charliedoggett.net
Everyone loves parrots and the general family includes not only Parrots, but Macaws, Parakeets and these other more distantly related birds, the Ani, a Woodpecker and Trogons plus I’m including two types of Oropendolas which are in a category of their own, all at Maquenque. Enjoy!
¡Pura Vida!
You may also enjoy my Costa Rica Birds Gallery
and my 2019 Maquenque Lodge Trip Gallery
See the lodge website: Maquenque Ecolodge
 |
| Yellow-throated Toucan Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| Collared Aracari (A type of Toucan) Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| Keel-billed Toucan Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| Red Lored Parrot Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| “The Nest” or Birding Tower 92 ft tall — A Little Scary! Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| Freddy is there 8 hours a day with locked gate to the tower. 8 max people at a time including one staff member. Lots of warnings in English & Spanish. Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
| Top of the English Warning Sign With long list of conditions below from pregnancy to vertigo! There are 146 steps going up and down and the tower does sway with wind & people movement. Today was my 2nd time up. Yesterday morning my birding guide took me up and we saw 0 birds! Nada! This afternoon Freddy used recordings of toucan sounds to attract them to the surrounding treetops! Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica |
 |
|
Sunset Behind the Clouds Tonight
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica
|
 |
|
And Scary Clouds at that! But No Rain!
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park, Costa Rica
|
 |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeet Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
They have been flying over daily for most of my time here, but not landing where I could see them from my apartment. Then they finally did! Once! A small number landed in one of the palm trees on our apartment property for a few minutes. Not sure why they chose the palm tree. No berries that I can see. This is the largest of all parakeets, as large as most parrots, the Crimson-fronted Parakeet. It’s the same one I posted earlier from the power line out front of the apartments. But I like these shots better, more natural. All were made from my front balcony with my Canon Rebel and a 75-300mm lens, then cropped to about 1/4 the original image size for the birds to show up! None tack-sharp, but I’m satisfied after waiting so long for them to land. Later on jungle trips I may get much better shots and when we go to La Paz! I got macaws at Zoo Ave, but no parrots! Same on Tarcoles River.
 |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeets Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
 |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeets Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
 |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeet Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
 |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeet Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
 |
| The Clouds are Colorfully Lit Most Nights But only for a minute or two – for those who patiently wait see it. |
 |
| Hundreds of parrots fly over each evening. Maybe patience will give me a good photo some day! Hoping one will land in a nearby tree! |
 |
| I’m pretty sure these are Sulphur-winged Parakeets, the size of parrots. |
MUSICAL CHAIRS PATIENCE
 |
| Maybe Blue & White Swallow, Bank Swallow, or even a Martin. Not sure. |
Hundreds of swallows fly over every day and all around the apartments, very fast! I’ve never been able to catch one in my camera, though this is one of my best efforts. We also have Keel-billed Toucans fly over occasionally, usually in pairs and very fast! No photos! Same with the Montezuma Oropendola! And parrots and parakeet flocks which are often even higher in sky. None of these birds ever land in the trees around us.
 |
| Raphael, my driver from the airport Wednesday. |
I’m still not well and the nearest clinic I found today was not open, but my neighbors swear that if I take a gin and lemon juice tonight it will make me well overnight. Not sure I’m brave enough to try, but Jean Pierre said he would make it for me. (Note next morning – I declined their gin treatment and will stay in and rest today and go to clinic Monday.)
Jean Pierre & Elizabeth live next door and are from Switzerland. They speak good English. Then above me (I’m in a 1st floor apartment.) is Ivan & Eloise from Quebec. French is their language, but they do a little English. They let me share a cab to town this morning for them to get some stuff at a health food store and for me to get my cell phone activated at the ICE store, but alas, ICE was closed. It is Christmas week Saturday. Ivan cannot walk well using a crutch, so they go everywhere in taxis. It cost about a $1.80 (800 colonnes). They invited me to join them in a cab tonight to eat at Carreta’s, a popular expat hangout cafe, if it is open!
The apartment is fine, needing some maintenance which they are working on little by little. The setting is beautiful and while drinking tea on my veranda this morning I saw two toucans fly into the the trees down by the river and one green parrot fly into a tree next to the apartment building, plus many other small birds. Just not been up to trying to photograph birds yet.