Lying near the western border of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro lies the small coastal city of Paraty. It is surrounded to the north by forest

Birds to the West of Rio de Janeiro

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2024-04-30 19:30:08

Lying near the western border of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro lies the small coastal city of Paraty. It is surrounded to the north by forest and rugged cliffs, and to the south by the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. I went to this charming city as part of a journey to see some bird species I had not seen before, and hopefully get a good photo or two. Hopefully.

Yes, it’s another one of my quests for birds! This time, I have a number in mind: 700. For weeks, my “life list” of different bird species that I’ve photographed has sat at 699. Just one more new species, and I’ll reach lucky number 700.

Who cares about a number? Well, I suppose I do a little. But what really matters is being out there, being next to a beautiful bird, and pressing the shutter. Click, my mind goes blank, and I cease to exist.

But this time, I’m nervous. Can I get to 700 species on my trip to Paraty? I think so. Can I get any good shots? Now, that is the question. For one week, I’ll be deep in the dark rainforest hunting for birds, without using any bird-feeding or call-playback. Whenever possible, I prefer to photograph birds with a minimum of interference.