tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60859468215461179832024-03-12T20:16:53.661-04:00Birds Gone Wild(The blog formerly known as 100 Birds in a Year. Based in Ottawa, Ontario)Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-85479446653318120872016-05-01T16:18:00.002-04:002016-05-01T16:18:47.802-04:00PURA VIDA IV: All Good Things Must Come to an End (or do they?) #371-374We woke up at our B&B in Playa Carillo, which we had arrived at in the dark, to a private deck overlooking the ocean. We had a (distant) ocean view, but the nice thing was that we were in an elevated spot in the tree tops and it was great for bird watching. We chowed down on yet another <i>gallo</i><i> pinto </i>while watching hummingbirds come to the feeders and iguanas sunning themselves on the roof. The best part was watching some parrots and parakeets that appeared to be nesting in the tree beside our porch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNi38Z4xOu0/VyY9j4r3FzI/AAAAAAAAMuU/r4gO23w3bTcBI4z8ZoQXDw-QHuuvGZGjgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1414%2Bwhite-fronted%2Bparrot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNi38Z4xOu0/VyY9j4r3FzI/AAAAAAAAMuU/r4gO23w3bTcBI4z8ZoQXDw-QHuuvGZGjgCLcB/s640/DSC_1414%2Bwhite-fronted%2Bparrot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#371: <a href="https://www.parrots.org/encyclopedia/white-fronted-amazon">White-fronted Parrot</a>/Amazon (spectacled amazon parrot); Playa Carillo, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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These birds can live up to about 40 years!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UaDlEo6uxo/VyY9E9jrwoI/AAAAAAAAMtg/TyP3-LiYu9gPl1Z4GaqyrDGdbxke3--AACLcB/s1600/DSC_1435%2Bwhitefronted%2Bparrot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UaDlEo6uxo/VyY9E9jrwoI/AAAAAAAAMtg/TyP3-LiYu9gPl1Z4GaqyrDGdbxke3--AACLcB/s640/DSC_1435%2Bwhitefronted%2Bparrot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qTkktA_V_lo/VyY8_CA42RI/AAAAAAAAMtY/_Pac_dR0V9QVyH0CoXgTu6EacN0qvAeUwCLcB/s1600/DSC_1441orange%2Bchinned%2Bparakeet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qTkktA_V_lo/VyY8_CA42RI/AAAAAAAAMtY/_Pac_dR0V9QVyH0CoXgTu6EacN0qvAeUwCLcB/s640/DSC_1441orange%2Bchinned%2Bparakeet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange-chinned parrot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-5rYjsiyFo/VyY9ALL_C_I/AAAAAAAAMtc/tDH5INIn51c0RemQvUWeO8cRv0hnrj8hQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1431%2Bclay%2Bcoloured%2Bthrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-5rYjsiyFo/VyY9ALL_C_I/AAAAAAAAMtc/tDH5INIn51c0RemQvUWeO8cRv0hnrj8hQCLcB/s640/DSC_1431%2Bclay%2Bcoloured%2Bthrush.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay-colored_thrush">clay-coloured thrush</a> was hanging around. It makes an interesting choice as the national bird of Costa Rica, known as <i>el yig<span class="st"><em>ü</em></span>irro.</i></td></tr>
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I always get a special thrill when I discover at home while writing up my blog that I saw a new bird and didn't realize it at the time. I have never even heard of this variety of oriole:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_lmO9h5oG0c/VyY9Jqi69QI/AAAAAAAAMto/TJ_cYRlqK6QGo-_yHzAOoUFEtwQeTv_JQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1446%2Bstreak-backed%2Boriole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_lmO9h5oG0c/VyY9Jqi69QI/AAAAAAAAMto/TJ_cYRlqK6QGo-_yHzAOoUFEtwQeTv_JQCLcB/s640/DSC_1446%2Bstreak-backed%2Boriole.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#372: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=675916">Streak-backed Oriole</a>; Playa Carillo, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1S7x1_tdE0/VyY9Glc1FgI/AAAAAAAAMtk/6e0JAiRqbuozMS4eFAPgDW2FenMw6hSzACLcB/s1600/DSC_1446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1S7x1_tdE0/VyY9Glc1FgI/AAAAAAAAMtk/6e0JAiRqbuozMS4eFAPgDW2FenMw6hSzACLcB/s640/DSC_1446.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thought this would make an interesting reference....this is the picture above BEFORE processing. Pretty awesome how powerful editing software is (and how much good info could be in a "bad" shot)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lz1lfqrhmMo/VyY9irbDRoI/AAAAAAAAMuQ/ke_whJCanfgCnaOwu-BmD2Ws4325cX0ZACLcB/s1600/DSC_1404flycatcher.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lz1lfqrhmMo/VyY9irbDRoI/AAAAAAAAMuQ/ke_whJCanfgCnaOwu-BmD2Ws4325cX0ZACLcB/s640/DSC_1404flycatcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not totally sure--maybe a Nutting's flycatcher (leaning this way) or Brown-crested flycatcher?</td></tr>
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Down on the beach we wandered among the rocks and tidal pools and made some good finds too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nzf2tRd9HQ/VyY9YgUKjMI/AAAAAAAAMuA/ODMvM_7cktgQQGqF1l49v7_XGsuxuST0QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1565%2Bspotted%2Bsandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nzf2tRd9HQ/VyY9YgUKjMI/AAAAAAAAMuA/ODMvM_7cktgQQGqF1l49v7_XGsuxuST0QCLcB/s640/DSC_1565%2Bspotted%2Bsandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Sandpiper--I think we see these everywhere we go :)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dtj9CfIUtKA/VyY9VVVmppI/AAAAAAAAMt8/c_IPGMOsFy0oDfviUTQ-T1gvaTmmoquTgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dtj9CfIUtKA/VyY9VVVmppI/AAAAAAAAMt8/c_IPGMOsFy0oDfviUTQ-T1gvaTmmoquTgCLcB/s640/DSC_1556.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
