Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes, Humboldt Penguin, Blackish Oystercatcher, and Inca Tern were notable species. Left this area around 5:00 PM and headed back to Lima after a full day of visiting and birding some excellent marshy areas, the cold nutrient rich waters of the Pacific Ocean around Pucusana, and a good cross-section of the Atacama Desert of western Peru. Back at hotel by 6:40 where we enjoyed tea/coffee and snacks in the lobby (a nightly ritual there) and dinner at 7:15 PM. Bed at 10:00 PM.

Saturday, January 14, 2012
Up at 6:00 AM followed by a 6:30 AM breakfast in the lobby. Leave for Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima at 7:45 AM. Temperatures in Lima were in the low 80's with partly cloudy skies and high humidity. Fly from Lima to Iquitos, Peru (10:20-12:30 AM), aboard LAN. Nice views of cloud shrouded Andes. Comfortable flight with a good snack. Arrived in Iquitos to quite a weather change: pouring rain, wind, and temperatures in the low 70's. Took a bus to a boat launch on the Itaya River. Here we boarded a motorboat (with a thatched roof) that took us to the Fire and Ice (Al Frio y Al Fuego) Restaurant, an upscale floating restaurant located in the middle of the river.

Al Frio y Al Fuego Restaurant

Aquamarina

We spent the next week touring the Amazon and its tributaries, aboard the Aquamarina.

Amazon River Cruise Expedition Map

The ship has a shallow draft that pretty much allowed us to go where ever we wanted to to bird. We birded from the open upper deck until we got a room assignment. After unpacking and getting settled we returned to the upper deck. Departure was delayed (for some reason), and we didn't get off until dusk. However, watching people on some closely berthed tour ships helped pass the time until dinner at 7:00 PM. Bed at 9:30 PM.

Sunday, January 15, 2012
Our ship traveled along the Amazon in a southwesterly direction during the night with a mid night anchorage somewhere below the junction of the Rio Marańón River. Up at 5:00 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. Our VENT guides divided us into two groups; each boarded a different skiff. Steve Hilty (VENT) took one group and David Ascanio (VENT) the other.

Aquamarina Skiff

We were with David and enjoyed a full morning of wonderful birding. A local guide was also present on each skiff (Segundo the more memorable of the two). Early morning birding, starting at 6:00 AM, was done along a small tributary (Tapara Creek) of the Amazon below the main Ucayali-Marańón junction. Around 10:00 AM we headed back to Aquamarina for a rest stop. 10:20 AM left for more birding. However, this time the entire group boarded our skiff because the other skiff had motor problems. Continued birding until just before noon when we headed in for lunch which was followed by a siesta. With both skiffs operational, we headed out for more birding from 3:30-6:00 PM. Most of the afternoon outing was spent in early successional vegetation (Tessaria, Salix, Gynerium grasses). Got our first look at a river island specialist, the Buff-breasted Spinetail, along Yarapa Creek. The flat bottomed skiffs afforded us excellent mobility in the water with a minimum of noise intrusion (engines were quiet). These skiffs also allowed members of the group to move around on board to align themselves for photographing or viewing birds in an uncrowed environment (we were not assigned a seat or in a 'one person fixed seat'. Return from birding around 5:30 PM followed by bird list at 6:30 PM . Dinner at 7:00 PM. Bed at 9:30 PM.

Monday, January 16, 2012
Up at 4:45 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. Depart for an early morning birding trip at 6:00 AM along a small south bank tributary, Yarapa Creek, of the Rio Ucayali. Returned to the ship around 8:45 AM for a short break leaving again at 9:10 AM. It turned out to be a morning full of parrots/parakeets: White-winged Parakeets, Tui Parakeets, Orange-cheeked Parrots, Short-tailed Parrots, along with Blue-headed, Festive, and Mealy Parrots. This served as an excellent introduction to the diversity of parakeets and parrots of western Amazonia. Returned to ship at 11:30. Villagers boarded the ship to sell local wares. Lunch at 12:00 PM followed by a siesta until 3:30 PM (in our air conditioned room). Temperatures were in the low 90's with very humid conditions during the late afternoon expedition. During the mid-day the Aquamarina relocated up river, and we spent the afternoon on Carocurahuayter Creek, a small north bank tributary of the Ucayali. Finished birding and returned to the ship by 6:00 PM with birds at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 7:00. Bed at 9:30 PM. Aquamarina continued up the Ucayali River, and we anchored close to Supay Creek (not far below the city of Requena). Steve and Segundo were our guides for the day. Our local guide, Segundo, was well-known along the river...especially among the ladies! He was well-educated and knew the area and its flora and fauna.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Up at 4:45 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. Started birding at 6:00 AM. Spent the morning birding the upper Amazon's Supay Creek area. Seven Woodpecker species including Yellow-tufted, Little, Spot-breasted, Ringed, Lineated, Crimson-crested, and a Plain-breasted Piculet were seen. A pair of cute Yellow-crowned Brush-tailed Tree-Rats was enjoyed by all. David was our guide for the day. He was very patient and was more than willing to get everyone on 'the bird'. Returned to the Aquamarina for a morning break around 8:45 AM. Left for additional birding at 9:25 AM. Continued birding until 11:15 AM when we returned to the Aquamarina for lunch. Birded from the upper deck of the ship during heavy rain after lunch. Took a short siesta. Just after 4:00 PM, we headed out for some late afternoon birding along Fosec Creek which is located about 30 minutes upriver from the city of Requena. Took a lengthy boat ride along a river island to look for Red-bellied Macaws. Found a colony coming in to roost in a dying Moriche Palm grove. On our return trip at dusk to the Aquamarina, we found Hoatzins that were coming (floundering) in to roost. This is a sluggish, ungainly, clumsy bird that only flies short distances...it made quite a scene when it landed. Back at the ship by 6:10 PM followed by doing the bird list and then dinner at 7:00 PM. Bed at 10:00 PM.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Up at 4:45 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. The ship was now several hours above the town of Requena Start birding via our skiffs by 6:00 AM along S(Z)apote Creek. This pristine site offered us 17 species of raptors in addition to sloths and Squirrel Monkeys. Our VENT guide for the day was Steve. Returned to the Aquamarina for a morning break around 8:35 AM. Birded for awhile from the upper deck. Saw Chestnut-bellied and Lesson's Seedeaters plus and unknown female seedeater. Left for more birding at 9:18 AM along Sapote Creek. Birded along the edge of Peru's Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. On our way back to the ship for lunch we were met by a group of Amerindian women and children who waded out from the shore to show us the native hand crafted goods that they had for sale.

