tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76660872456426059832024-03-13T10:50:28.330-07:00Donald and Esther's TravelsDonald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-61270165112584933822011-09-11T14:20:00.000-07:002011-09-11T14:20:18.573-07:00Brazil (and Argentina) Highlights<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvtEA00X0IQv6dlFHn0fiud0HIzTbffk4p_NZNGQKBKWrNs1SSOzcHo4bYQsQZXv9Ve3EXYQjUO7Jj6XrU4PQMIEyKc5TflVMy13oKFtW9vBGjpP_5iSPgOD3zYgbhxeeHI7DI1Ortbg/s1600/Black-throated+Piping+Guan+-+Iguacu+%2528Bird+Park%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvtEA00X0IQv6dlFHn0fiud0HIzTbffk4p_NZNGQKBKWrNs1SSOzcHo4bYQsQZXv9Ve3EXYQjUO7Jj6XrU4PQMIEyKc5TflVMy13oKFtW9vBGjpP_5iSPgOD3zYgbhxeeHI7DI1Ortbg/s320/Black-throated+Piping+Guan+-+Iguacu+%2528Bird+Park%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Favorite Food:</b> Pao de Queijo (cheese bread). Yum.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Favorite Restaurants:</b> Rio’s kilo restaurants, where you pay
by the weight.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Favorite Drink:</b> Guarana soda.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Runner-up: Coconut water. Refreshing after three hours in
the sun.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best Bird:</b> Blue-fronted piping guan, spotted on both the
Brazilian and Argentine sides of Iguacu Falls.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Runners up: Hyacinth macaw, Toco toucan</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best Mammal:</b> Ocelot.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Runner up: Golden lion tamarin.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuqD8SbU-9_ylsOUcFsp9X6lhpBQ6E3tZcz5c2m_ZHZU7Kr0lYI1LNyFw8QMinYXlvn8pGsjjN1sPB_qAPLTF_SxOI3mCh0oNyRzX6m5UP-J4nCeJ0hHHg4fTExZFPbU9tl0KDOIBaKM/s1600/Toco+Toucan+-+Iguacu+%2528wild%252C+really%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuqD8SbU-9_ylsOUcFsp9X6lhpBQ6E3tZcz5c2m_ZHZU7Kr0lYI1LNyFw8QMinYXlvn8pGsjjN1sPB_qAPLTF_SxOI3mCh0oNyRzX6m5UP-J4nCeJ0hHHg4fTExZFPbU9tl0KDOIBaKM/s320/Toco+Toucan+-+Iguacu+%2528wild%252C+really%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best beach:</b> Copacabana, Rio</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best tour guide, Rio:</b> <a href="http://www.tourguideneyla.com/">Neyla Bontempo</a> (her #1 ranking on Tripadvisor is well-deserved)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best tour guide, Iguacu and Pantanal:</b> <a href="http://zapa.photoshelter.com/">Zapa</a> (phenomenal enthusiasm for nature)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Best hotel: </b>Hotel das Cataratas, Foz de Iguacu, Brazil (stunning location, beautiful hotel, tasty food)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Missed connections:</b> Jaguar, Anaconda, Capped Heron, Rio’s
Botanical Garden, Snorkeling with Dorado, Piranha (without snorkeling).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For photos of all sorts of Brazilian critters, see <a href="http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu&page=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu/pictures&album=8">this slideshow</a>.</span></div>
Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-15436862931724480052011-09-11T14:19:00.000-07:002011-09-11T14:22:38.837-07:00The Pantanal After Dark<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2U9I4HfStBn9V5F6NcFXk93gmerNEC1gx19IiUKYbXqEwzkJGw2FBwDtqcgHnoy-WMMTDRWLsnjQqg7aBo9oD8KmXyTh-Na4kMESqpzGBqSOrGMHJkk9DhpOBBO_WdlvdTQx7sQnId4/s1600/Warning+Sign+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2U9I4HfStBn9V5F6NcFXk93gmerNEC1gx19IiUKYbXqEwzkJGw2FBwDtqcgHnoy-WMMTDRWLsnjQqg7aBo9oD8KmXyTh-Na4kMESqpzGBqSOrGMHJkk9DhpOBBO_WdlvdTQx7sQnId4/s400/Warning+Sign+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You are already here."</td></tr>
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Many animals become more active at night. So we spent three evenings in the back of our truck shining a spotlight along the roadside looking for gleaming eyes. Most of them were caiman eyes, but we did find other critters as well.<br />
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We were hoping for a jaguar, of course, but the only one we saw was in a sign warning guests not to walk around alone at night. (We also heard one calling, but it didn't reveal itself.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx81tcij6AMJItmuTbOVmCMc_EbiVdVP_sSQPWWjZyIr5Kns7SgMZP0pZb2LDj1lGIn_tvhJkS5TvRr1TJLHW7HP4yauWldP8fpitxAoBlDzMPh4vx6BG5VzvbCqkFFq8k-oc5al9bNo/s1600/Brazilian+Tapir+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwx81tcij6AMJItmuTbOVmCMc_EbiVdVP_sSQPWWjZyIr5Kns7SgMZP0pZb2LDj1lGIn_tvhJkS5TvRr1TJLHW7HP4yauWldP8fpitxAoBlDzMPh4vx6BG5VzvbCqkFFq8k-oc5al9bNo/s400/Brazilian+Tapir+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elusive <b>Brazilian tapir</b>.</td></tr>
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Second on our list was the Pantanal's largest native resident, the <b>tapir</b>. One made a brief appearance on our final night. (As you can see, we are still working on our night photography.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Mc8AwpYBAj1rA1eTlZVuXrxkHZX0x4aVu5X8_KAyHLmvVyomBKeyaTRyD01YsX8sE7leG8yRnUfuG2M4-dV3ZcW9ZuZOeWP1xBAnHBgv1D7GcgZxg6H62sQkMPBLB-AHgxu8hPPXT8/s1600/Crab-eating+Fox+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Mc8AwpYBAj1rA1eTlZVuXrxkHZX0x4aVu5X8_KAyHLmvVyomBKeyaTRyD01YsX8sE7leG8yRnUfuG2M4-dV3ZcW9ZuZOeWP1xBAnHBgv1D7GcgZxg6H62sQkMPBLB-AHgxu8hPPXT8/s400/Crab-eating+Fox+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <b>crab-eating fox</b> foraging.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugZyvZdLmUCN9_MV79JigNsS-M81P5AoL40uv-kIoHdwJMHNdQ3G3Z_g5Pme2hSNei5Nzcv1dzBju9cIAqjN7jnHrnn4XDPFT5xXq9uCQOHHpSGnn4um9vAomCgWoEiwYPqja_D67avo/s1600/Pampas+%2528I+think%2529+Deer+Fawn+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugZyvZdLmUCN9_MV79JigNsS-M81P5AoL40uv-kIoHdwJMHNdQ3G3Z_g5Pme2hSNei5Nzcv1dzBju9cIAqjN7jnHrnn4XDPFT5xXq9uCQOHHpSGnn4um9vAomCgWoEiwYPqja_D67avo/s400/Pampas+%2528I+think%2529+Deer+Fawn+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bambi (a <b>pampas deer </b>fawn)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD9KbVFAErVd6Q8lbJOxX0fWf7VS_IWC88BMU8RJ_nN2CK5p_4PZ0kS0OPkKfBWuXPmxUHw9saz_-1rCqPiDuGhzRE0VJ2CLwc6sDaUzhaEdWUP79aClCiOV-zOakBR35ajzY142oaio/s1600/Brazilian+Rabbit+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsD9KbVFAErVd6Q8lbJOxX0fWf7VS_IWC88BMU8RJ_nN2CK5p_4PZ0kS0OPkKfBWuXPmxUHw9saz_-1rCqPiDuGhzRE0VJ2CLwc6sDaUzhaEdWUP79aClCiOV-zOakBR35ajzY142oaio/s400/Brazilian+Rabbit+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumper (A<b> Brazilian rabbit</b>)</td></tr>
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Much more common were <b>crab-eating foxes</b> (which outnumbered the crabs about 10:1), <b>deer</b>, and<b> rabbits</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-gB1sb_xzotMwty6S6UAzEz56eEJ5xbAjd4ji80UJx1Bjz2CtYuPo55kVUvxdmXjU2YK0orLqwOBMKlc-NCKVQPq8Ktbn3wJa40PJR2861T9-MWg3fzGO5CxP8fI-3Gb5LFUVr3azV4/s1600/Pauraque+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-gB1sb_xzotMwty6S6UAzEz56eEJ5xbAjd4ji80UJx1Bjz2CtYuPo55kVUvxdmXjU2YK0orLqwOBMKlc-NCKVQPq8Ktbn3wJa40PJR2861T9-MWg3fzGO5CxP8fI-3Gb5LFUVr3azV4/s400/Pauraque+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This <b>pauraque </b>landed right in front our truck.</td></tr>
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Night was also the best time to see nighthawks. These cryptically-feathered birds pretend to be leaves or tree limbs during the day. At night, they come out to hawk insects. Most common were <b>pauraques</b>, which we often spied resting on the ground or flying through the trees. We also saw one <b>giant potoo</b> which appeared as large as real hawk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiJVN9YNeCQlWVSYV4Snkh82MB3gYXlIJttP4Dc8dIMo5meo9GxAZUXtqEC8je7kbC8XgNXSGjtyyy-ox7R6cMow8oDeP-44F0PJx00Sl-8euKokqXRD3XBn2QcOYUcISOTknKHp24bk/s1600/Burrowing+Owl+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiJVN9YNeCQlWVSYV4Snkh82MB3gYXlIJttP4Dc8dIMo5meo9GxAZUXtqEC8je7kbC8XgNXSGjtyyy-ox7R6cMow8oDeP-44F0PJx00Sl-8euKokqXRD3XBn2QcOYUcISOTknKHp24bk/s400/Burrowing+Owl+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <b>burrowing owl</b> at dusk.</td></tr>
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<b>Burrowing owls </b>are easy to see during the day time, but one also posed for a nice photo just after it got dark.<br />
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Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-74519869199335127202011-09-11T14:18:00.001-07:002011-09-11T14:18:27.992-07:00Birds of BrazilWe saw and identified about 160 species of birds over 11 days. The vast majority appeared in the Pantanal, which is truly a birdwatcher's paradise.<br />
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We had trouble identifying species for certain types of birds, most notably hummingbirds. So this list is probably an undercount of what we saw.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhVy9DH_FJG4dO-5glPcOyiCsRlZ3yny292wlBFA-nURgJcbsuZSA45CjLJCQMnfnRk1beINxKQFVSUchC49WqwsbivUvpSSurXX-f_VPf6cKyuUE-wS4oHhNSVW-rTwfJueY9xW2ULM/s1600/Red-legged+Seriema-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhVy9DH_FJG4dO-5glPcOyiCsRlZ3yny292wlBFA-nURgJcbsuZSA45CjLJCQMnfnRk1beINxKQFVSUchC49WqwsbivUvpSSurXX-f_VPf6cKyuUE-wS4oHhNSVW-rTwfJueY9xW2ULM/s320/Red-legged+Seriema-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red-legged Seriema (film makers used these guys to figure out how the velociraptors in <i>Jurassic Park</i> would move)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Greater Rhea</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Undulated Tinamou</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Chaco Chachalaca</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Blue-throated Piping Guan</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-fronted Piping Guan (Iguacu, one of the stars of the trip)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bare-faced Curassow</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k8N6Zu0n4C9Np0VofDgPseQNrBC4br0D3rNJbN_cJF84XNClQ3P5KbRLu85AkuXo2VAuOPK7WgKtbraIP4ZVpWM8vxRV0d8K8AIzFqiUlKcPtmYQMTk-QMhlGOtCFDhDr6jUsxz4CO4/s1600/Rhea+Looking+into+the+Abyss+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2k8N6Zu0n4C9Np0VofDgPseQNrBC4br0D3rNJbN_cJF84XNClQ3P5KbRLu85AkuXo2VAuOPK7WgKtbraIP4ZVpWM8vxRV0d8K8AIzFqiUlKcPtmYQMTk-QMhlGOtCFDhDr6jUsxz4CO4/s320/Rhea+Looking+into+the+Abyss+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Magnificent Frigatebird (Rio, phenomenal numbers)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Neotropic Cormorant</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Anhinga</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Screamer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Muscovy Duck</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Brazilian