed for one of Jeff’s favorite spots, St. Peter’s Channel.  We saw an amazing variety of birds and a large iguana.  A little after 10:00 a.m. Liko received word of a Jaguar sighting so we headed out.  When we reached the area, we saw a Jaguar (who turned out to be none other than Patricia) swimming in the river.  We watched her for well over an hour, as she swam and walked the beaches.  A wonderful way to spend the latter part of our morning.  After our time with Patricia, we headed back to the Flotel for lunch and our mid-day break.  Here are a few photos from our morning boat excursion. 

I DON'T THINK I COULD EVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING THE SUN RISE OVER THE PIQUIRI RIVER AT THE JAGUAR FLOTEL.
ONE OF THE FIRST BIRDS WE SAW THAT MORNING WAS THIS HERON, WHO HAD JUST CAUGHT BREAKFAST.
WE SAW A CLUSTER OF YELLOW-RUMPED CACIQUE NESTS WITH SEVERAL OF THE BIRDS WORKING ON THE NESTS. HERE IS ONE OF THE BIRDS WE WATCHED.
THIS FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL WAS PERCHED HIGH IN A TREE.
lINEATED WOODPECKER IN FLIGHT ABOVE ST. PETER'S CHANNEL.
WE ENJOYED WATCHING THIS LARGE GREEN IGUANA. HE WAS VERY COOPERATIVE AND VERY CLOSE TO OUR BOAT.
YOURS TRULY, ON MY LAST MORNING OF PROWLING THE PANTANAL.

Here are a few of the photos I took of Patricia.  I had a hard time picking out which ones to post–  she provided us with so many good looks!

WHEN WE FIRST SAW PATRICIA, SHE WAS SWIMMING CLOSE TO THE RIVER'S EDGE.
IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE SHE STARTED TO GET OUT OF THE WATER.
PATRICIA WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WALKING OUT IN THE OPEN ALONG THE BEACH. SUCH A MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL!
BACK IN THE WATER SWIMMING AGAIN.
STOPPING FOR A DRINK.
ONE LAST PHOTO OF PATRICIA, ON THE PROWL.

Here are a couple of short videos I made that afternoon while we watched Patricia.  The first video simply shows her swimming, while the second video illustrates how she makes her way from beach to beach through the brush. 

We got back to the Flotel and headed up to the dining room for lunch.  During lunch Xavi came by our table and announced that he had finished researching the two cubs that we had seen with Katniss, and that they, in fact, had never been seen and recorded before.  As such, we had the honor and priviledge to name them.  Xavi suggested that we meet that evening after his lecture to decide what the two cubs should be named.   After lunch we rested for a while and then it was time for our last boat ride.

We headed out for one last boat ride a little after 2:00 p.m.  In short order we came across none other than our young friend Shy.  Fortunately, on the occasion of this meeting, Shy was not so shy.  If you recall, when we met him for the first time, he barely moved from his chosen spot, which was surrounded by brush and under a tree, making it very difficult to get a good look at him.  This time he was out in the open and in the water, and gave us a number of opportunities to see him well.  Here are a few of the photos I took of Shy that afternoon. 

A LARGE PART OF THE TIME WE WATCHED SHY ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 28, 2023, HE WAS IN THE WATER.
SHY, SPLASHING WATER WITH HIS TAIL.
SHY, AN OUTSTANDNG EXAMPLE OF A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MALE JAGUAR.

After we finished watching Shy, we headed over to Black Channel, which was one of my favorite areas to visit.  As we were slowly cruising along, we came across Stella, sitting peacefully on the bank.  The light was perfect and Stella was a willing and cooperative subject.  It was a perfect way to end my time in the wilds of the Pantanal!