It would have been easy to miss these guys, since they blend in so well, and it's easy to assume sandpipers are all the same. Always important to look closely! I think these are super striking birds! I love that long bill. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP_2_8j0jV8/VyY9L_p2j9I/AAAAAAAAMtw/k2N-SAUpzVYi48kdhod6L1yz7Hl6jsXCgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1525whimbrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP_2_8j0jV8/VyY9L_p2j9I/AAAAAAAAMtw/k2N-SAUpzVYi48kdhod6L1yz7Hl6jsXCgCLcB/s640/DSC_1525whimbrel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#373: <a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-tern">Whimbrel</a>; Playa Carillo, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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We noticed this guy flying around and chased him for a while...<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_IpPzMLgpL8/VyY9KAFlkqI/AAAAAAAAMts/pXmVIrIGQUcksLbMIpv3IbRj3kVNlqMxgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1481.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_IpPzMLgpL8/VyY9KAFlkqI/AAAAAAAAMts/pXmVIrIGQUcksLbMIpv3IbRj3kVNlqMxgCLcB/s640/DSC_1481.jpg" width="640" /></a> Until we found his hilarious friends...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0swT-aUWcJk/VyY9SUupxBI/AAAAAAAAMt4/pV3ly5cL5E8E4hjezPr86iJfP2UWJFMtQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1529royalterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0swT-aUWcJk/VyY9SUupxBI/AAAAAAAAMt4/pV3ly5cL5E8E4hjezPr86iJfP2UWJFMtQCLcB/s640/DSC_1529royalterns.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal terns at Playa Carillo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O260nxsrjpE/VyY9PIWVfHI/AAAAAAAAMt0/URBeQh-CJDg1G9HGAg5_pwNjW8o0wXV_ACLcB/s1600/DSC_1543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O260nxsrjpE/VyY9PIWVfHI/AAAAAAAAMt0/URBeQh-CJDg1G9HGAg5_pwNjW8o0wXV_ACLcB/s640/DSC_1543.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Pelican--Still my fave</td></tr>
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Finally! A black tern caught on camera. We've seen these a few times and never managed to catch it! Even though it's not in its full black plumage, it has distinctive markings. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfaGn5tEYmI/VyY9boVoGiI/AAAAAAAAMuE/bZmx6Wnf_1oOhjuXGviajbkp2KzDLqccACLcB/s1600/DSC_1580%2Bblack%2Btern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfaGn5tEYmI/VyY9boVoGiI/AAAAAAAAMuE/bZmx6Wnf_1oOhjuXGviajbkp2KzDLqccACLcB/s640/DSC_1580%2Bblack%2Btern.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#374: <a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-tern">Black Tern</a>; Playa Carillo, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJFn_7sgJqY/VyY9dLzm_2I/AAAAAAAAMuI/OctnSj3MRS8TFagdwUFZ9lvbh1AcnVgFACLcB/s1600/DSC_1594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJFn_7sgJqY/VyY9dLzm_2I/AAAAAAAAMuI/OctnSj3MRS8TFagdwUFZ9lvbh1AcnVgFACLcB/s640/DSC_1594.jpg" width="632" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inca dove having a snooze. Lazy beach days...</td></tr>
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Just down the road, outside of Samara we stayed one night at an amaazing tucked-away "hotel" (<a href="http://www.flying-crocodile.com/en/">The Flying Crocodile</a>--really, I can't speak more highly of this place). Not far away was Playa Barrigona (OH MY GOD--I FOUND HEAVEN) and also Playa Buenavista, where there is a turtle sanctuary. We went to check it out; there were young volunteers from all over the world there, in what I would call far-from-luxurious conditions, in fact, the conditions were basic at best. I really had no idea how tough/rough these volunteer experiences can be--I'm a pretty tough chick but I think those conditions would snap me like a brittle twig! The work these guys are doing is amazing and so encouraging that people are doing this stuff, out of their own pocket, to make this world a better place. Makes me hopeful despite all the crap that is happening everywhere! Oh geez..now I am tearing up a little just writing this. <br />
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We had high hopes to see turtles but it was just the wrong time, and I hated the idea of going out in huge mobs at night looking for them, but we did see this guy fishing on the beach. You know where there is a big school of fish if you just watch the birds! These are all black terns!<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMeFRkCiv7o/VyY9gXAiu1I/AAAAAAAAMuM/zxp7AgZ-59YCi_tEqoQa-XTC7kOAWCu9wCLcB/s1600/_DSC0353%2Bblack%2Bterns%2Bfishing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMeFRkCiv7o/VyY9gXAiu1I/AAAAAAAAMuM/zxp7AgZ-59YCi_tEqoQa-XTC7kOAWCu9wCLcB/s640/_DSC0353%2Bblack%2Bterns%2Bfishing.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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From there, we eventually moved on to Tamarindo for a little sun and surf and eventually onward home. Which means this is the last CR post! I've got to say, it's nice to finish this off, and I'm glad I managed to get through the 2000 pictures (which is why these posts sometimes take me so long to post). But it's been fun revisiting the memories now that a few months have passed.<br />
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Meanwhile, migration season has begun at home and I've returned to a few of my old haunts (my own kind of migration, I guess!). We even had a new bird right in the backyard! Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-65110438116651998382016-04-28T21:42:00.000-04:002016-04-28T21:42:08.157-04:00Pura Vida VIII: Palo Verde #363-370We stayed in a hotel that was a reasonable drive away from the next day's destination, since it would be a very early start. As we sat on the patio having a few drinks, we looked out into the total darkness of the grounds, until we heard this rumble that turned into a deep, loud, thunderous noise. I thought for sure there was a troop of wild pigs just around the corner. This was my first experience of the howler monkeys!<br />
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The grounds were home to a few other critters too:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8we1Rg1HH-c/VyKLwQQyqZI/AAAAAAAAMrw/pD186tc6rM0rjHnTZ29AmMvlJ2OzTFWZACLcB/s1600/_DSC0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8we1Rg1HH-c/VyKLwQQyqZI/AAAAAAAAMrw/pD186tc6rM0rjHnTZ29AmMvlJ2OzTFWZACLcB/s640/_DSC0035.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gecko in the light fixture! There was a row of these lamps, and each had one or more in it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o0XGE2q7ZPI/VyKLKYUzCFI/AAAAAAAAMqk/ZkMGe2eHds4w-mcyAba2J4bhyR0vQSmiQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1026%2Bagouti.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o0XGE2q7ZPI/VyKLKYUzCFI/AAAAAAAAMqk/ZkMGe2eHds4w-mcyAba2J4bhyR0vQSmiQCLcB/s640/DSC_1026%2Bagouti.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agouti</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLYa_YWbjv0/VyKK_UKT7WI/AAAAAAAAMqg/K46xqwJYcaEbVk_vvIys5WfEW7jDDbVXgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLYa_YWbjv0/VyKK_UKT7WI/AAAAAAAAMqg/K46xqwJYcaEbVk_vvIys5WfEW7jDDbVXgCLcB/s640/DSC_1034.jpg" width="602" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rufous-naped wren</td></tr>
