Today was the first day of our Upper Amazon expedition, and we were out at dawn to take full advantage of the day. There was no shortage of birds, monkeys, sloths, and smaller “creepy crawlies” during our explorations. Expedition leader Jeff Philippe gave a talk about the geology of the Amazon Basin, and photo leader Michael Nolan inspired our photographers on board with a digital photography talk. After we set-up our cameras for shooting in challenging lighting conditions, we headed out to practice our new skills during an evening skiff ride on the Yanayacu River. Our first day was so full of discovery, that it felt like many days had gone by. We hope that the rest of the week proves as prolific with wildlife.