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These fit with the larger ones already shared and though there are more that I saw and even tried to photograph, these are all I will try to share of the birds. Some other wildlife next! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
All this trip in: Tortuguero 2023 Trip Gallery
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 . . .
. . . over the neighborhood, looking for lunch.
Not a popular bird, but I think they are beautiful soaring on the wind currents overhead! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
My Turkey Vulture GALLERY
And possibly I will have a post tonight from Arenal Observatory Lodge, the first night of my Christmas week adventure in the forest below a volcano.
The Turkey Vulture (eBird description) is the most common vulture in Atenas and maybe in all of Costa Rica followed closely by the Black Vulture that I’ve seen more of in some wilderness areas. It is found throughout all the Americas. Today’s was flying above my house in Atenas. See my other photos in GALLERY Turkey Vulture — Zopilote Cabecirrojo.
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| Cecropia or Guarumo Tree Kekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica I have a tree like this in my yard. Toucans like these trees! 🙂 |
Except for securing Abel Busamanti as a birding guide in Manzanillo, I had no other pre-plans though expecting to visit the Ara Project featured yesterday. Well, on the north side of Puerto Viejo which is just 20 km or so north of Manzanillo is the Cahuita National Park that I kind of expected to visit (but never made it). I didn’t want to risk one of the guides lined up at the park entrance, so with my Kindle (no laptop) I googled and found a guide service in Puerto Viejo called TERRAVENTURAS which I called and said I was interested in a birding guide for the park or other better area near there. (There are a lot of companies like them here! Many are geared more to white water rafting and zip-lining!f Adventures for the young!)
She told me the birding would be better in Kekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve and they had a platform tower on top of a hill to view raptors migrating. (I had heard about the tower and so liked that choice.) I told her to book me for tomorrow and she said she needed me to send money in advance for a reservation which I did not know how to do on my Kindle. So I just drove to their office in Puerto Viejo and paid cash.
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| View of Ocean from Bird-spotting TowerKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
The next morning Alex, a Bribri guide and uncle to the guide I had at Ara Project picked me up at my hotel. The time with him was as enjoyable as the birds we found and I got to photograph. As was walking by some of the simple homes in the reserve which I did not feel comfortable photographing. So really no Bribri photos this time, just the few birds and other animals I photographed. But I highly recommend the trip! And Alex! And Terraventuras!
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| And the Mountains in Other DirectionKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica We saw raptors coming from both directions, but mostly along the coast. |
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| Kites, Hawks and Vultures would Fly Together in the DraftsKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Mississippi Kite Was one of my new bird shots for Costa Rica Kekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| The Ever Present Turkey VultureKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Shining HoneycreeperKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Roadside HawkKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Keel-billed ToucanKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Hoffman’s Two-toed SlothKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica It was neat how close to our trail he was. My closest yet in the wild! |
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| Black & Green Poison Dart FrogKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Strawberry Poison Dart FrogKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Green Page MothKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Common Mytip ButterflyKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
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| Isabella’s Tiger, a Longwing or Heliconia ButterflyKekoldi Bribri Indigenous Reserve, near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica |
Sometimes going to an out of way place where most tourists don’t go is the best place for wildlife and adventure. It is my second Bribri reserve to visit and both were unique! Special! Go to my August 25-27, 2015 posts for photos of the Yorkin Bribri Reserve:
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| Osprey Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua |
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| Gray Hawk
El Jaguar Nature Reserve, Nicaragua |
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| Swallowtail Kite El Jaguar Nature Reserve, Nicaragua |
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| Turkey Vulture Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua |
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| Black Vulture Lake Apanas, Jinotega, Nicaragua |
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| White Chinese Goose Selva Negra Mountain Resort |
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| White Chinese Goose Selva Negra Mountain Resort |
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| Turkey Vulture glides over my balcony, Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
The poor ol’ garbage collector gets a bad rap and he is really graceful in the sky and so beneficial on the ground! And note this cool quote from a bird book . . .
The face is ruddy and wrinkled and topped with an embarrassingly sparse cap of feathers. Its expression is uncommonly serene and there is something about it that suggests infinite patience. Huddled on their perches, wrapped in shabby vestments, the birds look like a group of balding monks gathered in prayer.
Pete Dunne, The Wind Masters
Spoiler alert: Tomorrow I’m scheduled to look at a new house for rent in the Roca Verde development. Downside is it will cost a little bit more and the walk to town is a little bit further, but upside is much better construction than what I’m in, better maintenance, more privacy, and I’ll still have a deck or balcony view and lots of birds around. We’ll see. I have to decide now whether I stay or move with my current contract up for renewal and some boxes ready for delivery. Hopefully this is my last big decision for awhile. You can pray that I make a good decision, not that either would be bad.