SOUTHERN JUNGLE TOUR – LOS AMIGOS BIOLOGICAL STATION (CICRA) & TAMBOPATA – JULY 2024

PARTICIPANTS: MARIA SODERBORG, NIKLAS TORSTENSTON, LASSE & ZITA OLSSON

BIRD GUIDE: JESUS CIEZA

DAY 01.– We left Puerto Maldonado at 5:00am to Laberinto, a small but active town with a lot of mining activity where we took a local water taxi for at least 03 hours along Madre de dios river. On the way we could see some local birds like Cocoi Herons, Large billed tern, Jabiru, Wood stork, Crested Caracara and some Spectacled caimans along the river bank with a single Tyra moving by the shore. We arrived at the lodge where we had nice short walk around the property before lunch and we were able to see some monkeys like Red howler and Toppin’s titi monkeys while walking.

Right after our excellent lunch, we went for another nature walk and visited Lobo lagoon. This lagoon is surounded by Varzea forest where we had to walk through some muddy spots until we finally took a little canoe and spent the afternoon enjoying this small but cool water spot with many Punk chickens or Hoatzins, some Toucans like Channel billed toucan, Amazonian streaked antwren, Black capped donacobius, Masked tityra, Ladder tailed nightjar, Band tailed antbird and some big fruit bats flying over the lagoon. Our afternoon was also great since we had the uncommon Black spider monkey  twice, the first ones while walking to the lagoon and then some of them jumping around the lagoon.

DAY 02.- Today we had a great day since we started our morning with Lowland tapir right by the lodge. We were looking for some birds around the lodge before breakfast and suddenly a nice looking tapir came acroos the garden givin us a great view and pictures. Then We had  a nice breakfast and went for a morning walk searching for Emperor tamarin and other animlas, this time we were able to see not only the this unusual monkeys, We could also see a big group of Bolivian black capped squirrel monkey searching foraging at the bamboo section. Along this morning walk We could also get some birds like Eastern Woodhaunter, White Bellied Tody Tyrant, Cinereous mourner, Elegant Woodcreeper, Black Antbird, Plain Xenop, Masked Tanager and many other birds while walking.

Late in the afternoon We decided to visit a very small lagoon but with good palm trees hábitat where We could get some extra birds like Point tailed palmcreeper, American pygmy kingfisher, Scaly breasted wren, Double toothed kite, Black throated antbird and some blue and yellow macaws flying around. At the same water spot we also got the uncommon Cuvier’s dwarf caiman with some Large headed Brown capuccin monkeys jumping around the little lagoon and some singing birds on the way back like Ocellated poorwil, Common pauraque and crested owl.

DAY 03.- Another great day with more monkeys like Black spider & Weddel’s saddle backed tamarins along the trails. This time we had another early walk in order to find and see the rare Bush dogs and the other rare Saki monkey. Nice long morning walk through terra firme, bamboo and some good views from Varzea forest. At the end of Our morning walk We vwere only able too see Short eared Dog being analise after being captured by the research team who led a mammal capturing Project.

Another great lunch to then go and try one more time Lobo lagoon where we had good time around this magical little water spot with Yellow headed side necked turtles, Spider monkeys around and some specialties like Agami heron, Black banded crake and the famous Hoatzins. After having cool time around this beautiful lagoon, We then started another night walk and this time with better views from colorful tree frogs and the unusual Kinkajou, nice and weird looking animal related to viver otters. Right after dinner We had a nice lecture given by the resident researchers and the current situation with mining around.

