Best day of 2012.

Jaguar with Pied Plover, Rio Cuiaba at Porto Jofre in Brazil, 23 September 2012. 

Brazilian Tapir, Rio Pixaim 23 September 2012.

The weather is awful at the moment and the forecast to the end of the year is pretty dreadful. So I reckon I'm pretty safe to post this now - a few photos from my best day of 2012. In September I was fortunate enough to lead an Ornitholiday's tour to Brazil; three in fact. I spent nearly three weeks in the Atlantic Forests at REGUA, finishing the month in Mato Grosso. 

Black Howler Monkey in roadside trees along the Transpantaneira, September 2012.

 I've been to the Pantanal many times before, always leading tours. It's one of my very favourite destinations - a great mix of birding habitats (wetland, dry forest, gallery forest and savanna) and birds and the group members always have a great time. I've covered a lot of the birds we saw in previous posts but this year we were able to do something a little different with a day visit further south along the Transpantaneira to Porto Jofre.

Great Potoo.

 The day got off to a good start when Rob spotted a Tapir swimming across the Pixaim. Heading sout we stopped for Black Howler Monkey and a roosting Great Potoo before birding the grasslands at Campo Jofre. 

We arrived at Porto Jofre in time for a bite to eat before boarding the boats to search for Jaguars on the banks of the Cuiaba River. Black Skimmers and American Golden Plovers on sand bars just off the dock and Hyacinth Macaws in the trees overhead - all was going well. Other groups staying at the lodges had been fortunate with multiple Jaguar sightings; would we be?

A couple of hours passed, we had checked all the banks where cats had been seen that morning without luck. Then the message came across the radio: Jaguar on a beach - but fifteen minutes away!

Giant Otters.

After what was undoubtedly the longest fifteen minutes of my life we neared the bend in the river where the Jaguar was sighted. A family of Giant Otters (our first of the tour) scurried around on the bank and we slowed down to watch them, hoping the cat would still be around the bend (I could see the front end of boats packed with photographers, snapping away at the beast!).

Rounding the bend we were greeted with this magnificent sight ....

I've seen several of these superb cats before (including two on a recent Pantanal trip), but this huge male has to be the most impressive. It performed beautifully, rolling around on the sand and strolling to the water's edge. A real poser.

 September 23rd was indeed a fabulous day. There were still some great birds to come but I could see that everyone was thrilled with their day out to Porto Jofre. The trip report can be seen on the Ornitholiday's website here.

I do believe it's brightening up a bit and forty-two Pink-footed Geese have just gone over the house. Perhaps I should go out?