Tuesday 14 November 2017

Little and Large

Another quick update from Costa Rica. I'll just keep to the wildlife for now, the other stories most of which involve Mr Hogan will no doubt be shared in the future especially the one about the lizard.
The "Little" mentioned in the title refers to a Snowcap which is a gorgeous very small hummingbird (not the colour of Mike's hair). This was not a bird on our radar as we did not expect to be the area it occurs. However on Sunday we visited a reserve which contained a small population. After a long walk in constant rain through marshy ground we were treated to views down to two meters of two males and one female. Also at the same spot we were privleged to get another minute hummer Black Crested Coquette.
The "Large" in the title refers to a Jabiru a huge stork which was a bird high on our wish list. We spent a long time today on a boat, waking miles and driving around getting nowhere locating one. Then late afternoon things starting looking up when Scarlet Macaws were heard. We dived out of the minibus and Mr Bevan had another one of his top wanted birds. Shortly after we spotted a large number of Wood Storks and started scanning them. Then we heard the call we wanted Jabiru flying in and a low flying enormous 1.3 metre bird glided by and landed in amongst the Wood Storks making them look miniscule. Walking to get a closer look we realised there was another standing close by and then another soared past. Three Jabiru and the day felt better straight away.
Other highlights  include a Thickett Tinamou running along the side of a main road, Roseate Spoonbill, Bare Throated Tiger Heron, Boat Billed Heron, Mangrove Cuckoo, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Yellow Naped Parrot, Long Tailed Manakin and more Wrens and Orioles that I care to list for now.
Just to finish off people who have birded with Mike knows he often gets bird names wrong so these are his latest offerings.  Yellow Winged Tanager ( Golden Winged Warbler), Shining Honey Badgers (Shining Honeycreepers) and Potholes (Potoos).

1 comment:

  1. Snowcap and Jarabu in a single day..... thighs on fire!

    Shining Honey-badger sounds great

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