Birding in Costa Rica - Part 7

11 January, 2025

Las Cruces - Rice Fields at Las Pangas- Selva Mar Hotel, Punta Leona

     We had enjoyed our stay at Las Cruces, with many exciting sightings, but it was time to move on.

     Just before departure we located this colony of stingless bees in the genus Tetragonisca.

     The more exposure I have to these insects the more they fascinate me. In addition to the guard bees seen above, they line their nest entrance with resin. The resin emits an odour which deters potential predators such as ants, or creates a sticky trap which captures them as they enter the nest. 

     It did not take us long to get through San Vito and arrive at our next destination, the rice fields at Las Pangas, near Ciudad Neily; a fabulous wetland in fact.

     Ironically, I did not even know of this location before our visit, having much greater familiarity with the more famous Palo Verde wetland in Guancaste; but based on my experience of two excursions to Palo Verde I think Las Pangas has it beat.

    The change in both temperature and humidity was instantly felt, from the pleasant dry conditions at Las Cruces to muggy, moisture-impregnated air at Las Pangas. I did not record the temperature but I am sure it must have been around thirty degrees and the humidity close to a hundred percent.

     But we had come to see the birds, and of those there were many, with excellent variety.

     Victoria managed this extraordinary shot of a Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum), prompting Selywn, filled with bravado, to say that it resembles Victoria when she first wakes up!

     Perhaps Victoria is secretly plotting her revenge, biding her time.

     She also took this great shot of another heron strutting his stuff.

     Here is a Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) with a Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) in the background.

     Below, Wood Storks form part of a mixed feeding flock with Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), American White Ibis (Eudocemus albus), Great Egret (Ardea alba), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), and juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea).

     It speaks to the rich resources of the wetland and illustrates that different feeding strategies permit multi-species exploitation of the food available.

     We were an eager group, scanning and snapping.

     Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocyga autumnalis) was far and away the most numerous bird in the wetland. This is a small group, but there were many more.

     Interestingly, a couple of years ago a straggler spent several weeks at a local pond in Waterloo, causing great excitement among local birders. What's common in Costa Rica was exotic and rare here.

     A Great Egret was an impressive sight as it sailed in on outspread wings.

     Many Northern Jacanas (Jacana spinosa) were present, with Least Sandpipers (Calidris minuta) too.

     Another Wood Stork strode across the lagoon.

     A Great Egret and a Snowy Egret very obligingly stood together, permitting an easy comparison of the two birds.

     Animal faeces contain nutrients and are often quite rich in minerals and a Southern Sicklewing (Eantis thraso) was quick to take advantage of the bounty before its eyes.

     A couple of Tropical Kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus) patiently waited for insect prey to fly by.

    

     Whenever I see a Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) I am happy that I don't have to walk on those legs!

     A very distant Osprey (Pandion haliaeetus) had caught a fish and was no doubt flying to a suitable perch to consume it.

     A Roseate Spoonbill was happy to share its space with Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and a Black-necked Stilt.

     Dragonflies were all around us, but as is usually the case few of them alighted, and even fewer close enough for pictures.

     This Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) was an exception.

     This butterfly is found in the subtribe Euremina, a large assemblage of sulphurs and yellows.

     I have been unable to identify it at the species level.

     A Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) was much easier!

     A Wood Stork in flight is a gorgeous sight.

     At least one turtle will not be producing young this year, its eggs having been unearthed and consumed by a predator.

     A tranquil wetland scene.

     Surprisingly, we saw very few Southern Lapwings (Vanellus chilensis).

     We saw relatively few Franklin's Gulls (Leucophaeus pipixcan) either and only in flight as I recall.

     Adjacent to the wetland was an area of Oil Palms (genus Elaeis), a relatively recent phenomenon in Costa Rica. 

     I have seen the impact on wildlife in these green deserts in Malaysia, and I was sorry to see them in Central America. Human greed respects no limitation, however. Carlos offered an explanation as to why oil palms are less damaging in Costa Rica; I forget the details, but I remember at the time thinking it was like a choice between one death sentence and another. The outcome is the same, only the method of getting there differs.

     A Banded Peacock (Anartia fatima) butterfly is as splendid as the eponymously named bird.

     Our good luck with dragonflies continued.

Tropical Woodskimmer (Uracis imbuta)

     A Bare-throated Tiger Heron stalked the woodland.

     This attractive little beetle, Aegithus melapsis, is a member of a group curiously known as Pleasing Fungus Beetles (family Erotylidae).

     It was time to leave. We still had a stop for lunch ahead of us and a fairly long drive to Selvamar, our home for three nights.

     Comfort would be ours once again.

Pura vida!