Teal</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Striated Heron</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Boat-billed Heron</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-crowned Night Heron</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Rufescent Tiger Heron</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cattle Egret</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis55rhKtQTfBbUbD4OGkedrkaC1XkcFwYkoxrG-Gz4PAfoFGWV2eMCRV2-QxTuJBumapB7n-LvttLAajkgK73kq18qb70gnp_3y4OOEzfA5vfeSnI65L5p9QgvYNlKF8hzG1FVTXXSvrQ/s1600/Jabiru+Stork+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis55rhKtQTfBbUbD4OGkedrkaC1XkcFwYkoxrG-Gz4PAfoFGWV2eMCRV2-QxTuJBumapB7n-LvttLAajkgK73kq18qb70gnp_3y4OOEzfA5vfeSnI65L5p9QgvYNlKF8hzG1FVTXXSvrQ/s320/Jabiru+Stork+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Snowy Egret</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Egret</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cocoi Heron</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Whistling Heron</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Buff-necked Ibis</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Plubeous Ibis</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Green Ibis</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bare-faced Ibis</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwB8RGEdNtwF_k4mb91iBt-kCYbj4EwXcBfOGLVkb96AnILrIvuINj0FvdSkKakDoWopBUuq1-wIG4UbiL3BWImTwFs9Dd47IZm1fpjnJYzUQEWhlBD3IP_XyCwsxMsgoxbV6TbWIhEI/s1600/Savannah+Hawk+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwB8RGEdNtwF_k4mb91iBt-kCYbj4EwXcBfOGLVkb96AnILrIvuINj0FvdSkKakDoWopBUuq1-wIG4UbiL3BWImTwFs9Dd47IZm1fpjnJYzUQEWhlBD3IP_XyCwsxMsgoxbV6TbWIhEI/s320/Savannah+Hawk+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Limpkin</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Roseate Spoonbill</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wood Stork</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Maguari Stork</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Jabiru (symbol of the Pantanal)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Turkey Vulure</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black Vulture</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Snail Kite</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crane Hawk</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Roadside Hawk</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT9lbbnpqi_1w40rGqumDO3ptXfEhSrDiX86aqnG4xdff0YKfyKlutv43IP2al6YjHt1UtF7rYU6FPr2fMqP8Bh69X5qwgyA_ygZmfgYLa99YfbxNtBR94TjSGIQY04k7YSSR7p2caUU/s1600/Yellow-headed+Caracara+and+Capybara+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT9lbbnpqi_1w40rGqumDO3ptXfEhSrDiX86aqnG4xdff0YKfyKlutv43IP2al6YjHt1UtF7rYU6FPr2fMqP8Bh69X5qwgyA_ygZmfgYLa99YfbxNtBR94TjSGIQY04k7YSSR7p2caUU/s320/Yellow-headed+Caracara+and+Capybara+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Savannah Hawk</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-collared Hawk</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Black Hawk</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow-headed Caracara</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Crested Caracara</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gray-necked Wood Rail</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Common Moorhen (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N1QstEr8YsjtD7_-Q40cAoLYTwR5p4uUOpOX0SeazuGolZcnB-93XBotyPSewRzERyOJAk1teTNynXx51b9fpIhXAllMH02Zh_xyyraKkM3WNWH5ns0xrplJ_wJgJ_rKuC9uaFHX59s/s1600/Hyacinth+Macaw+Parent+and+Baby+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N1QstEr8YsjtD7_-Q40cAoLYTwR5p4uUOpOX0SeazuGolZcnB-93XBotyPSewRzERyOJAk1teTNynXx51b9fpIhXAllMH02Zh_xyyraKkM3WNWH5ns0xrplJ_wJgJ_rKuC9uaFHX59s/s320/Hyacinth+Macaw+Parent+and+Baby+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sungrebe</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wattled Jacana</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Lapwing (everywhere)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Collared Plover (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Solitary Sandpiper</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Kelp Gull (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Brown Booby (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black Skimmer</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Feral Pigeon (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Eared Dove (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Picazuro Pigeon</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Scaled Dove</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj682nuA_fgsJmJ5sbz4TVBddJX4muop3ENKA7Y_AkRBwOT6sAWaxONfg9fEi3Fwc1BpO8S9ia-H4f3xgMPEP4kaEK_Tg9LFQopN3K8w3pHPGyrbyrTcXivb8MuWuleSUcUFGPpuLs24U0/s1600/Golden-collared+Macaw+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj682nuA_fgsJmJ5sbz4TVBddJX4muop3ENKA7Y_AkRBwOT6sAWaxONfg9fEi3Fwc1BpO8S9ia-H4f3xgMPEP4kaEK_Tg9LFQopN3K8w3pHPGyrbyrTcXivb8MuWuleSUcUFGPpuLs24U0/s320/Golden-collared+Macaw+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Picui Ground Dove</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ruddy Ground Dove (everywhere)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-tipped Dove</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Hyacinth Macaw</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Golden-collared Macaw</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-eyed Parakeet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Peach-fronted Parakeet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Monk Parakeet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-hooded Parakeet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow-chevroned Parakeet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Blue-fronted Parrot</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps others as well</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgv53lP-JzZdRogCNj73zAB0XvCvmJ8d2pl1AJp5pFXuPwrmZEy4nI2j0gP-KQmnbFCyiWacv6UKUj00SgfkDwhWo7CMjcs31RHXsYgkJIqoCcwBfQrwRNz1rGGt4A_vRJPqsd1IQG2ig/s1600/Borrowing+Owl+with+Chick+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgv53lP-JzZdRogCNj73zAB0XvCvmJ8d2pl1AJp5pFXuPwrmZEy4nI2j0gP-KQmnbFCyiWacv6UKUj00SgfkDwhWo7CMjcs31RHXsYgkJIqoCcwBfQrwRNz1rGGt4A_vRJPqsd1IQG2ig/s320/Borrowing+Owl+with+Chick+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Squirrel Cuckoo (Sao Paulo)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Smooth-billed Ani (North of Rio, Pantanal)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Guira Cuckoo</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ferruginous Pygmy Owl</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Burrowing Owl</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Potoo</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pauraque</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-collared Swift (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Dusky Swift (Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Swallow-tailed Hummingbird (Rio, Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Minute Hermit</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Violet-capped Woodnymph</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Probably other hummingbirds as well</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqncw2LpA2irSLaQSTGa_7VsB6VaWg81msq0x5pCaMsoyK_TOmE8xU4K592IHVpGWdVqhxjO1Qbgo1StPl-bpf8bSeDMtioTTZEJOQQDK8to544uk4QgYI8xlF2GD_K5mIT_FEfhizYw/s1600/Toco+Toucan+Flying+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqncw2LpA2irSLaQSTGa_7VsB6VaWg81msq0x5pCaMsoyK_TOmE8xU4K592IHVpGWdVqhxjO1Qbgo1StPl-bpf8bSeDMtioTTZEJOQQDK8to544uk4QgYI8xlF2GD_K5mIT_FEfhizYw/s320/Toco+Toucan+Flying+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-crowned Trogon</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ringed Kingfisher</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon Kingfisher</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Green Kingfisher</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Rufous-capped Motmot (Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Rufous-tailed Jacamar (North of Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Chestnut-eared Aracari</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red-breasted Toucan (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Toco Toucan (Iguacu, Pantanal; another star of the trip)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHC5_6hXcqz7pd0W_1Hx7miX_7rjTKnG9JDlV171pPCup9TsJq3ruA-GneotwkM06TuQPO1_F_-gJV9j2ysb_5STys1G2NhUjFzAwp0QKhVaLt6UowM_16ojEO_J8aHc2l8KVtOjJ9jk/s1600/Yellow-fronted+Woodpecker+-+Iguacu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHC5_6hXcqz7pd0W_1Hx7miX_7rjTKnG9JDlV171pPCup9TsJq3ruA-GneotwkM06TuQPO1_F_-gJV9j2ysb_5STys1G2NhUjFzAwp0QKhVaLt6UowM_16ojEO_J8aHc2l8KVtOjJ9jk/s320/Yellow-fronted+Woodpecker+-+Iguacu.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-wedged Piculet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-barred Piculet (Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Little Woodpecker</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Campo Flicker (Iguacu, Pantanal)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White Woodpecker</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pale-crested Woodpecker</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Lineated Woodpecker</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crimson-crested Woodpecker</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Olivaceous Woodcreeper</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red-billed Scythebill</span></div>
<div>
Possibly other woodcreepers</div>
<div>
