El Dorado River & Atun Poza Lake
Our exploration of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserved took us to El Dorado River. Around this area we had the chance to explore not only the main river but many little lagoons that have been formed in this flooding season. Parrots, herons, and birds of prey, among other Amazon bird species, were seen and admired. In addition to the many animal species, that include several monkey troops, and brown three-toed sloths, we had the thrill to have our breakfast outdoors onboard the skiffs! This experience is incomparable for we had our first full meal of the day served in the most fashionable way, serviettes and white gloves included, covered with the greenery of the rain forest and many birds flying above us.
Once aboard we have a couple of talks, one about the ecology and morphology of the primate species found in the reserve. I am very fond of mammals, therefore it was a joy to share this talk with the group. One of our excellent Peruvian naturalists on board, Renny Coquinche had a very tasty and interesting presentation. He talked about the huge biodiversity of the fruits of the Amazon and explained to us the use of several ancestral medicinal plants.
In the afternoon we had a late visit to “Atun Poza” Lake and its surroundings. In this location we spotted many colorful bird species as Wattled Jacanas, several raptors, the famous Hoatzin, Neotropical cormorants, and parrots among many others. We stayed in the area after sunset with the intention of spotting wildlife at night and enjoying the sounds of the rain forest. With the aid of a spotlight we found a night dwelling bird the Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) sitting high up on top of a tree. We saw several juvenile spectacled caiman alligators (Caiman crocodilus) as well.
At dinnertime, we all shared our impressions and sightings of the day while enjoying the exquisite and phenomenal Peruvian cuisine served onboard.
