Yanayacu, Marañon, and Pucate Rivers
Today we explored the area where the Marañon River, which comes from the Andes, meets up with the smaller Yanayacu and Pucate Rivers. These two rivers come from within the reserve and the waters are stained dark from the tannic acids that leach out of the forest. Yanayacu means blackwater, and where these rivers meet there is a distinct mixing of this black water, and the much lighter water descending from the Andes and laden with silt.
Here, fish are abundant, and thus, anything feeding on fish. River dolphins love this area and we were treated to an amazing show of pink river dolphins today. Feeding all around the skiffs and the Delfin II, we watched many fish jumping to flee the dolphins. Terns, egrets, kingfishers, and herons also joined in the mix.
The forest here is also very interesting and after breakfast we set off for our first walks. Monkey brush flowers were blooming and hundreds of parakeets were feeding on the nectar. Squirrel monkeys also enjoyed these flowers, doing some spectacular leaps between the trees. We also saw many massive trees, quite a few being emergent trees sticking high above the canopy.
Late in the afternoon we went far up the blackwater rivers to search for wildlife. Birds were abundant, varied, and colorful. Reds were represented by Masked Crimson Tanagers and Scarlet Macaws, orange by the Troupial, yellow by many flycatchers and Caciques, and green by the thousands of parrots and parakeets. A couple of nocturnal potoos were also spotted, looking like dead branches with their incredible camouflage.
An active sloth that was climbing on a horizontal branch was our turnaround point for the trip. Soon the distant sound of rain and thunder could be heard, and as we returned we were treated to rain in the rain forest. Tucked into our ponchos, it was marvelous to experience a strong rainstorm as we made it back to our home away from home, the elegant Delfin II.
