14 January, 2025
Natural Lodge Caño Negro - Refugio mixto Caño Negro
Before breakfast at Natural Lodge Caño Negro we gathered at the bird feeders to ignite our birding fever for the day!
A dashing male Scarlet-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) was just the thing to crank us up to high gear.
A Clay-coloured Thrush (Turdus grayi) was quite subdued by comparison, but no less agreeable as an early morning companion.
A Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) joined the fray.
When we arrived at the water's edge our boat with our guide and trusty boatman for the day, Chamba, was waiting for us.
It turned out that Chamba was an extremely skilled birder with an intimate knowledge of all the corners and crannies of the wetland reserve, with an uncanny ability to detect the slightest movement, betraying the presence of hard-to-find species. He was able to slow the boat to a crawl, barely moving in fact, to ease us into tangled aquatic vegetation. We owe a debt of gratitude to Carlos for engaging Chamba to join us for the day. Neotropic Cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum), as might be expected, was quite common. I am not sure what this bird had caught, but it was wrestling with its prey.
John had an easy day ahead of him, since we would be on the water the whole day, and he waved us off from the dock with a sincere wish that we would have good birding.
Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) is an attractive bird, stalking through its reedy realm.
Who knew that crocodiles don't swim?
What a difference punctuation makes!
This is a poor picture of the back of a Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus).
It is in the same genus as our familiar Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) - a large, powerful woodpecker. This Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) is inflating its throat in what I assume is a form of courtship or threat display.
Green Iguanas seek perches high in the canopy and seldom come to ground. Preferred above all others is a perch over water, from which the iguana will not hesitate to leap, even from a great height, when danger threatens. It is a strong swimmer. A few Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) scanned for unsuspecting victims of their piracy, but they were far away and the photograph serves merely to record their presence.
I should note that for a good part of the day it rained, at times with torrential downpours, and there was rarely a ray of sunshine to brighten up the sky, so conditions for photographs were less than ideal. Fortunately we were under cover.
We sailed along blissfully.
Tropical Kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus) spent more time sheltering from the rain than gathering food.
The water level was extremely high, evident throughout the wetland.
Pachira aquatica is an interesting plant, known by a multitude of common names in English, including Provision Tree. In Costa Rica it is called Jelinjoche.
The nuts are toxic in a raw state but are edible when cooked.
A Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) was a model of stoic resignation, waiting out the rain.
It's important to protect those expensive lenses.
Green Iguanas, perhaps more than most, were quite indifferent to the wet conditions.
A pair of Pacific Screech Owls (Megascops cooperi), on the other hand, seemed to do their best to stay dry.
Did I mention that it was raining?
An adult and a juvenile Neoptropic Cormorant waited out the storm together.
It was great to see a Pale-vented Pigeon (Patagioenas cayennensis).
Water Lilies (genus Nymphaea) are beautiful in rain or shine.
Northern Jacanas (Jacana spinosa) were common residents of the marsh, striding along on their huge feet.
Young were generally not far behind seeking protection from their parents, and learning the life skills they will need when independence is imposed on them.
We were elated to see what would turn our to be out only sighting of Blue Dacnis (Dacnis cayana) of the entire trip.
The bird is drinking nectar from an Inga vera plant. A Scarlet-rumped Tanager never failed to elicit words of appreciation.
Even viewed through dense rain, the red feathers glow like a beacon in the dark, illuminating the gloom of a soggy day. Never daunted, our crew was searching, scanning for the unusual, basking in the moment.
A Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) recalls the joy of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) of an Ontario summer.
A female Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) waited patiently for conditions to improve.
An Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) took advantage of a break in the clouds to dry its wings.
Sennas (genus Senna) are a family of tropical shrubs or small trees, generally characterized by yellow flowers.
A Black-crowned Tityra (Tityra inquisitor) perched in full view was a treat for everyone.
Black-and-white is a common colour combination in birds, yet organized so differently from species to species one is given over to wonderment at the variation.
It seemed that we barely drifted a few hundred metres without spotting an Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) or two.
It's not hard to figure out how a White-winged Dove (Zenaida asicatica) comes by its name.
The rain did let up from time to time.
A flock of Groove-billed Anis (Crotophaga sulcirostris) attracted everyone's attention.
Not a good picture, unfortunately, but these were the only Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) we saw.
It was a high point for me to have an unimpeded view of a pair of Black-collared Hawks (Busarellus nigricollis), a species I have infrequently seen.
It is an exceptionally good-looking bird in my estimation. I will leave it to you to ascribe your own description of these images of the entrancing, other-worldly beauty of raindrops.
In my mind, I am reciting all the superlatives I can muster, and still they are inadequate. This plant, I am fairly sure, is a species of Flatsedge (genus Cyperus).
Mosquito Fern (genus Azolla) is an aquatic fern bearing scant resemblance to typical ferns; extremely appealing, however.
Apparently, it has the potential to become aggressively invasive when introduced to areas where it does not belong - and we know how fond humans are of doing that. Salvina (genus Salvinia) is a free-floating aquatic fern lacking true roots.
The recent flooding has submerged farmers' fields, shutting off food for their livestock. It has become necessary to gather forage from the wetland as shown here.
I wonder whether the farmers know the nutritional value, and even the suitability of these plants, but it's better than starvation I suppose. We had terrific views of an Olive-crowned Yellowthroat (Geothlypis semiflava).
Such an appealing little bird.
A male Black-headed Trogon (Trogon melanocephalus) posed nicely, too.
We had disembarked from the boat, walking the plank like a gang of miscreant buccaneers, and Chamba hauled it onto shore, to be tied up securely in readiness for the return journey.
Lunch was taken at a rustic, shoreside establishment, very interesting, uniquely appealing with delicious food.
A Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea) was pleasant company.
This beautiful flower from the genus Allamanda is usually found along riverbanks with a perpetual moist substrate.
This location seemed custom made for it.
A Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) put on a bit of a show for us.
After a few moments displaying he perhaps decided that "enough was enough" and took his leave of us.
I believe that this flower is found in the genus Turnera; it is looking extraordinarily beautiful with its sparkling raindrops.
I am pretty sure that this friendly little creature is a species of New World Dwarf Gecko, probably Yellow-headed Gecko (Gonatodes albogularis).
Here is the fruit of a flowering plant in the genus Allamanda.
We were barely ever without the company of a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzactl) or two.
A second Yellow-throated Euphonia came to join the party.
Zinnias (genus Zinnia) are widespread in many parts of the world and I suspect this flower is a cultivar.
After an excellent lunch we clambered back into the boat and drifted lazily across the lagoons, birding all the way. We were delivered to John, waiting for us with our bus, and whisked off back to our rooms. We are pampered indeed.
Despite the rain, it had been another wonderful day in Costa Rica.
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