Birdwatching near Iquitos, canopy walkway, Allpahuayo Mishana and Wattled Curassow
Day 0. Late afternoon flight from Lima and transfer to Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve from airport to do a session of nightbirding. Maybe we find Rufous Potoo or White-winged Potoo. Night in Iquitos.
Day 1. In the morning we shall look for additional targets in the Allpahuayo reserve and then continue along the road to Nauta where we shall board a motorize canoe to take us down the mighty Marañon river. Where the Marañon and Ucayali confluence and form the Amazon, it is only a short ride downstream to the Yanayacu river. This Amazon Refuge gives excellent access to threatened Wattled Curassow (Endangered). The community members at the nearby village are traditionally fishermen rather than hunters and therefore the Curassow persists in this area, while having being hunted to extinction in most of the Amazon basin. On the way there or on the way back we shall check out some river islands for specialist birds such as Lesser Hornero, White-bellied, Red-and-White and Parker's Spinetails, Orange-fronted Plushcrown, Castelnau's Antshrike, Black-and-White Antbird, Black-tailed Antbird, Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant, Riverside Tyrant, River Tyrannulet, Amazonian Umbrellabird and many more.
Day 2. Another days birding around Yanayacu. The varzea habitat where the Curassow can be found is also good for Zimmer's Woodcreeper, Agami Heron, Short-tailed Parrot, Festive Parrot, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Band-tailed Antbird. At night we shall be looking for Zig Zag and Boat-billed Herons.
Day 3. Additional day at Amazon Refuge
Day 4. Birding AM. Travel back to Iquitos in the afternoon. In the Pm we will bird the area of Quistacocha and hope to see Amazonian Parrotlet.
Night in Iquitos. (dinner not included).
Day 5 Full day at the white-sand forest at Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve and areas nearby. Additional nightbirding at Allpahuayo-Mishana could produce Rufous and White-winged Potoo. Antother special bird is Iquitos Gnatcatcher which was described as new to science in 2005. Other newly described species from this area include Mishana Tyrannulet, Allpahuayo Antbird, Ancient Antwren, Northern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, There is also an undescribed form of Fuscous Flycatcher which likely is a new species, as well as a mysterious new hummingbird and a new hawk which have not even been collected yet. Exciting area indeed.
Day 6. After an additional early mornings birding we shall transfer to the boat that will take us to ExplorNapo lodge. In the afternoon we will be checking out the lek for Black-necked Red-Cotinga.
Day 7. ExplorNapo AM. River islands holding i.e. Ash-breasted Antbird, Bicolored Conebill, Orange-eyed Flycatcher, Leaden Antwren and many others. In the afternoon we will transfer to the canopy walkway and spend the afternoon there. At night near the base of the Canopy walkway, the Nocturnal Curassow can often be located.
Day 8. AM birding on the canopy walkway with Dugand’s Antwren, Pavonine Quetzal and Crested Eagle possible, before we head back to the lodge and back to Iquitos. Night in Iquitos. (dinner not included).
Day 9. Spare day - most likely another full day at Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve. Other possibilities include river islands or birding the black waters of Rio Nanay with species like Black-crested Antshrike, Orange-crowned Manakin and Cinnamon Attila, another morning on the river islands near Iquitos or just birding on the waterfront (good for Bay Hornero). In the afternoon we fly back to Lima.