More from Costa Rica...Toucans to Waterfalls...

That's a very distant Yellow-throated (or black-mandibled, depending on your field guide!)

Yep, still living the Pura Vida! I have so many memories of great times with my new and old friends in Costa Rica...not to mention the number of photos I took!

Most of these shots were taken during our trip to a finca, or farm, which I can't remember the name of, and of the Nauyaca Waterfalls. I do remember the heat of that day! Close to 90 degrees with all the humidity there is! I was soaking wet, even before the waterfalls! Even with that I would love to go back to do some serious birding!

In the meantime, enjoy a few more photos of our adventure!

I finally got close enough to get a good shot!

Another yellow-throated toucan trying to hide...he needs to find some bigger branches...

Woo-hoo! A lifer warbly! It's been a while since I've gotten a new one...this is a buff-rumped warbler hunting in a small stream.

Uh...moo amigo...

After the hike to the waterfalls and a wander around the finca property, we were parched to say the least. Our host made this very refreshing drink with pure and fresh cane sugar, lemons delivered by horseback(really!) and various spices. It tasted like sweet tea and was fantastic!

This is one of the views from the farm.I would love to wake up to this everyday!

This is definitely a flower...I could tell. Pretty clever, aren't I?

A pair of golden carpenter ants...with bad attitudes!

These are about a half inch long with serrated mandibles. I would not want to be chewed on by them, nope.

Under that leaf is a leaf cutter ant. They cut leaves. And carry them. I carry a camera, not leaves.

This was a big surprise to me! It's a Montezuma oropendula, normally found much further north of our location. Birds have wings and their territory is spreading.

Ken and I, kings of the rocks! That's Brian's head just to the left...what muscles I have!

This is the lower part of Nauyaca Waterfall. That man gives you some scale. He later climbed up much higher and leapt off...nope, not me!

So many streams branched off of the falls...with nice cool water!

Mini-falls!

Here we go...who's that skinny bald guy in the second row?

One of the only butterflies that sat still long enough for me! A white satyr.

I was truly surprised to see white-tailed deer in Costa Rica...they're a bit smaller than the Ohio deer.
 

Thanks again for visiting! Stay tuned for more of PURA VIDA!

Pura Vida, the Great Life Contunues....

The beach in Domanicalito...land of excellent smoothies!

Meanwhile, back in the warmth of Costa Rica...

This day was sort of a day off to rest and recuperate from the hiking and sweating in the forest primeval. And what did we do? Go to the beach along the pacific shore to dabble in the water...and sweat a little more. I discovered how out of shape I am this winter! I REALLY needed this day for a little rest. Ahhh, chillin' under a coconut tree...life really is "Pura Vida" down here!

Of course with Brian at the helm, a man who can't sit still for more than 30 seconds, and that's pushing it, we ended up  wandering through the jungle at the beaches edge and over a small river in search of gold...or birds...whichever...

Here's some more evidence that I wasn't in Ohio anymore!

Yep, still dealing with that birds from behind stuff...one these days I'll get it right...or not.

By the way, that's a black-hooded antshrike.

We saw hundreds of brown pelicans sailing and hunting fish over the ocean...or was it the same 12 every time? Hmmm...

Yeah, I know, he's out of focus...actually that's one of their defense mechanisms. Honest.

This is a flower...with ants. Yep.

In case you were wondering, yes indeed, this is another flower. You can find flowers here...in FEBRUARY!

This is Bob. Bob is a great-tailed grackle...and he followed us. Good dancer too by the way...

This crabby crab is a hermit crab that was feeling crabby.

 

Now here's a raptor, and I'm stumped on what he is. He looks like a juvenile with that much barring and he has a full crop. 

Hunting at the forest edge must be good!

 Brian makes a great bird spotter, he saw the raptor and this red-naped woodpecker before me...I was still watching Bob the grackle dancing...

 

Just like home! A bird I know, a spotted sandpiper in his winter home!

 He was hunting along the rivers edge and caught something tasty!

Zoom in!

 

 I knew I wasn't home anymore when we saw this variegated squirrel...a coat of many colors! 

 

Well, back to the real world...until next week when I post more of my adventures in Costa Rica!

 

Costa Rica...the Adventure Continues...

Hey! That's me on the whales tail!

Hello again from Costa Rica! We took a couple trip today, we'll start with a visit to Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Great beaches and scenery abound here. We spent time just chilling on the beach, then Brian and I wandered out to the Whales Tail. When the tide is low the area where I'm standing above becomes visible and it's shaped like a whales tail! This appropriately named area is the best place to see Humpback whales during their breeding season, no whales today but we did spot a few dolphins waaaay off shore. Along with the beach area, there are hiking trails through the lowland rainforest and a mangrove estuary, which we'll see more of soon! 