Rufous Hornero</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Antshrike</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Vermillion Flycatcher</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-rumped Monjita</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cattle Tyrant</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Masked Water Tyrant (Rio, North of Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvvvK_1m-RAG6H3ODcLcv1b1KLPfWz_noJZ8uSW5KVO-KMJRWvh2YTOWa5kc8sgwf6jS24YuX4q8BZTPK4PACdyU_qVzsvPVvocPCXaA6kTwOrQQzASPkYWv1RDl0Ulwtu3eFSZmx-aY/s1600/Green-headed+Tanager+-+North+of+Rio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvvvK_1m-RAG6H3ODcLcv1b1KLPfWz_noJZ8uSW5KVO-KMJRWvh2YTOWa5kc8sgwf6jS24YuX4q8BZTPK4PACdyU_qVzsvPVvocPCXaA6kTwOrQQzASPkYWv1RDl0Ulwtu3eFSZmx-aY/s320/Green-headed+Tanager+-+North+of+Rio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Brown-crested Flycatcher</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Great Kiskadee (everywhere)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Lesser Kiskadee</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tropical Kingbird (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crested Black Tyrant (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Beardless-Tyranulet</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Campo Grande)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Plush-crested Jay (Iguacu, Pantanal)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Purplish Jay</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gray-breasted Martin (Iguacu, Pantanal)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern Rough-winged Swallow (North of Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimme2ulXGd4ECdFbejlX_HFYIKIuD2MOxPfruw3eHPE0YCp8ZmbD1X1nFMq13vzdPIrNesJd6VwJwuJfrWrLhKTkIvYzmLF8_aVyJsXp3cHa5ciPGYOQDEmH5FKCC5ze0qAgFlUF09MAg/s1600/Giant+Cowbird+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimme2ulXGd4ECdFbejlX_HFYIKIuD2MOxPfruw3eHPE0YCp8ZmbD1X1nFMq13vzdPIrNesJd6VwJwuJfrWrLhKTkIvYzmLF8_aVyJsXp3cHa5ciPGYOQDEmH5FKCC5ze0qAgFlUF09MAg/s320/Giant+Cowbird+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Blue and White Swallow (Rio)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Rufous-collared Sparrow (Rio, Iguacu)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Chalk-browed Mockingbird (North of Rio, Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-capped Donacobius</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Southern House Wren (everywhere)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Long-billed Wren (Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thrush-like Wren</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Rufous-bellied Thrush</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pale-breasted Thrush (Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Golden-Crowned Warbler (Iguacu, Sao Paulo)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Bananaquit (Rio, Pantanal)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Chestnut-vented Conebill</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Blue Dacnis (Rio, North of Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Violaceous Euphonia</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sayaca Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Palm Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Black-goggled Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Silver-beaked Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow-billed Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red-crested Tanager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Green-headed Tanager (North of Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-Bellied Tanager (North of Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Brazilian Tanager (North of Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ruby-crowned Tanager (North of Rio)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Grayish Saltator</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tawny-bellied Seedeater</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Saffron Finch</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">House Sparrow (Sao Paulo, Pantanal)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Screaming Cowbird</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Shiny Cowbird</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Giant Cowbird</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Chopi Blackbird (Iguacu, Pantanal)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Unicolored Blackbird</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Orange-backed Troupial</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Epaulet Oriole</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Golden-winged Cacique</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Solitary Cacique</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red-rumped Cacique (Iguacu, Pantanal)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow-rumped Cacique</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crested Oropendola</span></div>
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<b>For more Brazilian creatures, see <a href="http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu&page=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu/pictures&album=8">this slideshow</a>.</b></div>
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<br />Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-91060045717899096132011-09-11T14:18:00.000-07:002011-09-11T14:18:10.355-07:00Mammals of Brazil<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIZu7J-tom2IZp67CniQhJfEPu-BIQ7Bry56NAqqJAsh1YV2XEPxWgprfi-m30pIua1dpRjvMtE_YDVQUrsk-Zy9lqhIdrBaulgSivqMnGuy8fJO2sfn59qI1zJntQaVHsTgdLdc5uRA/s1600/Ocelot+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIZu7J-tom2IZp67CniQhJfEPu-BIQ7Bry56NAqqJAsh1YV2XEPxWgprfi-m30pIua1dpRjvMtE_YDVQUrsk-Zy9lqhIdrBaulgSivqMnGuy8fJO2sfn59qI1zJntQaVHsTgdLdc5uRA/s400/Ocelot+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Pantanal offered some of the best mammal viewing we've ever experienced. At least 22 species in three days. Add in two species of monkeys we saw elsewhere, and we racked up at least 24.<br />
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<b>Pantanal</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ocelot (the highlight of the trip; came jogging through the forest about 10 one morning)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Crab-eating fox (also at Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Giant river otter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tayra</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Coati (South American; also at Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Giant anteater</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBhc8_a3zHP7QBO09VVSM24TQ5k6Mhf9V8w_0GEOrEuQcmU2LWpRwktJkcIcxlpMc9Y62oF2TsHCxWZsBo5z0JtOl-JQNIPHoWIQ1kHgvaEdkWRsY-dpgg8rx9JmOm56pmhKgnbMO2FE/s1600/Giant+Otter+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBhc8_a3zHP7QBO09VVSM24TQ5k6Mhf9V8w_0GEOrEuQcmU2LWpRwktJkcIcxlpMc9Y62oF2TsHCxWZsBo5z0JtOl-JQNIPHoWIQ1kHgvaEdkWRsY-dpgg8rx9JmOm56pmhKgnbMO2FE/s400/Giant+Otter+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yellow armadillo (six-banded)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tapir (Brazilian)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Marsh deer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pampas deer</span></div>
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Grey brocket deer (also at Iguacu)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Red brocket deer (also at Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Brazilian rabbit (also at Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Agouti (Azara's; also at Iguacu)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Capybara</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Collared peccary</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">White-lipped peccary</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Feral pig</span></span></div>
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Howler monkey (Black and gold)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWXcAXfUM2t2nMbFuqGusOUaorr7JwXySqRyPKzeSv9dqAp0adX0m2lgL2PM_FxdnbFwLG-21HAF_dz9322K9y56PQgsmRRWO0UJyFnymP9nO45oEFpf5cvZKr_GXNUdqnpNTxZ7y2P0/s1600/Giant+Anteater+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWXcAXfUM2t2nMbFuqGusOUaorr7JwXySqRyPKzeSv9dqAp0adX0m2lgL2PM_FxdnbFwLG-21HAF_dz9322K9y56PQgsmRRWO0UJyFnymP9nO45oEFpf5cvZKr_GXNUdqnpNTxZ7y2P0/s400/Giant+Anteater+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a>Capuchin (Brown; also at Christ the Redeemer in Rio)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Greater fishing bat</span></div>
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Lesser fishing bat</div>
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Bat flying in our bedroom (species unknown)</div>
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Other bats outside where they belong (perhaps fruit?)</div>
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<i>Evidence of other critters</i></div>
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Jaguar tracks, calls, photos on camera traps</div>
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Puma track (maybe)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU5ShjygoLurXgW8vb16pvRKQTflgVU0j4UXmH8DDhUmua_H0twPgfpshaz-OxQtL3vp0bNOFLwuien0ZnsWLIfCTqqvIO1ioL-8xguWWJTdfuh6vkZaPiAGZ8_H5Hm-zQ3CpTW8krxk/s1600/Golden+Lion+Tamarins+-+North+of+Rio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU5ShjygoLurXgW8vb16pvRKQTflgVU0j4UXmH8DDhUmua_H0twPgfpshaz-OxQtL3vp0bNOFLwuien0ZnsWLIfCTqqvIO1ioL-8xguWWJTdfuh6vkZaPiAGZ8_H5Hm-zQ3CpTW8krxk/s400/Golden+Lion+Tamarins+-+North+of+Rio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Elsewhere</div>
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Golden-lion tamarins (at reserve north of Rio)</div>
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Common marmosets (Sugar Loaf, reserve north of Rio)<br />
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<b>For more mammal photos from Brazil, see <a href="http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu&page=animalsofthepantanalrioandiguacu/pictures&album=8">this slideshow</a>.</b></div>
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Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-64371344686924505762011-09-11T13:52:00.000-07:002011-09-11T13:52:23.595-07:00Reptiles and Amphibians of Brazil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv0BEiizXOoOkMLsrxi0b8wJAaANNIRSqwwEYm3IsRl1rdTW1pniUGa9-IOIWKMkZkT8aNvSAfZohQMJM8is26nYEK-1rKKagYCvayajUoXpKLjc1PVibd9BJscDkIz5Bah_t0qtWeBE/s1600/Caimans+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv0BEiizXOoOkMLsrxi0b8wJAaANNIRSqwwEYm3IsRl1rdTW1pniUGa9-IOIWKMkZkT8aNvSAfZohQMJM8is26nYEK-1rKKagYCvayajUoXpKLjc1PVibd9BJscDkIz5Bah_t0qtWeBE/s400/Caimans+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Pantanal hosts the world's densest population of crocodilians. <b>Yacare caimans</b> are everywhere. But have no fear, these alligator cousins eat fish and the occasional capybara, not humans. Indeed, they are quite afraid of anything large that walks near them. Perhaps because they aren't the top of the food chain. Jaguars love a tasty caiman meal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcJllcaoVihnWL4f2VG-XaNDTXHq2sCPinuU_vtdMbZ6HIM1Y8d5IhbboHGX8miXxvCFZGgT_PXTbfVsnNIvvyIjJT6JA5abSwp_puSYjfY4bkhsjW7fq-golzaCm0Q4ue5DZHwVQ-Jw/s1600/Frogs+of+the+Evening+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcJllcaoVihnWL4f2VG-XaNDTXHq2sCPinuU_vtdMbZ6HIM1Y8d5IhbboHGX8miXxvCFZGgT_PXTbfVsnNIvvyIjJT6JA5abSwp_puSYjfY4bkhsjW7fq-golzaCm0Q4ue5DZHwVQ-Jw/s400/Frogs+of+the+Evening+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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At dusk, the caimans are joined by frogs (species, anyone?). These guys would crawl all over the lodge. Posing quite the obstacle course as we tried (successfully, I think) to avoid squishing any.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJbfRiGURyhnWNVsT78nokOGn6mZ9g6ifNuhiQqbAtQ7oV8tMRqSl-9In9v5ptwf-3v9vxKJd98gUfiLxHm7lKqJtiXVCBkID1QSKaIVQPZ-U9qpRQgZKtPfwMhyphenhyphen0nWtolgy49oB-5k/s1600/Tegu+Lizard+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJbfRiGURyhnWNVsT78nokOGn6mZ9g6ifNuhiQqbAtQ7oV8tMRqSl-9In9v5ptwf-3v9vxKJd98gUfiLxHm7lKqJtiXVCBkID1QSKaIVQPZ-U9qpRQgZKtPfwMhyphenhyphen0nWtolgy49oB-5k/s400/Tegu+Lizard+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Can a lizard be beautiful?<br />
