It is the time of the year for love! Birds are pairing off, and fighting for both mates and territory. At the end of this morning’s sunrise mountain bike ride two Turquoise Bowed Mot Mot birds awaited me on the gate that sets off the trailhead. Getting off my bike I followed the love birds till they finally posed for my camera.

At that point I heard a HUGE racket and watched as five male Streak Backed Orioles fought over one female. The young lady had plenty of attention including this male!

Finally, I had almost given up getting a good photo of a Black Headed Trogon. These birds tend to hang out high in a tree’s canopy which makes taking pictures real difficult. In addition, I had been told if I got real lucky a Trogon would come down low and turn is black back to me … revealing not black but beautiful turquoise and blue colors.

Per normal I headed off on my mountain bike shortly before 6 am. Even this early the heat index was already 98F. It will be good to get back to Lake Superior and its cool breezes! However, biking the trails to the tops of hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean allows one to look down on birds, or at least eye to eye for unique perspectives!

Today I finally got some good Maginificent Frigate bird images. I got up before the heat started rising which allowed me to watch them as they rose up from their island rookeries on the islands far below!

In addition I found four Great Kiskadees singing out and setting their territories, plus the unknown bird of the day which I shall name the Yellow-Breasted Striped Flycatcher!

Edit: Fairly certain the flycatcher is an immature Yellow-Bellied Elaenia. My thanks to Adam who worked this ID. The real ID appears to be a Olive-Sided Flycatcher, not the Elaenia!

Yesterday Molly and I visited the El Viejo Wetlands. The day trip was fantastic for both the birder (me) and non birder (Molly) alike! A family who own a large sugar cane plantation decided years ago to set aside 6,000 acres of wetlands adjacent to the River Tempisque. At the family’s Hacienda … 16k by bumpy dirt road from Filadelphia, one may take a river boat cruise and/or enjoy a nice luncheon at the open air Hacienda.

In our case we did both … cruise and lunch! Arriving by 8:15 am (90 minute drive from Las Catalinas) we were able to be the first people out on the water. Given tour buses often arrive later in the morning, an early arrival is advised. First, animals and birds are more active in the first few hours of the day, and second … you get the River almost to yourself. We had an excellent private guide named Kevin. Between him and our boat driver, Caesar, they spotted lots of wildlife I would never had noticed. Our cost was $73 per person plus well earned tips for our guide and boat driver. The money was well spent.

Finally, after lunch make certain you walk around the grounds below the Hacienda. Although many other people were present at lunch, only Molly and I explored the grounds. Big mistake. Yes it was a hot hike, but we found plenty of shade trees and more wildlife. While it may have been hot during our walk, it was very pleasant out on the river. The boats have a roof shade, and there was a nice breeze.

Here are just a few photos from El Viejo: (not pictured, but we also saw real cool sleeping bats, and two different species of monkeys … howler and white faced)

Green Iguana

Bare-Throated Tiger Heron

Black-Necked Stilt With a Snack

Tri-Colored Heron

Green Heron

Alligator Catching Breakfast

Turquoise-Bowed Mot Mot Excavating a Nest Hole

Flock of Snowy Egrets

Grooved-Billed Ani (type of Cuckoo)

Dino the Dinosaur (5 foot long Green Iguana)

Kung-Fu Fighting

Little Blue Heron (immature)

Crested Guan

Scenes from the River Cruise