Brazil - July 2024 - Day 5 - Pousada Piuval to Pixaim

Red-legged Seriema

We awoke early again, these birding trips are not for people wanting a nice rest. My foot swelling had decreased a great deal even though it was still annoying, but the really good news was that I was still alive and felt fine. This time we headed north of the lodge on foot into an area of the property we had not previously explored, some pasture with mature trees. The main target here was White-fronted Woodpecker which was easily found in a nest hole, but other than this is was more about just observing the residents of Piuval wake up. Silhouettes of birds in bare trees soon became Red-legged Seriema, Savanna Hawk and various Ibis.

We drove the entrance track again to a potential spot Brad had ear-marked for Long-tailed Ground Dove which we had thus far missed. Pleasingly we found a pair feeding on the ground and with careful maneuvering were able to get good views. Chotoy Spinetail and White-rumped Monjita were also in this area, along with half a dozen Campo Flicker working the termite mounds. Then it was back to the lodge for breakfast and to pack up before a final Piuval session. Late morning we were heading south down the Transpantaneira.

Campo Flicker

Rufous Hornero

Long-tailed Ground Dove

We headed towards the river again, this time finding Brazilian Teal and a Great Black Hawk. Yet again we saw masses in what was only a two hour excursion, with Little Woodpecker showing very well. In fact the drive was memorable for just having excellent views of loads of things - Sunbittern, Jabiru, Savanna Hawk, Plumbeous Ibis and Toco Toucan to name but a few. A Green Ibis was in the ditch back at the property. 

Green Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

Hyacinth Macaw

Amazon Kingfisher

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

Silver-beaked Tanager

Yellow-billed Cardinal

Jabiru

Little Woodpecker

Buff-necked Ibis

Toco Toucan

We were on the road at 10am, with our first stop the incredibly busy Rio Bento Gomes at the point it intersects with the Transpantaneira. This is the same river that borders Piuval and you are actually closer to the water here. At Piuval the hyacinths have really taken over so the clear water is actually quite distant. We enjoyed a really good half hour here, the one caveat is that you need to jump back in the car when a passing vehicle comes by in order to avoid getting covered in dust. Half an hour, 50 species - highlights included gazillions of Herons, Ibis and Egrets, Snail Kites galore, Limpkin, Grey-cowled Wood-Rail, three Great Black Hawk, and many other birds. I think it was here that we had our first Rusty-collared Seedeater, and really good views of Bluish-grey Saltator and Orange-backed Troupial.

Bluish-grey Saltator

Rusty-collared Seedeater

Orange-backed Troupiale

Plumbeous Ibis

Jabiru

Savanna Hawk

We then drove for about an hour south mostly birding out of the window. We stopped a couple of times for birds that were particularly close to the car, such as Laughing Falcon and Orange-backed Troupiale, but the idea was to get to the Hotel Mato Grosso for lunch before having a bit of an explore and then our first boat trip.

Laughing Falcon

The Hotel Mato Grosso is at about the 45km mark in terms of Transpantaneira distance, so still in the northern sector. It's situated at one of the larger rivers, the Sararé, but also known as the Pixaim - it is all rather confusing as the rivers here are named different things depending on which stretch you are on. For instance at Porto Jofre the river is the Sao Lourenco, but a few miles downstream it becomes the Canabu, and then the Cuiaba. We went straight into lunch, scoffed it down, and then went birding as soon as we possibly could. Around the hotel we found quite a lot of birds even during the heat of the day, the best being Yellow-collared Macaw in some distant trees, and Rusty-margined Flycatcher over the river which was full of Caiman.  

Hotel Mato Grosso, Pixaim

We then drove a short distance west to SouthWild Lodge from where our boat trip was due to start. Water hyacinth clogged the river in the most promising direction for birding as it led into unspoiled habitat, so instead we headed east in the direction of the hotel which was probably only a few bends away. It was very birdy indeed despite being the lesser option, with a dozen Bare-faced Curassow on the banks, as well as Chaco Chachalaca and White-throated Piping-Guan. We also had good views of Undulated Tinamou and Pale-legged Hornero on the bank, and even better views of Grey-cowled Wood-Rail and Sunbittern. Kingfishers were represented by American Pygmy Kingfisher and Green Kingfisher, and skilful navigation from the boat driver allowed some really close approaches - clearly this is something they do all the time! Star bird award however went to a Zigzag Heron, a bird we had almost no hope of seeing. Brad had been periodically playing the mournful hoot but I think was as surprised as any of us when there was a response. It was incredibly difficult to actually track it down, but skilful boat work enabled us to poke into the vegetation and then stay still against the current with no engine noise. Views were brief but highly conclusive! We also saw plenty of Caiman and our first Giant Otter, which are indeed as large as their name suggests.

Undulated Tinamou

Wattled Jacana

Giant Otter

Greater Ani

Sunbittern

Striated Heron

Black-collared Hawk

American Pygmy Kingfisher

Pale-legged Hornero

Roseate Spoonbill

Zigzag Heron

All of the Zigzag fun meant we were a little bit late for the evening's entertainment at the nearby Ocelot hide, but they beckoned us in anyway and we took our spots in what can only be described as a viewing gallery. The cat had already arrived but was holding back but this soon changed when a bit more chicken was chucked out. I suppose this is not unlike the Antpitta feeding stations in Colombia, but it felt a little bit artificial. Ocelot however is my new favourite cat so in that sense it was a great experience! 

On the way back to the hotel we attempted to find Nightjars on the airfield, but an unseasonably cold wind from the north had lowered the temperature such that there was no activity at all, not even from the Pauraques. The trip list was up to 272 having started the morning at 244 - slowing down in terms of new species but still lots to see. It had been a tremendous day and we were not even half way down the Transpantaneira.