Costa Rica: Aerial Tram Ride

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The final section of the 3-in-1 day tour was an aerial tram ride through and over the rainforest.

The five of us and a guide squeezed into a tiny gondola and spent the next hour getting a slow and often close-up look at trees and plants. On the outward part of the ride, we traveled through the lower canopy.


On the return part, the gondola took us up to and over the canopy.




To be honest, it wasn't very exciting. However, our guide did his best to engage us by telling some interesting facts about the local flora and fauna; for example, because there is no defined growing season in Costa Rica, the trees there have no annual rings by which they can be dated. And it was rather cool to look down on 20-foot-wide ferns and other plants that we usually look up to.



At the end of the ride, our guide showed us a rather fine stick insect ...


I begged off the next event, a visit to butterfly and snake collections, in order to do a little birding around the tram terminal. As I was admiring an unusual butterfly ...


a local birding guide came up and introduced himself, asking if I'd like to see an anteater that he'd just been watching. We both scoured the area where he'd seen the animal and we soon spotted it. Unfortunately, we were too close and it moved away almost immediately.


As my newly-found friend had nothing to do until his transportation arrived, he and I spent the next 15 minutes birding together. It was a very quiet time of day for birds but we did spot a couple of Chestnut-mandibled Toucans and then two new species: Black-and-yellow Tanager and White-necked Jacobin hummingbird.

By now it was time to meet up again with my group - and for the very best sighting of my three days in Costa Rica. The anteater (more accurately, a Northern Tamandua) suddenly climbed out of the undergrowth and spent the next few minutes wandering about in the branches right above our heads.

I managed to get a couple of better photos ...








and even to take some video.

What a great way to end the tour!
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Costa Rica: Selva Verde

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Our 90-minute visit to the Selva Verde biological station started off in style: A sloth was hanging out in a tree overlooking the parking lot. Although my photos show nothing more than a dark blob among the leaves, we were able to see the sloth fairly clearly through binoculars.


Next up was a 20-minute hunt for poison dart frogs. This took us past a few butterflies and fungi, and lots of interesting plants, including red (inedible) bananas.






It didn't take long to find a "strawberry" frog.


A few minutes more and I spotted a "blue Jeans" poison dart one also - but this time my flash malfunctioned.


Heading back to the lodge for lunch, we passed another stunning iguana and several small lizards.




The biggest lizard was a Jesus Christ Lizard, so called because it can walk - well, run - on water.


We also passed some very large termite nests in the trees.



Although birds were largely conspicuous by their absence, I got a brief glimpse of a Violet-crowned Woodnymph hummingbird, which appeared almost totally black from the front.


A nearby bird-feeding table was attracting Montezuma Pendulas and Blue-gray Tanagers.

Montezuma Pendula

Blue-gray Tanager

With the help of a young researcher, we also saw a larger green frog with its eggs ...



and a Praying Mantis.


The lunch buffet looked very appetizing but I contented myself with bolting down some forkfuls of beans and rice, so that I could spend a few extra minutes around the bird-feeding table. On my way there, I met up with the Jesus Christ Lizard again.


The fruit on the table had brought in a Black-cheeked Woodpecker as well as a Clay-colored Robin. A Summer Tanager popped in but was scared away by the arrival of a pair of Montezuma Pendulas.




Then, just as I had to leave to get back on the bus, I was thrilled to see a Gray-headed Chachalaca come down from the trees to eat. A wonderful bird and a great way to wrap up the all-too-short visit to Selva Verde.


Tomorrow: An aerial tram ride through the rain forest and a great final sighting

Costa Rica: Sarapiqui River

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I originally thought of renting a taxi for my free Sunday but was persuaded instead to take a bus tour. Unfortunately, I ended up being the only person for the recommended tour - a day birding trip to Carara National Park - and so it didn't run. Instead I took a 3-in-1 tour, starting at 7:15 and visiting the Sarapiqui River, the Selva Verde reserve, and the aerial tram near the Braulio Carillo Park before returning to Los Yoses at about 5:30.

Although I would have preferred a birding-focused trip, the 3-in-1 tour turned out to be very good. The driver was very pleasant and there were only four other passengers in the minibus. We started with an almost 2-hour drive through the huge Braulio Carillo rainforest park and down through some picturesque scenery to Sarapiqui. On the final stretch of the road we were treated to flyovers by numerous Black and Turkey Vultures.

Sarapiqui

The main feature of the morning was a 90-minute ride in a smallish boat along the Sarapiqui River. I had heard that these rides often last only an hour but ours was very unhurried and lasted well over the scheduled time.




From the moment we set off, we were accompanied by Mangrove Swallows, which swooped low over the water and stopped every now and then to perch on the boat's roof.


The next birds to appear were all familiar ones: a Tricolored Heron, an Anhinga in breeding plumage, and several Spotted Sandpipers.

Tricolored Heron

Anhinga

After admiring several dogs lazing on the riverbanks and a group of cows accompanied by Cattle Egrets, we had a very brief glimpse of a new bird: Green Kingfisher.

Cattle Egret

The guide/pilot pointed out a troop of Howler Monkeys, and then a family of White-faced Capucin Monkeys, followed by more Howlers.

Howler Monkeys

Howler Monkey

Capuchin Monkey

We also had great views of Green Iguanas sunning themselves on the upper branches of trees. I hadn't realized that iguanas could be so big or so colorful! These were well over 6 feet long and all shades of gold and orange.



Apart from Spotted Sandpipers, birds were few and far between. However, a brief look at several male Passerini's Tanagers and a couple of Montezuma Pendulas was soon followed by great views of Chestnut-mandibled Toucans in some banana trees.

Passerini's Tanager

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

Back at the jetty, while the others had a bathroom break, I spotted a Swainson's Thrush and then a bird I couldn't identify. I later discovered it was a female Passerini's Tanager. Both were in shade too deep for photos and I had to content myself with a picture of a butterfly and some nearby houses. Boy, what I wouldn't give for a garden like those and others I saw in Costa Rica!




As it was now about 11:00, we got back into the bus for a 20-minute drive to the Selva Verde reserve, the second featured stop on our trip.

Tomorrow: Frogs, Iguanas and Birds at Selva Verde