We continued our expedition of the Peruvian Upper Amazon today by exploring Magdalena River. A misty rain, persistent but refreshing, accompanied us most of the morning. During the skiff ride, we observed many bird species, including flycatchers, woodpeckers, parrots, parakeets, trogons, toucans, herons, jacamars, and some birds of prey. It was a successful outing.
In addition to bird sightings, we had the thrill of meeting a local fisherwoman. With love and patience, she graciously showed us what she had caught with the aid of her two sons. She showed us many river fish species, and the interaction was not only entertaining but also educational. We were fascinated by the shapes and colors of the fish she showed us. Most were catfish, considered a delicacy in the Amazon.
In the afternoon, we went to a different river, Yarapa. In this location, we had the thrill of finding two monkey species. A rather curious common woolly monkey was spotted balancing and hanging in the middle canopy at a relatively close range to the skiff. The second species was the spectacular red uakari monkey. The latter was a juvenile seen near a local house along the river.
We came back to the ship to enjoy a beautiful sunset from the outer deck. It was the perfect setting for celebrating the famous geographical point where the Ucayali and Maranon Rivers meet. This confluence marks the beginning of the mighty and famous Amazon River. The event was the golden finale of a remarkable day spent exploring the Upper Amazon in Peru.