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Yes. With the dry season coming to an end, the<b> tegu lizards</b> had shed their old skins and were looking sharp. About two feet long, these guys look like a cross between an iguana and a monitor lizard.<br />
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We didn't encounter any of the famous snakes. No anaconda, no fer-de-lance. But on our last night of spot-lighting, we did find this <b>cat-eyed snake</b>. The photo doesn't do it justice; quite a lovely creature.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrsRUiyhyphenhyphenNCpGhK2BO0dyJ_BEBfOq7PCjzJpEo8q3wv5ALHsqIll14S_1OUx3sjJJri6J46DRHI_6E1usi3YoU_166_GvVeXaGUHJWe2cyZrp5AB_xDvSPQslBXtHUBYBg2mAzX2GuG4/s1600/Red-footed+Tortoise+-+Pantanal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrsRUiyhyphenhyphenNCpGhK2BO0dyJ_BEBfOq7PCjzJpEo8q3wv5ALHsqIll14S_1OUx3sjJJri6J46DRHI_6E1usi3YoU_166_GvVeXaGUHJWe2cyZrp5AB_xDvSPQslBXtHUBYBg2mAzX2GuG4/s320/Red-footed+Tortoise+-+Pantanal.jpg" width="246" /></a><br />
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Our final wildlife sighting in the Pantanal. A <b>red-footed tortoise</b> crossing the road. He was a shy fellow, so we had to take our guide's word for it that his feet are actually red.<br />
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Iguacu had reptiles too. <b>Amazon lava lizards</b> looked quite lovely perched above the fall.<br />
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<br />Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-28711507974872240952011-09-11T13:50:00.000-07:002011-09-11T13:50:48.013-07:00Iguacu Falls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Or, if you prefer, Iguassu or Iguazu.<br />
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One of the three great falls in world (the others being Niagara and Victoria), Iguacu put on quite a show for us. Thanks to recent rains, the river was running about three times higher than average. That washed out one of the best vantage points on the Argentine side, but made for great viewing otherwise.<br />
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That's the Garganta Del Diablo -- the Devil's Throat -- off to the left.<br />
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A view from the Argentine side<br />
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One of the nicest hotels we've ever experienced. The Hotel das Cataratas.<br />
<br />Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-33995410236199866372011-09-11T13:38:00.000-07:002011-09-11T13:38:03.610-07:00Classic Sights of Rio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent almost two weeks in Brazil recently, starting in Rio.<br />
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Rio's most famous landmark is Christ the Redeemer. Recently voted one of the seven new wonders of the world, it's perched above Rio. Sometimes he plays hide and seek in the clouds.<br />
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And sometimes it's crystal clear up on the mountain side.<br />
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Less famous, but equally photogenic is Sugar Loaf, so named because of it's alleged resemblance to a sugar loaf.<br />
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That's Copacabana beach in the far background. Beyond it lies Ipanema Beach, where we stayed.<br />
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Most impressive thing at each beach? The folks playing volleyball with their feet. "Foot volley" is quite the athletic endeavor.<br />
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Downtown, Rio has an unorthodox cathedral. Inspired in part by Mayan pyramids, the cathedral is essentially a cone. Inside, there are four beautiful stained glass windows and a wonderful statue of our favorite saint (Francis).<br />
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From the entrance, you can look across the street to the central bank and the headquarters of Petrobras. (Esther's joke: You might refer to the three buildings as the trinity.)<br />
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Across the bay (Rio turned out not to be a river), lies Niteroi. It's home to a modern art museum designed by Brazil's most famous architect, Oscar Niemeyer. On our visit, at least, the building was much better than the art inside.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-70053402538918080562011-09-03T18:26:00.000-07:002011-09-03T18:26:08.020-07:00New FormatWe just updated the blog format. The upside is that it looks nicer. The downside is that the layout of photos in older posts is a bit haphazard. Thanks for your patience.<br />
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Coming soon: Donald and Esther's trip to Brazil.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-9996461134128155442010-09-06T13:26:00.000-07:002010-09-06T13:43:02.898-07:00Alaska Highlights<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNug59xHmaAbf3q0mKqUVFzMnGqH0sAaaQCclTsDIL-cn26n0-6xUIX12Hii9wnuQja0YFgPsLbBoqoH1ppfs09g_X41Fu0XT_Dowiew_IP3B9nJqBsVQtd8PEB2mUYQxXZWi6Kp6ElHI/s1600/Blog+-+Humpback+Fins+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNug59xHmaAbf3q0mKqUVFzMnGqH0sAaaQCclTsDIL-cn26n0-6xUIX12Hii9wnuQja0YFgPsLbBoqoH1ppfs09g_X41Fu0XT_Dowiew_IP3B9nJqBsVQtd8PEB2mUYQxXZWi6Kp6ElHI/s320/Blog+-+Humpback+Fins+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513901238950806866" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Signature Quote:</span> “<a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/09/we-are-not-going-to-die.html">We are not going to die.</a>” (Expedition leader Karl … as a pod of humpback whales suddenly turned onto a collision course with our skiff.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">National Geographic Moment I:</span> <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/08/watching-brown-bears-catch-salmon.html">Brown bears catching pink salmon</a> below the falls at Pavlov’s Bay.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">National Geographic Moment II:</span> Bubble-netting humpback whales surrounding the skiff with their bubbles. Time to reverse.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Amphibian:</span> The <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/09/unexpected-amphibian.html">western toad</a>, formerly known as the boreal toad. Green as moss, but even great camouflage doesn’t work if one hops across the trail.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Most Impressive Creature:</span> The Dall’s Porpoise. Seriously. Brown bears, humpback whales, and 376 pound halibut are impressive creatures. But the Dall’s Porpoise is the fastest sea creature we have ever seen. Think torpedoes that sending up rooster tails of spray as they zoom by. So fast that no one on this adventure even got a photo of them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Glacier:</span> <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/08/rivers-of-ice.html">Dawes</a>. A symphony of blues and whites in the rare Alaska sun. Very cooperative in calving, shooting, and sliding. A great kayak.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Worst Glacier:</span> <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-slight-problem-visiting-mcbride.html">McBride</a>. It calved so much that we couldn’t get near it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJIVAGZIImHH9LPxJwvCsaJgqyVruSnQdBjrYgFhK9xy86Xa8C0zO3keJdX61k1YaeyGXn7VFPS3EacXvCRHkK23q1ROhInSB-lbFwEVjvZ2hJGClOWoeRqowQiEBZwEKj9kz2PdUsks/s1600/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Fluke+(DSC_1051).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJIVAGZIImHH9LPxJwvCsaJgqyVruSnQdBjrYgFhK9xy86Xa8C0zO3keJdX61k1YaeyGXn7VFPS3EacXvCRHkK23q1ROhInSB-lbFwEVjvZ2hJGClOWoeRqowQiEBZwEKj9kz2PdUsks/s320/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Fluke+(DSC_1051).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513901231230850786" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Book:</span> John Muir, Travels in Alaska.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Missed Connections:</span> Orca, Kittlitz’s Murrelet, Moose, Black-tailed deer, Hoary Marmots, Mountain Goat.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Funniest Critters:</span> A flock of juvenile Harlequin ducks, rendered nearly flightless by their molt, flapping across the surface.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Moment of Unexpected Levity:</span> A 3-minute safety briefing to start a 2-minute bus ride. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Gem of a Store in the Morass that is Tourist Juneau:</span> The enamel pin and zipper pull store of <a href="http://wmspear.com/catalog.php">Bill Spears</a>.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Best Warning:</span> At the Mt. Roberts trail head in the hills above Juneau (paraphrased): Keep dogs on leash. Unleashed dogs that run ahead on the trail, may come running back to their owners with a bear in pursuit.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-55772910766722057102010-09-06T12:57:00.000-07:002010-09-06T13:24:23.862-07:00Our Last Day of Adventure in Alaska<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3afD6oXz-eWBC67Udhi5xOPEgVHijBr3mDRM8EAfRikJ5Xr5PNdJ91443fbLP8MfwcSwfi26qi34M-RyVgsmcAU7BqoipIRod4g3QNeYQxOss_Boxdc3Aui3gijutTKUWXmnTU4pqEE/s1600/Blog+-+Dundas+Bay+-+Steps+of+the+Ancients+(Quest2010+(194)).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3afD6oXz-eWBC67Udhi5xOPEgVHijBr3mDRM8EAfRikJ5Xr5PNdJ91443fbLP8MfwcSwfi26qi34M-RyVgsmcAU7BqoipIRod4g3QNeYQxOss_Boxdc3Aui3gijutTKUWXmnTU4pqEE/s320/Blog+-+Dundas+Bay+-+Steps+of+the+Ancients+(Quest2010+(194)).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513893052268495426" /></a><br />Thursday morning began with a hike through bear country in Idaho Bay. We didn't meet any of the furry critters, but we did find remarkable evidence of their presence.<br /><br /><br />Brown bear often step in the exact same spots year after year, following in the steps of their elders. You can see those tracks in the first photo.<br /><br /><br /><br />Later in the morning, we headed to Dundas Bay for our longest kayak of the trip. We certainly needed the workout after eating so well on the boat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR8BvdI4h0X4jUQhisa7JhFpEcdQ4DD2Zs0nX9VbtuSn7l71-239cxqD-rXy2We7naRmIhz_nvatWhCyo9l_deox-qeNWRmkDFqCT_VlFXmvwqVrqi7T32nZehU_LSUXSu17oen_QTTQ/s1600/Blog+-+Dundas+Bay+-+Kayaking+(Quest2010+(206)).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR8BvdI4h0X4jUQhisa7JhFpEcdQ4DD2Zs0nX9VbtuSn7l71-239cxqD-rXy2We7naRmIhz_nvatWhCyo9l_deox-qeNWRmkDFqCT_VlFXmvwqVrqi7T32nZehU_LSUXSu17oen_QTTQ/s320/Blog+-+Dundas+Bay+-+Kayaking+(Quest2010+(206)).