Next major stop in my Costa Rica birding excursion: the city of Sarapiqui, staying at Selva Verde Lodge and visiting La Selva OTS
I will go back to this area some day. I adored my room at Selva Verde Lodge, but what with all the birding around the grounds (Sunbittern), and at nearby La Selva, there just wasn't time to be in it or just sit on the balcony and enjoy the tropical forest. A Red-throated Ant-Tanager came by to say hello the few minutes I did park in the tooled-leather chair (of which I wish I had taken a picture!) outside my room.
The Rana Roja - a restaurant we stopped at for lunch. It was so-so food-wise but quite interesting bird-wise. We watched Green Honeycreepers and Passerini's Tanagers while we ate. That's a traditional Costa Rican ox-cart at the entrance.
Allamanda cathartica or Golden Trumpet. Allamandas are velvety buttercup yellow. So beautiful and fragrant. It's somewhat poisonous. Some species of Allamanda are used to treat malaria.
La Selva OTS entrance
Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans) perched at the entrance gate
Our guide Gerardo (right) with our La Selva guide, Kenneth. Gerardo worked as guide at La Selva for several years before becoming a free-lance birding guide.
A very large Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) high in a tree, in the morning sun. This is a male as per the throat dewlap and the large circular scale just under his jaw.
Montezuma Oropendola (Gymnostinops montezuma) nesting colony
Long-tailed Tyrant (Colonia colonus) - with its eyes closed.
At this point in the trip, I was starting to be dehydrated - sluggish thinking, bad mood, lack of concentration. (I know, I know, how can I tell this from my usual state. Well it is just worse than usual, okay) I usually drink a lot of water but this sort of snuck up on me. Our driver went into town and picked up some Gatorade for me so I was back to rights shortly. Now I never travel without powdered Gatorade to mix with water daily. (I wonder if Gatorade would like to pay me for advertising).
I will go back to this area some day. I adored my room at Selva Verde Lodge, but what with all the birding around the grounds (Sunbittern), and at nearby La Selva, there just wasn't time to be in it or just sit on the balcony and enjoy the tropical forest. A Red-throated Ant-Tanager came by to say hello the few minutes I did park in the tooled-leather chair (of which I wish I had taken a picture!) outside my room.
The Rana Roja - a restaurant we stopped at for lunch. It was so-so food-wise but quite interesting bird-wise. We watched Green Honeycreepers and Passerini's Tanagers while we ate. That's a traditional Costa Rican ox-cart at the entrance.
La Selva OTS entrance
Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans) perched at the entrance gate
Our guide Gerardo (right) with our La Selva guide, Kenneth. Gerardo worked as guide at La Selva for several years before becoming a free-lance birding guide.
A very large Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) high in a tree, in the morning sun. This is a male as per the throat dewlap and the large circular scale just under his jaw.
Montezuma Oropendola (Gymnostinops montezuma) nesting colony
Long-tailed Tyrant (Colonia colonus) - with its eyes closed.
At this point in the trip, I was starting to be dehydrated - sluggish thinking, bad mood, lack of concentration. (I know, I know, how can I tell this from my usual state. Well it is just worse than usual, okay) I usually drink a lot of water but this sort of snuck up on me. Our driver went into town and picked up some Gatorade for me so I was back to rights shortly. Now I never travel without powdered Gatorade to mix with water daily. (I wonder if Gatorade would like to pay me for advertising).
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