We are visiting the region of the Ucayali River that consists of flooded forests and swamps, with a vibrant wildlife all around! This morning we had the best weather for an early outing, and possibly the best sightings of the week. The shore of the Ucayali River is home to a large number of birds, some small and elusive like the barred antshrike, others very obvious like caracaras and egrets. But the grand finale of this outing was the presence of a flock of at least ten blue and yellow macaws!
At mid-morning we had another surprise! It was an exploration of the Ucayali forest. This is a special place, as it remains flooded for at least four months of the year, and just last week we reopened the trail and it is ready for exploration for the rest of the season. Here there is a variety of large trees and palms that happen to be the favorite habitat for blue and yellow macaws. What a great morning!
In the afternoon, at the end of a beautiful navigation, we reached Dorado River. Here at Dorado River, there is a little fishing village, and it is common to see cute kids approaching us to show the type of fish they have caught in their parents’ fishing nets. The unexpected surprise was the moment we spotted a pair of blue and yellow macaws flying close to a white-throated toucan!
Later on, we visited the surreal swamps of Dorado River looking for more wildlife. In matter of a few minutes after sunset it was dark. This is the time for a different experience, the awakening of nocturnal creatures. It is amazing how everything changes here as it gets dark. The most common sounds come from frogs and crickets, and the creatures in the air are night hawks and bats, but in the swamp you can see the glowing eyes of caimans! We had great fun watching caimans on the riverbank and others resting on floating vegetation.
It was another amazing day in the heart of the rainforest!
