Brazil2009-1

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Small Group Adult Trip to Brazil: October 24 to November 2, 2009

Brazil: October 24 to
November 2, 2009

with Lelis Navarrete

Though Lelis is the premiere guide
for Ecuador, he also leads
successful trips to other parts of
South America. His last several
trips to this part of Brazil have found
well over 400 species.

This trip builds on Lelis' experience
with the help of Nestling Tour's
founder Charles Thornton-Kolbe
(as host).

This trip includes eight days of
birding and wildlife watching. The
trip starts with three full days of
birding and wildlife watching in
Brazil's Pantanal. Our plans use
well these three days, crossing the
three key habitats in the area.
Another five days will be spent
birding and wildlife watching in the
top spot for birding in the
Amazonian Rainforest. A brief and
then nearly full itinerary can be
found below. A full bird list is
available upon request.

Photo by Lelis Navarrete.

Photo by Lelis Navarrete.

Brief Itinerary

Flight In: Fly into Sao Paulo on either Friday (October 23, 2009) or
Saturday morning early (October 24, 2009). Get a flight on October 24 to
Cuibaba from Sao Paolo. No matter your flight plans, you should plan to
join us for dinner in Cuibaba on Saturday (October 24) for a chance to
meet other participants and for a brief trip orientation. Please call before
booking your flight to Brazil to minimize additional lodging and transfers.

October 25 and 26, 2009: On Sunday, we begin our journey into the
Pantanal and to the Jaguar Ecological Reserve for two full days. Our
travels will include numerous birding and wildlife stops, as we move into
the heart of the Pantanal.   We will explore the Pantanal's key habitats of
marshes, islands of forests, and grasslands with different routes each day.
Wildlife is rich in the area, and Lelis will help us fine many more bird
species each day.    Once at the Jaguar Lodge, we will have access to
additional birding routes and the opportunity to see more wildlife (including
the Jaguar).   (More details can be found below.)

October 27: On Tuesday, we continue our Pantanal travels and head
towards the Fazenda Pousa Alegre Reserve. The trip through the
pantanal will continue to be rich in wildlife and bird watching opportunities.
Once at this second lodge, wildlife and birds will come right to our
window.We will easily find Hyacinth Macaws. Numerous other species of
macaws, parrots and parakeets, toucans, trogons, woodpeckers, birds of
prey, and hummingbirds are abundant. Water birds are impossible to miss
and many species will be seen well. (More details can be found below or
contact us for a complete bird list.)

October 28: On Wednesday morning, we will have time for some
additional bird watching at the Reserve before we head back to Cuibaba.
From Cuibaba airport we fly to Alta Floresta and begin our exploration of
the Amazonian Rainforest. After lunch at the Amazonica Hotel, we will
head towards the Rio Cristalino Jungle Lodge.

October 29 to November 1: Amazonian Rainforest and Rio Cristalino
Jungle Lodge: The Rio Cristalino Lodge is situated along the confluence
of the Rio Cristalino and Teles-Pires Rivers at the southern edge of the
Amazonian Rain Forest. With 570 bird species found in the are, this is
one of the best birding locations in the Neotropical Rain Forest. This
famous resort offers superb Brazilian cuisine and a mega diverse array of
birds. Over our five day visit to the area, we will be able to select new
routes and trails, taking advantage of different microhabitats and locations
to maximize our opportunity to find new species each day. (More details
can be found below or contact us for a complete bird list.) Extending the
trip for a few more days at this location a good idea.

November 2 and Flights Home: After birding all morning near a productive
birding spot in a forested area near the Hotel in Alta Floresta, we will head
by to Cuibaba and flights to Sao Paola and then home (for most
participants).

Nestling Tour's Covey of Adults
Itinerary for Brazil in 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009: Flights to Sao Paulo and Then Cuibaba

Fly into Sao Paulo on either Friday (October 23, 2009) or Saturday
morning early (October 24, 2009). Get a flight on October 24 to Cuibaba
from Sao Paolo.
Most participants will arrive in Cuibaba on Saturday, October 24.
Depending upon arrival plans, all participants will have the opportunity to
have dinner with Lelis and myself on Saturday, October 24. We will
spend some time during the meal reviewing our plans for trip.

Learn more about our three full days in the Pantanal below the Bare-faced
Currassow as the itinerary is continued.

Photo by Lelis Navarrete.