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513893056868685570" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvRYOT7NBVlUoky8pJYAypErdHFIe8Xvc37-d1_6HymqbEJWS2j5Kg3ulBV3oy00xXuuVfPEdMYe_u2vom36vAz-4fBwh55VzlYgZG5ctOdt3YJ5c4RhHvOSXUlKQ3nHUqubQNth8Img/s1600/Blog+-+Sea+Otters-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvRYOT7NBVlUoky8pJYAypErdHFIe8Xvc37-d1_6HymqbEJWS2j5Kg3ulBV3oy00xXuuVfPEdMYe_u2vom36vAz-4fBwh55VzlYgZG5ctOdt3YJ5c4RhHvOSXUlKQ3nHUqubQNth8Img/s320/Blog+-+Sea+Otters-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513893060146754210" /></a>This is a rare photo of Esther and Donald both paddling.<br /><br />After a couple of miles (against the falling tide), we found about a dozen sea otters scattered across the water at the base of an island. The babies are quite large by this time of year, and some of the moms seemed a bit over-matched by their soon-to-be-independent pups.<br /><br />Several harbor seals were also cruising the waters. As best as we could tell, this particular seal enjoyed sneaking up on mother sea otters and scaring them. A moment later, mama otter and her pup disappeared below the water in a cloud of spray.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Note:</span> The first two photos are by other travelers on our expedition.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-24761485287191484952010-09-06T12:19:00.000-07:002010-09-06T12:56:27.118-07:00An Unexpected Amphibian<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gUf8XqDEYogbH1dYnHANt_GZSIW5SmC-36HkYnEgHHpre0Tq3OrvNDUaI8coaeTODxzoVx_fY-6UutA0PTt4sz4M7JaG7N5vK6UMSv7Qb4Uu0n_u9dDVV3ELhj8zQqnbpTuw769gjEg/s1600/Blog+-+Bartlett+Cove+-+Trees+%28DSC_0036%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gUf8XqDEYogbH1dYnHANt_GZSIW5SmC-36HkYnEgHHpre0Tq3OrvNDUaI8coaeTODxzoVx_fY-6UutA0PTt4sz4M7JaG7N5vK6UMSv7Qb4Uu0n_u9dDVV3ELhj8zQqnbpTuw769gjEg/s320/Blog+-+Bartlett+Cove+-+Trees+%28DSC_0036%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513883165750004978" border="0" /></a>On the way out of Glacier Bay, we stopped at Barlett Cove, home of a excellent dock (where one fisherman had a 376 pound halibut), a visitor's center, and a beautiful trail through the temperate rain forest.<br /><br />The trail begins with a stone marker that was placed at sea level in 1966. It now stands much higher. Why? Because the land is still rebounding from its centuries under the glaciers.<br /><br />And then into the forest, where every surface seemed to be dripping with moss, lichen, and fungi. I kept expecting a hobbit to appear. Instead, we found something better: Alaska's only hopping amphibian, the Western Toad (formerly known as the Boreal Toad).<br /><br />I don't think I would have spotted him if he had stayed still. His green color blends perfectly with the moss and lichens. But Mr. Toad decided to hop, which gave me a chance to pick him up to share with our fellow travelers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HZP6j7dksCwhdOZCDEoZ8h4qC-bSFV8fPEWwxPscNAmchbGKuYuuMZT29FnPV76WUSNN4Yoed-eZcH84UzrM8pFevb2NcAUrcM5e5xzRrwFvttP5zlNkYj8UnqXSsW0f1l7cPOfsUiU/s1600/Blog+-+Bartlett+Cove+-+Toad+%28Quest2010+%28185%29%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HZP6j7dksCwhdOZCDEoZ8h4qC-bSFV8fPEWwxPscNAmchbGKuYuuMZT29FnPV76WUSNN4Yoed-eZcH84UzrM8pFevb2NcAUrcM5e5xzRrwFvttP5zlNkYj8UnqXSsW0f1l7cPOfsUiU/s320/Blog+-+Bartlett+Cove+-+Toad+%28Quest2010+%28185%29%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513883171765857762" border="0" /></a><br />When we reached the Visitor's Center, we realized how uncommon the toads are. On the bulletin board by the main entrance, the National Park Service posted a flyer asking for information about any toad sightings.<br /><br />But that's not all it said. In bold letters, the flyer also advised: "Do not touch or apprehend. Toad carries deadly fungus."<br /><br />Yikes, that seems like the sort of thing they ought to tell you before you can get on the trail. I was going to wash my hands anyway, but this added some urgency. And then a light bulb went off, and I realized that they meant deadly to other toads. That made more sense. And is a good reason I won't pick up any more Western Toads.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-25306178433467192112010-09-06T12:10:00.000-07:002010-09-06T12:56:01.999-07:00One Slight Problem Visiting McBride Glacier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXDmhmPaCkkHYs9xow8hLXQCHGSwZwuf-b-Chnzlic4RRxvlYvFo0YlfaK8zTQ3i3zx5-iuRziJgQjkB-hXth_wMZdolKhBAXO4obrAZSl5hp5-M4MeFZJFulhoK-I8U8g8DfNyq_w1M/s1600/Blog+-+McBride+Glacier+%28DSC_0033%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXDmhmPaCkkHYs9xow8hLXQCHGSwZwuf-b-Chnzlic4RRxvlYvFo0YlfaK8zTQ3i3zx5-iuRziJgQjkB-hXth_wMZdolKhBAXO4obrAZSl5hp5-M4MeFZJFulhoK-I8U8g8DfNyq_w1M/s320/Blog+-+McBride+Glacier+%28DSC_0033%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513881298955791010" border="0" /></a>After our up-close look at Dawes Glacier a few days earlier, we had high expectations for our visit to McBride Glacier up Muir Inlet in the eastern arm of Glacier Bay.<br /><br />McBride is off the beaten track. Indeed, our park ranger for the day hadn't been up there all year. Too bad we ran into one little problem: McBride had been calving so much during the recent warm spell that the route up to it was blocked by an armada of icebergs.<br /><br />If look in the center of the photo, you can just make out the right edge of the glacier on the far side of a mile or two of icebergs.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-31699813800547182882010-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:002010-09-06T12:55:46.406-07:00Cruising Up Glacier Bay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRy819cLJ1adzaIsmKnTU4ypu1NdnNyXk64XLS4kycR4NenjQ_xDRTgOwDtzN2W12hmWoAfn4Vr8PA6cw4VCnPOekTjWlgZo5FCm7oKeUCutaLqqTIlcJ3BhcMKyAxYgnC9BSfGqMSGU/s1600/Blog+-+Tufted+Puffin+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRy819cLJ1adzaIsmKnTU4ypu1NdnNyXk64XLS4kycR4NenjQ_xDRTgOwDtzN2W12hmWoAfn4Vr8PA6cw4VCnPOekTjWlgZo5FCm7oKeUCutaLqqTIlcJ3BhcMKyAxYgnC9BSfGqMSGU/s320/Blog+-+Tufted+Puffin+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513879386144989970" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTTDDo6WFfT3XKlvAJO4hGlkItvLzxdLiVNFBY09SEMTswhnJXEJrk8Vzb-_FgRInBDdTF4N5KaVS237q_PgYfN0yw91QO7yjgD4986XDhPfSQ5HckU0BhAL9Q4RdBBP0j_yYnQa9MEk/s1600/Blog+-+Guillemot+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTTDDo6WFfT3XKlvAJO4hGlkItvLzxdLiVNFBY09SEMTswhnJXEJrk8Vzb-_FgRInBDdTF4N5KaVS237q_PgYfN0yw91QO7yjgD4986XDhPfSQ5HckU0BhAL9Q4RdBBP0j_yYnQa9MEk/s320/Blog+-+Guillemot+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513879377734919618" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhNwrT8-_OzX-4I8OR8Bc6Ra_UACCVZs5zfj8S1_DE1pPCpZXXDvLyaYpFdbIRCc4cBUHzr7FdLXO9TyTgVxZSmU-2Pz_s8QLirNhqHblSmVGWRJfvzvJKPKiG3gxWN_Gno_EP8dbkB0/s1600/Blog+-+King+of+the+Mountain+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhNwrT8-_OzX-4I8OR8Bc6Ra_UACCVZs5zfj8S1_DE1pPCpZXXDvLyaYpFdbIRCc4cBUHzr7FdLXO9TyTgVxZSmU-2Pz_s8QLirNhqHblSmVGWRJfvzvJKPKiG3gxWN_Gno_EP8dbkB0/s320/Blog+-+King+of+the+Mountain+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513879370932896162" /></a>Glacier Bay stretches more than 60 miles from its mouth at Icy Strait to the base of the tidewater glaciers at its northern end. Quite impressive, particularly when you consider that it didn't even exist just 250 years ago.<br /><br />When the founders gathered to sign the Declaration of Independence, glaciers reached all the way into Icy Strait. Glacier Bay had not yet been born. By 1800, the bay was 5 miles deep. When John Muir visited in 1879, the bay had grown by another 40 miles. Since then, it has expanded another 20 miles, as the glaciers continue to retreat.<br /><br />For travelers, that means that getting to the glaciers takes time. But there is plenty to see along the way. South Marble Island, for example, provides a safe place to breed for Black-legged Kittiwakes, Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins (much rarer in these parts), Pigeon Guillemots, Common Murres, and other feathered critters.<br /><br />It's also a spot where adolescent sea lions play king of the mountain.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-82406688406954426152010-09-06T11:35:00.001-07:002010-09-06T12:55:17.526-07:00Real Alaska Weather<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ-yA1MxVSJPPbm8R3O_MRqREVVpIeSkgfM2-sjBZvDAbmIx2Y6FiKpEsh6fTvjDXiTGbpakYHnnUaxsZBBZt1s79InmINCT-accY5brS_Ybh97NkYEQRREIgxrqc3y1KJ0Oaq1rX6sc/s1600/Blog+-+Anchored+Bay+(DSC_1070).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ-yA1MxVSJPPbm8R3O_MRqREVVpIeSkgfM2-sjBZvDAbmIx2Y6FiKpEsh6fTvjDXiTGbpakYHnnUaxsZBBZt1s79InmINCT-accY5brS_Ybh97NkYEQRREIgxrqc3y1KJ0Oaq1rX6sc/s320/Blog+-+Anchored+Bay+(DSC_1070).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513871233488259490" /></a>After communing with whales in the morning, we set out for a lengthy journey to St. George's Island, where Icy Strait meets the North Pacific. Our proximate goal was to see more critters -- huge male Steller's sea lions, puffins, porpoise, and sea otters.<br /><br />Even more important, however, is that this journey finally exposed us to real southeast Alaska weather. As we got closer to the ocean, rain, mist, and clouds replaced the sun that had blessed us in previous days. Lots of fun -- at least in small doses. And a great opportunity for some landscape photography when we anchored behind Lemesurier Island at dusk.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-42987669011102348312010-09-06T10:15:00.001-07:002011-09-05T09:45:45.507-07:00We Are Not Going to Die<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4a8z1EYP2yNNWFPYqsjMQQnRRiG52WaPUAgdqPpqfjZGXTKN7iHKSVd8WOScHa5kv-Z_B8A-OeAY6H5hbrHGdghn8MbSJzJdu2HIkJ8o9oVFekG7VfEgNcXLhc3dcY2VC2CrbRamh1iM/s1600/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Here+They+Come+%28DSC_1052%29.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513856312484371986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4a8z1EYP2yNNWFPYqsjMQQnRRiG52WaPUAgdqPpqfjZGXTKN7iHKSVd8WOScHa5kv-Z_B8A-OeAY6H5hbrHGdghn8MbSJzJdu2HIkJ8o9oVFekG7VfEgNcXLhc3dcY2VC2CrbRamh1iM/s320/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Here+They+Come+%28DSC_1052%29.jpg" style="float: right; height: 214px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>The highlight of day 6 was a close encounter with a pod of humpback whales. The whales were using their bubble netting technique, in which they blow a wall of bubbles to corral a school of tasty herring, chase them to the surface, and engulf them. Our guide Karl explained that the alpha female coordinates the action using her song to synchronize the pod's actions. Apparently they are quite selective about which whales they are willing to bubble net with.<br />
