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is a common bird on both coasts and way up some of the rivers. And is the case most of the time for me, this one has no spots. You can look at my Spotted Sandpiper Gallery to see some with spots which is seasonal. Just one photo here that I liked from last week’s visit to Rio Tarcoles . . .
¡Pura Vida!
See the Day Trip Gallery: 2025 January 7 — Rio Tarcoles & Punta Leona
These were not a particular goal for me and of course there were many others, had I spent more time at water’s edge of the beach or on any nearby stream, but here are 5 very common ones I did see, with the Cormorant being the most frequently seen this time, though not always the case. And note that all of these can be seen inland on fresh water except the pelican, though all are more frequent near the ocean or nearby mangroves and estuaries . . .
The only bird I photographed that is usually associated more with the ocean than the wetlands is this Spotted Sandpiper, without spots of course, which is usually the case, though you can see photos of some with spots in my CR Spotted Sandpiper GALLERY. 🙂
Read about this bird found throughout the Americas on eBird.
¡Pura Vida!
And the Tortuguero 2023 Trip Gallery is ready!
Water birds are impressive and numerous all over Costa Rica with most of these found in all lowland waters on both the Pacific and Caribbean sides. I never tire of river trips or wetland visits because the surroundings are always changing and even though I see some of the same birds every time, they are never the same! At Maquenque I had both a river trip and lived for 5 days on lagoons that attract the same birds in these wetlands (el humedal en español) of the Caribbean Slopes of northern Costa Rica. A birding paradise!
Click Image to Enlarge
¡Pura Vida!
You may also enjoy my Costa Rica Birds Gallery
and my 2019 Maquenque Lodge Trip Gallery
See the lodge website: Maquenque Ecolodge
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| Bare-throated Tiger Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Great Blue Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Great Blue Heron in an Interesting Posture Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Cattle Egret Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Snowy Egret Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Yellow-crowned Night Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Great Egret (left) and Whimbrel (right) Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Whimbrel Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Spotted Sandpiper Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Mangrove Swallow Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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Groove-billed Ani
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
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| Ringed Kingfisher Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Yellow Warbler, resident male with orange head Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Buff-throated Saltator Selva Verde Lodge Sarapiquí, Chilamate, Costa Rica Also saw a black-headed saltator, but no decent photo. |
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| Spotted Sandpiper Selva Verde Lodge Sarapiquí, Chilamate, Costa Rica As seen from my room balcony on Sarapiquí River And I have never seen one with actual spots. |
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| Northern Barred Woodcreeper Selva Verde Lodge Sarapiquí, Chilamate, Costa Rica |
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| Great Kiskadee Selva Verde Lodge Sarapiquí, Chilamate, Costa Rica |
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| Gray-capped Flycatcher Along the Puerto Viejo River, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica |
See also my Photo Gallery of Costa Rica Birds
Well, that really is all the bird photos I will share from this great trip! But expect about 4 more posts of other wildlife photographed in the Sarapiquí area of Costa Rica.
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| Corcovado Beach at southern end of Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
Then a 4-month break before my next big adventure the first week of May to Corcovado National Park (largest Pacific Coast rainforest) and Drake Bay, staying at the AGUILA DE OSA, Rainforest & Marine Adventure Lodge. There is no end to adventure and nature photography in Costa Rica and I intend experience as much of it as possible! All my reservations are made including small plane air transportation down which is cheaper than a rent car. I could have done the bus but it is so much easier flying to the South Pacific! It is the wrong time of year for whale-watching, but my focus is birds right now. I’ll do whales another time.
Back in 2009 I visited the southern end of Osa Peninsula and Corcovado (above photo) on a birding trip to Luna Lodge and Lookout Inn, flying to Puerto Jimenez and a 2 hour dirt road drive to the edge of the park. This will be different at the other end or northern end and will include a visit to an island reserve out in the ocean. I can hardly wait!
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| Boat-billed Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Willet Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Bronzed Cowbird (most likely for this area, though others similar) Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Spotted Sandpiper Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Spotted Sandpiper (juvenile, thus no spots) Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Yellow Warbler Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Mangrove Hummingbird Tarcoles River, Costa Rica (Not really this fat, he just fluffed out his feathers) |
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| Little Blue Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Panama Flycatcher Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Wood Stork Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Tricolor Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Black-crowned Night Heron Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Magnificent Frigatebird female Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
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| Magnificent Frigatebird males, juvenile Tarcoles River, Costa Rica |
And my constantly growing BIRDS Photo Gallery online
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| Groove-billed Ani
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Crane Hawk
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
This is my first sighting of this bird.
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| Black-crowned Night Heron
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Crested Caracara Juvenile (or young adult)
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
This was a “first sighting” of this guy. It’s usually Yellow-headed Caracara.
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| Spotted Sandpiper
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Little Blue Heron
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Boat-billed Heron
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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| Mangrove Swallow
Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
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My computer is working properly again! And I haven’t even taken it to the shop yet! Maybe it is the weather here it likes better! 🙂 So I was able to upload these photos! Of course I have many more and we did not see as many birds as might have been possible because it was windy the whole time we were on the river. (Birds don’t fly much when it is windy! They hide in the bushes!) We also saw some other animals which I will show tomorrow. Below is a photo of the kind of boat we floated on, though only the two of us plus our guide and boat captain.
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| There are several tour boat companies here like at Rio Tarcoles & Rio Frio. Tomorrow I will show the above boat passengers acting like tourists. 🙂 |
Had it not been windy, we would have seen more smaller birds including hummingbirds, but weather is just part of life! Pura Vida!
See my photo gallery of BIRDS OF COSTA RICA
Or all my BIRDS OF CENTRAL AMERICA for even more!