FAVE BIRDS – Sunbittern

One of those thrilling moments of discovery was the first time I finally saw a Sunbittern, even though planned and expected but not guaranteed, there it was! And after a few shots of a plain walking bird along the stream, he finally opened his wings for this shot of spectacular color and design! Read the Backstory for more on the experience.

The Sunbittern (eBird description) is found along water in Central America and the northern half of South America. See my Sunbittern Gallery for my images made at La Mina near Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba; Macaw Lodge near Carara NP; and at Tapirus Lodge, Braulio Carillo NP. See links at bottom of post for all three of these trip galleries and links to these 3 lodges in The Backstory.

Sunbittern at La Mina, Costa Rica
Continue reading “FAVE BIRDS – Sunbittern”

Birds & a Tapir – Perfect Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, yesterday, my 5 year anniversary of living in Costa Rica I had a birding guide and got one “Lifer” (first time seen) bird, the rare White-tipped Sicklebill, plus a lifer mammal if you please! A Wild Tapir came right up to the restaurant building eating from the flower beds!   🙂   Though not new for me, I also got some more photos of a very rare Sunbittern! And all of the below photos from yesterday were made in the rain. It has not stopped raining for two days and nights now in this RAINforest.   🙂

Birds

 

20191224_081007-A-WEB
Tapir on entrance walkway for Gift Shop & Restaurant

Forest Walk

 

 

IMG_6973-A-WEB
The mother Tapir eating various kinds of leaves. She seldom brings her baby.

I also got some interesting photos on the canopy tram ride which I will share in another post the next two days or whenever I return to the entrance for Wifi.

¡Pura Vida!

 

IMG_7048-A-WEB
A White-nosed Coati – Quite common raccoon-sized animal all over Costa Rica.

Scenic La Mina near Rancho Naturalista

Shots from the scenic La Mina area along a mountain stream near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica, where we found the Sunbittern (la tigana), making it a special place!

La Mina, Costa Rica

La Mina, Costa Rica

Guia Miranda
La Mina, Costa Rica

La Mina, Costa Rica

La Mina, Costa Rica

Sunbittern (the way he is mostly seen, blending in with the rocks)
La Mina, Costa Rica

Sunbittern (a short flight)
La Mina, Costa Rica

Sunbittern (posturing to scare a predator, like 2 large eyes of a larger animal)
Some butterflies do the same thing.
La Mina, Costa Rica

You can see this unique place from Rancho Naturalista lodge near Turrialba, Costa Rica

And I have now added the bird photos from this trip to my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery.

Let me drink from the waters where the mountain streams flood 

Let the smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood

Let me sleep in your meadows with the green grassy leaves 

Let me walk down the highway with my brother in peace

Let me die in my footsteps 

Before I go down under the ground.

~Bob Dylan

———————————————-

Child Doctor?

And a “Feeling Old” story from today. I came back from Turrialba with a bad cold or “flu” they call it here. I tried an over-the counter thing that did nothing, so to avoid two visits and long waits at public clinic, I went to my old private doctor, Doctora Candy, who was not in today but her new intern was seeing patients, Dr. Andres Carmana.

He looked like a little boy, one of those young men out of university and medical school who just looks younger than he is (“not yet wet behind the ears”), but really nice and efficient as he explained things to me professionally in English in a very young-sounding voice. Gave me 3 prescriptions. And I almost smiled when he told me “You can just call me Dr. Carmana.” You know you are old when everyone who serves you looks to you like a child.  🙂

5 Bird Nests Seen at Rancho Naturalista

Snowcap Hummingbird Nest
Wayne’s house near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Sunbittern Nest (vacant now)
La Mina near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Royal Flycatcher Nest 
 We waited a while but never saw the bird.
La Mina near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Montezuma Oropendola Nest 
 Used by another bird below
Wayne’s house near
Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Olive-backed Euphonia Nest 
 Inside the top of Oropendola Nest
Wayne’s house near
Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Olive-backed Euphonia Nest 
Inside the top of Oropendola Nest  –  Baby visible here.
Wayne’s house near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

See photo of several Oropendola Nests  in a tree at Selva Verde Lodge.

Other kinds of nests in my Costa Rica Birds Photo Gallery all with birds on them:
Bare-throated Tiger Heron on Her Nest at Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Common Black-Hawk on Her Nest in tree along Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Social Flycatcher on Her Nest in  Cañon Negro Reserva, Rio Frio, Costa Rica
Inca Dove on Her Nest in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Sunbittern!

Sunbittern
La Mina, near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica
Sunbittern
La Mina, near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Sunbittern
La Mina, near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Sunbittern
La Mina, near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Sunbittern
La Mina, near Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

This is a first sighting bird for me and the primary bird I wanted to see on this trip, so I am very happy to have seen it today and add it to my Costa Rica collection. I have added twelve new species  to my Costa Rica list this trip which is really good. I got others today but will show them tomorrow, since I wanted to show several shots of the sunbittern today.

Also I am very sore, having fallen in my room this morning. I made the mistake of spraying myself and my shoes with insect repellant at the front door, leaving an oily residue on the tile floor which I then slipped on and fell. I managed to walk 3 or 4 km today at La Mina and saw the Sunbittern after a pre-breakfast walk 2 km down the road here, just sore in my right leg and hip. I rest tomorrow and they are taking good care of me at the lodge! I may do some birding here tomorrow and work on more blog posts. 
Read about Sunbittern on Wikipedia   a bird found only in neotropical Americas on mountain streams at a certain altitude (and in a few zoos).

And my photo gallery of other Costa Rica Birds  before this trip. These will be added next week.

Retired in Costa Rica!