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After chowing down, the whales would swim abreast, take some breaths, and then dive for more. We had a great time trying to guess where they would resurface.<br />
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Our first surprise came when the pod was feeding very close to the shore in False Bay. After traveling a few hundred yards, the pod suddenly turned 90 degrees and headed toward our skiff. The photo above shows one whale about ten feet from the skiff. After that shot, I put down my camera to enjoy the sight of the fifty-foot critters as they passed a few feet away.<br />
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Happily, Esther was filming with her Flip. Her video captures both the closeness of the encounter and the delight of our fellow travelers:<br />
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And here's how it looked from another skiff nearby:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiHETaUb4nOzxeNpDtwDwzHU4lDc87ziXo2ZX38-auhGc-AyOi7ax4_Q5cJ9rWnqsDnTRMSTpBX7zBGcBEnT6NXOXTIvt2z97y29ulpufi-Nuy8iNCXaQuhDXzxbm0QWAuiWg75wjt4/s1600/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Skiff+%28Quest2010+%28156%29%29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513857280622966530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LiHETaUb4nOzxeNpDtwDwzHU4lDc87ziXo2ZX38-auhGc-AyOi7ax4_Q5cJ9rWnqsDnTRMSTpBX7zBGcBEnT6NXOXTIvt2z97y29ulpufi-Nuy8iNCXaQuhDXzxbm0QWAuiWg75wjt4/s320/Blog+-+Second+Whales+-+Skiff+%28Quest2010+%28156%29%29.jpg" style="float: right; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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If you want to hear the alpha female singing as she coordinates the pod, check out this video. If you listen to the end, you will hear her change pitch, signaling for the whales to surface.<br />
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We almost had an even closer encounter a few minutes later. As the skiff lay idle in the water, we noticed large bubbles coming up all around us. The whales were herding herring directly below us. Karl put the skiff in reverse to get out of the way. And as we looked into the water, we could see the white pectoral fins of the humpbacks as they called off their ascent perhaps ten feet under the water.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-47403574762505559662010-08-27T15:54:00.000-07:002010-08-27T16:08:56.502-07:00Watching Brown Bears Catch Salmon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wdGh8qDgO2AhPVgmHwACFxClmFRXuk_FnFsCiICuaPGrm5CtxWfU23RjIHOHqi1i1GjKQGmNN3TNvVWOeSSpVa9HNBqVRVB_V0DFXFMsdMH46s8yZSMMXecix9DZxVWMaACYYVsb3g0/s1600/Blog+-+Brown+Bear+Pavlov+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wdGh8qDgO2AhPVgmHwACFxClmFRXuk_FnFsCiICuaPGrm5CtxWfU23RjIHOHqi1i1GjKQGmNN3TNvVWOeSSpVa9HNBqVRVB_V0DFXFMsdMH46s8yZSMMXecix9DZxVWMaACYYVsb3g0/s400/Blog+-+Brown+Bear+Pavlov+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510228067169214114" border="0" /></a>When evening came we visited Pavlov's Bay (insert obligatory dog / saliva / pscychology joke), where we lucked into a classic Alaska moment: watching a pair of brown bears catch salmon at the base of a waterfall. The salmon would try to spurt across the shallow riffles, with their backs sticking out of the water, and the bears would bound over and try to grab them. We saw each bear catch four or five salmon apiece. Several other salmon managed to escape after brief periods in the bears' control. <br /><br />Unfortunately, these inconsiderate bears waited under almost dark to start their snacking. Most of our photos turned out to be pure black. But one did provide some detail after aggressive work in Adobe Lightroom. The white stuff is the waterfall, and the center-right blob is Mr. Bear.<br /><br />And a very impressive bear he was. Also a shy one. When he caught a salmon, he would usually carry it off into the bushes to feast in private. His colleague (not pictured) was more confident about eating in public.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-26721342696312426502010-08-27T15:40:00.000-07:002010-08-27T15:54:35.826-07:00Saook Bay and the Grotto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvVjUPHSlM4iiVbERHX3T36PcfyAepzEVWMnK-ryaZqJEKUugbb6MGEJuQZEAsln2UJ4_RrxZBYKoljtc3vNoRDH6gTMpbPzLBwmdfletv8-_7LWLWwZUv6f5wxftXGa7moO1FeiI0pE/s1600/Blog+-+Saook+Bay+-+Bear+Resting+Spot+(IMG_0210).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvVjUPHSlM4iiVbERHX3T36PcfyAepzEVWMnK-ryaZqJEKUugbb6MGEJuQZEAsln2UJ4_RrxZBYKoljtc3vNoRDH6gTMpbPzLBwmdfletv8-_7LWLWwZUv6f5wxftXGa7moO1FeiI0pE/s320/Blog+-+Saook+Bay+-+Bear+Resting+Spot+(IMG_0210).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510223973228696770" /></a>Our fourth day aboard dawned in Saook Bay. Some fellow travelers had seen a brown bear the evening before on a creek that enters the bay along a beautiful meadow. So of course we had to go tromping along the creek and across the meadow. Lots of salmon, flounder, and sculpins in the creek, and ravens and eagles in the air. But no bears for us this morning, just lots of forensic evidence of their activities. Case in point: this matted down "bear bed" in the meadow (our naturalist Karl is standing in it).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiMQDTXWrj-OqoQSThaWmgv7j1Tgg7kHuCzh_8G-UOzj9DOsqgE-F8nkQunxXrEphTTYa9D4tzUDb7mPMVev0q_g3yle9exYlLYwkPl7GOUcgH_2y7AeIMZGqwcVsF6dcHa3bI54zjAo/s1600/Blog+-+The+Grotto+(IMG_0217).jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiMQDTXWrj-OqoQSThaWmgv7j1Tgg7kHuCzh_8G-UOzj9DOsqgE-F8nkQunxXrEphTTYa9D4tzUDb7mPMVev0q_g3yle9exYlLYwkPl7GOUcgH_2y7AeIMZGqwcVsF6dcHa3bI54zjAo/s320/Blog+-+The+Grotto+(IMG_0217).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510223966096713042" /></a>In the afternoon, we hopped into skiffs to explore the famed Grotto in Big Basket Bay (and, yes, there is a Little Basket Bay, we watched salmom there a bit earlier in the day). But first we enjoyed some distant looks at a momma brown bear and her two cubs running across the beach. The twins were a riot, several times running into the water to wrestle. Mom was a bit more serious.<br /><br />The grotto itself was a gem, dripping with moss and lichens and little flowers. Very Garden-of-Edenish.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-83264589083650413802010-08-25T18:46:00.001-07:002010-08-25T19:07:21.737-07:00The Baranof Hot Springs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqssZpC0wzcikeNdbm9cW9Yu8NNpknEGwe05v0q_zsZ-Ckt8d5zZKU_S4S3GWAODsjghv63smoQRRSQlZPwLuLEhMfTlF4hARjKbNG8rI50Xm18XBF62xqUcTJSjUfcmArWYGqqPMQlY/s1600/Blog+-+Hot+Spring+Salmon+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqssZpC0wzcikeNdbm9cW9Yu8NNpknEGwe05v0q_zsZ-Ckt8d5zZKU_S4S3GWAODsjghv63smoQRRSQlZPwLuLEhMfTlF4hARjKbNG8rI50Xm18XBF62xqUcTJSjUfcmArWYGqqPMQlY/s320/Blog+-+Hot+Spring+Salmon+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509529513328793298" /></a>On Sunday afternoon, we anchored in Warm Springs Bay on the east side of Baranof Island. Our goal: a dip in the rejuvenating, warm waters of the Baranof Hot Spring.<br /><br />The real highlight, however, was watching schools of salmon swirl through the clear waters before attempting the waterfall up to Baranof Lake. Which looked insurmountable to us. Perhaps the salmon give it a go, realize it's fruitless, and then head elsewhere.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sxAZEtjCQx2G5LfumsmCUoTaYEPD3FJkYG6PwUPbUH4fNnAgnxKTyRNaMCgK6Xyy7jn7p6GqJhYCxL_PymDUMUOXlpTx1TRV1p_VzkQ_Nd9tRgNhJHK_sd9m3onSCYIkQWgRjfTW_Qo/s1600/Blog+-+Hot+Springs+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sxAZEtjCQx2G5LfumsmCUoTaYEPD3FJkYG6PwUPbUH4fNnAgnxKTyRNaMCgK6Xyy7jn7p6GqJhYCxL_PymDUMUOXlpTx1TRV1p_VzkQ_Nd9tRgNhJHK_sd9m3onSCYIkQWgRjfTW_Qo/s320/Blog+-+Hot+Springs+-+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509531167045585042" /></a>The tiny community welcomes travelers with a sign touting the properties of the famous hot spring. Unfortunately, they are its poisoning properties, not its healing ability.<br /><br />What they don't mention is that the water is also really hot. As in 110 degrees Fahrenheit hot. As in the only water in recorded history that Esther declared to be too hot.<br /><br />And the bottom of the hot spring? Sharp stones covered with slippery, heat-loving algae. Frankly, we were happy to get out of there alive. But at least we can check "bathe in hot spring" off the bucket list. And fondly remember the roaring waterfall and swirling salmon.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-49183580406979395862010-08-25T18:24:00.000-07:002010-08-26T16:29:43.524-07:00Red Bluff Bay<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX5SHvdlbGJ5HAa-1P1yAcLrAUhGqcS9-EU4YYQZ2ZwN15AR0i74A3bVQ1otRiO3kfZBVK8DDauudq6I1RkxabSHqTYdJteyvSL9R1hkrsfHDtsKQ0iuLP4InrTDHx7wwvLIHJW84Zn4/s1600/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Water+Falls+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX5SHvdlbGJ5HAa-1P1yAcLrAUhGqcS9-EU4YYQZ2ZwN15AR0i74A3bVQ1otRiO3kfZBVK8DDauudq6I1RkxabSHqTYdJteyvSL9R1hkrsfHDtsKQ0iuLP4InrTDHx7wwvLIHJW84Zn4/s320/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Water+Falls+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509526451090930930" border="0" /></a>One of the beauties of expedition cruises is that you often wake up in wondrous locations. So it was on Sunday the 15th, when we awoke in Red Bluff Bay. The earliest risers played a game of "spot the bear" with a young bear on the distant shore. Through binoculars from half-a-mile, the bear was little more than a moving smudge, but we were still excited: our first ever sighting of a brown bear.<br /><br />Not, I hasten to add, a grizzly bear. It turns out that the salmon-eating coastal bears are called brown bears, while the inland ones are called grizzlies. Unless, of course, they are actually black bears. Which brings us to today's survival tip: If attacked (highly unlikely) by a brown bear / grizzly, play dead (unless you are a salmon). If attacked (also highly unlikely) by a black bear, fight back. Just don't try to judge based on color alone; plenty of black bears are really brown. And some are bluish-white - the much revered "spirit bear." So try to look for other details, like the length of the bear's claws. Long = brown, short = black.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxob5Gj-VCf9xK93Si9DWjJuEwBMcxFb00dI-8rMxhb2HR_4Pzs9sQlVP0HDQHEDSlwm6XWhakHkcfEbZhyphenhyphent6hYpElm7LjO-ur1PqvA9TgmCAbRKbpU6IALN1RFyqPynGzuMYbmNPhiTE/s1600/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Eagle+on+Beach+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxob5Gj-VCf9xK93Si9DWjJuEwBMcxFb00dI-8rMxhb2HR_4Pzs9sQlVP0HDQHEDSlwm6XWhakHkcfEbZhyphenhyphent6hYpElm7LjO-ur1PqvA9TgmCAbRKbpU6IALN1RFyqPynGzuMYbmNPhiTE/s320/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Eagle+on+Beach+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509526445403778226" border="0" /></a><br />But we digress. No bear photos this day, but the bay made for great kayaking--highlights include many salmon, a stunning waterfall, and a 20-armed starfish called a sunburst.