Avian Ignorance and Squishy Toes
We hardly got a decent night's sleep in preparation for our trekking this morning. The dorm room only had a single window, providing virtually no ventilation, and the fan was hardly motivating. The ceramic tile roof retained the heat of the day, turning our room into an oven that sleeps six. We each literally slept or tried to sleep in a sopping pool of our own sweat. I've never been this hot and uncomfortable, struggling to extract oxygen from the vapor rich, stagnant dorm room air. A little groggy, we headed out for a morning safari, which started with a slithery snake trail in the sandy road.
The first actual sighting was a grey ibis clinging to the top branches of a baron tree.
I should have written the names of the birds down after returning from the trek, but in full anticipation of bigger game I saved those memory cells for future sightings. So, these birds travel in pairs... and there you have it... names tbd.
Check out the beak on this yellow wood pecker. No doubt as to its purpose.
We were treated to a pair of blue macaws, which decided to "fly in" together for a drink from the well basin.
This bird is some kind of hawk, but reminds me of a very similar creature in Africa called a Secretary Bird.
Patrick, the guide, and I were trekking in the Panatal during the "in between" season. The wet season was a meter and a half of water table ago, but there is still another half a meter of evaporation left before the dry season. In the wet season, many animals seek higher ground, so there are concentrations and in the dry season the opposite clustering occurs around remaining watering holes. For us, the current challenge was to find wandering animals with equal volumes of Terra Firma and water supply.
Entering the jungle, it was a little disconcerting to abandon flip flops for barefoot plodding in the gooey pools of brown water.
Above us, howler monkeys were more interested in evading view than announcing their presence with deep throaty grunts.
The dampness of the jungle, of course provided for more mosquitoes than repellent could offend, and is a perfect environment for water borne flowering plants.
After our morning safari, we could count numerous bird sightings but nothing major to brag about. Hopefully, the afternoon trek would bring other animals into view, however having the barefoot and wet vantage point seeing a gator at close quarters may prove a little "too exciting". The avian extravaganza continued over our siesta, as more native birds flew into camp for the shade, water, and food.
After lunch we all climbed into the big open-bed truck for a drive to another walking safari area. This big diesel belching monster didn't provide for much wildlife "surprise factor". Cruising past a watering hole, we caught a fleeting glimpse of a capibara. This small horse sized mammal is actually the largest rodent in the world and a food source for locals. Hmmm... I hear the small ones taste better than the larger more "game-y" variety.
We were now off to a good start with gator sightings as well.
Continuing my avian name ignorance, this giant stork is actually the icon of the Brazilian Pantanal.
But, for me, the greatest excitement driver was our first glimpses of a toucan off in a distant tree. Surprisingly, none of the passengers knew about Toucan Sam of Fruitloops fame, but referred instead to the old Guinness ads. The Toucan flight pattern is awkward and amazing. He will gain altitude, in a head raised, flapping, laboring struggle, then follow the natural arc of the gravitational pull on his oversized bill. This results in a slow ascent, followed by a ballistic missile parabola style return to earth.
Entering the pampas, barefoot once again, the now larger group was a little apprehensive of the slimy bottom and potential for piranha, along with other ravenous creatures.
The reassuring fact was that cows continued to flank our paths, so if they weren't being eaten, then we should be relatively fine. The downside was that the afternoon was more of an exercise in waterlogged "prairie waffle" dodging than anything else.
A few creatures were docile enough not be intimidated by the thunder of fleeing, startled cattle and a herd of gringos to hang in the branches for a photo. This little guy was the same ant eater raccoon relative spotted at Iguazu Falls a few days before, but this time safely in native habitat.
The strange sensation was that the water was actually hotter than our body temperature, so it felt like walking through organic rich humus "jungle soup". The sensation was odd and a little uncomfortable. The experience made me think of the "frog in a pan" scenario, where the frog never jumps out because it is lulled by the ever increasing temperature until it is finally boiled.
Our guide did his best to spot animals...
... but the "take away" was more of the "jungle trekking experience", than meeting more than our fair share of gators. Walking, barefoot and vulnerable, is quite a different experience from seeing predators in the confines of a zoo.
On the drive back to the compound we were treated to a swampy sunset. The remaining, dwindling, hope was for cooler temperatures and sleep, both of which were not a likely scenario.
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