If you get to visit this beach...beware of falling coconuts! Ha! They missed me!

Just like at home! A spotted sandpiper at the edge of the mangrove estuary.

  

 The ever present great-tailed grackle...they we the most numerous bird we saw.

 Earlier in the day, yes, I'm out of order...again...oh well, you'll get over it...anyway...earlier we went to visit the Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary ( https://www.alturaswildlifesanctuary.org/ ). They're a great rescue and rehabilitation organization. Their main goal is the recovery and release of wildlife back to their native habitat. They have a 24/7 vet clinic and great volunteers to help the animals they receive. Some animals have suffered road strikes, abuse and domestication. They provide a great haven for the animals that can't be re-released into the wild.

They also provide education to local children and visitors like us!

 

 All cuddled up in his hidey hole is an northern tamandua, a type of anteater, very shy...

 

 This black-mandibled toucan, though they called a yellow-throated toucan, can no longer fly and is a permanent resident.

 Another black-mandibled toucan, but a free flying visitor!

 

 What happy little teeth you have!

This is a collared peccary I forget his name, but I'll call him Gregory...Gregory Peck-ory...ha...sorta...

 

Speaking of shiny teeth, they also have a crocodile.

This yellow-naped Parrot is named Lora, usually very talkative, like most females, she stopped talking while I was there...

Did you know, they can up to 60 years in captivity?! 

 

 

 Unfortunately they have several yellow-naped parrots that can't be released into the wild.

 

 

 This is Lapa, one of the two scarlet macaws they have.

People should NOT have these as pets

 

Spiderman! No...it's a spider monkey at least as agile in the trees as Spiderman!

This white-faced capuchin looks so sad and innocent, but he loves to throw things and splash water at anyone that nears his enclosure!

 

That's all for today! I have plenty more to share so stay tuned!
 

PURA VIDA! My first day in Costa Rica...

My new buddies at Manuel Antonio National Park...

Wow! What a great vacation in the middle of winter! Thanks to our great friend, Brian, we all had a wonderful time discovering the wonders of Costa Rica. From birds to waterfalls, ocean front beaches and great food, we learned about the people and places in this amazing country.

Brian recently retired, along with a number of his friends, I'll retire in October(so excited!) and he decided it would be great fun to get everyone together for a trip to paradise to celebrate...which we did everyday! We hiked through a number of national parks, swam at beautiful waterfalls, relaxed at the beach and poolside and had wonderful meals together. Costa Rican food is delightful by the way...fresh seafood, vegetables and the best smoothies I'd ever had!

Our first destination was Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. A three hour drive from the airport in San Jose, this place is amazing...rainforest, mountains and hills and out to the Pacific Ocean. The sights you'll see can be overwhelming. Please remember to bring your water bottles...unlike me...doh! A little bout of vertigo hit me near the end of the hike, but it was well worth it! And bring binoculars! There are birds galore out there, hiding and every once in a while coming out into view...and wildlife like lizards, mammals and snakes. Unfortunately I didn't see any snakes, next visit I'll look harder!

Anyway, here's a few photos from our first day out...

Brian our glorious leader and host telling me to be quiet and pay attention!

This is a species of basilisk reptile, I'm not up on my Costa Rican reptiles...

 

I don't know how our guide spotted these two brown bats high up in a tree!

 One of the first birds that I spotted on my own, I almost lost the group as they were looking at a clay-colored thrush...by the way, this is a black-hooded antshrike.

 

 

Flights of brown pelicans were very common along the coast.

 

 

  

 Another great bird to see! A chestnut-backed antbird.

 

 

It took us a while to see where our guide was pointing, but when you finally spotted this common pauraque camouflaged in the leaves, it was a great sight!

There's a famous bridge along the way on Costanera Sur highway. It overlooks the Rio Tarcoles and is said to contain the largest amount of crocodiles in the world!

No swimming, it's against the law to feed the wildlife...

If you're looking for great-tailed grackles, turn around, they're everywhere!

A heliconia...the hummingbirds that we saw were way to fast for me to get any photos...next time!

The forest is alive with iguanas and lizards!

This orchid was growing on the side of the tree along with a number of other epiphytes.

My first scarlet macaw of the trip! Surprisingly difficult for a color blind burd nerd to see!

I envy three-toed sloths...that life of leisure...

 

We were lucky enough to see a group of white-faced capuchins feeding on fruits in the jungle!

 That's all for today...stay tuned for more in Adventures in Costa Rica!!