Here’s where the adventure started. My friend Sue took this photo.
Every trip that I take is full of promise. Some deliver quickly. This is a Guira Cuckoo, a bird that I wanted to see. Getting it quickly and easily made the first day a success hours into the day.
Shiny Cowbird on a capyberra.
The capyberras at our first lodge served a limos for both Shiny and Giant Cowbirds.
Here are both cowbirds looking to hitch a ride.
Hyacinth Macaws overhead, another exciting bird that I ha hoped to see.
Up close and personal Hyacinth Macaws.
So, why did the South American Coati cross the road?
Perhaps it wanted to hang out with the Capuchin Monkeys, like this one with a baby. The capuchins here are the Black-striped Tufted Capuchin Monkey.
Greater Rheas
Another exciting bird were Greater Rheas. These large open area birds were both calm and fast.
This Whistling Heron was one of many waders that we saw, along with other herons, egrets and ibises.
Cattle Egrets flying over the Rheas.
This Campo Flicker makes me want them at our feeders back in Michigan. More on these interesting woodpeckers later.
Savannah Hawks were common during our time in the Pantanal.
Ferruginous Pygmy Owls were the most common small predatory that we saw.
From the small to the large. While most people were not as impressed with the large number of Jabiru that we saw – I certainly was.
Toco Toucans was seen many of the days we spent in the Pantanal.
A Common Potoo rounded out the birds for the day.
And so ended day one.
Michael's Place 