Nestling Tour's Covey of Adults
Itinerary for Brazil in 2009: Pantanal: Three Days

Sunday, October 25 to Wednesday, October 28: Brazil's Pantanal

Sunday morning, we will begin with great bird watching stops as we drive
through the Pantanal to the Jaguar Reserve. Each day through the
Pantanal we will bird in marshes and wetlands, grasslands and islands
of forested areas.
The Pantanal Brasileiro is one of the most amazing habitats in South
America and is home to a wide variety and interesting groups of bird
species. The bird watching will be complemented by countless sights of
different species of mammals.
Some of the bird species we will be looking for include Greater Reha,
Maguari Stork, Jabiru, Bare-faced Curassaw, Chaco Chachalaca,
Chestnut-bellied Guan, Rusty-margined Guan, Ash-throated Crake,
Picazuro Pigeon, Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Scaled Dove, Hyacinth
Macaw, Golden-collared Macaw, Black-hooded Parakeet, Buff-bellied
Hermit, Ruby Topaz, Gilded Hummingbird, Campo Flicker, White
Woodpecker, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Great-rufous Woodcreeper,
Planalto Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Choty Spinetail, White-lored
Spinetail, Gray-crested Cacholote, Matogrosso Antbird, Long-billed
Antwren, Black-chinned Antbird, White-rumped Monjita, Green-backed
Becard, and White-naped Xenopsaris among others.

On Monday morning, we will again begin with quality bird watching at the
Jaguar Reserve where we will be staying. We will easily find Hyacinth
macaws, the largest parrots in the world. They live on the Reserve and
are easily seen in trees surrounding the lodge. Numerous other species
of macaws, parrots and parakeets, toucans, trogons, woodpeckers, birds
of prey, and hummingbirds are abundant. Some of the species we are
likely to see include White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Scarlet-headed
Blackbird, Whistling Heron, and many more. For half the year (including
during our visit) the area also has a tremendous concentration of water
birds, including numerous heron species and storks. A full list of bird
species for this area is available.
After breakfast, we will begin a day long birding route based upon Lelis’
sound judgment on the best way to maximize interesting birds for the
entire group. A number of good birding routes and trails will be available
each day. Lelis will select the best routes and choices based upon the
weather, road quality and the interests of the group participants.
Besides the birds, the Reserve is rich in mammal life. The Jaguar
Reserve and the surrounding ranches are one of the best places in the
world to see the Jaguar. Approximately one-third of the visitors see a
Jaguar at the Reserve or nearby. There are plenty possibilities to see
other mammalian wildlife including Black Howler Monkey, Giant Anteater,
Crab-eating Fox, Giant Otter, South American River Otter, Jaguarondi,
Ocelot, Puma, Tapir, Marsh Deer, Pampas Deer, and Capybara.
This will also be a good location for night time bird and wildlife watching
outings. At least one will be made available, and others will be made
available based upon available time and group interest. These outings
will will likely result in good views of nearby owls, potoos and nightjars
(including Rufous Nightjar).

On Tuesday, we will again bird near the Jaguar lodge in the early morning
to find a few more species before leaving the area.
After breakfast, we will again travel through the Pantanal toward our next
lodge and opportunities to try additional bird watching routes to add to our
trip list.
On the way Lelis will identify a number of good bird stops with the
likelihood of adding a number of new species to our trip list. Many trips
through this area add Black-fronted Nunbird, Guira Cuckoo, Southern
Screamer, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, and maybe a real gem like the
Surucua Trogan. Each stop as we travel through the Pantanal will likely
be worthwhile and will make the transit seem like another productive day
of bird and wildlife watching.

On Wednesday morning, we will begin with early morning birding at the
Fazenda Pouso Alegre Reserve and near the lodge. This will allow
participants a choice of excellent early morning birding or catching up on
their rest. Bird watching and wild life watching from the lodge grounds is
good at almost any time.
After breakfast, we will likely again bird on the lodge grounds, but we may
decide on more productive birding on a route as we go back to Cuibaba.
We will need to be in Cuibaba to catch our 11:55 AM flight, but this leaves
plenty of time for enjoying bird watching in the Pantatal in the morning.

Host Note: Charles Thornton-Kolbe will depart from the group as you all leave for
Rio Cristalino. At this point, the group will be well acquainted with Lelis’
leadership. Remember that Lelis leads over twenty birding trips throughout
South America each year (and many of these trips are 2 or 3 weeks in length).
The vast majority of his clients are English-speaking, and he is well acquainted
with the English language. You will be in good hands while in Brazil.

See more on our trip as we continue for five days of bird watching in the
Amazonian Rainforest. The itinerary is continued at the top of the web page
under the Harpy Eagle.

