Southwild Porte Jofre: Brazil

We left Pousada Pluvial early on 12th July for the slow drive down the Transpantaneira Highway. The road was in reasonable condition but it was slow going as we kept finding attractions along the way.

The video is a little hazy, because of all the dust.

The scenery along the way.

Female Marsh Deer

Delana taking a closer look!

Baby Anaconda!

Southern Screamer

Large-billed Tern

Grey-breasted Martin

Black-backed Water Tyrant

We arrived at Porte Jofre to be greeted by the huge

Cuiaba River.

Male Bare-faced Curassow

Azara's Agouti

Jabiru getting fed the same time every day.

It gets fed the same time every day.

Ocelot

We settled in to our tiny room at the Southwild Lodge & then went to the feeding station especially set up for Ocelot. We were lucky, as it turned up! It didn't show the previous night.We then turned in early as we had a big day on the morrow!

    

We had booked an all day boat trip on 13th July, especially to look for Jaguars. And it didn't disappoint! Up before dawn & eager to be going! In total we saw seven different Jaguars in the day & watched individuals for up to thirty minutes at a time! What a day!

Large-billed Terns

Yellow-billed Tern

American Black Skimmer

This area has been hunted, farmed & ranched 

for over 150 years.

But today it is protected!

Male Black Howler Monkey

This was easily our best views of this species,

as they normally keep their distance.

Young Giant River Otter.

We came across this family party of four.

They gave us unbelievable close views.

It was fantastic to get such close views.

Jaguar watching is big business here!

It has woken up!

Chestnut-bellied Guan

Roadside Hawk

Tropical Kingbird

Southern Beardless Tyrannulet

Nice to get a good view 

of this species.

Greyish Baywing.

After this little walk around I wasn't feeling too good, so spent most of the day in bed. Consequently, we didn't venture out again until late afternoon, when we drove out of Porte Jofre on the main road. We just went a little way, where the habitat was a little more open & this idea paid off as we recorded a few good species.

Blue -crowned (capped) Parakeet

Black-backed Water Tyrant

Masked Gnatcatcher

White-bellied Seedeater

Yellow-billed Cardinal

Saffron-billed Sparrow

Fawn-breasted Wren

We ended the day by looking for the range restricted & near endemic Fawn-breasted Wren. It took us a while but in fading light we managed to see it!

Fawn-breasted Wren

Hard to spot in the tangled undergrowth.

On 15th July we once again spent time birding around the lodge. It was quite productive & we managed our best views of Fawn-breasted Wren.

Brown-capped Capuchin

They visit the lodge everyday, as they get fed.

Buff-necked Ibis

Male Bare-faced Curassow

Female

Yellow-chevroned Parakeet

White-winged Swallow

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Black-fronted Nunbird

Great Kiskadee on nest.

Streaked Xenops

It had been a pleasant few days at this lodge, the undoubted highlight being the river trip. The lodge is expensive, and needs updating, as everything is very worn & there is a lot of rubbish scattered around the back of the lodge. We think that there are better places to stay in Porte Jofre.

I think that we were both exhausted from the previous day on the river! So we didn't get up early on 14th July & contented ourselves with a walk around the lodge, where we were staying & the riverfront. It proved to be quite birdy without seeing anything special. 

To be continued!