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We reserved a Palo Verde Boat tour well in advance. Palo Verde is birding mecca and I had high
hopes to spot a Jabiru, one of the biggest birds in the world, and I had
visions of roseate spoonbills dancing in my head when I went to bed.<br />
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We had a nice morning, walking around the grounds looking for birds and animals, and got a pretty good head start to drive to the place we were supposed to catch our boat, which Google told me was 45 minutes away (or so I had written in my notes). This is where things started to go horribly wrong!<br />
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I put our destination in our GPS and it told me it would be twice as long to get there (going by the main road). Unfortunately, this day was highly scheduled and we couldn't be late of the boat would leave without us. There seemed to be a more direct route of smaller roads and we had to make a decision to see if we could cut time by racing down the back roads. We gambled on the back roads and were making up time fast, until the road became more and more rough, and then we made a few wrong turns that set us way back, and then we were really in The Middle Of Nowhere, Costa Rica. I asked some guy driving a tractor and he just shook his head at us. We clearly weren't going to make it to where the boat tour company is headquartered, so we decided to just go straight to the park and hope to catch up with them there.<br />
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We get to the park, well before the tour is to start, so I think we are ok. There's nothing there but a little hut and a guard and I explain the situation and he lets me call the tour company to let them know we'll just meet them there--no problem. He tells me it's the only entrance to the park--so I figure they have to come through here. And we wait, taking the opportunity to look at the birds there at the park entrance, even though it was HOT and DRY. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pAh2NXoIg5M/VyKLVd0bMrI/AAAAAAAAMq0/NYS9A9r6oFkcqIuCZa6St2rFVDW6AWPsQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1054%2Bscissor-tailed%2Bflycatcher.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pAh2NXoIg5M/VyKLVd0bMrI/AAAAAAAAMq0/NYS9A9r6oFkcqIuCZa6St2rFVDW6AWPsQCLcB/s640/DSC_1054%2Bscissor-tailed%2Bflycatcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#363:<a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scissor-tailed_Flycatcher/id"> Scissor-tailed Flycatcher</a>; Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qDpkcD7t-9s/VyKL5D7j6NI/AAAAAAAAMsU/XTAH2ycdZbY3PJv-kEDESqqBgqk--eucACLcB/s1600/_DSC0300%2Bscissor-tailed%2Bflycatcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qDpkcD7t-9s/VyKL5D7j6NI/AAAAAAAAMsU/XTAH2ycdZbY3PJv-kEDESqqBgqk--eucACLcB/s640/_DSC0300%2Bscissor-tailed%2Bflycatcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJTiXgaOfx8/VyKscahfiRI/AAAAAAAAMs0/3Qw4mAZ0mQ4aFo_viCyDi50KiR3FZxd2wCLcB/s1600/_DSC0304.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nJTiXgaOfx8/VyKscahfiRI/AAAAAAAAMs0/3Qw4mAZ0mQ4aFo_viCyDi50KiR3FZxd2wCLcB/s640/_DSC0304.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scissor-tailed flycatchers and doves on a wire.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I recalled when a scissor-tailed was reported in Pelee and we went nuts
looking for it, and here they are just perched on a wire like it's
nothing. I discovered I don't really enjoy chasing birds! This feels so
much more natural. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DdrdBhghX_I/VyKL0mFEK-I/AAAAAAAAMsA/TlQLNElqor86Kcf8t47VI-RKBOlUAZ_fwCLcB/s1600/_DSC0083.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DdrdBhghX_I/VyKL0mFEK-I/AAAAAAAAMsA/TlQLNElqor86Kcf8t47VI-RKBOlUAZ_fwCLcB/s640/_DSC0083.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gHbcXsup8V8/VyKLw5fd0jI/AAAAAAAAMr4/N5ifpXQLsps5fK5jeAEQqb5IRYyXOyQawCLcB/s1600/_DSC0049%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gHbcXsup8V8/VyKLw5fd0jI/AAAAAAAAMr4/N5ifpXQLsps5fK5jeAEQqb5IRYyXOyQawCLcB/s640/_DSC0049%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#364: <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/id">Swainson's Hawk</a>; Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8xIG1wC3YA/VyKLSw2gIhI/AAAAAAAAMqw/vljoRXXj5xUMwCeZGx645rXwfjEMFkCqACLcB/s1600/DSC_1045%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8xIG1wC3YA/VyKLSw2gIhI/AAAAAAAAMqw/vljoRXXj5xUMwCeZGx645rXwfjEMFkCqACLcB/s640/DSC_1045%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rA1v5xzjwoY/VyKLQjiqvPI/AAAAAAAAMqs/5twGDQLb3SkcqBLPNejZyMFQQo0AQ6P1wCLcB/s1600/DSC_1085%2Bdark%2Bmorph%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rA1v5xzjwoY/VyKLQjiqvPI/AAAAAAAAMqs/5twGDQLb3SkcqBLPNejZyMFQQo0AQ6P1wCLcB/s640/DSC_1085%2Bdark%2Bmorph%2Bswainsons%2Bhawk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swainson's hawk (dark morph)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Except about an hour goes by and they definitely should
have been there by now, and after way too long on the phone
we figure out the boat doesn't come here. PALO VERDE BOAT TOURS doesn't
go to PALO VERDE NATIONAL PARK. It goes to <span class="st"><span class="f"></span>El Refugio de Vida <em>Silvestre Dr</em>. <em>Rafael Rodríguez Lucas Caballero </em>(which is adjacent, but still misleading). I really start to doubt my Spanish and go over and over the conversation on the phone but I'm certain I was clear about where we were. </span><br />
<br /><span class="st">They apologized profusely but we finally got to where we needed to be and they put us on a later tour. We weren't going into Palo Verde, so I was pretty
disappointed. And in addition to that, we missed out on Barra Honda caves because you have to get to them by 11, and that's why we had picked the first boat tour of the day (in addition to being the best time of the day to see things). </span><br />
<br />
<span class="st">Nevertheless, we did see some great stuff. The boat driver
