Posts in Category: Sarapiqui
Scarlet Macaw
Scarlet Macaw: La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — We were on our way to Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park when the bus came to a more or less abrupt stop in front of little roadside stand or store. Mario, our guide was out the door in an instant, with a single word for us. Macaws. And indeed there were two in a huge dead tree in the field behind the store. The store owner was nice enough to open his gate for us and let us walk closer to the tree. The blue sky came and went as we watched, as clouds moved behind the tree. There is nothing quite as brilliant as a Scarlet Macaw. And these were healthy birds. This shot shows off the full plumage range. I will post a few others over the next days to show the interaction between the pair. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Bare-throated Tiger Heron: Selve Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Out on the banks of the Sarapiqui early in the morning, we found this Bare-throated Tiger Heron hanging among the rocks…maybe he fancied a change from fish…a lizard might go down well for breakfast. 🙂 There are 6 speices of Tiger Herons in Central and South America. All share the striped feather patterns. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellow-throated Toucan
Yellow-throated Toucan: Selve Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — As we gathered for a late afternoon prowl around the grounds at Selve Verde, we were greeted by this bold Yellow-throated Toucan, certainly one of the emblem birds of the American tropical rainforest. This bird has had three different names since I have been visiting the rainforest. Perhaps Yellow-throated will stick for a while. It is the largest Toucan in Costa Rica. The word, Toucan, comes, apparently, from the croaking call. Like most Toucans, the Yellow-throated is a voracious egg and chick predator, and not, despite its cheerful colors, a good neighbor at all. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Common Tody Flycatcher
Common Tody Flycatcher: Selve Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — We got to Selve Verde late in the afternoon and were shown to our rooms, in the new block of rooms right by the river, and this was one of the first birds to greet us. Not an uncommon bird, but one that is sometimes hard to see. (I have come back from Costa Rica many times without having seen it.) A bright little bird of thickets and undergrowth, the Common Tody Flycatcher found in Eastern Costa Rica and Panama is a sub-species with more green in the back than most. “Tody” is from the French and Latin for “small bird” and the Tody Flycatcher is not related to the Tody family of colorful small birds of the Caribbean islands. It is a tyrant flycatcher, closely related most of our North American flycatchers. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Ah adolescence
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Showing off the vigor of youth as he scampers through the foliage of the underside of the canopy, this Howler has places to go, things to do. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 @ 600mm equivalent. Program with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-faced Grosbeak
Black-faced Grosbeak: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — There were several Black-faced Grosbeaks working the undergrowth and the under side of the low canopy in Victor’s little patch of second growth rainforest, but they proved to be very hard to photograph. This is the only decent shot I got out of a dozen or more attempts. Like our North American grosbeaks, this one is a member of the cardinal family. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
The last Trogon
Gartered Trogon: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This is the last of the Trogons to put in an appearance at Tico Rainforest B&B on my last morning there. You have to look closely to differentiate the Gartered from the Black-throated Trogon we saw earlier. The yellow eye-ring and the more vertical than horizontal banding on the tail are the give-aways. This bird never gave me a clear, unobstructed line of sight, but it is a great bird for all that. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Mother love
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2025. This youngster was actually pretty independent already. I saw it climbing around in the branches on its own, though never more than a few feet from mom. We humans respond to the young of most species (well, at least the mammals) in a unique and predictable way. Awwwh. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-throated Trogon
Black-throated Trogon: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — On this December trip to rainforest Costa Rica we encountered 4 different species of Trogon, 3 at Tico Rainforest B&B and another at Caño Negro. This Black-throated Trogon was the least likely of the 4 for us to see, so, of course, it is the most special. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
In the Water Apple tree
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Eventually the troop of Howlers moved over us to the Water Apple tree at the back corner of Victor’s photo glade, just where the property slopes down to the Puerto Viejo river. Water Apples attract both birds and wildlife when they ripen. I hear mixed reports from humans as to the taste, but some apparently quite like them. The Howlers certainly did. However Howlers often seem to take a bite out of the fruit and then drop it. I am not sure what that is all about. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.