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbeU9HeRQrjWi6sYi3nlrOEA9ZZP5VVdiTYlAHRtVoO1TgGhaioyM-OLr6P9rpznmKHw0bwuq6xfO1DeA4EWZ9T5cxIrbtJifQBCRgs_yGNZasldLwE112hm53pRIs6ZE1gbgyY28NEM/s1600/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Eagle+in+Tree+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbeU9HeRQrjWi6sYi3nlrOEA9ZZP5VVdiTYlAHRtVoO1TgGhaioyM-OLr6P9rpznmKHw0bwuq6xfO1DeA4EWZ9T5cxIrbtJifQBCRgs_yGNZasldLwE112hm53pRIs6ZE1gbgyY28NEM/s320/Blog+-+Red+Bluff+Bay+Eagle+in+Tree+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509526435912508514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And several very cooperative eagles.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-62791054649771597122010-08-24T18:40:00.000-07:002010-08-24T19:16:18.206-07:00Sea Lions and Humpbacks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJXDRXWykKlykV8HtB3OSf67w3vR_q6JJy2TdUfzyoBNA34FgB-j0MgK1kDuDXyZ-aMvFX8ZNGrs7ex-7FBTaWk1NkTsRPTyKxH0aVy_MPSTKL3IWsqNZMBcs_f3AriN5sdwUItjv9Z8/s1600/Sail+Island+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJXDRXWykKlykV8HtB3OSf67w3vR_q6JJy2TdUfzyoBNA34FgB-j0MgK1kDuDXyZ-aMvFX8ZNGrs7ex-7FBTaWk1NkTsRPTyKxH0aVy_MPSTKL3IWsqNZMBcs_f3AriN5sdwUItjv9Z8/s320/Sail+Island+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509156985485022738" border="0" /></a>The first day of our cruise proved to be a triple header. After <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2010/08/rivers-of-ice.html">kayaking with icebergs and seals</a> in the morning, we spent the afternoon zipping around Sail Island. Which really ought to be named Sea Lion Island, for all its Steller's sea lions (pictured at right with a flock of Black Turnstones and Surfbirds).<br /><br />George Steller, by the way, was the chief naturalist on Vitus Bering's expedition from Russia to Alaska. Bering managed to get a sea named after him, while Steller had a knack for affixing his name to critters. Besides the sea lion, there are the Steller's jay, sea eagle, eider, sea cow (extinct), and the presumably imaginary sea ape.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rXjtM2mua7T51xgHxfS6yISt1YdkAr6XYHky36W8pjma2trqCk0XRaEbnHNQvhLRUNzQcMK9kZ6nW5aUbs64ijeHvFUQ6IBYWn6Ci6xI76aizJhsYq85z68iT-G-nRHCGEuwv8nYHmg/s1600/First+Whales+with+Kat.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rXjtM2mua7T51xgHxfS6yISt1YdkAr6XYHky36W8pjma2trqCk0XRaEbnHNQvhLRUNzQcMK9kZ6nW5aUbs64ijeHvFUQ6IBYWn6Ci6xI76aizJhsYq85z68iT-G-nRHCGEuwv8nYHmg/s320/First+Whales+with+Kat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509158518244998514" border="0" /></a><br />At dusk, we encountered a dozen humpback whales feeding. The humpbacks of southeast Alaska are famous for their bubble-netting technique, in which they surround a school of herring with bubbles, drive them to the surface, and then dramatically engulf them. They often work as a team (as we witnessed a few days later), but on this summer eve, they were working solo over a wide area. At times, you could look in any direction and see a humpback feeding or diving to begin again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOksjPwNZGy-3HeG3wStCvst2qmEXnI60SeyH82Uwjd_NkUlVdoFnqsRA7j4UUnJSSNMYvZc0wi_2pzxzxYmnMxCUJz0SUX9uMxYuxowPpqHFEX0ddLXvnIVgNsqjJCZq-BWwY-bu6Z4/s1600/First+Whales+-+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOksjPwNZGy-3HeG3wStCvst2qmEXnI60SeyH82Uwjd_NkUlVdoFnqsRA7j4UUnJSSNMYvZc0wi_2pzxzxYmnMxCUJz0SUX9uMxYuxowPpqHFEX0ddLXvnIVgNsqjJCZq-BWwY-bu6Z4/s320/First+Whales+-+Cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509156785010803154" border="0" /></a>We photographers quickly learned that most humpback photos feature their tails as they prepare to dive out of sight.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note:</span> the middle photograph is by another fellow traveler.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-41079294608932540002010-08-23T17:45:00.000-07:002010-08-23T18:36:43.739-07:00Rivers of Ice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf40osSkN3vgcQcP_I_XyvhO_DA60uTCafFuTQxgbFaprI6QCLc9G0eNj2alaSvjX-zoV9tW6E8Q94KcryNYPz6VeWbeXeAAndngJIssFcn049kmpRGPN9uTjh96qiGC371Fap5mCSHk/s1600/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Kayaking+%28Quest2010+%2835%29%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbf40osSkN3vgcQcP_I_XyvhO_DA60uTCafFuTQxgbFaprI6QCLc9G0eNj2alaSvjX-zoV9tW6E8Q94KcryNYPz6VeWbeXeAAndngJIssFcn049kmpRGPN9uTjh96qiGC371Fap5mCSHk/s320/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Kayaking+%28Quest2010+%2835%29%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508781252562049234" border="0" /></a><br />On Friday night, we boarded M/Y Safari Quest, our home for the next seven days. Technically, we were on a cruise, but it bore little resemblance to traditional cruises. With just 21 passengers, the Quest can go places that 2,000-passenger ships can't.<br /><br /><br />Case in point: our visit to Dawes Glacier at the top end of Endicott Arm. Our voyage up the arm got off to an early start on Saturday morning, as an incoming iceberg forced the crew to raise anchor (noisily) at 4:45am. After that, we cruised amidst increasing numbers of white and blue icebergs, fresh from the glacier.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qHWlIF7rQSajifygoF_iufhlC-T9HSjsHpjlve86xS6YrVslOIQG8xaVWzpanltOYKC2MM1Mp6oIe1BxhK5YdXNhTS68l_fk_ZkWmGlLfaQ1wYtAZp71UYZTdqvN2YoR7JYtp-zcYOc/s1600/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Calving+%28DSC_0742%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qHWlIF7rQSajifygoF_iufhlC-T9HSjsHpjlve86xS6YrVslOIQG8xaVWzpanltOYKC2MM1Mp6oIe1BxhK5YdXNhTS68l_fk_ZkWmGlLfaQ1wYtAZp71UYZTdqvN2YoR7JYtp-zcYOc/s320/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Calving+%28DSC_0742%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508781685211019794" border="0" /></a>Dawes is a tidewater glacier--it reaches the sea, which melts the ice, often in dramatic fashion. Sometimes the front of the glacier falls into the water; such <span style="font-weight: bold;">calving</span> can send up large waves - a real risk for unwary kayakers.<br /><br />Then there are the <span style="font-weight: bold;">sliders</span>, which fall off of the sides where the glacier meets the shore line. And best of all are the <span style="font-weight: bold;">shooters</span>, pieces of ice that come rocketing up from the depths from submerged parts of the glacier.<br /><br /><br />Here's John Muir (<span style="font-style: italic;">Travels in Alaska</span>) on shooters:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPCQBnkt_XS5mrxhmhCiplUOA_GCW_YMAhFtNQGQ9A8evkDbHrL_7i1Z1D7-bme1dQsxrhSfx3BXHnEPIAzmCKec0dLug4a2cjVt8GBLCK4hDRfvB3hXwZUwcpNzSL-hBlPJFiXdsF-s/s1600/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Fresh+Iceberg+%28DSC_0753%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPCQBnkt_XS5mrxhmhCiplUOA_GCW_YMAhFtNQGQ9A8evkDbHrL_7i1Z1D7-bme1dQsxrhSfx3BXHnEPIAzmCKec0dLug4a2cjVt8GBLCK4hDRfvB3hXwZUwcpNzSL-hBlPJFiXdsF-s/s320/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+Fresh+Iceberg+%28DSC_0753%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508782411459353698" border="0" /></a><blockquote>But the largest and most beautiful of the bergs, instead of thus falling from the upper weathered portion of the wall, rise from the submerged portion with a still grander commotion, springing with tremendous voice and gestures nearly to the top of the wall, tons of water streaming like hair down their sides, plunging and rising again and again before they settle in perfect poise, free at least, after having formed part of the slow-crawling glacier for centuries.</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgF8cYFsi0DcpqrqBXzvUzIUWi3vXKDycRNPqChEYIfg5yYj6QkSeB3Jpes3TqcYTK3mlc7pFcjL12-LeQJ_0uEVdvLz5ylZ4AB5uwu8u9G70DIzHQ11VbNWrOUFNuUnbJ-hN9jU1A-U/s1600/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+-+Seals+%28Quest2010+%2849%29%29.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgF8cYFsi0DcpqrqBXzvUzIUWi3vXKDycRNPqChEYIfg5yYj6QkSeB3Jpes3TqcYTK3mlc7pFcjL12-LeQJ_0uEVdvLz5ylZ4AB5uwu8u9G70DIzHQ11VbNWrOUFNuUnbJ-hN9jU1A-U/s320/Blog+-+Dawes+Glacier+-+Seals+%28Quest2010+%2849%29%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508782108398072162" border="0" /></a>Harbor seals seem to favor tidewater glaciers; we saw many of the skittish critters as we kayaked among the fresh icebergs.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: </span>The photos of kayakers in front of Dawes Glacier and of seals on the ice flow are by fellow travelers.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-73064031699236817522010-08-22T14:59:00.000-07:002010-08-22T18:28:30.945-07:00Juneau's Natural Side - Shrine, Salmon, and Flume<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvRntUqe12eR2ulIvAnJ-WiSL9fNhyphenhyphen5WDIYiDzPBA0oG8duJQA-v5eeMJDRKwXq3REDsJTY9fGFJiuvxR1uVjd74gXVRKBBjqwfVq5QX5LW3pQaeMuCeS4XSe_CBTG8jQ24LcMuNuR8g/s1600/Blog+-+Shrine+1+%28DSC_0672%29.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvRntUqe12eR2ulIvAnJ-WiSL9fNhyphenhyphen5WDIYiDzPBA0oG8duJQA-v5eeMJDRKwXq3REDsJTY9fGFJiuvxR1uVjd74gXVRKBBjqwfVq5QX5LW3pQaeMuCeS4XSe_CBTG8jQ24LcMuNuR8g/s320/Blog+-+Shrine+1+%28DSC_0672%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508358070037857666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM6VoTKAifM2lmedkqbPQsmfQKSnHje1j13HeuiuCYYDdwCVj0edBwuSlEiiv38p5LzEdg862qfCrdLjUMonO27CwjTSfEoSLoPIoaI8TDoikboqM1UZnr7g8QBa1Xc5JEU4QkFXvpew/s1600/Blog+-+Shrine+2+%28DSC_0668%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM6VoTKAifM2lmedkqbPQsmfQKSnHje1j13HeuiuCYYDdwCVj0edBwuSlEiiv38p5LzEdg862qfCrdLjUMonO27CwjTSfEoSLoPIoaI8TDoikboqM1UZnr7g8QBa1Xc5JEU4QkFXvpew/s320/Blog+-+Shrine+2+%28DSC_0668%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508358065368998466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our second stop in the Juneau area was the <a href="http://www.shrineofsainttherese.org/">Shrine of St. Therese</a>, the patron saint of Alaska. The shrine is hidden in a grove of trees at the end of a small peninsula. The approach feels like something out of fairy tale, with the forest suddenly revealing a charming stone chapel.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOGWL9pmkwL-bPwgky7bfblUSI7nLOwCFbo9mVZstFz8-1cZ3p5LASYPAfWxELCvjol89uvUPZnfKiMNRzt9jKPXCka1Fg7gYPktS0isAFXcT_gcnD8vGUYHy6oN25ZjQ7R_N5K69mN4/s1600/Blog+-+Salmon+in+Juneau+1+%28DSC_0683%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOGWL9pmkwL-bPwgky7bfblUSI7nLOwCFbo9mVZstFz8-1cZ3p5LASYPAfWxELCvjol89uvUPZnfKiMNRzt9jKPXCka1Fg7gYPktS0isAFXcT_gcnD8vGUYHy6oN25ZjQ7R_N5K69mN4/s320/Blog+-+Salmon+in+Juneau+1+%28DSC_0683%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508358057314544914" border="0" /></a>On the way back from the Shrine, we were interested in seeing more salmon, so our cab driver Rod took us to the stream that runs by Juneau's fish hatchery. The stream was full of pink and chum salmon. Or, if you prefer, humpback and dog salmon (every Pacific salmon species has at least two names). You can see some of their backs in the photo as they work their way upstream by the gulls.