was better than the actual guide and had crazy eagle eyes. When he
spotted something good he's use a little mirror to reflect at the spot
where it was. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NEpU9MxJHC4/VyKLj-SNvdI/AAAAAAAAMrU/vqD57CVBAZowm9_RNNaDMs5KGmLLZ7lnACLcB/s1600/DSC_1152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NEpU9MxJHC4/VyKLj-SNvdI/AAAAAAAAMrU/vqD57CVBAZowm9_RNNaDMs5KGmLLZ7lnACLcB/s640/DSC_1152.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green iguana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cFHGrrTzkXA/VyKLWrVyrzI/AAAAAAAAMq4/v2j-PRS1FUcsszKGR03LKNYP2tk5Vcm3QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cFHGrrTzkXA/VyKLWrVyrzI/AAAAAAAAMq4/v2j-PRS1FUcsszKGR03LKNYP2tk5Vcm3QCLcB/s640/DSC_1100.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also a green iguana, which turn orange when excited!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DYvOna0Twk4/VyKLaeW9S2I/AAAAAAAAMrA/BOZClKgNrQ4mel6MxN8XAuar4sCuuPrZACLcB/s1600/DSC_1116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DYvOna0Twk4/VyKLaeW9S2I/AAAAAAAAMrA/BOZClKgNrQ4mel6MxN8XAuar4sCuuPrZACLcB/s640/DSC_1116.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys were hanging out on a tree over the river.....bats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2hiYRARvz6M/VyKLoSCvAXI/AAAAAAAAMrc/I-0HRiwNl7MLuKP8pQ01hVD_P4V6s1RbQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1171%2Bbasilisk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2hiYRARvz6M/VyKLoSCvAXI/AAAAAAAAMrc/I-0HRiwNl7MLuKP8pQ01hVD_P4V6s1RbQCLcB/s640/DSC_1171%2Bbasilisk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't this guy look like a dinosaur? Basilisk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3fKE_BP50Yw/VyKLXlE_kbI/AAAAAAAAMq8/n2XhrIHaF5glHqiZkZkYO2wdY-igXO7MQCLcB/s1600/DSC_1110%2Btree%2Bswallows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3fKE_BP50Yw/VyKLXlE_kbI/AAAAAAAAMq8/n2XhrIHaF5glHqiZkZkYO2wdY-igXO7MQCLcB/s640/DSC_1110%2Btree%2Bswallows.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree swallows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This guy was doing an amazing job of hiding out, but the boat driver was amazing at spotting things. Unfortunately we didn't get a better look than this. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--lhWURaTx9o/VyKLbrWjqbI/AAAAAAAAMrE/Ke-DKleAJCcQMObq9F3ArteQzKwr61mUwCLcB/s1600/DSC_1128%2BBoat-billed%2Bheron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--lhWURaTx9o/VyKLbrWjqbI/AAAAAAAAMrE/Ke-DKleAJCcQMObq9F3ArteQzKwr61mUwCLcB/s640/DSC_1128%2BBoat-billed%2Bheron.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#365: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview%3Fp_p_spp%3D115356">Boat-billed Heron</a>; Tempisque River, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not far away this guy was hanging out, and looked like other birds I've seen, but that black bill and orange eye mean it's something special--a yellow-crowned night-heron!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yEX87b8V0Gw/VyKsUVysQjI/AAAAAAAAMss/ShbHyCtWjF4afTB-PyNyare9Zkk4jd5uwCLcB/s1600/_DSC0108yelloe-crowned%2Bnightheron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yEX87b8V0Gw/VyKsUVysQjI/AAAAAAAAMss/ShbHyCtWjF4afTB-PyNyare9Zkk4jd5uwCLcB/s640/_DSC0108yelloe-crowned%2Bnightheron.jpg" width="576" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#366: <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-crowned_Night-Heron/id">Yellow-crowned Night-Heron</a> (juvenile); Tempisque River, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were many others things hiding out in the trees:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Thj_4IOtWvg/VyKsUv_PA-I/AAAAAAAAMsw/_LJEUfFIiCQA83Is2s7LJ72OybBvRfg4QCLcB/s1600/_DSC0171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Thj_4IOtWvg/VyKsUv_PA-I/AAAAAAAAMsw/_LJEUfFIiCQA83Is2s7LJ72OybBvRfg4QCLcB/s640/_DSC0171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICharXaxTNE/VyKLdUSs6WI/AAAAAAAAMrI/jVwsU1ivr0AL26zaCBoiImA0_mia3y8ogCLcB/s1600/DSC_1138%2Blittle%2Bblue%2Bheron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ICharXaxTNE/VyKLdUSs6WI/AAAAAAAAMrI/jVwsU1ivr0AL26zaCBoiImA0_mia3y8ogCLcB/s640/DSC_1138%2Blittle%2Bblue%2Bheron.jpg" width="522" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Blue Heron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QTtZcYCZ658/VyKLfqHhhHI/AAAAAAAAMrM/SDitu0TY3jMzdOGfjVg-64rk6Y0wgAo6QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1158%2Bsnowy%2Begret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QTtZcYCZ658/VyKLfqHhhHI/AAAAAAAAMrM/SDitu0TY3jMzdOGfjVg-64rk6Y0wgAo6QCLcB/s640/DSC_1158%2Bsnowy%2Begret.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy Egret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7vKdbVzRvs/VyKLlz0yWdI/AAAAAAAAMrY/oXDxoT_RmZwFAewOpmeeO3AYwGOzSh8-QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1162%2Bbare-throated%2Btiger%2Bheron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7vKdbVzRvs/VyKLlz0yWdI/AAAAAAAAMrY/oXDxoT_RmZwFAewOpmeeO3AYwGOzSh8-QCLcB/s640/DSC_1162%2Bbare-throated%2Btiger%2Bheron.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#367: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=111996">Bare-throated Tiger-heron</a>; Tempisque River, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-VwMnTeyyk/VyKLrfyjDSI/AAAAAAAAMrg/0IcOy8_BUJc-r3xSmZEUNf26Fr3lE_YfgCLcB/s1600/DSC_1176%2Bbare-throated%2Btiger%2Bheron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-VwMnTeyyk/VyKLrfyjDSI/AAAAAAAAMrg/0IcOy8_BUJc-r3xSmZEUNf26Fr3lE_YfgCLcB/s640/DSC_1176%2Bbare-throated%2Btiger%2Bheron.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hh_iCCsVpGY/VyKLsdYh-YI/AAAAAAAAMro/jsJMIMtuvM0eqZNPPzMRiSI2HClD9Z54QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hh_iCCsVpGY/VyKLsdYh-YI/AAAAAAAAMro/jsJMIMtuvM0eqZNPPzMRiSI2HClD9Z54QCLcB/s640/DSC_1214.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of things lurking in the murky water!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GtzFeuooxBc/VyKLuAOpSyI/AAAAAAAAMrs/RJweBTYEaYYSp6n_dRMisdxF9FWcCQnoQCLcB/s1600/IMG_3696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GtzFeuooxBc/VyKLuAOpSyI/AAAAAAAAMrs/RJweBTYEaYYSp6n_dRMisdxF9FWcCQnoQCLcB/s640/IMG_3696.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During our ride, it was interesting listening to the conversations of the other people on the tour. It was pretty clear they had all been picked up on a bus from resorts and their experience so far had been SOOO different from ours. Since we came in our rental SUV, we drove out of the park in front of their bus, which didn't stop for more than a second when we pulled over to check out some monkeys. After a few minutes I noticed something different about one...and realized it had a baby clinging to it. And that is why I don't like being on anybody else's schedule! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NX5YLA6jnrQ/VyKuOSlUwOI/AAAAAAAAMtE/lZroEpw0qOcq8RkvZlmSQY4Xq6OiI3w1wCLcB/s1600/DSC_1235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NX5YLA6jnrQ/VyKuOSlUwOI/AAAAAAAAMtE/lZroEpw0qOcq8RkvZlmSQY4Xq6OiI3w1wCLcB/s640/DSC_1235.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
