Our last full day exploring the Peruvian Amazon started in the usual, early way: we boarded our skiffs shortly after sunrise and explored one of the many small tributaries of the Ucayali, the Zapote River. We found a tremendous variety of wildlife. The old saying that said that the early bird gets the worm is particularly true here. By getting started so early we were able to see many bird species busy looking for their respective breakfasts. Today was one of those days when it is hard to cover a lot of ground while exploring the small tributaries; not because of obstacles on the river, but because we often stopped to watch another interesting species! Amazon festive parrots were amongst the first that we saw this morning, followed by great black and black collared hawks, several jacamar, barbet and saltator species, and even a rare gray-headed kite—the first one I have ever seen! Green iguanas basking on branches and a yellow-crowned brush-tailed rat looked down at us from its hole in a tree. After a delicious breakfast, we went back to the Zapote River to continue our explorations and added several more wildlife sightings to our already long list. Some of us decided to get a bit more up close and personal with Mother Nature and went kayaking in the black waters. Later, we all stopped near the small village of Zapote to visit the local women who offered their handicrafts for sale. Necklaces made out of a variety of seeds, pods, and even piranha jaws, hand-made ornaments and clothes and combs of catfish spines were some of the many articles purchased and photographed.
During lunch, the Delfín II continued sailing downriver along the Ucayali to the area of the Supay River where we stopped during the early afternoon. After having enjoyed that most civilized of customs, the siesta, we went back to the skiffs and divided into groups to explore the river. Some went kayaking instead, but all had a great time. Besides the usual sightings such as the yellow-headed caracara, the great kiskadee, and the smooth-billed ani, we also watched several groups of squirrel monkeys and saddleback tamarins in their never-ending search of fruits, insects, and the occasional bird’s nest. Their acrobatics and suicide-jumps delighted everybody and represented the very essence of this wild place, making the perfect end to another beautiful day in Amazonia.
