Category: Nature

My profession is to always find God in nature.

– Henry David Thoreau

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Sunrise and WiFi Problem

The sun actually rises to the far right in this photo, but sometimes affects all the sky.
Atenas, Costa Rica

WIFI PROBLEM

My absence for several days on the blog is due to no internet connection which I first blamed on my provider Cable Tica and could not get a telephone tech whose Spanish I understood or one of the few with English. After 3 days I realized the problem was not them but my local router which took another 3 days to fix because of a holiday yesterday. There is a button on top of the router I am told not to touch and it is hard to not touch it because prominently placed. When I touch it the router is wiped clean and needs to be reprogrammed for my network. Grrrr. I took it into shop to be programmed but evidently the button was pressed again on the way home in my backpack. So today I had a technician come to my house and fix it without me touching it! 

Well, anyway, it is fixed now and I can be back online. I did not realize how much I used the internet until without it several days! Lots of catch up blogs needed!  And a trip Friday!

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Tourist Day for Mission Team

Pam Stockett, our fearless leader and example on the zipline!
FBC Nashville Mission Trip to Costa Rica
And 8 of the 10 in mission team geared up for the zipline!
FBC Nashville Mission Trip to Costa Rica
Dinner at Jaco hotel at sundown in the rain!
FBC Nashville Mission Trip to Costa Rica
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New Bromeliads + A Favorite Road

Bromeliad Pink in a Shady Area of My Garden
 I think it will do very well here & I have 6 of them!
 Atenas, Costa Rica
Bromeliad Red which I really liked, but as you see it gets some sunlight
 thus I hope it makes it. I got only 1 of these.  Bromeliads prefer shade.
Atenas, Costa Rica 

Road behind Banana Azul Hotel in the Caribbean of Costa Rica
The photo & quote that I shared with the mission team today + a Scripture verse with their’s.
Photo made in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica 
¡Pura Vida!
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Pre-Easter Yellow

And for one week only – this particular tree.
Seen from my terrace as is the photo below.
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Behind my “Cow Pasture Neighbors” Houses
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Even the silhouetted Chachalaca seems to be admiring the yellow flowers.
In my Guarumo/Cecropia Tree
Atenas, Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
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A Day in Corcovado National Park

These are the general or scenery photos. For the main events see my photo galleries on Corcovado  Birds   –   Other Wildlife   –   Los Patos Waterfall

 

The Lodge converted a farmer’s tractor & trailer for hikers/tourists 
This took us the 6 km from lodge to ranger station where others must hike along river
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

Rio Rincon or the Rincon River 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

I was the old man traveling with two young couples from Europe
as here, we sometimes drove in the river bed.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

And about 15-20 times we forded the river
When walking or riding a tractor, it is slow, even 6 km!
Plus we stopped for birds a few times, so an hour or so each way on tractor.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

River is park border, thus one side is private property like this house above.
When I got back I was showing the waiter/bartender David Venegas these photos and
he said, “Oh! That is my grandfather’s house!” Small little world down here!
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

This young man couldn’t use his bike along river but was headed to the graded gravel road 
And note the machete strapped to his side, a basic tool all over Costa Rica!
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

We finally leave the river and enter the woods to the ranger station. 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

At our hiking trail entrance near the ranger station 
After we registered and signed in at the station, we hike rest of the day.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

“Velcro Plant” is what Jairo called it!
See next photo for why.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

School children cut pieces of the “Velcro Plant” leaves and stick on their shirts to make lots of images!
 Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

We are quickly in a thick virgen forest.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

There are still plants here not identified. 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

More species in this park than in any other one place in the world! 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

I want to photograph everything I see – but simply can’t! 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

“Monkey  Brush” 
Jairo explains how monkeys use this fruit/seed of a tree to brush insects out of their fur.
Then one of our two girls demonstrated by brushing her hair. Incredibly good brush!
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

We stopped to see this “Stink Flower” 
which smelled awful! Like a dead animal!
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

And here Jairo collects some “Red Beans” 
He gave each of us 3 of the red beans or seeds and said
that tradition is they will bring us good luck if carried in pocket.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

Meanwhile David is looking for birds & found many! 
See the trip Birds Gallery for some I photographed.
And the trip’s Other Wildlife Gallery for other animals
photographed both in the park and at the lodge nearby.
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

Passion Flower as one of many wildflowers seen 
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

 

About 4pm we were back to ranger station and on slow tractor drive back to lodge by around 5pm
Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

This was just a brief overview of an all day hike that included the beautiful waterfall in a separate post yesterday and many birds and other animals shown earlier. Corcovado is truly an incredible place! See the bigger picture through my TRIP Gallery 2018 March 13-17 – Danta Corcovado.

 
 
Note that this trip was on the northeast side of park labeled “Los Patos.”
My trip last year was in northwest corner labeled “San Pedrillo” near Drake Bay.
And in 2009 I visited the south side of park at “La Leona.”
 
 
 
¡Pura Vida!
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More Corcovado Wildlife

Jewel bug or Metallic shield bug (Scutelleridae) 
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Central American Spider Monkey 
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Unknown Insect
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Red-tailed Squirrel
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Isabella Tiger Butterfly
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Ant Bridge 
They create a bridge of ant bodies for others to walk over.
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Golden Orb Spider
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

Active Termite Nest
 Los Patos Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
I have already done a post of other non-bird animals seen on the Night Hike (better photos!). And of course you can see all of them together in my TRIP Gallery: 2018 March – Danta Corcovado.

¡Pura Vida!
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Sunset on this week’s adventures . . .

Sunset Over the Pacific 
From our little 12 passenger Sansa airplane on the hour-late flight back to San Jose.
Along the West Coast of Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida! 
 And ohhhh soooo many more photos to share, but exhausted again tonight and so much to do here. So tomorrow I will continue my report on Danta Corcovado Lodge, probably first with birds seen in the park, then much more over the next few days. Buenas Noches.
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Best Night Hike Ever!

All photos made on my cell phone camera during a light rain. Amazing!

Red-eyed Tree Frog
Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Long-billed Hermit Hummingbird Sleeping 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica
Baby Basilisk 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Tropical Rainforest Frog 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Katydid 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Fleur-de-lis Spider 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Fleur-de-lis Spider hiding in curled dead leaf 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Blue Morpho Butterfly Sleeping 
 They are bright blue on top with underside like an owl butterfly
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

Red-eyed Tree Frog 
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, Costa Rica

I got a new guide for this hike who specializes in night hikes, a more mature man than the 18 year-old David. He was really good and helped make some of the photos. His name is Jairo, but the way everyone pronounced it, sounded something like “Hydel,”  I almost backed out of the hike because of the light rain and sure glad I did not. Today’s hike in the park was postponed until tomorrow (Friday) because I was the only one going today and they need a minimum of two to afford it. There’s 5 of us for tomorrow. But they do the night hike solo and I was glad as the only one because I got more attention and probably saw/photographed more creatures!