July 3-12, 2025 with Willy Perez & Oscar Tapuy and Gerardo Illanes
What a trip! Our second Sacha tour of the year was another incredible adventure into one of the most biodiverse places on planet earth. It's hard to describe just how special this place is, but I’ll try my best to bring you along on this journey.
We kicked off the adventure with a night in Quito, where I met the group and gave them a bit of a rundown on what was to come. Early the next morning, we boarded a short flight to Coca, and as soon as we landed, the excitement kicked into high gear. Oscar, our local guide, greeted us with a smile, and we made our way to the Sacha headquarters to get ready and prepare for the rainforest magic that awaited us.
After a couple of hours by boat, a short walk, and then a peaceful paddling trip, we finally reached the lodge just in time for a delicious lunch. Fausto, the manager, gave us a thorough introduction to the place, and before long, we were settling into our cozy rooms and getting ready for the action-packed week ahead.
Each day began early—because when the rainforest wakes up, so do we. I teamed up with Oscar and Gerardo (our local guides), and together, we made sure each day was packed with new discoveries. We began by exploring Pilchecocha Lagoon and the Orquidea Creek in a dugout canoe, gliding through the flooded forest in search of its hidden gems. It was a perfect way to start the trip, and we spotted some amazing birds there.
Some highlights of this habitat included Silvered and Dot-backed Antbirds, Elegant and Plain Brown Woodcreepers, and the elusive Zigzag Heron. We even got superb views of the Orange-crowned Manakin, Rufous-tailed Flatbill, and a whole range of other species exclusive to the flooded forest. But it wasn’t just the birds—each afternoon we would take the canoe out again, and it seemed like a new set of wildlife was always waiting to surprise us, including a Green Anaconda.
One of the best parts of the trip was visiting the metal tower twice. Each time felt like a whole new experience. The first morning was foggy, and we had to wait a bit for the view to clear, but when it did, we were treated to an amazing display. Macaws, Toucans, Tanagers, and a host of other birds filled the air. But the real treat was the Puffbirds—three species in total, including the rare Chestnut-capped, and the stunning Purplish Jacamar. Oh, and let’s not forget the gorgeous tanagers—Masked, Opal-rumped, Opal-crowned, Turquoise, and Green-and-Gold. The variety of colors was simply breathtaking.
Our visits to the Kapok Tower were also a highlight. There, we spotted some magnificent woodpeckers—Crimson-crested, Lineated, Yellow-tufted, Chestnut, and Ringed. And let’s not forget the several Cotingas that showed up, too. Our visit to the parrot clay licks, where colorful parrots and parakeets come down to the side of the river for their daily mineral fix, was mesmerizing. Blue-headed, Mealy, Yellow-crowned Parrots, along with Dusky-headed and White-eyed Parakeets, added to the spectacle. Inside the Yasuni National Park, hundreds of Cobalt-winged Parakeets and several Scarlet Macaws joined the party.
The weather treated us well during a visit to a river island, which was a bit of a challenge to get to, but the rewards were well worth it. We saw the Olive-spotted Hummingbird, Fuscous Flycatcher, and Oriole Blackbird, to name a few. The well-maintained trails and boardwalks were prime spots for finding Antbirds—Spot-backed, White-shouldered, Peruvian Warbling, Black-faced, and Sooty, just to name a few. One of our special hikes took us to search for the Wire-tailed Manakin, one of the most colorful of the group, and the Northern Pygmy Marmoset, the smallest primate in the world!
But, of course, the birds weren’t the only stars of the show. The wildlife was incredible all week. We were lucky enough to spot seven species of monkeys, a sloth, agoutis, bats, and even Giant Otters. It was truly a wildlife lover’s paradise.
The food? Absolutely outstanding. We even got the chance to see how chocolate is made—from the cocoa tree to the finished product. It was a delicious experience in every sense of the word.
I’m also incredibly grateful to have had Oscar and Gerardo by my side on this journey. Oscar’s knowledge of birds is second to none, and Gerardo’s expertise in butterflies added so much depth to the experience. Thank you both for showing us the incredible creatures of this place.
And of course, a huge thank you to the group. You all embraced the rainforest wholeheartedly—especially with those early mornings. Your enthusiasm made every moment even more enjoyable. I’m so grateful to have shared this experience with such a fantastic team.
Here’s a list of other wildlife we saw along the way—birds aside—that made the trip even more special. Enjoy!
Mammals:
Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso)
Northern Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea)
Black-mantled Tamarin (Saguinus nigricollis)
Guianan Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Spix's Night Monkey (Aotus vociferans)
Red-bellied Titi (Plecturocebus moloch)
Colombian Red Howler (Alouatta seniculus)
White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus albifrons)
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Black Agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa)
Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)
Reptiles:
Green Anaconda
Caiman Lizard
Yellow spotted Amazon River Turtle
Spectacled Caiman
Black Caiman
Yellow tongued Anole
South American spotted Skink
Amazonian Salamander
The very noisy Smoky Jungle Frog.
Other creatures:
Whip Scorpion, Pink footed Tarantula, Banana Spider, Lichen Mantis and many stunning butterflies, like Blue Morpho, Owl-eyes and Swallowtails.
You can see my complete trip report on eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/402665
You can download a combined PDF of this page and the eBird report at this link: https://fieldguides.com/triplists/sac25bTRIPLIST.pdf
-- Enjoy the report and keep birding, Willy