Thursday, January 12, 2023
We started our day by walking along the entrance road to Cerro Lodge.
Along the road we picked up some good species, including a White-throated Magpie-Jay. This large crested Jay was one of 13 life birds (birds we'd never seen before) that we would find on this trip.
We then returned to the lodge to enjoy breakfast back at their outdoor restaurant.
The breakfast choices were "Tipico" (a typical Costa Rican breakfast which includes rice, beans, fried plantains, and eggs), "Americano" (typical American breakfast of eggs, sausage, toast) or "Continental" (toast only).
The restaurant is on a raised deck overlooking a couple of simple feeders. The main attraction is Scarlet Macaws. With the deck being raised the Macaws were at eye level in the trees. These enormous red parrots were endangered at one point by trapping for the pet trade, but with protection are now doing well.
We also enjoyed seeing a beautiful Keel-billed Toucan, the Fruit Loops mascot!
Then into the car and off to visit Carara National Park. On the way we saw another lifer, Double-striped Thick-knee(s).
We were met in the National Park parking area by some huge Black Iguanas. The males can be as much as four feet long!
We hiked the "Universal Trail" in the park and then past a bridge over a small river. Birding on forest trails is often slow, and that was the case here. But we found some interesting birds and one tiny poison dart frog. The frog was no larger than the last joint on my pinkie finger.
Near the end of our hike we came across an army ant swarm being attended by Northern Barred-Woodcreeper, Bicolored Antbird, and Buff-rumped Warblers.
I'm glad you are enjoying and appreciating some of your life birds. They look less colorful than their brethren so are probably less noticed and appreciated by novice bird people. That iguana is too big!
ReplyDeleteThe iguana's can get pretty scary looking. This one was a black iguana. The green iguanas are smaller.
DeleteGreat pictures. The detail is amazing.
ReplyDeleteMark takes great pictures. You can click on the pictures to make them larger.
ReplyDelete