Yanayacu and Pucate Rivers
In this case it really was liquid sunshine which accompanied us for our early morning outing. Before dawn many of us were awakened in preparation for the birdwatching to come. A light rain, not even enough to require a rain poncho, kept us cool the entire time. Red and white spinetails, cinnamon becards, and some double names: jacana jacana (wattled jacana), iguana iguana (green iguana) and even a “patito pom pom” (sun bittern, heard only). Numerous others were around, and notable were the winter migrants such as the fork-tailed flycatchers. A sloth was spotted, sitting quietly in the rain. It is hard to imagine the rainforest as a cold place, but for some, including a few of our own, getting in from the rain was looking more enticing.
Back for breakfast before heading out again. Our destination was up the Yanayacu River and into small little side streams, places open only when the river levels rise sufficiently to get the skiff back in there. Our little waterway was so close that Adonai, our local expert used his machete several times to get us ever more further into the forest. Along the way we saw chestnut-eared Araçaris being attacked by greater kiskadees; a white-faced tree rat peered out from its hole on the underside of a thick tree branch overhanging the water (we decided to name this narrow creek “Tree Rat Caño”); bare-necked fruit crows were all over the place, back-and-forth from the tree-tops; black-fronted nunbirds burbled in chatty groups; long-nosed bats lined up in perfect formation up the tree trunk; and both white-tailed and black-tailed trogons were spotted, male and female; saddle-backed tamarins were surprisingly cooperative, and even sat still long enough for a few long lenses to get them into sight and snap off a few photos!
Back on board it was necessary to perform our abandon ship drill, which was followed by an orientation briefing. The area of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is complicated. Covering around 5 million acres, it is riddled with rivers and streams of major portion to rivulets which disappear when river levels drop (August through November). This week we are planning to explore many of these waterways, so following our progress daily along the rivers is helpful for those of us interested in the geography of the region. We also caught up with our wildlife checklist, because the sightings are already stacking up quite nicely and we want to keep track. Even a fer-de-lance (most venomous viper in the Amazon) could be checked off because one was spotted swimming among the grasses next to the ship!).
The afternoon had a choice for folks: either travel up the Pucate River (which along with the Yanayacu River is the third-largest drainage basin of the reserve), or walk a rain forest trail to see what might show up.
Mid-afternoon the “skiffers” took off up river while the walkers disembarked at a community known as “Veinte de Enero” (“Twentieth of January”) the date of its founding in 1977. There is a trail leading off into the forest from behind the school house, and after passing through some cultivated areas, takes one through low forest which periodically floods at exceptionally high river level. Leaf-cutter ants had highways across the trail as they carried sickle-shaped pieces of leaf, small flowers and stem segments down into the lower chambers. Another group searched for tarantulas inside bromeliads being grown as ornamentals in the village (to no success unfortunately). The visit ended back at our landing site where the village women had gathered and were showing their well-made handicraft carvings from “tagua”. This is known in English as vegetable ivory, for it looks exactly like real ivory, yet is the product of a small palm tree which grows in the region. Beautifully made elegant egrets and small hunched frogs shared tabletops with necklaces of seeds, coconut and tagua.
By sunset we were heading home but got stopped by a stunning sunset and a raucous chorus of short-tailed parrots preparing to roost in a tree along the riverbank. As we watched, with the engine off, more and more arrived, yet they disappeared into the treetop so easily, same size and shape as the green leaves. Only their voices gave them away, possibly telling each other of the day's accomplishments or worries.
With none of our own, we got back to our riverboat, and showered and changed, gathered on the top deck as the captain started the Delfin II downriver. Tomorrow, another day planned on the mighty Marañón River.