STELLA, SITTING PRETTY. I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PHOTOS I TOOK IN THE PANTANAL...PERFECT LIGHT, PERFECT SUBJECT!
AFTER WE HAD BEEN WATCHING HER FOR QUITE A WHILE, STELLA DECIDED TO COOL OFF IN THE WATER.
STELLA, TAKING A DRINK.
JEFF TUCKER ENJOYING THE BLACK CHANNEL IN THE PANTANAL. THAT IS LIKO IN THE BACKGROUND, EVER ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR US TO SEE!

We returned to the Flotel, then freshened up a bit before dinner.  After dinner, we attended another excellent lecture by Xavi on the Hyacinth Macaw (you can see my notes here).  After the lecture was over we met with Xavi to name the two cubs from Katniss that we had discovered the day before.  We each provided a proposed male name and a proposed female name for the two cubs.  Xavi asked that we try to keep the name simple, so that when the guides would use the radio to announce a sighting, the names of the Jaguars would be easy to pronounce, and understand.  We turned in our names to Xavi, then took a vote.  I was grateful that my two female names were chosen.  I proposed Molly, to honor my late sister Molly Mountjoy McCoppin, and  I proposed Lucy, to honor my sweet granddaughter, Lucy Lang.  At some point Xavi (or his successor) will be able to identify the sex of the cubs and will give them each the name our group picked.  What a cool experience!  That night, I was tired as I packed up my things, preparing for our departure early the next morning.  But I was filled with gratitude and awe, for the beautiful creatures (human and non-human) that I was blessed to encounter in the Pantanal. 

XAVI GIVING HIS LAST LECTURE OF OUR STAY, ON THE HYACINTH MACAW.
XAVI'S FACEBOOK POST PROUDLY ANNOUNCING OUR DISCOVERY AND NAMING OF KATNISS'S TWO CUBS.


Final Bird Count For Brazil Trip:

Count at Start of Trip:  488

Number of New Species Seen at Flotel: 10

Total Number of New Species Seen In Brazil:  34

Final New Total:  522

 

A Sidenote:  The Houston Zoo and the Pantanal…


Our last day on the water in the Pantanal, I was a little surprized to see a boat that was decorated with a large “Houston Zoo” logo.  What was this doing in this remote area of Brazil?

THE HOUSTON ZOO LOGO I ENCOUNTERED DEEP IN THE HEART OF BRAZIL'S PANTANAL.

When I finally got around to writing this blog post, I came across my photo of the Houston Zoo logo.  I turned to my friend Google, and discovered that in 2020 the Houston Zoo opened an innovative exhibit on the Pantantal of Brazil.  I was also gratified to learn that the Houston Zoo has spent one million dollars since 2015 to support conservation efforts in the Pantanal.  I feel certain that the logo I observed was part of one of the Houston Zoo’s expeditions to the Pantanal to do research prior to designing and building their innovative exhibit.  By the way, for a short video on the exhibit, look here for an enthusiastic report from a local Houston news station.  I hope you can all experience, and support, the Pantanal in person some day, but if you can’t, you might consider visiting the Houston Zoo!

Final Thoughts…


As I sit here in the comfort of my home in Lake McQueeney, Texas, having just finished my blog posts on my Brazil trip, I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude.  I am grateful for the love and support of my wife of almost 50 years, Dorothy.  She unselfishly allows, and encourages, me to take trips such as this.  I am blessed to have such a lovely, kind, and generous companion in this life.  I am also grateful for Jeff Tucker and his wife Mary O., whose meticulous planning, execution, and hard work made my trip comfortable and most enjoyable.  I am grateful for my travel companions, Michael, Dale, Suzy, Debbie, and Neil.  Their kindness, tolerance, and good cheer were a large part of making this trip so enjoyable.  And last, but not least, I am grateful for Southwild, and the people of Brazil.  Especially our guides, Lailson Marques (Liko) and Jesus, and the many other Southwild employees who went out of their way to feed us, drive us, and educate us.  A special thanks to my friend Jose Antonio, who escorted me to the treasures of Cuiabá.  I will never forget the beauty of the wildlife, and the beauty of the humble, kind, and cheerful Brazilian people.  Thank you Brazil!