We made the absolutely crazy decision to drive all the way back over to Palo Verde to see what we could find, though we had very limited light left and it was so much driving back and forth. For what was supposed to be a relatively light day of driving (about an hour and half), we ended up driving about six hours :(<br />
<br />
The guard at Palo Verde laughed at us and wouldn't even let us into the park since the cutoff time was 4pm. But I begged him in Spanish and he finally let us in as long we promised to be back not a second past 5:30 when he locked the gate. Unfortunately you can't hire a boat there (it has to be pre-arranged, and we didn't have time anyway) so we couldn't get out to where we needed to be to look for Jabirus and Spoonbills. But there was a little boardwalk and we found these amazing little birds that look like they have buttercups on their heads (the males)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vF06AAbIz3I/VyKL2oqyRZI/AAAAAAAAMsE/E-JOgBP78683dxG_Bu8Zrxs4oZbkTr7SACLcB/s1600/_DSC0242%2Bnorthern%2Bjacana.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vF06AAbIz3I/VyKL2oqyRZI/AAAAAAAAMsE/E-JOgBP78683dxG_Bu8Zrxs4oZbkTr7SACLcB/s640/_DSC0242%2Bnorthern%2Bjacana.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#368: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=148501">Northern Jacana</a>; Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We spotted this bird flying overhead and I couldn't even find it in the book. It took a lot of research to figure out that it's a female anhinga. I always thought I would see my first in Florida, but here it is! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--_0KUWDK460/VyKL33CpdVI/AAAAAAAAMsM/gwQXE8drlEIzj0k5GQawAptj2M_OC-lvgCLcB/s1600/_DSC0243%2Banhinga.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--_0KUWDK460/VyKL33CpdVI/AAAAAAAAMsM/gwQXE8drlEIzj0k5GQawAptj2M_OC-lvgCLcB/s640/_DSC0243%2Banhinga.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#369: <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Anhinga/id">Anhinga</a>; Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V00eIrY9G44/VyKL4KefCpI/AAAAAAAAMsQ/AYHP3eta1LMi16GBU4Mk09Z6JQWUUHyXgCLcB/s1600/_DSC0297%2Blimpkin.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V00eIrY9G44/VyKL4KefCpI/AAAAAAAAMsQ/AYHP3eta1LMi16GBU4Mk09Z6JQWUUHyXgCLcB/s640/_DSC0297%2Blimpkin.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#370: <a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/limpkin">Limpkin</a>; Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melodious Blackbird</td></tr>
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Finally at the end of the day, the sun started to set and we made our way to the ocean, finally. Jabiru, I will come back for you one day. <br /><br />We drove through cane fields that they were cutting (they were really tall...like 12 feet high), filling the canes into massive trucks, and burning off whatever was left on the ground (the guard at the gate told me it was to put nutrients back in the soil). They had massive fires everywhere and the air was dry and full of smoke. And this is how they make sugar! I then realized how dirty this process is, with the fields getting burned off and the product burned at the mill too. </div>
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Eventually we got to the main highway, and drove in the dark (again) to Samara. The day was crazy and not what we expected at all, but there wasn't much we could do about it. Whatever, just go with it. There are worse things that could happen. We saw seven new birds! PURA VIDA!<br /><br />The last part of the trip wasn't really going to involve much birding, but we still managed to see quite a few more, so I think there's one more post in this series! </div>
Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-7036877425701819172016-04-26T21:21:00.001-04:002016-04-26T21:21:46.395-04:00Pura Vida VII: Monteverde Finale #357-362<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once we were full of coffee and pastries and had a good fill of hummingbirds, we went back into the park (in case you missed it, we are still at the <a href="http://www.cloudforestmonteverde.com/">Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve</a>). We wanted to look on our own without a guide and managed to find a few other birds. They wouldn't let us on
some of the trails since they were already at capacity (and it seemed a
little unfair that they gave priority to people who had paid for
guides). We also scoped out some other trails with very different terrain and had a bit of luck (even managed to find a few quetzals on our own). We walked the park until we were both physically exhausted, but it was hard to leave knowing we wouldn't be back, and there were so many more birds to find. It was a very long day. <br />
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I'll just come right out and say it--the photos from inside the canopy definitely don't compare to the pics from the previous post, which kills me a little inside, being the perfectionist that I am--imagine dark, wet and rapidly flitting but mostly undetectable birds! It was a major photographic challenge. If only I had more time! <br />
