Nov 6 - Jaen to Pomacochas

A 6:00 AM departure brought us to Gota de Agua Reserve in Jaen, comprised of 1800 hectares, to look for the Maranon specialties. The landscape included Palm trees and Banana trees and wasn’t as dry habitat as we have had previously. By 7:20 the temperature was already up to 94 degrees. The paths were narrow and tall vegetation on each side made it very difficult to see any birds. Paul kept getting little black flies in his eyes and the mosquitoes were biting our backs. Some highlight birds were the Green Jay, Yellow tailed Orioles, and Maranon Black Capped Sparrow. We spent until about 11:00 there and then returned to the hotel to grab our bags. There was talk that the road to Pomocochas, where we will be spending the night, that it closes due to a water project and is only open for an hour, but Gunnar was told it was open today. Unfortunately this was wrong and we made it to Bagua to discover that the road would be closed until 6:00 PM! So we decided to stop for lunch at a restaurant. After a nice lunch we took a drive into the back of a neighborhood and walked the narrow jungly trails, found a few silver beaked tanagers and another Peruvian Pygmy Owl. We then took a ride over to a fast moving river. Got a few distance birds, but then it was time to make the dusty winding road drive which was under construction, to Pomacochas. Checked into the Puerto Pumas Hotel in Pomacochas at 9:45 PM and had dinner at 10:15 PM. So far the nicest hotel – some interesting art, gardens and antiques.