We awoke this morning with the ship tied along the bank of the Marañon River. As the sun was rising, we entered a narrow stream that was filled with wildlife. Many sloths were encountered, along with iguanas and colorful caiman lizards. A few different monkeys were observed, including the tiny saddleback tamarin. Locally known as “milk drinkers” due to their white faces, we took many images of these beautiful monkeys. Birds were incredibly active with the increasing light. All of this on our first morning before breakfast!
Later, we went for our first walk. The trails in the terra firme forest at Casual are interesting and lead through some beautiful forest. Add to this the local guides who repeatedly emerge from the forest with wonderful creatures, and this was a great spot for sure. Many frogs were encountered, both camouflaged and vibrant. Wonderful creepy crawlies, such as tarantulas, millipedes, and scorpions got people excited. A “small” Anaconda was certainly thrilling, and remarkable in its strength.
In the afternoon, we explored the black water of the Yanayacu River. Dolphins surrounded the ship, and challenged us photographically for sure. A nesting condominium of Yellow-rumped Caciques kicked off an amazing afternoon. Both squirrel monkeys and saddleback tamarins were spotted, along with more sloths and some sleeping bats. As the sun began to set, we entered a lake that contained two incredible birds. First were the punk-rock-styled Hoatzin, followed by the massive and comical Horned Screamer.
Welcome to the Amazon, everyone!
