We are in our second full day of exploration along the perimeter of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve and our wildlife sightings have included 66 different bird species, pink and gray dolphins, saddle-backed tamarin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, three-toed sloths, and long nosed bats.
Our day started on the trails of the Amazon Natural Park. To access the trails you must first go on a little canoe ride across a fishpond. It’s a lovely way not only to start the day, but to see the bats. In the lake there are sticks stuck randomly about in the mucky pond and long-nosed bats were found lined up all in a row upside down along the shady edge. The line of bats gave the appearance of oversized thorns on the bottom edge of the stick. Later, when we paddled back to the start of the hike, a bat falcon was seen flying above…guess what they eat.
Also along the pond edge we could see lesser kiskadees busily gathering nesting materials and weaving small nests. This is a lovely bird with a very crisp, dignified look enhanced with a prominent black eye stripe. However, it is hard to look dignified when you’re sitting on a branch with a beak-full of plant fluff. It comes across more as a comically adorable look.
Our walk through the rain forest gave us the opportunity for a study of terra-firma and the different trees that inhabit this permanently high and subsequently dry ground. Included were impressively sized ficus as well as scattered rubber trees, one of which we tapped and rubbed the milk white latex into little gooey rubber balls. The trail includes a series of canopy style bridges, about seven total, that give you a mid-tree level view of the rain forest. It brought us to a slower, springier step and gave chance for a more contemplative mood while we walked.
For the afternoon we navigated our skiffs and paddled our kayaks into the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, up the little creek known as Nauta Caño. It is low water right now and the banks were lined with black vultures, great egrets, and it seemed every other tree had a black-collared hawk sitting in it. Why? Easy pickings for the birds, as the fish are a bit water-deprived. A yellow-headed caracara wasn’t into the fish mood and was seen feasting on a juicy yellow caterpillar.
Our day ended with a walk into the dark. Outfitted with a spritzing of bug spray and a flashlight in hand, we went out on a short trail looking for denizens of the night. We heard frogs that seemed to cackle and numerous trills, buzzes, creaks, and squeaks coming from all sorts of unseen insects. A leafy green gecko was found as well as a few of the frogs and some walking stick insects. A large moth buzzed around the periphery of the light cast by our flashlights.
We spent our time wisely investigating the wonders of the rain forest from sunup to sundown and from high ground to water level. Our rewards were plentiful as well as splendid, and we are going to do it all again tomorrow. Sweet dreams.