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If any bird is eligible for the coolest name award, the common chlorospingus might be among them. Remarkably, it was not long ago known as a common bush-tanager, until <a href="http://ebird.org/content/camerica/news/the-names-of-some-birds-have-changed/?lang=en">it was changed</a> on a recommendation of the South American Classification Committee (do you think this information might come up on trivia night? I'm hopeful, but doubtful). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#357: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=589996">Common </a><span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=589996">Chlorospingus (Bush Tanager)</a>; Monte<span style="color: #0000ee;">verde<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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This black beauty was one of the most easily heard and recognized in the forest, but rather difficult to locate. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzBdjdeHi2s/Vx1BdxHXpwI/AAAAAAAAMms/Iym7ILR6Ea8T2JVtg1tSGPo3WZdXqLC_gCKgB/s1600/DSC_0880%2Bblack-faced%2Bsolitaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzBdjdeHi2s/Vx1BdxHXpwI/AAAAAAAAMms/Iym7ILR6Ea8T2JVtg1tSGPo3WZdXqLC_gCKgB/s640/DSC_0880%2Bblack-faced%2Bsolitaire.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#35<span style="color: #0000ee;">8</span>: <span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=545516">Black-f<span style="color: #0000ee;">a<span style="color: #0000ee;">ced Solitaire</span></span></a><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=589996"></a>; Monte<span style="color: #0000ee;">verde<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UC8WtyrBEY8/Vx6hhXOG5zI/AAAAAAAAMoE/nRAwGDdYx2cK4V0ap-R-jFWf81W6dgPnQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0855%2Bslate%2Bthroated%2Bredstart.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UC8WtyrBEY8/Vx6hhXOG5zI/AAAAAAAAMoE/nRAwGDdYx2cK4V0ap-R-jFWf81W6dgPnQCLcB/s640/DSC_0855%2Bslate%2Bthroated%2Bredstart.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#35<span style="color: #0000ee;">9</span>: <span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=575276">Slate-throated <span style="color: #0000ee;">Redstart<span style="color: #0000ee;"></span></span></a>; Monte<span style="color: #0000ee;">verde<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j6r1K4kqhVk/Vx6iX3bkpyI/AAAAAAAAMow/AlxMYSGIn-QQgdhj771an2BYRbboEcdmACLcB/s1600/DSC_0836%2Bthree%2Bstriped%2Bwarbler.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j6r1K4kqhVk/Vx6iX3bkpyI/AAAAAAAAMow/AlxMYSGIn-QQgdhj771an2BYRbboEcdmACLcB/s640/DSC_0836%2Bthree%2Bstriped%2Bwarbler.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#3<span style="color: #0000ee;">60</span>: <span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=579596">Three<span style="color: #0000ee;">-striped War<span style="color: #0000ee;">bler</span></span></a><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=545516"><span style="color: #0000ee;"></span></a>; Monte<span style="color: #0000ee;">verde<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#3<span style="color: #0000ee;">6<span style="color: #0000ee;">1</span></span>: <span style="color: #0000ee;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=539596">Gr<span style="color: #0000ee;">ay-breasted Wood-wren</span></a><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=579596"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"></span></span></a>; Monte<span style="color: #0000ee;">verde<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: #0000ee;">Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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I'm still working on identification for a few birds. We may never know....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_nhzmebkN10/Vx6g3sUrtSI/AAAAAAAAMm8/TihXogfdJY4e3E46HFT5nuom1IZghN_lQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0676.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_nhzmebkN10/Vx6g3sUrtSI/AAAAAAAAMm8/TihXogfdJY4e3E46HFT5nuom1IZghN_lQCLcB/s640/DSC_0676.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">W</span>oodcreeper of some kind</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpKd61EUMVE/Vx6hkMNd8lI/AAAAAAAAMoM/7H4kUQqiGrsRigQ6lPbjvoibowI8GBCgwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0873.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpKd61EUMVE/Vx6hkMNd8lI/AAAAAAAAMoM/7H4kUQqiGrsRigQ6lPbjvoibowI8GBCgwCLcB/s640/DSC_0873.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted barbtail maybe?</td></tr>
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We had seen a motmot in the forest earlier that day. They are seriously magnificent birds, and a good size, and Matt spotted one right beside the trail, where I would have walked right by and not even noticed. I snapped a few pics but wasn't too worried, knowing we'd seen them in Yelapa. Well, turns out we saw russet-crowned motmots, not blue-crowned! We also saw this gorgeous one just sitting by the window at the place in town where we went for dinner. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ-gABYKVWo/VyANrgyTh_I/AAAAAAAAMqQ/l3Kp00FldHgXDvE5iI5CZDrz9jvOZyP-QCLcB/s1600/DSC_1004%2Bmot%2Bmot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OJ-gABYKVWo/VyANrgyTh_I/AAAAAAAAMqQ/l3Kp00FldHgXDvE5iI5CZDrz9jvOZyP-QCLcB/s640/DSC_1004%2Bmot%2Bmot.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">#3<span style="color: #0000ee;">6<span style="color: #0000ee;">2</span></span>: </span><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=760696">Blue-crowned motmot</a><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;">; <span style="color: #0000ee;">Besi<span style="color: #0000ee;">de the Paz y Flora Restaurante<span style="color: #0000ee;"> Vegetariana in S<span style="color: #0000ee;">an<span style="color: #0000ee;">ta Ele<span style="color: #0000ee;">na</span></span></span>, Costa Rica; D<span style="color: #0000ee;">ecember 2015</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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At this time we shifted gears in the trip. After dinner, we started to make our way to the coast! Out of the volcanoes and mountains on our way to the Nicoya Peninsula. We did that thing everyone tells you not to do--drove in the dark--but needed to be in position for a big day of birding the following day. <br /><br />Our day in Monteverde was memorable to say the least. We counted 20 new birds in one day alone!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just looking like a true birder! </td></tr>
