We started our expedition along the Ucayali River before breakfast. This part of the rain forest has a great presence of birds, of many different types and sizes. Here we also have a prominent presence of palm trees, which make for a perfect habitat for the different species of parrots. As if that wasn’t enough, this place also happens to be a garden of giant lily pads!
To begin this excursion, we have to cross the Ucayali River. It takes a few minutes, to reach the forest on the other side. As we arrived at our destination, we spotted a flock of red-bellied macaws courting on top of a dead tree. These dead trees and palms are their nesting sites, and we saw them coming in and out of the holes in the dead palms. This means that they are breeding at this time of the year.
While we were watching the flock of red-bellied macaws, we could also hear the distinctive sounds of blue and yellow macaws close to our skiffs. Certainly they were right in front of us, because we could hear their sounds clearly coming from somewhere among the trees. When we finally spotted them, we realized that it was not only a pair, it was an entire flock spread throughout the neighboring trees! I’ve been here many times, but this is a record-setting sighting.
In the afternoon, we explored Dorado River. It was a beautiful, sparkling afternoon, with a nice breeze and a breathtaking landscape in front of us. The still black water of the Dorado River, with the big trees reflected on the mirror-like water and the mysterious pink dolphins around us—it surely is another world.
As we explored the flooded forest, we spotted the famous hoatzins. They are nesting right now, and their nests are just a few feet above water. We also spotted sloths, blue and yellow macaws and countless other birds. Some of the highlights of the skiff ride were caiman sightings! In order to see these mysterious creatures of the flooded forest, we had to extend our exploration until nighttime, and our efforts were certainly worth it.
What an exciting day!
