We went into the deepest, most remote parts of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve today. It was a day full of adventure that started with a 5:30 am wakeup call and ended with an amazing list of observations and experiences. We sighted the second southern tamandua of the trip, a hoatzin on a nest with a chick, and a plethora of tree frogs in the aquatic vegetation. With the cooler temperatures and cloud cover of the morning, the red howler monkeys were easier to find as they warmed themselves in the sun. This presented an incredible opportunity to view several troops of the tree dwellers. After a lunch in the “jungle café,” we went for the “piranha plunge” to cool off. We returned to the comfort of the Delfin II to share our sightings and review and share our new images.
7/23/2024
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Delfin II
Pahuachiro Creek, Casual Forest, and Yarapa Creek, Upper Amazon, Peru
Today was packed with activities. We started early, heading out in the skiffs to explore Pahuachiro Creek. In addition to an abundance of birds, our eagle-eyed skiff driver spotted a green iguana, camouflaged in the greenery. On the bird front, we enjoyed watching a pair of black-capped donacobius engage in a courtship display. Later, a great kiskadee allowed us to get close enough to capture some great photographs. After a hearty breakfast, we took a walk in the Casual Forest with the help of locals to search for the smaller insects and reptiles, such as poison dart frogs and bird-eating tarantulas. After the walk, there was an opportunity to help the local economy by buying some hand-made crafts. Javier, one of our naturalists, gave a fascinating participatory presentation on the fruits of the Amazon, and then we were off again in the skiffs to Yarapa Creek. We experienced our first rain shower, a reminder that we’re in the rainforest! But it was over quickly, and the provided ponchos kept us all dry. To end the day, we had a stunning sunset as we rode the skiffs back to Delfin II .