Our Trip to Brazil

Jack and Anne (our neighbors) had us over to see all their wonderful pictures of their trip to Brazil.

They are a retired couple who live across the street and know how much we enjoy nature, so they often share their experiences with us. Jack is an avid bird watcher and writes articles for the local birding group. Anne travels with him all over the world to find birds and enjoy nature and travel.

The boys, dh and I went over last week and we all crowded upstairs in the spare bedroom turned den. Also present were J and A's dd and sil. Up there was the TV with the DVD that worked... so we all watched as Jack narrated us through a half hour of wonderful pictures, complete with a pointer and a map of Brazil.

The pictures on here are not his, but two of the animals I remember him showing us. The monkey is a Tamerin Lion Monkey. The cutest things, Anne said. They are also threatened. The bird is a Channel Billed Toucan. The reptile is a caiman (which I had never heard of before). He said they are very slow and very dumb... but I think they look very fierce!

They told us that in the rainforest when the birds and monkeys get going the sound can be deafening! After hearing of their adventures, walking up to 5 miles a day in the hot, humid weather, youngest ds asked why anyone would want to do that for a vacation! Spoken like a true A/C loving suburbanite.

He also told us about the Pantanel, the world's largest wetlands. Every year for 6 months it is flooded by waters draining off the platueau south of the Amazon River, then for 6 months it is totally dry. Because of this, it is largely unpopluated and full of wildlife.

He recorded over 200 birds identifies on this trip, 73 of which he had never seen before. It was funny, though, because when a picture of a flower came up, he wouldn't have a clue of the name. But boys he knows his birds!

Well, we go to live vicariously through our neighbor's trip. Below is a diary Jack generously shared with us. It was interesting looking up the places and treks they made. He kindly allowed me to share it here.




ON SAFARI IN THE PANTANAL AND OTHER PARTS OF BRAZIL
By Jack Gorman

In the last half of November Anne and I were fortunate to spend 12 days of jam packed activities in Brazil on an International Exposition tour of the Pantanal, Iguazu Falls and parts of Rio de Janeiro. It was quite an adventure. Here are my impressions of our travels through these very unique parts of Brazil.

Brazil is a huge country with a land area similar to that of the United States. Since the equator slices through its middle, Brazil encompasses a variety of vastly different ecological areas. Most famous is the mighty Amazon River with its vast tropical jungles. It has fascinated the world for years. On the other hand, little has been written about the Pantanal, Brazil’s other huge but much different eco-system. Sitting in the middle of the South American Continent, the Pantanal is a geological depression that holds in its sink the largest wetlands in the world. Stretching over an area somewhat larger than the state of Wisconsin, 90% of the Pantanal is in Brazil. It has two seasons, the dry season where it gets very little rain from May to November (winter time in Brazil) and the wet season from December to April (Summer in Brazil). Throughout the dry season the Pantanal is blanketed with a lowland savanna interspersed with patches of forestlands, numerous rivers, and shallow lakes.. As the wet season arrives the high plateaus south of the Amazon River receive vast amounts of rainfall. Water flushes down into the Pantanal and overflows its rivers and floods huge sections of its lowlands. Because of its flat topography, drainage is very slow which renders much of the land useless for general habitation or farming. Eventually the floodplain dries out and reverts back into dry savanna. Because of this unique flood cycle the Pantanal is sparsely settled and has been converted into large cattle ranches over the last 400 years. We spent four days roaming these ranchlands, learning about and marveling at its natural fauna and flora. We stayed at the Refugio Ecologico Caiman, a 250,000 acre cattle ranch that caters to eco-tourists. Getting there was no easy jaunt. After landing in Sao Paulo we flew to Campo Grande, a small city in the pampas ca 600 miles to the northwest. Then, riding in a mini-bus we bounced along for 4 ½ hours until we reached the ranch which sits just inside the edge of the Pantanal.




On safari in the Pantanal in November when the weather is topping the 90 degree mark went something like this. Our group of 10 visitors was led by a naturalist working for International Expositions and two local guides. Our primary objective was bird watching. However, we also eagerly enjoyed the sightings of indigenous animals, butterflies, exotic trees, plants and flowers. We woke up around 6;00 AM to the screams and screeches of parrots, parakeets, and Chachalacas. Following a hearty breakfast we began our morning discoveries out in the savanna. For the first two days we were on foot, scouring the fields, forests, ponds, and shallow lakes that surround the ranch. The ponds and lakes were loaded with caiman languishing half submerged in the water and on shore. They seemed exceedingly lazy and thankfully never bothered us. Birding around the ranch was easy and exciting. The lawns were dotted with Rufous-bellied and Pale-breasted Thrushes along with a Red-creasted Cardinal or two.. Large Poinciana trees were bursting with beautiful red blooms, hummingbirds and Parakeets. A giant Cecropia tree loomed over the compound and attracted birds like a magnet. Many different bird species frolicked in its canopy, including; Toco Toucans, Black-headed parrots, Monk Parakeets, a variety of tanagers and a territorial Kiskadee. The marshland held a smattering of ibises, herons and Muscovy Ducks while swallows wove their graceful flights over the fields and lakes. By 10;30 AM we and the birds were hot and tired, so we went back to the ranch house and the birds stopped calling. A swim in the pool and a buffet lunch followed. Temperatures sizzled as we took a siesta to avoid the mid-day heat. Late Afternoons found us off again. This time we went on safari in a high-riding open-air truck that bounced us along for hours to new locations. It was easy spotting birds and animals in the shallow mud holes along the elevated roads At selected locations we hopped down and struck out into the woods to tramp through the tangles of a twisting trail. I estimated that we walked at least 5-6 miles a day and spent many hours standing with binoculars peeled. Sitting high in the truck, the flat rangeland seemed to roll out in all directions. Carunda Palms dominated the open savanna standing strait and tall with tasseled heads while herds of white cattle lounged and grazed beneath them in small groups. Greater Rheas (birds similar to Ostriches) wandered about in the open and once we spotted a covey of 14 immature rheas being shepherded by two male chaperons.