DAY 04.- Early start to have Our last breakfast at this beautiful nature place with many monkeys species and mammals. Birding is also a great thing here since We recorded many good birds like White Throated Jacamar, Agami heron, Blue capped manakin, mask crimson tanager, Black banded crake, large headed flatbill, Point tailed palmcreeper, American pygmy kingfisher, Riparian antbird and many more birds. Another jungle spot to be visited this time Tambopata national reserve at Tambopata river, to get to this place We had to take the local water taxis to finally arrive to Tambopata Collpas lodge. This is also another great place for birds and mammals where the lodge has a cool view from 52m tower, where We had a great afternoon enjoyinmg the beautiful sunset with some colorful Curl crested & Ivory billed aracarís plus the uncommon Orange cheecked parrot. Some Brown capuccin monkeys playing up in the canopy and a nice walk and view at the new canopy bridge.

DAY 05.- Early departure to take a motor boat for 40 minutes into Tambopata national reserve, this time We had a nice morning with beautiful sunrise and a nice group of Capibara resting by the river bank. Our day spent at the clay lick today was not that great since We could not see the number of Macaws we ere expecting on the clay wall but there were many little parrots and other birds that filled the morning. Some Blue and Yellow macaws, red and green, Orange cheecked parrot, Yellow crowned parrot and many more flying around this lovely bird spot. Right at the clay lick We also had a pair of Orinoco goose flying over the group plus some other birds like great black hawk and collared plover. Nice breakfast taken in from of the river to then take the boat back and try some more boat where we could see more spectacled caimans and many turtles lying along the fallen trees. On the way back to the lodge We went for a nature and bird walk to spot some more birds and learn about jungle, this time We tried some local plants like Cinchona, the tree against Malaria. Some more plants like Piper that works as a painkiller and many more other details in jungle plus some good birds like Yellow billed nunbird, Red billed scythebill, White eyed stipplethroat, Grayish mourner, scarlet macaw and many more.

DAY 06.- Today We went for another nature and bird walk to enjoy the new short by cool hanging bridge at the lodge’s territory. This time froma little walk We could heard the Colombian Howler monkeys from a distance and got some cool canopy birds while walking up on the bridges. This small construction but with good view, gave us nice view of the creeck parallel to this bridge and we could also get a very good view a single young Howler monkey feeding in front of us. Then we also spotted the uncommon Black capped becard, Collared trogon, Yellow billed nunbird, Fasciated antshrike, Rufous tailed foliage gleaner, Olive faced flatbill, Masked tanager, Inambari woodcreeper and many others that you can see in our E-bird list.

Later that day we also went out and had Sunbittern moving by the garden, some trogons around and Large headed Brown capuccin monkeys having fun around the lodge. This lodge has nice bamboo area that we walked to see the cool looking Toppin’s titi monkeys and a nice view of White throated toucan. This lodge is good to combine nature with birds or just nature since the area around has nice mix of hábitats like bamboo and terra firme plus the canopy bridge. At night you always hear the common Tawny bellied screech owl calling or the Tropical screech owl by the river. Then we left this place in the afternoon to go back to town and get ready for the following day.

DAY 07.- Our last visit was to the popular Lake Sandoval, this place is also found into Tambopata national reserve. So the chances for more monkeys is also great here with many water birds like the popular Punk chicken (Hoatzin), Sungrebe, sunbittern, Red bellied macaws, long billed woodcreeper, boat billed heron and many more birds. This time we had a nice lunch made by the local family that live around the lake, then we started moving by canoe around this lake and search for the famous Giant river otter, it took us a while to find these animals since these guys are very territorial and do not let any other Otters group to use it.

But after good time waiting and searching for them, we finally found them and got a very close and good views hunting next to our boat. Another cool animal was the Giant anteater spotted on the way out from the lake, this time we had the chance to see it well but did not let us get a proper picture even that we went behind the animal but not much luck. Finally a nice boat ride to go back to town and get a cool view of the sunset.

Monkey list:

Emperor tamarin, Weddel’s saddle backed tamarin, Colombian Red howler monkey, Large headed Brown capuccin, Bolivian black capped squirel monkey, Toppin’s titi monkey, Black spider monkey

Mammal list:

Paca, Brazilian lowland tapir, Kinkajou, Tayra, Giant anteater an