Author: Charlie

Retired American nature-lover, living in Costa Rica, photographing birds and other jewels of nature. This site simply reports on my joys of being RETIRED IN COSTA RICA!
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Managua, Nicaragua

Between airport and downtown, a patriotic billboard and the electric trees.

 

A closer shot of another presidential sign.
Reminded me of similar signs in Havana
with Castro telling how good it is!

 

The different colored art trees are lit up at night. First Lady’s idea I was told.

 

My Nature Air plane this time had a frog on it! Easy 55 minute flight.

 

The international passengers entrance to the Managua Airport. Nice & modern!

And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m very happy with them!

And that is all the photos I’m going to share from my 2 night trip to Nicaragua June 28-30.

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Scenery Shots from Lost Canyon Nature Reserve

My favorite view from the mountain trail in Lost Canyon Nature Reserve. There are volcanoes way over there!

The new reserve’s nice, small sign at the farm house where we ate lunch.
Like most private reserves it is operated by a foreigner.
Our van driver finds the hammock at Lost Canyon!

From the reserve and enroute there we saw several volcanoes.

One volcano from the van window.
Yep, I had a whole van! Me, a driver and my guide.
That is the transportation for all tours with Tours Nicaragua.
By the way, I highly recommend them if going to Nicaragua for any reason!

And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!
And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m happy with them!

Pura Vida!
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Names for León Colonial Churches

My earlier post did not include names plus I have added one more for 6 out of 9 colonial churches in León. I think the names are important! 

Recolección Church
León, Nicaragua
Cathedra Basilica of the Assumption of León
León, Nicaragua

San Juan Church
León, Nicaragua
El Calvario Church
León, Nicaragua

San Francisco Church
León, Nicaragua

La Merced Church
León, Nicaragua

I walked to the ones I could find within walking distance of the town center where I stayed. The other 3 colonial churches might have been within walking distance, but I could not find them. The San Juan Church our van stopped by on the way out is how I got it. León is a much larger city than Granada with many more people and churches. It is a nitty gritty working city much more alive than Granada and much less tourist-looking. Next time I hope for more time to explore it further.

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Hotel El Convento, León, Nicaragua

Hotel El Convento, León, Nicaragua
My one night in León was in what was one time a convent. The courtyard.

The atmosphere of an old Spanish Colonial
Catholic Convent was evident throughout.

An old prayer altar?

Convent is adjacent to San Francisco Church with this Entrance Sign.
Church is pictured in the church post.

All of the hotels Tours Nicaragua has arranged for me have been excellent in every way. They are the only way I will ever travel in Nicaragua!

And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

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Scenery Shots from Juan Venado Refuge

The Island of Venado is a strip of land running close to the mainland near Leon.
Much of the island and the channel of water between it and mainland is
Mangrove Forests which is good for birds, other nature, crabs, fishing, etc.
We got our boat in this little bay.

When you pay for a private float trip you get to sit in the front of the boat!
🙂   Here near end of trip we approach the rookery or nursery in earlier post.

Even when working, young people have fun on the water!

This is one of the government nature reserves.
I think there may be more private reserves than public right now.

It is currently legal for locals to collect firewood in the reserve as long as
it is already dead wood. In Nicaragua most people still cook on wood fires.

Non-commercial Fishing is allowed in the reserve.

and “Nature Tourism” is growing here!

My guide Freddy had new hiking shoes he did not
want to get wet, so boatman carries him across stream.
I got my old shoes wet – no big deal anymore!  🙂
And why didn’t he take them off and go barefoot?
Good question! The boatman is barefoot!

Where we got our boat was a little “Comedor” which is the same as a
“Soda” in Costa Rica, a small Mom & Pop restaurant for cheap local food.
We did not eat here but got sandwiches at a little local bakery.  

And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m happy with them!


