In February 2025 we (a couple of elderlies) were trying to organize a 4-week birding tour in Paraguay. On searching the WWW we were lucky to come across the birding-nature website of Oscar Rodríguez S. We had quite a list of demanding wishes and no-gos, but after a couple of phone calls and the exchange of some clarifying e-Mails, within a few days Oscar came up with Bernardo's Birding Tour tentative program – Paraguay, September 2025. It detailed the di􀆯erent birding hotspots, gave accommodation details, distances and driving times between sites and also quite a lot of target birds. We agreed to it and didn´t have to regret: it resulted in a great birding endeavor, a tour full of harmony and fun, many lessons on ecology, paraguayian economy, history and politics and heated discussions about how to make the world better. When we arrived in Asunción, on the way to our hotel, there was a stop at a mall where we were kindly “obliged” to buy long, thick stockings (as an aid against ticks) and a hat with an incorporated mosquito-net covering head and shoulders. As mosquitos – apart from being annoying - may transmit serious infections, we were thankful to Oscar for being that preemptive. The first four days – in the Asuncion area – we were guided by Marcos Saldivar, a former student of Oscar with eight years of experience and an incredible facility to spot birds. We were more than pleased when we learned that he would assist Oscar on our tour through the country. Having two professionals on board was an exciting privilege and one of the reasons why we had that much fun and that many excellent fotos. Worth mentioning is also Oscar´s asserted choice of more than comfortable resorts, hotels and restaurants. We particularly enjoyed the 14 days we spent in the Chaco region although we had to su􀆯er a 3-day heat wave close to 40 degrees C. This sparsely populated region of Paraguay, characterized by Mennonite culture, is rich in birds which are much more easily photographed there than in the dense rain forest hotspots. Our expectation about the number of bird species photographed was exceeded. Warm thanks to Oscar and Marcos for a wonderful experience.

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