I can’t wind down my reports on Rio Tarcoles without mentioning the American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus (my gallery link) which is what brings some tourists to the Tarcoles River, with the “Crocodile Bridge” on Ruta 34 over the Tarcoles being a popular stop for tourists to walk out over the river on the pedestrian lane of the bridge to look down on many crocodiles, often sunning on a sand bar. Warning if coming this year, they are working on the bridge, to widen it, and thus many traffic stops! 🙂 Plus you see the crocs up closer on one of the several boat tours from the village of Tarcoles. I always choose “Crocodile Jungle Safari” because they are the best boat to see the most birds, which have priority over crocs for me. Here’s 2 shots from our February 17 trip (with more in the above linked gallery) . . .
. . . are one of the reasons a lot of tourists take boat trips on the Tarcoles River, though my priority is always the birds and why I choose this particular boat company (Jungle Crocodile Safari) which focuses on the birds more than any other and does not feed the crocodiles chickens like some boats do (which is illegal). BUT, the crocs are interesting and I usually make a few photos of them. 🙂
Here are just two photos from this trip, the feature photo at top being the face of a very old “grandpa croc.” They can live up to 80 years! (Old like me!) 🙂 While the other photo of the total croc is of a young adult or adolescent. In this Trip Gallery, which is now completed, I have 7 croc shots from this trip in a sub-gallery simply named “Crocodiles.” Or if you’re really into crocs, check out my Costa Rica American Crocodile GALLERY with croc photos from 8 different locations all over CR, though more from Tarcoles River which is the closest location to me. 🙂
Young Adult or Teen American Crocodile, Tarcoles River, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSenior Adult American Crocodile, Tarcoles River, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
And in “The Trip Gallery,” I also have photos of 26 bird species, White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, Basilisk Lizards, landscapes, other nature and even a photo of our group of 6 Canadians with a family from Denmark we shared the boat with! Exploring Costa Rica is always international! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Personal Note . . .
At 7:30 this morning I’m scheduled for “Needle Surgery” to get a bit of the spot or growth from one of the lymph nodes in my neck for a biopsy. I will go back in February for a report and to schedule any further action if needed. The doctor doubts that it is cancer, but he wants to be sure. The public health system here is huge and taking great care of me while creating a large database of all my health tests, surgeries, medications, and reports in the single system for any of my other doctors to see and be aware of. It is an amazing system! It even sends both me and my driver text message reminders of all appointments! 🙂
Last night I had not gone through my boat trip photos, so my “Other Wildlife” shots (non-bird) missed the American Crocodile and the Green Iguana which are both important animals in the wetlands of Maquenque Lodge and Reserve. And I’m saving the best for last, the BIRDS will be coming soon! Then my online photo gallery of what is now one of my favorite lodges! And maybe I will write about all the wonderful Europeans and Ticos I have met here at Maquenque – not a single other American – all others here are from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Costa Rica. A delightful mixture! 🙂
American Crocodile “Crocodile Bridge,” Tarcoles, Costa Rica
American Crocodile “Crocodile Bridge,” Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Our van with the Nashville group stopped here on the way to Jaco Beach. A regular stop for tour buses here on Ruta 34 is called Crocodile Bridge(Link to very good Animal Planet Video); the highway 34 bridge over the Tarcoles River is near the small fishing village of Tarcoles. Tourists usually walk over the bridge and look down to see the crocs sunning on the riverbanks or swimming in the river for a fish snack. (See above video link.) The nearby village has several vendors who will take you on the river in a boat to see the crocs up close and even better, for me, up to 30+ species of birds! There are of course several souvenir and food vendors at the bridge to oblige your needs! 🙂
Brown Basilisk or Jesus Christ Lizard Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Brown Basilisk or Jesus Christ Lizard Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
American Crocodile Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
American Crocodile Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Green Iguana Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Spiny-tailed Iguana or Black Ctenaura Iguana Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
As always on this blog you can click a photo to see a larger version on black background.
Yeah, it is possible to sometimes see a monkey, sloth, coati, agouti, bat or other mammal, though no longer frequent on Tarcoles. People population growth reduces the animal population everywhere!
Or see my photo collection of OTHER WILDLIFE in Costa Rica or BIRDSseparately
EASTER BUNNY? And for Easter I have yet to see a rabbit here, though one website says there are 3 species of forest rabbits. The more common agouti twitches his nose like a rabbit, but he’s actually a rodent! 🙂
EASTER IS EITHER RELIGIOUS OR BEACH HOLIDAY FOR TICOS Easter is purely a religious holiday here officially almost equal with Christmas in importance but purely for the focus on Jesus, not spoiling children with candy. (They spoil them other ways!) I’ll try to get some photos to share from the Easter Mass Processional tomorrow which is big deal everywhere. It used to be a “Dry Week” with no alcoholic beverages sold nation-wide, by law! Now it is up to local communities and is not enforced in the dry cantons.
Click thisOne tourist guide to being here for Easter (Semana Santa or Holy Week) with a list of other major holidays included. It is important to know before visiting here because many Ticos travel for many holidays, especially this week, and especially to the beaches, meaning the highways are literally bumper to bumper. It took us twice as long as usual to get to Tarcoles Thursday because of this. I would never go to a beach during Semana Santa (Holy Week). Think Spring Break!
White-faced Capuchin Monkey Eating Fruit Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
White-faced Capuchin Monkey People Watching Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
Mantled Howler Monkeys – Part of a family of 9 Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
Mantled Howler Monkeys – Zoomed in on 3 Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
American Crocodile Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
Green Iguana male in mating orange color Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
Proboscis Bat Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
Brahma Cows on road with cowboy directing them Near Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
We also saw a Northern Tamandua Anteater and a Central American Agouti without getting photographs. And this trip we saw no sloths or coatis, which is unusual.
On March 24, our first night at Manuel Antonio, we had a slow internet connection and I only shared one beach sunset photo. Here’s a few of many from our stop on the Tarcoles River enroute to beach.
Yellow-headed Caracara Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Striped Basilisk Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Common Black Hawk Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Tiger Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Black-necked Stilt Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
American Crocodile (Great Egret in background) Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
This was my third time on the Tarcoles River and we always see and photograph more than 20 species of birds along with the promoted crocs and usually basilisks and iguanas plus some other lizards. That night I got lots of different kinds of beach sunset photos. Here’s one more I just have to show:
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica