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After Much Effort – I’m Insured Again

My Carné card is what will get me all needed medical service;
including prescriptions, doctor visits, hospital, surgery, tests, etc.
at no extra cost to me above the $114 a month coverage fee based
on my U.S. Social Security income check deposited in a bank here. 
The instructions said bring the original of each needed document and
one copy. In my usual overkill I made 3 copies of all and took it with me.
He didn’t even want one copy beyond the originals, BUT . . .
He did not like the digital printed receipt of my electric bill and made be go for a
traditional paper bill mailed to houses with no email. Very difficult to get!
But with help of my amigo Jason Quesada & landlord, we finally got it in time.

I still have to go back to Immigration 28 July for my Cedula or residential ID card, but I am legally a resident now with full medical coverage. An American Tico? Well, more secure anyway! 🙂  

Next week I will schedule my initial appointment with the Caja doctor assigned to me, getting a physical and giving him my medical history. It will be interesting to see what they do with my Sleep Apnea and the recently discovered heart arrhythmia. For some specialists I may have to go to Alajuela or San Jose, just like with the more expensive private doctors. 

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Other Animals on this Nicaragua Trip

Raccoon
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Mexican Porcupine
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Green Iguana
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Golden Orb Spider
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Paper Wasp Nest
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Monarch Butterfly
Lost Canyon Nature Preserve, Nicaragua

Gray Cracker Butterfly
Lost Canyon Nature Preserve, Nicaragua

Adelpha Iphiclus Butterfly
Lost Canyon Nature Preserve, Nicaragua

Well, I’m not posting as often and haven’t even finished telling about my second trip to Nicaragua! Just been too busy and too tired late at night. I’ve also spent a lot of time trying to all my paperwork correct, in Spanish, for the Caja application interview tomorrow. Actually, I’m on standby for a no-show or vacant time slot tomorrow with my firm appointment the following Friday, the 15th. Be glad to get that behind me. And to be insured again!

And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m happy with them!

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Mi fiesta de cumpleaños

For my Birthday Party this year I decided to host a hamburger cookout on my terrace, catered by my favorite hamburguesa restaurant in Atenas, Donde Bocha & Owner Michael Hernandez, Chef. ¡Muy Bueno! Two birthday cakes and two pinatas! Everyone had a lot of fun!

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Birds at Lost Canyon Nature Reserve

Red-winged Blackbird
Enroute to Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua
Eastern Meadowlark
Enroute to Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

White-lored Gnatcatcher
Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Long-billed Starthroat
Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Altimira Oriole (male & female)
Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Lost Canyon Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Lost Canyon is just getting started with the owner’s house built and trails created. Cabins will come
eventually. We didn’t see as many birds here, but it was middle of day and we hiked to top of the little mountain with several vistas enroute which I will show in a later post. I think birding will be better at the bottom of the hill and around the farms or down the dirt road.

The Director of Lost Canyon is Richard Leonardi, email him at info@lost-canyon.org or check out their website at http://lost-canyon.org/


 See more Nicaragua birds I have photographed in my Nicaragua Birds  photo gallery. Nearly 100 different species of birds!

And note that both of my wonderful birding trips to Nicaragua were executed by the excellent Tours Nicaragua! Check out their offers!

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More Birds from Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge

Beyond the nursery birds shown yesterday I photographed 17 other species at Juan Venado!

Black-headed Trogon
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Black Vulture
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Great Egret
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
(See yesterday’s post for egrets in the nursery)
Great-tailed Grackle
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Green Heron
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Groove-billed Ani
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Hoffman’s Woodpecker
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Little Blue Heron
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Magnificent Frigate Bird Juvenile
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Mangrove Swallow
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Grackle
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Oriole Nest
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Osprey
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Whimbrel
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
White Ibis
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua

Wilson’s Plover male
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
Yellow Warbler, Resident Male
Juan Venado Wildlife Refuge, Nicaragua
(The brown hood makes him a resident. Migrants are all yellow.)


And don’t miss my Nicaragua Birds photo gallery for 98 different species!

And remember that both my trips to Nicaragua were provided by Tours Nicaragua!  Check out what they offer! I’m very happy with them!