Ever since Molly and I arrived down in Costa Rica, I have wanted to photograph a bird in the gorgeous red blooming tree next to our rental property. Struck paydirt this morning!!! I present you with the Great Kiskadee Flycatcher … and a pair of Rufous-Naped Wren’s. Tomorrow we take a boat tour in the El Viejo Wetlands … our one true birding expedition of the trip.

Watching this sunset, glass of wine in hand with my wife, proved to have fantastic birding benefits. Folks talk about the “red flash” as the sun dips below the Pacific Ocean horizon. Well I did not seem the red flash, but I did see the orange flash! This burst of color turned out to be a Streak Backed Oriole building a nest! After a morning mountain bike ride which started before sunrise, I returned to the nest building orioles and enjoyed some photography time!

Sunset and sunrise over the Pacific Ocean

Streak Backed Oriole … Nest Building

While I was watching the oriole, this Variegated Squirrel was watching me!

Today while mountain biking I found the Big Beaked Trail Digger Bird! This bird was very well camouflaged, and sitting right in the middle of the trail. Only when I was within a few feet did it flush … thankfully into a great location for a photograph. I am speculating it somehow uses it’s large beak for obtaining food, perhaps even in the rock hard soil.

Post Update: My thanks to Agogo Malawi, who let me know the first bird is a White-Necked Puffbird!

Yes, I was out on my mountain bike by 5:40 am (before sunrise), which allowed me to not only beat the heat, but get to a desired summit area for birding about 15 minutes after sunup. I quickly found a black vulture, which I was able to look down upon at it’s nest. A bit further down the trail I discovered a pair of Squirrel Cuckoos.

And of course another unknown bird … my new name is the Black and White Striped Finch. Actually once I get all my birds correctly identified I am looking forward to helping with Cornell’s Neotropical eBird initiative with whom I have been in touch with their project managers.

Finally, take a view at my high tech monopod mountain bike birding system … the purple and pink shoelace … soon to be patented by yours truly! When on vacation with limited resources, one uses Yankee ingenuity. My camera case is strapped to the front handlebars, and the monopod uses the quick release shoelace attachment system!