Nestling Tour's Covey of Adults
Itinerary for Brazil in 2009: Continued in Amazonian
Rainforest for Five Days

Wednesday, October 28 to Sunday, November 1: Amazonian Rainforest

On Wednesday, we will take a short flight from Cuibaba to Alta
Floresta.
Upon arrival we will take a short ride to visit Alta Floresta Hotel (run
by the same owners that Rio Cristalino reserve) to rest for a while
and have lunch before continuing with our journey to Rio Cristalino
Lodge.
The Cristalino Lodge and the Alta Floresta Forest are located in the
southern edge of the Amazonian Rain Forest with 570 bird species.
This is one of the best birding locations in the Neotropical Rain
Forest. The Rio Cristalino Lodge is situated along the confluence of
the Rio Cristalino and Teles-Pires Rivers. This famous resort offers
superb Brazilian cuisine and a mega diverse array of birds and other
wildlife.
As well as being known as one of the greatest rainforest sites for
bird watching in South America, the Rio Cristalino area includes
many microhabitats with various well developed trails, allowing easy
access to them. Over our four day visit, we will be able to select new
routes and trails, taking advantage of different microhabitats and
locations to maximize our opportunity to find new species each day.
Some of the trails that we will be visiting will be have an opportunity
to enjoy include Serra Trail, Canopy Tower Trail, Borboletas Trail,
Haffer Trail, Rochas Trail, Ilha do Cardoso Trail, Castanheira Trail,
Cacao Trail, and Bananeira Trail. The Teles-Pires River by itself
creates a barrier holding sister species in each side of its margins
including not only birds species but also monkeys and other
fantastic wildlife. The birding and choices here are terrific and
choosing the best route for each day will leave most participants
wanting to stay longer.
We will also enjoy the always breathtaking and very rewarding boat
rides along Rio Cristalino and Teles-Pires Rivers.
With easy access to different habitats close to the lodge, short
productive early morning trips will allow us to visit the Canopy Tower,
Terra Firme Forest (second growth), the Serra (a rocky outcrop) and
perhaps a river island early in the morning. Those needing to rest
up can join the group after breakfast on most days.
Some of the most interesting birds, which we will be looking for,
include Zigzag Heron, Dark-winged Trumpeter, White-browed Hawk,
the recently described Cryptic Forest Falcon, Razor-billed
Curassow, Hellmyer’s Parakeet, the endemic Kawall’s Parrot,
Pavonine Cuckoo, Black-banded Owl, Blue-necked Jacamar,
Paradise Jacamar, Brown-banded Puffbird, Collared Puffbird,
Spotted Puffbird, Black-girdled Barbet, Black-necked Aracari, Gould’s
Toucanet, Curl-crested Aracari, Curve-billed Scythebill, Cabani’s
Spinetail, Chestnut-throated Spinetail, Point-tailed Palmcreeper,
Peruvian Recurvebill, the endemic Glossy Antshrike, Manu Antbird,
Wing-banded Antbird, Variegated Antpitta, Spotted Antpitta, Black,
Pompadour Cotinga, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Fiery-capped
Manakin, Ringed Antpitpit, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, Tooth-billed
Wren, Guanianan Gnatcatcher, Gray-chested Greenlet and Red-
billed Pied Tanager among others.
All of these different habitats, various good trails and boat rides, and
Lelis’ leadership and expertise will help the group find over 200 new
species for the trip in this area. Some of the additional species we
will may find include Violaceous Quail-Dove, Crimson-bellied
Parakeet, Golden-winged Parakeet, Red-fan Parrot, Pheasant
Cuckoo, Ocellated Poorwill, Silky-tailed Nightjar, Red-necked
Aracari, the endemic Uniform Woodcreeper, Olive-backed (Para)
Foliage-gleaner, Natterer's Slaty Antshrike, Bare-eyed Antbird,
Spotted Antpitta, Cinnamon-crested Spadebill, Spangled Cotinga,
Flame-crowned Manakin, Red-headed Manakin, Blue-backed
Manakin, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, White-winged Shrike-
Tanager, Flame-crested Tanager, the extremely rare White-bellied
Dacnis and the Rose-breasted Chat. A list of birds found on similar
trips is available upon request.

See more on our trip as we continue for few more days of bird watching in
the Amazonian Rainforest. The itinerary is continued below and under the
Black-girdled Barbet.

Nestling Tour's Covey of Adults: Amazonian Rainforest Wrap Up or Extension

Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2: Rio Cristalino, Alta Floresta and Points Home

On Sunday after a morning birding in Rio Cristalino and after lunch, we will transfer to the Alta Floresta
Hotel. The Hotel not only offers a beautiful place to spend the night, but also offers some good birding
in the late afternoon in the big forest patch just behind the Hotel. Each trip adds a number of new
species after birding in this patch. The patch is reliable for Crimson-bellied Parakeet, Black-girdled
Barbet and at times Rufous-necked Puffbird, and Collared Puffbird. The patch has recently had a
nesting Harpy Eagle.

On Monday morning, we will offer another early birding opportunity at the forest patch behind the Hotel.
After breakfast, we will leave the hotel and catch our flight back to Cuibaba.
From Cuibaba, most participants will be able to catch flights to Sao Paola and then home.

Extension to Consider: Depending upon interest and participation, we will likely offer an extension of one to
three days at Rio Cristalino.

Photo by Lelis Navarrete.

Photo by Lelis Navarrete.