Again we beat the alarm - we were awake by 4.15 and up and about before the alarm timed for 4.30 could activate! We met Sergio at 5am and walked using torches to the tower - our arrival caused a rapid evacuation of it by some capuchin overnight stayers. This also meant we needed to be careful where we trod as they had left some new poo parcels! We sat and watched everything wake up starting with the chachalacas - the first one setting off a chain reaction with ...

Today, after breakfast, we left the Jaguar ecological reserve - a grand title for a compact lodge - but the welcome and the closeness to the worlds jaguar hotspot made our 5 nights and 4 days an absolute must for this holiday. With everything packed we wended our way back up the Transpantaneira highway - not a lot of wildlife to stop and view - a marsh deer in water with a smooth billed anni on her back, some jabaru storks and a few hawks - so we we were at ou...

Up at the usual time albeit the first chachalaca called at 4am - they are the earliest birds I know. At 6.25 we walked to breakfast and as it wasn't out we walked up the path looking at the birds in the garden. We noted a new car outside the gate so reckoned Sergio had arrived. A few moments later a tall slim middle aged Brazilian approached us and introduced himself - this was Sergio our guide for the next 3 days - he had arrived at 2am after a day guiding in th...

Up again for 6.30am breakfast and 7.00am set off - we arrived at the dock just before 8am; after a different outboard motor was fitted to the boat we were off up the river by 0810 - another blue sky day - for temperature this is definitely the best time of the day - I could already sense though that it was going to be another hot one. No early finds of jaguars today - the branch across the river we saw one on yesterday was bare. We passed caymens and capybaras ...

Up for a 6.30am breakfast and away by 7am the same as yesterday - the cool of the morning is pleasantly refreshing- and it is great driving across the Pantanal watching the bird life start their day. We arrived at the dock, picked up the boat and were off up the river by 8am. The first new bird was a pied lapwing on a sandbank; the only other new ones today, for this part of the trip, were - an osprey and a turkey vulture. While we were enjoying the quietness a...