Tag: Costa Rica

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Green Heron with Long Neck

I have never seen a Green Heron with this long of a neck (or a neck stretched out this long) as most look “short and squatty.” But the coloring and everything else matched the Green Heron and eBird’s AI, Merlin, agreed! See my other photos from other times and places in my GALLERY: Green Heron. Just one photo here from when our boat floated past it on a floating log. The only one I saw close enough to photograph that day.

Green Heron, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

And here is how Google’s AI answered my question about this stretched neck:

“Green herons are about the size of crow, but they can extend their coiled S-shaped neck to a length equal to that of their body. This “rubber neck” helps them stretch out to catch prey, swallow large critters and position their head without moving the body.” ~Google AI

¡Pura Vida!

🙂

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Great-tailed Grackle

Usually more Grackles are seen on the Tarcoles than we did this time. I think this photo is of a male, always black and usually with a little blue or purple sheen, not seen in this photo. And the way the light hits this one, plus its shadows, it’s possibly a dark brown female. The females are just as handsome, with brown as their color and strutting less than the males. 🙂 Just this one photo. See more in my Great-tailed Grackle GALLERY.

Great-tailed Grackle, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Great Kiskadee

With forests lining much of the Rio Tarcoles, there are also a lot of “regular” birds like these Kiskadees (linked to my gallery). Just 2 shots in this post, one perched and one flying, with more in the gallery . . .

Great Kiskadee, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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Common Black Hawk

This is the most seen hawk of all for me, almost everywhere I go. See more of my photos in the gallery Common Black Hawk. Not super good photos this trip, but this one of him flying right above me (close) is kind of interesting! 🙂

Common Black Hawk, Rio Tarcoles, Costa Rica
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Brown Jay

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen a Brown Jay (my gallery link), so I was glad to find these two near the dock for our boat tour.

Brown Jay, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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Black-necked Stilt

This unmistakable to identify, black & white shore bird, with unreal hot pink & very long legs, is found throughout the Americas and on both slopes of Costa Rica in both fresh & salt waters. See my photo collection of this unique bird in the linked gallery: Black-necked Stilt.

Black-necked Stilt, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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Black Vulture Juvenile

I’ve seen many black vultures over the years here but never before a juvenile. A family of at least 3 or maybe 4 children were on the ground in the grasses adjacent the river with no adult seen near them. I hesitate to call them babies, but still pretty young with some semi-downy feathers and unable to fly. I guess the nest is on the ground in those grasses, though it seems dangerous to me, even for the larger birds. So I asked Google and its AI said . . .

“Yes, black vultures commonly nest on the ground, usually in secluded areas like thickets, hollow logs, caves, or abandoned buildings. They do not build traditional nests, instead laying their eggs directly on the ground, soil, or debris.”

Black Vulture juvenile, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

For a lot of photos of adult Black Vultures, see my gallery: Black Vulture

¡Pura Vida!

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Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

Another common water bird on most all rivers in Costa Rica is this Bare-throated Tiger-Heron – Tigrisoma meicanum (my gallery link). Fairly common on both slopes from Mexico to Columbia.

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Female Anhingas

We saw only females. The males are solid black and usually seen on the river. See my photo gallery: Anhinga – Anhinga anhinga. Every river and lake in Costa Rica has Anhinga’s on both slopes. Often called “Snake Bird” because after they dive into the water to catch a fish, they swim back to shore with only the long neck above water, appearing as a swimming snake. 🙂

Anhinga female, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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Peruvian Shield Mantis

The Peruvian Shield Mantis – Choeradodis rhombicollis (Wikipedia link) is found mostly in Central & South American tropics. I photographed this one last week at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort. And yes, he is related to the Praying Mantis, also found here. In my gallery I have him with other Hooded Mantises, Genus Choeradodis. But both iNaturalist & Google Lens were specific with a species name on this one. 🙂

Peruvian Shield Mantis, Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort, San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!