This year we camped on the same beach that forms when the Araguaia River recedes far enough, leaving a sandy peninsula at the edge of the forest. From what i understand, this forest is a large island that is in the middle of the Araguaia River - which forms the border of the two states Goiás & Mato Grosso.
There are so many different types of birds that call this region home. You can't walk two steps without the gulls crying out for reinforcements, the cranes sounding the alarm to flee, or the ducks loudly exclaiming their displeasure at your intrusion of the ambience. Occasionally, these alarm systems worked in my favor, as i was able to catch a glimpse of a hawk, jaburu or other larger bird of prey...
One such instance was the last morning, when i was leaving my tent. I heard the gull start up, and was annoyed since i clearly had claimed this "nest" for the past week & a half. I mocked the gull loudly. Then i glanced at the tent to my left to be sure no one was witness to this poor display of waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
That is when i saw a large black (what i initially thought was an eagle) bird of prey perched directly above the neighboring tent. In shock, i wondered if i would be blessed with enough time & ninja skills to unzip and reenter my tent [quietly], grab my camera & get out again - and still have a shot at capturing this jaw-dropping bird of prey. I figured that i need not factor in time to kick myself, as i could do that all day long, if i missed it.
I blame my mocking on my state bird. It's learned behavior, or something. Okay, it was actually just lack of a good night's sleep for days on end, due to our sleeping arrangements. I only have one thing to say about that: air mattress + sleeping bags next time. I'm not a princess, but when you have a certain amount of 'battle scars' & metal mass in your body, i believe that it is unnecessary to "rough it" just because - especially when we have 3 [yes, 3!] air mattresses just sitting in our storage.
Back to the most awe-inspiring bird i've seen in person...
I thought it was a Black Eagle, but it seems it is a Great Black Hawk - not to be confused with the Common Black Hawk. It did not have any white in its tail feathers, which makes me suspect it must be an eagle. Plus, it was huge! I'm no expert, though, so i have used other physical and behavioral clues that are known about the Great Black Hawk to try to correctly identify this fantastic feathered creature. One such clue is that along Amazon rivers the Great Black Hawk has been observed raiding Hoatzin (which i had never even heard of or seen until this trip) nesting colonies looking for eggs and chicks, which in this region were plentiful.
What do you think? Is this the correct identification? Either way, i was seriously impressed with its size, beauty & fierce presence. Enamored, really...
There are so many different types of birds that call this region home. You can't walk two steps without the gulls crying out for reinforcements, the cranes sounding the alarm to flee, or the ducks loudly exclaiming their displeasure at your intrusion of the ambience. Occasionally, these alarm systems worked in my favor, as i was able to catch a glimpse of a hawk, jaburu or other larger bird of prey...
One such instance was the last morning, when i was leaving my tent. I heard the gull start up, and was annoyed since i clearly had claimed this "nest" for the past week & a half. I mocked the gull loudly. Then i glanced at the tent to my left to be sure no one was witness to this poor display of waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
That is when i saw a large black (what i initially thought was an eagle) bird of prey perched directly above the neighboring tent. In shock, i wondered if i would be blessed with enough time & ninja skills to unzip and reenter my tent [quietly], grab my camera & get out again - and still have a shot at capturing this jaw-dropping bird of prey. I figured that i need not factor in time to kick myself, as i could do that all day long, if i missed it.
I blame my mocking on my state bird. It's learned behavior, or something. Okay, it was actually just lack of a good night's sleep for days on end, due to our sleeping arrangements. I only have one thing to say about that: air mattress + sleeping bags next time. I'm not a princess, but when you have a certain amount of 'battle scars' & metal mass in your body, i believe that it is unnecessary to "rough it" just because - especially when we have 3 [yes, 3!] air mattresses just sitting in our storage.
Back to the most awe-inspiring bird i've seen in person...
I thought it was a Black Eagle, but it seems it is a Great Black Hawk - not to be confused with the Common Black Hawk. It did not have any white in its tail feathers, which makes me suspect it must be an eagle. Plus, it was huge! I'm no expert, though, so i have used other physical and behavioral clues that are known about the Great Black Hawk to try to correctly identify this fantastic feathered creature. One such clue is that along Amazon rivers the Great Black Hawk has been observed raiding Hoatzin (which i had never even heard of or seen until this trip) nesting colonies looking for eggs and chicks, which in this region were plentiful.
What do you think? Is this the correct identification? Either way, i was seriously impressed with its size, beauty & fierce presence. Enamored, really...
(To enlarge pictures, right-click and open in a new window.)
It's a shame this last one is so blurry. My camera was on the wrong setting to capture an action shot, and my subject quickly decided to take flight. This shot is what reminded me so much of an eagle. I actually have another pic that would have been amazing, if the focus wasn't off... It was when it looked right at me, and decided the photo shoot was done. :] Fierce, i tell you.
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