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More photos from Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge visit yesterday:
Did you notice the quote on the entrance sign to this refuge? It is . . .
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.”
― Charles Darwin
¡Pura Vida!
I asked the gardeners to “take a little off the top” of my remaining Yellow Bell Tree up front that this winter’s (yes, rainy season is called winter here) rain had caused to shoot up rapidly and high, blocking my scenic view. And typically Tico, one of the young men scurried up the tree with his machete and whacked away! I would not have left that bare branch, but it will soon have new branches and leaves. And my view is opened up again. I love my gardeners!
Click image to enlarge.
See more vistas in my VISTAS Photo Gallery from all over Costa Rica.
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| And for one week only – this particular tree. Seen from my terrace as is the photo below. Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Behind my “Cow Pasture Neighbors” Houses Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Even the silhouetted Chachalaca seems to be admiring the yellow flowers. In my Guarumo/Cecropia Tree Atenas, Costa Rica |
These are the general or scenery photos. For the main events see my photo galleries on Corcovado Birds – Other Wildlife – Los Patos Waterfall
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| The Lodge converted a farmer’s tractor & trailer for hikers/tourists This took us the 6 km from lodge to ranger station where others must hike along river Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| Rio Rincon or the Rincon River Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| I was the old man traveling with two young couples from Europe as here, we sometimes drove in the river bed. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| And about 15-20 times we forded the river When walking or riding a tractor, it is slow, even 6 km! Plus we stopped for birds a few times, so an hour or so each way on tractor. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| River is park border, thus one side is private property like this house above. When I got back I was showing the waiter/bartender David Venegas these photos and he said, “Oh! That is my grandfather’s house!” Small little world down here! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| This young man couldn’t use his bike along river but was headed to the graded gravel road And note the machete strapped to his side, a basic tool all over Costa Rica! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| We finally leave the river and enter the woods to the ranger station. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| At our hiking trail entrance near the ranger station After we registered and signed in at the station, we hike rest of the day. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| “Velcro Plant” is what Jairo called it! See next photo for why. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| School children cut pieces of the “Velcro Plant” leaves and stick on their shirts to make lots of images! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| We are quickly in a thick virgen forest. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| There are still plants here not identified. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| More species in this park than in any other one place in the world! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| I want to photograph everything I see – but simply can’t! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| “Monkey Brush” Jairo explains how monkeys use this fruit/seed of a tree to brush insects out of their fur. Then one of our two girls demonstrated by brushing her hair. Incredibly good brush! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| We stopped to see this “Stink Flower” which smelled awful! Like a dead animal! Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| And here Jairo collects some “Red Beans” He gave each of us 3 of the red beans or seeds and said that tradition is they will bring us good luck if carried in pocket. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| Meanwhile David is looking for birds & found many! See the trip Birds Gallery for some I photographed. And the trip’s Other Wildlife Gallery for other animals photographed both in the park and at the lodge nearby. Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| Passion Flower as one of many wildflowers seen Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
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| About 4pm we were back to ranger station and on slow tractor drive back to lodge by around 5pm Los Patos Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica |
This was just a brief overview of an all day hike that included the beautiful waterfall in a separate post yesterday and many birds and other animals shown earlier. Corcovado is truly an incredible place! See the bigger picture through my TRIP Gallery 2018 March 13-17 – Danta Corcovado.
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| Note that this trip was on the northeast side of park labeled “Los Patos.” My trip last year was in northwest corner labeled “San Pedrillo” near Drake Bay. And in 2009 I visited the south side of park at “La Leona.” |
Extremely slow internet service where I am staying, so only one photo a night after this. Sorry!
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| Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi This is the oldest continuously functioning church in all of Costa Rica, colonial built. Orosi, Cartago Province, Costa Rica |
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| Poro Tree These beautiful trees are blooming now all over Costa Rica, but I saw more here today than anywhere. They are usually growing in coffee farms for some particular reason I don’t remember. This one I can see from the road in front of my little B&B 2 miles outside the village of Orosi, Costa Rica |
I will do more posts and many more photos when I get back home after the trip or next week. This one was a three-bus trip, one from Atenas to San Jose (1:30 in rush hour), one from San Jose to Cartago (50 min still rush hour) and the third from Cartago to Orosi centro (45 min) where I got off and had lunch and saw the oldest still functioning church, then a taxi to my little cabin for four nights. And learned that the bus goes within the equivalent of 1 block from my little hotel. But I saw the church and had a good Tico lunch or “casado.” I also met a couple from Canada in town who are here for a Spanish immersion school for several weeks.
I’ll tell more about the B&B when I post photos later, but it is small with it looks like only 3 or 4 little cabins in the country 2 km outside Orosi, operated by a very congenial multi-lingual French girl, thus the name Chalet Orosi. But the funny thing is that Costa Ricans or maybe all Spanish speakers don’t pronounce it the French way, “chal-lay” but “chal-et” just the way it is spelled! 🙂
Maelle arranged my two birding trips for Wednesday and Thursday and I am going to use the nice taxi driver I met today for seeing several other sites in Orosi on Friday, like the ruins, a couple of miradors (vistas). gardens, and maybe something else. So my time is planned. The best seafood restaurant in town is just a block away and a pizzaria a little further. The full-service hotels and lodges I usually stay in have spoiled me to onsite services, but this is already turning out to be a good different experience. The only other guests here tonight are a couple of 20-something guys from France, “seeing the world!”
I got photos of only two birds today, but the next two days are my birding days. Hoping for some new and different ones! There is a family of oropendolas living outside my cabin and a few smaller birds but the chalet owner has two cats, so not a birding residence! 🙂
INTERESTING BRAG ARICLE FOR COSTA RICA:
Longest Zipline in the World (in UAE) Built by Costa Ricans
Includes a thrilling VIDEO – a must see!
And the Tico builder says a brief word in the video! 🙂
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| “Real” Book Trees of Panama & Costa Rica |
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| Electronic Book Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories |
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| A photo from the river trail in Tambor not used yet and a fun effort at nature poetry by Charlie Tambor Tropical Resort, Costa Rica |
For more of my nature poems as see Haiku Nature
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| “Peace Dove” by an artist in El Salvador Now hanging on my year around Christmas Tree |
In my living room last Christmas I added a tree on which I hung crafted birds from all over Central America. Some I bought locally and others came from UNICEF. Every purchase from them helps care for children all around the world! I encourage you to consider buying a new tree ornament or other hand-crafted Christmas gift from:
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| I know! It’s just a dead leaf! But I think it is beautiful art! 🙂 Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve San Ramon, Costa Rica |
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| Add caption |
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| Rufous-naped Wren Resting in a Cecropia (Guarumo) Tree With nesting material from a Nance Tree For the nest being built in my tallest palm tree. Atenas, Costa Rica |
And more birds in photo gallery: Costa Rica Birds (238 Species)
