Zapote & Supay Caños
Our last full day of exploration of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve in Peru started with a persistent rain. We went out anyway equipped with our rain gear to enjoy how it feels to be in the rain in one of the wettest ecosystems on Earth.
This week’s expedition has been extraordinarily good for wildlife sightings. Later in the morning while exploring “Zapote Caño,” we had great sightings of a Monk Saki and a Squirrel Monkey troop. Our naturalists and drivers spotted many colorful bird species as well.
At the end of the skiff ride we visited a local flooded community for a brief time. It was surreal to see everything underwater. Even pets and domestic animals were on floating pieces of wood or in floating cages. Mutual curiosity was shared by us and the villagers made this brief visit an intercultural experience.
Before lunchtime, we had a “Pisco sour” elaboration demonstration conducted by Delfin II barman Gaston Catalan. Some of our guests showed their skills shaking the drink behind the bar. It was a lot of fun!
The afternoon was spent exploring Supay Caño. With high spirits we went there to explore this small but beautiful tributary of the Uyacalli River. The sky was blue and the sun was shining in contrast to the gloomy and rainy morning we had. Many different bird species were seen along the river edges and on the lush green tall walls of vegetation. One species that was spotted, the Sand-collared Nigthawk (Chordeilis rupestris) is worth mentioning. Although it is relatively widespread all over the Amazonia below 600m (approximately 2000 feet), it tends to be found in large colonies that are exciting to see. Nighthawks are cryptically colored and capture insects usually at dusk or night. Another great bird sighting was a White-winged Swallow (Tachycineta albiventer) that unusually stayed at a close range from the skiffs. Its beautiful plumage is very elegant to say the least. To top the day off we spotted a Pygmy Marmoset troop. This tiny monkey, the smallest species in the whole world, was a delight to observe.
Later at the evening upon our arrival we watched the slideshow of the pictures of the week. We had a fabulous barbeque farewell dinner and as grand finale our local band, conformed by the Delfin II crew, played sensational Amazon music putting their enthusiasm and joy in our hearts.
