I visited the Lear's Macaw area at Serra Branca area and see how construction is progressing at Praia do Forte

Just got back from a 10 day trip to Bahia in north-eastern Brazil to visit the Lear's Macaw area at Serra Branca area and see how construction is progressing at Praia do Forte on the quarantine facility for Lear's and Spix's Macaws located there (see report on 12th January 2004 below). I also managed to get a few hours watching some of the hundreds of humpback whales, who visit the off-shore area from July to October to mate and calve. The weather was very windy last week with heavy showers. I waited from Tuesday to Friday before the weather settled down for a while to allow us to go out with the 25 foot research schooner. However a cold front moved rapidly up on us and we had to return to shelter after five hours. Whale watching is much easier later on in the season.