It’s very, very hot today

Tags

caiman, caracara, giant river otter, great black-hawk, green kingfisher, Howler monkey, iguana, Jabiru, jaguar, Pantanal, smooth-billed ani, striated heron, tree frog, wood rail

6.45 am, Wednesday 23rd September, and we’re longing to get going in the boat for its refreshing breeze.  As we wait…

This was the ugliest, biggest, scariest caiman we saw the whole time – and it was right beside the flotel, bankside, every morning

This Striated heron close by was not the least bit concerned

We moved off, but soon stopped for a while.

Impossible not to stop and watch yesterday’s family of giant river otters at their morning ablutions

The cream markings on throat and chest are individual to each otter

‘Giant’ means about 6 foot in length, full-grown

After jaguars, these otters were what I most wanted to see, and I wasn’t alone.

We have an appointment with Bianca.

Jabiru

So have others.

Rent-a-crowd

We didn’t stay very long after Bianca disappeared into the undergrowth, having other delights in store.

Grey-necked wood rail (confirmed by BL)

A little too close for these binoculars’ focus

George sporting the natty butterfly

Howler monkey

Black-collared hawk

? Smooth-billed ani (probably, says BL)

Jabiru and older chicks

This green iguana crawled out of the lower part of the nest

This one was near but well away from it

Caracara

Green kingfisher, female

? Juvenile Great black-hawk preparing for…

… take-off

Pete modelling a very chic tree frog, which had fallen on to our eagle-eyed boatman, Manuel

Close-up of tree frog

Caracara, high up in tree, with snake

Despite the heat, the morning’s outing was over quickly, though as ever we were pleased to get back to the air-conditioned flotel, a delicious lunch, and a short siesta.