Tag: Black Vulture

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The Hero Vulture!

Yes! He’s a hero! Nature’s sanitation engineer or garbage collector if you prefer, but all the species of vultures keep our natural world clean and more beautiful for people like me to explore! And I think they are “handsome” in their own special way! 🙂 These two photographed at Hotel Villa Lapas in Tarcoles are each a Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus (eBird link) and you can see more of my CR vulture photos in their 3 different species galleries:

And here’s just two photos from Villa Lapas, one on the ground and one flying above . . .

Black Vulture, Hotel Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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The 5 BIG BIRDS this trip

Yes, you can sometimes see a hawk at Arenal Observatory, but I did not this time nor the two larger toucans, Keel-billed and Yellow-throated, which I have every other visit. But these 5 are still impressive birds and there’s six photos because the male and female of the Great Curassow are so different. I debated about putting the Collared Aracari here, since he’s the smaller toucan, but he seemed too big for the “medium birds” post that’s next.  🙂  And despite their bad reputations, both vultures are beautiful (when flying) and so important to the ecology of our lands!

As usual, one photo for the emailed notice with the others in the online post . . .

Crested Guan, Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica

Continue reading “The 5 BIG BIRDS this trip”

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Wet Birds at Gandoca-Manzanillo

This morning’s rain not only interfered with a beautiful sunrise but also dampened my birding expedition with a great guide this morning. I try not to give up too quickly on such efforts, but did cut our hike a little shorter after my camera fogged up on the inside. All 12 of the following birds were photographed in the rain even if not obvious! 🙂 And we saw more birds and other animals, even in the rain! 🙂 Just imagine what it would have been like with a clear morning!

Broad-winged Hawk, Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge, Limón, Costa Rica
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Calle Balsilla Birds

I must admit that I was more focused on butterflies than birds when we walked Calle Balsilla last week, plus we were later getting there which means fewer birds, but I did get these 4 bird species along with my 11 species of butterflies! 🙂

Inca Dove, Calle Balsilla, Atenas, Costa Rica

Interesting that the above dove is the only bird I photographed that was not totally black in color! 🙂

Continue reading “Calle Balsilla Birds”
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Vultures Feeding at Sarapiquí

Even among birds there is the less beautiful but necessary functions.
Black Vulture
Along the Puerto Viejo River
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Black Vulture feeding on a dead calf
Along the Puerto Viejo River
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Black Vulture (Some wait patiently in trees)
Along the Puerto Viejo River
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Black Vulture (The younger, weaker ones wait across river on sandbar)
Along the Puerto Viejo River
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

See also my Photo Gallery of Costa Rica Birds

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More Birds from Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge

Beyond the nursery birds shown yesterday I photographed 17 other species at Juan Venado!

Black-headed Trogon
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Black Vulture
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Great Egret
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
(See yesterday’s post for egrets in the nursery)
Great-tailed Grackle
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Green Heron
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Groove-billed Ani
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Hoffman’s Woodpecker
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Little Blue Heron
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Magnificent Frigate Bird Juvenile
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Mangrove Swallow
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Grackle
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Oriole Nest
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Osprey
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Whimbrel
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
White Ibis
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Wilson’s Plover male
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Yellow Warbler, Resident Male
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
(The brown hood makes him a resident. Migrants are all yellow.)


And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m very happy with them!

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Some More BIG BIRDS in Nicaragua

I’ve already done posts on the Peregrine Falcon, Highland Guan, Egrets & Herons, a Limpkin, and Toucans which are all kind of big too!  🙂

Osprey

Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua

Gray Hawk 

El Jaguar Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Swallowtail Kite
El Jaguar Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Turkey Vulture

Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua

Black Vulture

Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua

White Chinese Goose
Selva Negra Mountain Resort
White Chinese Goose
Selva Negra Mountain Resort
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First 9 Birds from Tarcoles River

I still haven’t processed all the bird photos from the 2-hour, pre-breakfast float on Tarcoles River last Saturday morning. Maybe I’ll finish them tomorrow, a week after the trip to a favorite place!

Boat-billed Heron, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Cerulean Warbler, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Mealy Parrot, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Great Egret, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Green Heron,  Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
(I’ve many photos of them, but none like this front view)

Ringed Kingfisher, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
White Ibis hanging out with Black Vultures, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Black Vulture, Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Wikipedia on Tarcoles River
It has been declared our most polluted river in Costa Rica, so birding may diminish here. But for now it is the closest place to my house I know of for this kind of birding and bird photography. 
No matter how high a bird flies, it has to come down for water.

MORE BIRDS TOMORROW!