This morning I decided to wake up well before light and walk the trails, so I could walk back for breakfast during the first moments of dawn. This failed to produce any mammals like I hoped, and most of the birds were heard only but there were still some interesting species. For species that I had seen before, Pavonine Cuckoo was great to hear again, as was Ocellated Poorwill. Sadly the Buckleys Forest Falcon that was singing did not come in to the tape. Once some light had penetrated the forest floor I had a lifer with Ruddy Spinetail, which took some finding as it jumped around the darkness of a bamboo stand before revealing itself.
After breakfast we started with a plan to take trails through some Varzea forest to the south of the camp. We took trail 15 from the camp, before turning on to trail 14 to the Cocha Lobo lake, before returning via trail 21, then down via trail 18, across on trail 30 and then back to camp via trail 15. Overall it was a fairly quiet morning but there were still a few interesting species that kept us busy.
Whilst departing camp there were three Blue-throated Piping Guan in the trees across from the room. The walk down on 15 did not produce anything, but trail 14 was a little more productive, with Ruddy Quail Dove and a heard only Rusty-belted Tapaculo. There was no attempt to see the Tapaculo, since the plan was to reach the Cocha Lobo as fast as possible in case the Giant Otter were there. Sadly they were not, and the only activity on the lake were the noisy Hoatzins in the adjacent vegetation.
The walk to trail 18 saw very little occur, but once on trail 18 there was some improvement. A male Plumbeous Antbird was a new species for me, and it showed nicely for short while. Tawny-crowned Greenlet was the only other bird which was of note. About halfway down trail 18, it deviated from the map, and we soon found ourselves lost, having opted to follow the map rather than the trail. Equally problematic was the complete lack of absence of trail 30, which we eventually found about halfway between trails 18 and 15. The only thing we saw on this trail was a group of at least five Coatis, which were foraging in the undergrowth before they scattered as we approached. The rest of trail 15 was rather uneventful, although passing the river we saw two Black Skimmer and two Large-billed Terns.
In the afternoon we decided to go to the only area of forest we had not yet explored. This would see us take trail 19, followed by trail 25 then down the hill to trail 26, before returning and walking back to the field station via trail 10. The original plan had been to make it a loop via trail 38 but apparently that trail did not exist.
Trail 19 started well, with a Bluish-fronted Jacamar followed by a couple of Spixs Guans. We had high hopes for trail 25 and it started well with a new species for in Black Antbird, a pair being vocal and showing well in a bamboo stand. Unfortunately, activity quickly dropped off and on this trail we saw little else. Once we descended the hill to trail 26 there were a few more birds including a brilliant Musician Wren as well as another new species for me with Dusky-throated Antshrike. A group of three Bolivian Red Howler Monkeys was the highlight on the mammal front, with overall limited primate action on offer generally today.
The plan had been to walk back along trail 10 in the dark and hopefully see something exciting. It started well with another tick with Amazonian Pygmy Owl which showed well in the canopy. Sadly after that it dropped off quickly. From a vantage point over the Los Amigos river we also had Short-tailed Nighthawk fly over, but nothing else happened after that. Unfortunately the team of bat researchers were trapping on trail 10, and so most of the walk back was spent dodging mist-nets, two of which had bats in. We passed the researchers going to check the nets as we approached camp.
After dinner I set off our again, not really hoping for much but knowing that staying in the room would result in nothing being seen. The plan was to walk down to the Varzea forest at the bottom of the hill of trail 15, and explore down there for any animals. I had just turned the corner near the compost heap on the edge of the camp, when I spotted something crossing the road in the thermal. At first I assumed it would be one of the large rodents, but once I was able to get the torch on it I was stunned to see that it was in fact a species of cat!
I was initially scared that it would just walk away without being able to get any photos or identification, but fortunately it started walking up the road towards me. With the adrenaline rush overtaking me I dropped the thermal on the floor and concentrated on holding the torch and camera as the animal sauntered towards me. It was clearly not big enough for a Jaguar, but it still wasn’t a small cat and was beautifully patterned. An Ocelot! It continued completely casually, at one point it even sat down and started to lick itself! It was an incredible moment, and I enjoyed every second! This was my first South American cat species, and what a species to start my list with. In the end it jumped into the vegetation at the side of the trail, the whole encounter lasting for about a minute. I continued the walk for another 20 minutes and this produced two Black-headed Night-Monkey, but after the incredible encounter that begin the walk I was more than happy to call it a night! The undoubted highlight of the trip, what a moment!
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