Each small mud hole had a bird or two feeding at its leisure and close to the road. Wattled Jacanas, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, Green, and Bare-faced Ibis along with Rufescent Tiger-herons, and Whistling, Cocoi, Striated and Capped Herons predominated. A few lonely Jabaru Storks, with their 4 ½ foot height and huge black beaks were not as common and a Greater Black Hawk seemed out of place feeding on the ground. Large patches of dense forest produced species such as the White Woodpecker, Savanna Hawk, Golden-collared Macaw, Spectacled Owl and Red-billed Scythebill. Parakeets were very common. We observed three pairs of Hyacinth Macaws (an endangered species) feeding and nesting in the Acuri and Bocaiuva Palm trees. Nesting boxes had also been provided for the macaws by conservationists because of the lack of tree holes.
Our safaris also produced sightings of resident animals, including; Giant Anteaters, Capibaras, Coatis, Yellow Armadillos, Black Howler Monkeys, Red-backed and Marsh Deer, Peccaries, Feral Pigs, Agoutis, and lizards of many sizes Jaguar foot prints were spotted but no jaguars. Colorful foliage and butterflies were common.

Upon leaving Refugio Caiman we bused back to Campo Grande and flew on to Iguazu Falls via a stop in Sao Paulo, arriving late in the night. Our go-go schedule didn’t change but the locale was starkly different. Staying at the magnificent old Hotel Tropical das Cataracas overlooking the falls we felt as if we were in imperial Europe where the elite dress for meals (many did but we stuck to our hiking dudes). Located on the Parana River the falls stretch across 2 ½ miles of tropical landscape between Brazil and Argentina. The early morning weather was uncomfortably hot and humid as we had breakfast on the patio. Dozens of Red-rumped Caciques entertained us with their constant squabbling and jiving amidst their myriad clumps of nests in the nearby trees. A Toco Toucan aroused a screaming angry mob of Caciques when it appeared on the scene looking for eggs to eat. Then a coati drew our attention as it fearlessly climbed on to a breakfast table to sample leftovers. Then, we were out early to amble down the hiking trails on the Brazilian side of the falls. Cutting across the lawn we scared up a flock of tiny Blue-winged Parrotlets. As we started down the winding cliffside trail a Red-breasted Toucan flushed from her nesting cavity and Plumbeous Kites constantly circled overhead.. The twisting, paved trail offered us many multi-faceted views of the spectacular falls at every twist and turn. For me it was like walking through a kaleidoscope of Church’s tropical paintings. As we reached the bottom a cold mist blew over us as we ambled out on the walkway leading to the bottom edge of the falls. Great Dusky Swifts twittered in joy as they flew in and out through the spray while visiting their nests that were safely tucked behind the waterfalls. Wet with pleasure we took the elevator up and then lunched at a restaurant on the edge of the cataracts. The following day we did the Argentinean side of the falls, hiking for many hours throughout the parkland. The highlight of the day’s hike was walking out on a long narrow causeway that brought us directly over the mouth of the falls as they plunged down over the cliffs. Their mists chilled us and their thunderous roar was deafening. Our afternoon adventures found us in a helicopter, riding over the falls where Anne took some spectacular photos We ended our stay at Iguazu with a tour of an outside, walkthrough, aviary where we literally could walk and talk with dozens of tropical parrots, macaws, toucans, rheas, curassows, and ibises in a rainforest setting. Then, it was on to Rio De Janeiro.

A light rain greeted us as we pulled into our hotel on Ipanema Beach at 1:00 AM in the morning. Up early again we left for a excursion to Tijuca national Park where we would ride the tramway to the top of Corcovado Mountain. Up the steep cogway we silently glided through a tropical rainforest. We smiled at its whimsical statuary and oohed at the, tropical gardens, and large yellow blobs of wild Jackfruit hanging from its tall trees. Reaching the top we marveled at the spectacular views of Rio while the huge statue of Christ looked down on us with arms extended. It was a photographers delight. After lunch we explored the Rio Botanical Gardens for three hours. It seemed we covered all 150 acres of it. Initially begun at the turn of the 19th century, the gardens were planted with both endemic and imported foliage. Its huge trees dwarfed over us as we searched for birdlife that was plentiful. Tanagers here, a Kiskadee there, a Rufous-capped Antshrike in the hedges, Violet-capped and Swallow-Tailed Hummingbirds near the orchid garden, a Channel-billed Toucan on nest, and a Slaty-breasted Woodrail sulking near the lily pond were great finds for our bird list. I could have easily enjoyed another two days there. But we had to get back for a late afternoon stroll on Impanema Beach.

Our last days were spent it two different parts of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. In the morning we visited Poco das Antas where we hiked through the wet into the rainforest Our guides located a band of six Golden Lion Tamarins, an indigenous specie on the world’s endangered animal list.. Watching and photographing these squirrel-size monkeys, with their human-like faces as they jumped from branch to branch was utterly delightful. Moving on to Serra Dos Orgaos National Park we spent the night high in the mountains above Teresopolis. One last morning was ours to explore the tree-top walkways of this sanctuary set in the rugged hillside a few miles from burgeoning Rio. It offered us another 23 species for our bird list that then topped the 200 mark. But alas, our power-packed journey had to end too soon and it was back to Houston, a three-flight 20 hour trip.