Amerindian Women & Children

After lunch and a siesta, we headed out at 4:00 PM to bird downstream from the Ucayali River along El Dorado Creek. We were back aboard the ship by 6:30 PM after racing back during a torrential downpour. A metal boat was not the place to be in the open water with thunder and lightening and heavy rain. Think everyone got soaked even though we took advantage of using the ponchos provided on board the skiff. Hung our wet clothes outside to dry. We were able to put them in the laundry the next morning, the last morning it was available. Dinner was served by 7:30 PM after the group completed the daily bird list. Bed at 9:30 PM.

Thursday, January 19, 2012
Up at 4:40 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. Left for birding along Yanallpa Creek at 6:00 AM. It turned out to be a very birdy morning with a long, close look at a Ladder-tailed Nightjar. We saw Scarlet Macaws flying overhead, Black-and-white Antbirds, Yellow-crested Tanagers, the amazing Amazonian Umbrellabird, Varzea Schiffornis and a Point-tailed Palmcreeper. Other highlights included Saddleback Tamarin Monkeys in the river edge forest canopy and a very compliant Green Caiman Lizard. By 10:30 AM we were headed back to the Aquamarina where we continued to bird from the upperdeck until lunch. Then we took a much needed siesta. One of three options for the afternoon were open to us: birding, going on a fishing trip (piranhas), or visiting a native community. Brad and I chose to spend the later part of the afternoon (3:30 PM until dusk) with our VENT guide, Steve, birding at the junction of the Marańon and Ucayali Rivers near some river island areas. Enjoyed watching the local boats, pici pici(s), with their lawnmower engines that are used to transport local people up and down the river. Returned to the Aquamarina at 5:30 PM for dinner at 6:30 followed by owling until 8:20 PM. This turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. We saw two Great Potoos, a Striped Owl, a Pauraque, and a Ladder-tailed Nightjar. Giant Waterlilies, a Snail-eating snake, bats, fire flies,and a young Green Iguana completed the outing. Bed at 10 PM. One thing worth mentioning is that during our morning outing Brad photographed a Scale-breasted Woodpecker. However, what he shot turned out to be a Lafresnaye's Picculet. WHOOPS!

Friday, January 20, 2012
Up at 4:45 AM with breakfast at 5:30 AM. Left for birding at 6:00 AM near the village of El Tucan (about 15 minutes above the town of Nauta) on a private reserve. This was the only time we birded on terra firma. Conditions were not ideal. After heavy rains two days earlier, the steep slopes were very slippery, and the entire area was covered...blanketed by millions of hungry mosquitoes. To top it all off, birds were few and far between. Even though it was hot and humid, Brad and I covered up as much as we could and didn't get bit. Owl butterflies, a Cicada Nest or two, a Dart Poison Frog, and a Leaf Toad kept us occupied. Segundo, our local guide, really knew the area and had lots of interesting tidbits to impart and help pass the time. Headed back to the Aquamarina for lunch at noon. We took a siesta until 3:00 PM. Since it started to rain around lunch time and was still going strong at 4:00 PM, it was decided to head up to the harbor area in Iquitos where we spent the night until disembarking the next morning. Our final shipboard evening consisted of entertainment provided by Johnnie and the Howling Monkeys, a band comprised of crew members, dancing and crew member introductions, final bird list, dinner, good byes and photos. Bed at 10:00 PM.

Saturday, January 21, 2012
Up at 6:30 AM. Pack. Breakfast at 8:00 AM. Disembark ship at 10:00 AM and board a bus that took us on a quick tour of the city of Iquitos before heading to the airport for a flight back to Lima. Driving through Iquitos on market day was interesting. Lots of people, lots of activity, and lots of new things to watch. Fly from Iquitos at 12:20 PM arriving in Lima at 1:30 PM. After clearing customs, etc. drove to the Sonesta Posada del Inca Hotel el Olivar in San Isidro where we had dinner at 6:00 PM and a room until our departure at 12:05 AM for Houston on Sunday, January 22, 2012.

Sunday, January 22, 2012
Arrived home at 8:00 AM.