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Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-73060057501649048902016-04-25T21:05:00.001-04:002016-04-25T21:05:09.766-04:00Pura Vida VI: Hummingbird central in Monteverde #348-356At the end of our morning tour in the <a href="http://www.cloudforestmonteverde.com/">Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve</a>, our guide dropped of us at Cafeteria el Colibri at the gate to the park. He rhymed off the names of a bunch of hummingbirds while pointing in wild zigzags and then left us to our own devices. We stayed there for at least an hour, and in all honesty, this was the highlight of the day for us. Go figure, it's the part where anyone can go with there's no admission fee, and the place we saw the most birds! It was one of the most magical things I have experienced!<br />
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The coffee shop was buzzing - not just because it's the only place to get food at the park, but it was literally buzzing with hummingbirds! Multiple feeding stations were set up and there were several birds at each, some of them even competing for spots!<br /><br />(Click the gear to watch in 1080 HD--look especially for violet saberwing and bananaquit in this video)<br />
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The <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=236251">violet saberwing</a> was certainly the most striking hummingbird--a very brilliant blue that just doesn't photograph quite like you see it in person, and it was quite bit bigger than the others (14-15 cm). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FFxQdw4zi-I/Vx6hVPpn6QI/AAAAAAAAMn0/EKs5t5p-f7Q2utyqKUQPptXiZCOkLnNHACLcB/s1600/DSC_0805%2Bviolet%2Bsaberwing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FFxQdw4zi-I/Vx6hVPpn6QI/AAAAAAAAMn0/EKs5t5p-f7Q2utyqKUQPptXiZCOkLnNHACLcB/s640/DSC_0805%2Bviolet%2Bsaberwing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#348: Violet Saberwing; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wsWJ6dXmDzM/Vx6iV38dNHI/AAAAAAAAMos/3ZDtbNGou989A2UP9FD3qu1E-jdM70eGQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0757%2Bviolet%2Bsaberwing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wsWJ6dXmDzM/Vx6iV38dNHI/AAAAAAAAMos/3ZDtbNGou989A2UP9FD3qu1E-jdM70eGQCLcB/s640/DSC_0757%2Bviolet%2Bsaberwing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because they zipped around so quickly, it was hard to photograph these little beauties, and also to catch the brief moments when the sun hit their feathers at just the right angle and made them shimmer. The purple-throated mountain gem was breathtakingly striking.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#349: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=258776">Purple-throated Mountain Gem</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple-throated mountain gem (female). Love the splotchy green pattern!</td></tr>
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I furiously snapped as many pictures as I could, hoping that I didn't miss any of the varieties. It was a little chaotic, and hard to focus on one at a time!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#350: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=238171">Green Violetear</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#351: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=257176">Coppery-headed Emerald</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#352: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=230971">Green Hermit</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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This little cheeky monkey was coming to the hummingbird feeder too. One of these things is not like the others...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#353: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=581516">Bananaquit</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#354: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=256376">Stripe-tailed Hummingbird</a> (female); Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015<br />Note brown square at top of wing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#355: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=260856">Green-crowned Brilliant</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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Unfortunately I didn't get a sitting shot of this next one, but it just seemed to never sit! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#356: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=276696">Magenta-throated Woodstar</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Cafeteria El Colibri); December 2015</td></tr>
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(Click the gear to watch in 1080 HD and look for great shot of the blue throat on a green-crowned brilliant at the start of the video!) </div>
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It was hard to believe and easy to forget that it was just two days past Christmas, until I was served this sweet little reminder of what things were like back home. This was just a short little sugar rush before heading back into the park! Yes, there's more!<br />
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Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Monteverde, Costa Rica10.2749682 -84.825509710.1499802 -84.9868712 10.3999562 -84.6641482tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-63766306743232062422016-04-24T17:52:00.000-04:002016-04-24T18:01:11.768-04:00Pura Vida V: Searching for the elusive Quetzal in the Monteverde (#342-347)We made our way from Tenorio through the countryside to Monteverde. It was nice to have the luxury of time to make our way since we had cancelled our plans to go to Arenal. We made a pit stop along the way at Lake Arenal, which is world-famous for kite and windsurfing, but we were mainly attracted by the fact that there is a microbrewery there (which are few and far between in CR).<br />
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In the parking lot, we spotted our first howler monkeys!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not leaving much to the imagination</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Options included pineapple and CHILI beer -- only in Costa Rica!!</td></tr>