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGsD9H87nZaLcgRhyphenhyphen-QBsw2wt539bhDjeWQotcAjkZ5hBxcriVtXfB5YlDM003CEPuSymqoaBLNLVJdfwq_0QtNSDwtbqGwfPZ3Kfygu0949YkAI3ezLu2_vtYzyJTjgI7d5oQF7I3YU/s1600/Blog+-+Salmon+in+Juneau+2+%28DSC_0686%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGsD9H87nZaLcgRhyphenhyphen-QBsw2wt539bhDjeWQotcAjkZ5hBxcriVtXfB5YlDM003CEPuSymqoaBLNLVJdfwq_0QtNSDwtbqGwfPZ3Kfygu0949YkAI3ezLu2_vtYzyJTjgI7d5oQF7I3YU/s320/Blog+-+Salmon+in+Juneau+2+%28DSC_0686%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508358051885297058" border="0" /></a><br />Pacific salmon die after they spawn. Their spent bodies provide a bonanza for the gulls, bald eagles, and other critters, not to mention the trees that absorb any remaining nutrients. At times, they also have a certain macabre beauty:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuAQJghvrZaesE6_BNHD2Xts2TmAUPeQ5f4GRr64rV1CGq1h4DVhKCvGpvcGBfdW6C8qAd-MgsskcYLmp-ElK2w0uPq5QclpWQ-BZqXY8ozhGv_fTXDqdwfIgXwXHXZr3W5KSTrSrsHc/s1600/Blog+-+Flume+in+Juneau+%28DSC_0702%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuAQJghvrZaesE6_BNHD2Xts2TmAUPeQ5f4GRr64rV1CGq1h4DVhKCvGpvcGBfdW6C8qAd-MgsskcYLmp-ElK2w0uPq5QclpWQ-BZqXY8ozhGv_fTXDqdwfIgXwXHXZr3W5KSTrSrsHc/s320/Blog+-+Flume+in+Juneau+%28DSC_0702%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508358040410338402" border="0" /></a><br />Once back in Juneau, our final activity to hike up from the city and then hike back down along the Gold Creek Flume Trail -- the remains of the wooden aqueduct that once supplied Juneau with water.<br /><br />Sometimes it has six boards, sometimes four (photo), and sometimes only two.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-13509433084638551152010-08-20T18:15:00.000-07:002010-08-22T18:28:56.136-07:00Juneau's Natural Side - Mendenhall GlacierOur goal on day two (August 13) was to see as much of natural Juneau as possible. First stop: Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJj2LBlVPxL4OFUNrkFHblnlSNlJUHSXOP83JuUDHJ7SIIIuJFEZIXXaJjQidelWJxdDBNGW7OgdLqH0T9JIuJss9-R3Dr64KBKr2K3dE1jTiraZpfogAhYXUeoRwUl1dthKSmcGdhyc/s1600/Blog+-+Porcupine+%28DSC_0640%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJj2LBlVPxL4OFUNrkFHblnlSNlJUHSXOP83JuUDHJ7SIIIuJFEZIXXaJjQidelWJxdDBNGW7OgdLqH0T9JIuJss9-R3Dr64KBKr2K3dE1jTiraZpfogAhYXUeoRwUl1dthKSmcGdhyc/s320/Blog+-+Porcupine+%28DSC_0640%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507681851158876034" border="0" /></a>We had barely entered the park when a black bear scampered across the road. A good omen for our nature viewing.<br /><br />Even more exciting was a new sighting for us: a porcupine nestled high in a tree near the visitor center. Not a great photo, but we hope you get the idea.<br /><br /><br />We beat the crowds so we got to view Mendenhall by ourselves (reminding us of our <a href="http://donaldandesther.blogspot.com/2009/02/pyramid-power.html">visit to the Great Pyramid</a>):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczgH6_NU1oPPRvEpWSEb_Dd4DatYi3kdQLAjJmmYUb71NwcFxhgNaVYcGOC7dib0KHr3x1khcosTsihRvtNcTf8z4xCKuy1zqX5ei8L7cOauhn3RCRk4fCj90QPrvxbMS08E2lpns5sM/s1600/Blog+-+Mendenhall+%28DSC_0646%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczgH6_NU1oPPRvEpWSEb_Dd4DatYi3kdQLAjJmmYUb71NwcFxhgNaVYcGOC7dib0KHr3x1khcosTsihRvtNcTf8z4xCKuy1zqX5ei8L7cOauhn3RCRk4fCj90QPrvxbMS08E2lpns5sM/s320/Blog+-+Mendenhall+%28DSC_0646%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507684568891985938" border="0" /></a>Mendenhall has receded markedly since Donald was here in 1988. For those of us from the lower 48, it’s tempting to conclude that contemporary climate change is to blame, but that’s not the whole story. Many of the glaciers in southeast Alaska expanded in the Little Ice Age (approximately 1550 to 1850) and have been receding ever since.<br /><br />Along the trail, we also spied some excellent birds, including Wilson’s Warbler (which Esther described as "that warbler with the little mohawk") and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (perhaps the cutest bird in North America).<br /><br />After a quick course in glacierology at the visitor center, we headed down to Steep Creek. After passing a luminous Townsend’s Warbler, we found Sockeye Salmon spawning in the creek. A great chance to watch these bright red salmon compete for nesting spots and mates. The females would turn sideways and wiggle her tail to clear out a nest. The male would track her and try to chase off competing males. And sometimes it seemed the female would fight off other females.<br /><br />We didn’t see any bears at first, but it was obvious they frequent the area. The scat and a dead salmon provided some forensic evidence, but the real giveaway was the matted-down grass along the creek bank and in strategically chosen routes under the boardwalk.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3G0oKkYHyXyexuGGn2aBFOFKij2Cm7PEGaTEWWSbShgQoxjKR9dGO_u9owa9_r3oHt-CaJfxx-pS6BOuRnO59XiuPtbYpGMErDXP5-bwO2It6Mtcf6NQ9YePUZV1g_X5yZKvpa1sfxs/s1600/Blog+-+Black+Bear+%28DSC_0667%29.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3G0oKkYHyXyexuGGn2aBFOFKij2Cm7PEGaTEWWSbShgQoxjKR9dGO_u9owa9_r3oHt-CaJfxx-pS6BOuRnO59XiuPtbYpGMErDXP5-bwO2It6Mtcf6NQ9YePUZV1g_X5yZKvpa1sfxs/s320/Blog+-+Black+Bear+%28DSC_0667%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507866151933241042" border="0" /></a>Just as we were about the get back in our taxi, a woman asked if we had seen any bears. We said no, to which she replied "well there’s one right there.” And right she was. We followed (from the safety of the wooden boardwalk) the yearling black bear as he walked along the bear trails, under the boardwalk, sniffed the dead salmon, and then moved on to fish for a fresh one in private.<br /><br />The bears pose a challenge for designers: If you build a boardwalk along a salmon creek in bear country, how do you keep the bears off of it? The answer is to put swinging doors at each end of the boardwalk – doors that swing out, which bears allegedly haven't figured out. Yet.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-33876127284289173602010-08-20T17:48:00.000-07:002010-08-22T18:28:02.523-07:00Gold in AlaskaWe've been working our way north in recent summers. In 2008, we traveled through Washington and Oregon. Last year, we visited pre-Olympics Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler. And this year, we headed off to explore the fjords and glaciers of southeast Alaska.<br /><br />Gold turned out to be the unifying theme of day one of our journey (August 12):<br /><br />* Perhaps not understanding the idea of vacation, Donald read about the gold standard while flying from DC to Seattle to Juneau (except when he was watching Date Night).<br /><br />* We learned that Juneau was founded during the Alaskan gold rush. Indeed, Joe Juneau was a gold prospector.<br /><br />* According to the City Museum (well worth a visit), earlier residents of the area had used gold to make bullets. Apparently many mountain goats and brown bears were shot full of gold rather than lead.<br /><br />* Gold mining was once Juneau’s primary industry (now it's government). We were told several times that abandoned gold mines stretch for twice as many miles as Juneau’s surface roads (which famously do not connect with the rest of North America).<br /><br />* We stayed in the Goldbelt hotel (which wins the award for fastest check-in ever -- under one minute).<br /><br />* We discovered that downtown Juneau is rife with jewelry stores selling diamonds, tanzanite, and, yes, gold to cruise ship passengers.<br /><br />John Muir famously traveled the fjords of southeast Alaska in the late 1880s. What he wrote about the the nearby city of Wrangell applies just as well to Juneau today:<br /><br /><blockquote>The shops were jammed and mobbed, high prices paid for shabby stuff manufactured expressly for the tourist trade. … Most people who travel look only at what they are directed to look at. Great is the power of the guidebook-maker, however ignorant.</blockquote><br /><br />In the days that followed, we tried to get off the beaten track and see the real southeast Alaska.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666087245642605983.post-13569427815549165432010-01-09T12:37:00.001-08:002010-01-09T12:51:55.287-08:00Zipping Through Costa Rica<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamE4XL_aZBoMRSchQ9GOQOfbX9y2jwCaQdylm638DXDBJOTiiityKpHwi209_JgptuI3HZn3EY-luq8iTKk9Qk7ZRPzMCi2KCQ-ahX9OOS0bn3SKnkIttTkDJF7F4QVdILmgJZ3c8r6A/s1600-h/CR+-+Team+Zip.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamE4XL_aZBoMRSchQ9GOQOfbX9y2jwCaQdylm638DXDBJOTiiityKpHwi209_JgptuI3HZn3EY-luq8iTKk9Qk7ZRPzMCi2KCQ-ahX9OOS0bn3SKnkIttTkDJF7F4QVdILmgJZ3c8r6A/s320/CR+-+Team+Zip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424842371005224370" /></a>Inspired by the monkeys (and the rest of our family who raved about it), we decided to head to the tree tops for some zip lining.<br /><br />Exhilarating and fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo8f2blkT_Hczju8WrWD4F5bkZH8K3LNQhshWbSsXlUjhp_obSDlY1jdiFf99YznhdOtSjseqisVQe9H1xvAOkLHlkKjvHSSObTa7z7M3ZV-di7F39V3Zpe2EC4N1ytlPleQ60zOrz-w/s1600-h/CR+-+Donald+Zip.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKo8f2blkT_Hczju8WrWD4F5bkZH8K3LNQhshWbSsXlUjhp_obSDlY1jdiFf99YznhdOtSjseqisVQe9H1xvAOkLHlkKjvHSSObTa7z7M3ZV-di7F39V3Zpe2EC4N1ytlPleQ60zOrz-w/s320/CR+-+Donald+Zip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424842358064775602" /></a>And also a wonderful lesson in physics. In principle, you are supposed to be able to use one hand to control your descent and thus avoiding crashing into trees or dangling in the middle.<br /><br />In practice, however, there seemed a consistent pattern.<br /><br />On several runs, the light person (Esther) came up short of the landing area and had to be "saved" by a guide crawling out and helping her back. Meanwhile the heavy person (Donald) came in too fast on several runs, and had to be stopped by the guides. Meanwhile the middle person (Ken, aka Goldilocks) managed to touch down just right on each run.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjIMTqlBq-24IKotThpwaTlJV2_CQdpnPnnwYq0QwIT-kqbz4Wq2KDfthucbLN9NQVtlz8Oakx0-guwKl7qQGJKpkLWtjaPdtgW2VNb8jh_Y-WGedrwjr96wJLNKD33T9SwUuLZ98isM/s1600-h/CR+-+Esther+Zip.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjIMTqlBq-24IKotThpwaTlJV2_CQdpnPnnwYq0QwIT-kqbz4Wq2KDfthucbLN9NQVtlz8Oakx0-guwKl7qQGJKpkLWtjaPdtgW2VNb8jh_Y-WGedrwjr96wJLNKD33T9SwUuLZ98isM/s320/CR+-+Esther+Zip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424842360693977586" /></a><br /><br />By the way, the pictures don't really give you the full effect. Some of the runs were at least 200 yards, through the tree canopy, and 70 feet or more in the air.Donald and Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13183047932922085037noreply@blogger.com0