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The ccolpa or clay lick at Tambopata Research Center is one of the amazing spectacles of nature. Five species of macaws were visiting the lick the morning we visited. Here are Red-and-green Macaws enjoying the clay. Photo by participant Bill Byers.

It is nice to know that there are still some truly wild, untouched areas in the world. Southeast Peru is one of those places. It's also an area where one can understand the difficulties of trying to balance human-growth (and needs) with trying to make biodiversity and conservation a priority. We experience these issues on tour by seeing first-hand subsistence living on the small farmer level (chacras with corn and papaya plots), the invaciones of Puerto Maldonado, large lumber extraction at Forestal Otorongo, and illegal gold mining along the Tambopata. We also got to witness the other side: communities like Infierno directly involved in lodge management, local guides making a living from ecotourism, and ecotourism directly contributing to local economies (hotels in Puerto Maldonado, transportation, etc.). "La Lucha" will be in the balance of all these things, but this tour (more than many others) shows just how we might make it all work.

It was a really fun group and an excellent tour. In summary, we recorded over 300 species of birds and an amazing 14 species of mammals, half of which were primates! Ahmet estimated that we saw near 200 species of butterflies! Indeed, SE Peru has the highest biodiversity of anywhere in the world. On this trip, we spent time north of Puerto Maldonado on several forest concessions that offered access to tall terra firme forest and Guadua bamboo patches. Later, we visited three different ecolodges along the Rio Tambopata, the furthest at Tambopata Research Center (TRC), a full 6-hour boat ride upstream from the dock at Infierno. Each lodge offers something different, whether it's a canopy tower (Posada Amazonas), a ccolpa (or clay lick) at TRC, or a Harpy Eagle nest (Refugio Amazonas), but also lots of trails for exploring and immersing oneself in the Amazonian rainforest. In particular this year, a few experiences stood out for this group. EVERYBODY loved the boat rides up and down the Tambopata. This is truly the way to experience the vast protected forest, plus we had at least one memorable moment on the boat which involved a Gray-bellied Hawk and an unfortunate Undulated Tinamou! The clay lick (or ccolpa) morning sticks in everyone's mind. The swirling colors (five species of macaws present) and raucous sounds will easily make you want to kick yourself (I am definitely not in Kansas anymore!). Speaking of colors, what about five species of daggerwing butterflies (Marpesia spp.) in one puddle?! Favorite birds, you ask? Where to begin, but let's start with Banded Antbird, Musician Wren, Hoatzin, that Gray-bellied Hawk, Lemon-throated Barbet, Curl-crested Aracari, Screaming Piha (can you still hear it?), Paradise Jacamar, Ocellated Poorwill, and the list goes on and on... (On a side note, nobody remembers how cold it can get in the Amazon, right?)

I want to thank my group for making this a great trip. I also want to thank you for choosing Field Guides Inc. We owe a big (BIG) "thank you" and a round of cervezas to our fabulous local guides, Jair and Fernando. Also, to all our support staff: lodge cooks, boat drivers, 4x4 drivers, etc., all who helped to make our trip safe and fun. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

All the best for the remaining 2019 season,

Jesse aka (Motmot) from Lima, Peru

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

Thanks to our group and local guides, Jair and Fernando, for a fun tour. Let's do it again soon.

This Band-tailed Manakin was a splash of bright color in the tall green terra firme forest at TRC. Thanks to Bill Byers for the shot.

A very tough bird to get a good photo of, but participant Charlotte Byers managed to do just that. This is a Rufous Twistwing, a rare Guadua bamboo specialist and a near-endemic to Peru.

This great photo by Dorothy Paul included the following description, "Satisfaction after ccolpa spectacular." I couldn't agree more.

What a photo by Bill Byers! This was the magical moment where we witness a rare Gray-bellied Hawk hunt and kill its prey, an Undulated Tinamou. Nature at its finest and a beautiful shot.

Not surprising that the bizarre Hoatzin is in a monotypic family. Not much that really looks like it! Photo by Charlotte Byers.

A lovely shot by Charlotte Byers of the exterior (entrance) to Refugio Amazonas.

Great action shot by Miles Paul as the team looks for some skulker in the bamboo.

Maybe we were looking for this skulker? White-browed Antbird! Photo by participant Bill Byers.

The three Epinecrophylla antwrens on this tour are all quite similar. Any of them can be tough to photograph. Bill Byers caught this one in full song, a White-eyed Antwren.

This is a very good tour for primates. We saw this Emperor Tamarin at Forestal Otorongo. I love the reverse handle-bar moustache! Photo by participant Bill Byers.

Check out the fingers on this Black Spider Monkey photographed by participant Bill Byers. Just a tad bit creepy!

Dorothy Paul captured nicely the twisting and turning (and complicated) river system in the Puerto Maldonado area.

A parting shot of your happy guides, Jair (L), Jesse, and Fernando. Photo by Charlotte Byers. Thanks again for a great tour!

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Totals for the tour: 308 bird taxa and 14 mammal taxa