This bird used to be called just “Whimbrel” and that common name and its scientific name was for all Whimbrels world-wide. Now “they” have split them into two species with the old scientific name going for the ones in Europe & Asia and the ones in the Americas (North, Central and South) are called Husonian Whimbrel (Numenius hudsonicus)(my gallery link).
Thus another one of my galleries had to have a name change, including each individual photo. Just part of having up-to-date science! 🙂 This smaller, “chunkier” one (compared to the majority) was seen last week at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. And if you notice the water is darker and reddish or rusty, it is because the ocean’s saltwater at high tide went up into the Mangrove Forest and the Bloodwood Trees there react to the salt, releasing a reddish sap this time of year, turning the water red as the tide goes back out. 🙂
Hudsonian Whimbrel, Gandoca-Manzanillo, Limón, Costa Rica
Those shorebirds that have spots only during the breeding season. See more in my gallery Spotted Sandpiper (linked) and/or read more about them on eBird.
Spotted Sandpiper, Playa Negra, Caribe Sur, Limon, Costa Rica
For those familiar with the Arenal Volcano area of Costa Rica, you know that name as the name of a Hot Springs Resort there, but did you know that it was named after a plant, Anthurium upalaense (Tabacón)(Research Gate article link)? It is much larger than the anthuriums in my garden and is found on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica with some also overlapping into nearby Nicaragua and Panama. The large leaves of the plant collect small dead leaves falling from other plants where they rot to feed the anthurium. That long red spadix is not a flower but contains many many tiny little flowers that are pollinated by insects and turn into many berries that are eaten by birds. Another amazing new discovery in nature for me! 🙂 And almost exclusive to Caribbean Costa Rica!
Anthurium upalaense (Tabacón), Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limon, Costa RicaAnthurium upalaense (Tabacón), Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limon, Costa Rica
Hotel Banana Azul on Playa Negra in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limon Province has been my South Caribbean getaway for years now and one of my best places for butterflies along with the Caribbean birds, Sloths, monkeys and other wildlife that I photograph at the hotel and the nearby Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge every year with other visits to three different Indigenous Bribri villages, the Endangered Green Macaw Sanctuary, Sloth Rescue Center, Jaguar Wildlife Rescue and even an organic farm!
Two or three years ago the hotel changed owners with the overall atmosphere not seeming the same, so last year I chose instead Tortuguero in the North Caribbean of Costa Rica. Both are on the Atlantic Coast of what is officially the Caribbean Sea and in Limon Province. I guess I will decide after this trip if Banana Azul still has its “magic” for me or if I will let Tortuguero be my Caribbean spot now and this trip will help me see if my age (86) still allows this adventure to continue the good memories from the last 11 years (see links below to my previous 7 trips to Banana Azul + 2 others to South Caribe.)
Sunrise Banana Azul is different each morning, getting me up and out early! 🙂 I made a photo book of sunrises.
My Photo Books on Caribe South (with free online viewing)
These are solely about Caribe South, with other books of mine having some photos from the Caribe South.
Because this is the least developed area for tourists (no chain hotels), the poorest and blackest province of Costa Rica, with the fewest roads (all 2 lanes); it just doesn’t have the visitors or the expat residents or the money that is developing other parts of Costa Rica, BUT, I think it has some of the best nature and cultural experiences of the country and I’m the only expat I know that comes here regularly. But at 86 I’m getting older and slower and probably will limit all of my future travel, so yes, this could be my last trip to the South Caribbean of Costa Rica, but I hope not! 🙂 It is just one of many places that make me glad I moved to Costa Rica back in 2014!
Three-toed Sloth at Hotel Banana Azul.
And what about the North Caribbean? Well, it is pretty much totally a wilderness in the Tortuguero National Park, with no roads, making access only by boat or small plane. The many lodges have excellent guides and boat captains that help immerse you into the wilderness sometimes called “The Amazon of Costa Rica.” It is a different world with many choices of lodges having similar activities from birding and wildlife watching to seeing sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach as I did last year or watch the baby turtles go to the ocean at other times of the year. It doesn’t have the Caribbean/Jamaican culture/feel of South Caribe, but plenty of nature which is my main thing! 🙂 As I get older, I will undoubtably travel less to anywhere, but when a do, I will probably continue to divide my time between two mountain areas, the South Pacific Coast and the two areas of the Caribbean Coast. Who knows? I may still be making these trips at age 100! 🙂
AND THIS WEEK I WILL ENJOY THE SOUTH CARIBBEAN WITH ITS JAMAICAN CULTURE, DIFFERENT WILDLIFE, AND BEAUTIFUL SUNRISES! 🙂 Banana Azul!
Sunrise Banana Azul. A metal print of this photo hangs at the Banana Azul check-in desk. My gift to them.
¡Pura Vida!
And with so much nostalgia of my previous visits, I just had to add a few more photos as a slideshow here . . .
Yes, that is what a few people call the Northern Jacana (my gallery link) because it supposedly “walks on water” though actually on lily pads and floating grass. They share one thing in common with the Basilisk here called “Jesus Christ Lizard,” again for walking on water. Both have extra large feet for their body sizes and unbelievably long toes! But while the Basilisks do walk (run) on water, the Jacana always walks on lily pads, floating grasses and other float debris. And Maquenque Lodge is a good place to see them as is nearby Caño Negro and pretty much any wetlands in Costa Rica, especially Tortuguero NP and Palo Verde NP from my experience. They are found only from Mexico to Panama.
Another interesting thing about Northern Jacanas is the male/female role reversals. It is the female that holds a territory and defends it and she has concubines of males! Plus, after she lays eggs, it is the male that sits on them and raises the chicks to adulthood. 🙂 Nature is just full of surprises! 🙂
Northern Jacana, Maquenque Lodge, Boca Tapada, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Another favorite of those always seen at Maquenque is this Purple Gallinule (my gallery link) with the feature image above being a totally “new look” for me. 🙂 This one features his bright yellow legs and colorful top of head not often seen from this angle. And sometimes you cannot avoid having a limb or plant-part crossing over your image when in a truly wild rainforest like Maquenque. 🙂 This water bird is found from much of the Eastern U.S. south through all of Central America, the Caribbean and most of South America.
One of the many common lizards in the rainforests of Costa Rica is the Green Basilisk (English common name) with the Spanish common name my preferred, Emerald Basilisk or of course actually Basilisco Esmeralda. 🙂 I have a lot of better photos in my gallery: Emerald or Green Basilisk (linked). But from this trip, just one shot of the whole lizard and then one “head & shoulder portrait.” 🙂
Green Basilisk, Maquenque Lodge, Costa RicaGreen Basilisk, Maquenque Lodge, Costa Rica
Not only is Maquenque up to 70 Treehouse Cabins (THE TREEHOUSE LODGE IN COSTA RICA!), but they continue adding wildness and nature to various corners of their deep forest. One of the additions I discovered this time is a corner of their farm alongside one of the smaller lagoons has been turned into a meadow of flowers! Not only the natural wild flowers, but they have planted more, like Zinnias, Daisies, Cuban Buttercups, Heliconia’s, and more that I haven’t identified. 🙂 And within it I photographed 15+ species of butterflies with the dominant ones being an assortment of “Tigers” or about 4 species of Genus Mechanitis (Tigerwings) and maybe a Tiger Mimic-Queen. I’m having trouble separating and identifying all the tigers! 🙂 Here’s two shots (side view & top view) of what may or may not be the same species in the “Flower Meadow,” followed by a gallery of 4 shots of the flowers in the meadow . . .
Today I will travel for about 4 hours to one of my favorite lodges and best birding place, Maquenque Eco Lodge (their link) near the Nicaragua border in Boca Tapada, San Carlos Canton, Alajuela Province, almost directly north of where I live in the center of the country. It will be my 6th trip there and 3rd time to celebrate my birthday there, which is July 4 and this year number 86! 🙂
3 years ago I planted an Avocado Tree there to help the endangered Green Macaws at Maquenque.
I may or may not do a post tonight from there, but otherwise a daily post from Maquenque reporting on my nature finds there for the next 5 days and as always a few more days after a trip. This will be my 6th time at Maquenque with, of course, lots of photos and a “Trip Gallery” from every visit there . . .
This little visit to a favorite nature place nearby was scheduled for May 25 and had to be postponed at the last minute because of a sick stomach. I re-introduced Xandari in that May 25 blog post Two Nights at Xandari (linked) within which are links to my 7 other trips there including for one birthday and one Christmas celebration. It is my 3rd best butterfly location (for the number of species) after my Garden and Hotel Banana Azul in Caribe Sur.
It was started and first operated by a Frank Lloyd Wright Style Architect and his Art Teacher wife who continued to teach in a special artist pavilion there. The contemporary rooms are decorated with art and sculptures from her and her students as are the gardens with sculptures. A large forest on a mountain north of the city of Alajuela (my provincial capital) with two major waterfalls, a farm, garden and forest trails and of course their Spa and a great restaurant! In their lobby is the only public library of Charlie Doggett photo books! 🙂 They are one of several nature-centered tourist locations in Costa Rica that I have bonded with and I’m always welcomed as a VIP guest with chocolate-covered strawberries and a room upgrade if I want it. Though their “small” rooms are much larger than most other hotel rooms and I’m sure some people retreat there just for their great rooms not to mention 3 pools or the trails for me! 🙂 Whoever bought it from them made it a part of the Xandari chain of exotic hotels out of India. Thus lots of international visitors here! 🙂
Looking out from one of several different rooms I’ve had at Xandari.
Like with most trips, I will probably do posts at night for the next two or three nights, then get back to my usual morning posts. Being able to visit special nature places like this is just one part of my Pura Vida retirement experience in Costa Rica and this is my first overnight trip this year! With 3 more planned for the rest of this year, to 3 of my other favorite places here! So it will be a very good year as I turn 86 next month at Maquenque Eco Lodge! 🙂 Stay tuned for more nature adventures!