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It was a beautiful sunny day, and the road wound through the hills of farmland. I spotted a few little birds at the roadside that looked somewhat familiar, but one must always look closely when in a new place, because familiar birds are often not as familiar as you might assume!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#342: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=630156">Yellow-faced Grassquit</a>; December 2015, Costa Rica</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#343: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=657516">Rufous-collared sparrow</a>; December 2015, Costa Rica</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical Kingbird</td></tr>
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We arrived in Santa Elena, which was by far the most touristy town we had been to yet. It is renowned for its nearby cloud forest and the birds that can be found there (and I was corrected multiple times that is not the rainforest - it is a cloud forest, which is higher in elevation and cooler than the rainforest).<br />
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Still, it's a relatively small town, with a busy main drag through town with restaurants and shops. We arrived later in the day, and decided to skip the regular <i>casado</i> and splurge on dinner at a restaurant that was basically in a tree. You only live once, right? (I ended up eating <i>casado</i> anyway, just paying more for it, lol!)<br />
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We had read that you have to get to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve early in the day, since access is limited and you may not get in if you show up late. We had also discovered at this point how tricky it can be to find birds in CR, and if there was anywhere to hire a guide, this was it. Unfortunately though, we hadn't reserved in advance and the ones that came recommended were busy. So we just drove to the park and there was already a huge crowd waiting to pay to get into the park. As it turns out, there were also guides just milling about, waiting for people to hire them. This was a first to see. So we picked a guide, forked over a wad of cash, hoped he was good and off we went.<br />
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There are a few birds that people come to this location to see: most notably, the Resplendent Quetzal and the Three-Wattled Bellbird (which apparently sounds like a rusty gate closing--I couldn't confirm, because we didn't see or hear it, sadly). <br />
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The cloud forest was so wet and it was next to impossible to keep things dry. I was feeling really happy I had splurged on a new camera body right before leaving that is weather-sealed! Things started out very quiet--it seemed like nothing was moving and nothing was even singing, other than our guide who had the uncanny ability to reproduce multiple bird calls with incredible accuracy.<br />
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It seemed that for quite some time we didn't see anything at all and we started to wonder about the value of the whole thing. It can be hard to remember to be patient! We did hear some birds that our guide identified immediately, but it's just not the same as seeing it.<br />
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Finally our guide somehow spotted one the birds everyone comes for--it was really far up in the canopy, and only a small bit of it visible, and it took him about five minutes of him pointing until I finally spotted it, but we had a Resplendent Quetzal!<br />
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We managed to find a few other Quetzals, but the views were never really amazing. There is so much greenery in the way, and they are so tricky to find. This is pretty much the best shot I got. Other photographers have had much better luck (and likely time), so here's a link so you can see what this magnificent bird looks like: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=284856">http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=284856.</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#344: Resplendent Quetzal; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; December 2015</td></tr>
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There were quite a few small groups with guides on the trails and the guides would yell back and forth to each other when they found something interesting. This network was really interesting to watch and meant all guides were able to help their clients as much as possible.<br />
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We also spotted these large black birds in the same area. The guide didn't seem to think they were much to get excited about but it's easy to forget what a life bird is for someone, even it's a rather plain-looking thing. This pic is so bad it makes me laugh...makes me think of bad Loch Ness photos. Yes I saw a black guan....see?!? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Qz1NSrEvnw/Vx095fwGwpI/AAAAAAAAMmY/GCENW3ADDEEAhC0gkSlmbkc3EV6v1IxXQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0646%2Bblack%2Bguan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Qz1NSrEvnw/Vx095fwGwpI/AAAAAAAAMmY/GCENW3ADDEEAhC0gkSlmbkc3EV6v1IxXQCLcB/s640/DSC_0646%2Bblack%2Bguan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#345: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=80071">Black Guan</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; December 2015</td></tr>
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<br />
Our guide did find us a few other birds that there is no way we could have possible found, and that he likely knew the locations of from being there day to day, and talking to other guides. He also showed us this owl--again, it took a lot of pointing and head tilting to finally spot this one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i7RQnwhdJN8/Vx09G8l8B4I/AAAAAAAAMmQ/QuaCbtj_xvY1mJGwVypQYLJIHTL-bt3DQCLcB/s1600/IMG_3657%2Bmottled%2Bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i7RQnwhdJN8/Vx09G8l8B4I/AAAAAAAAMmQ/QuaCbtj_xvY1mJGwVypQYLJIHTL-bt3DQCLcB/s640/IMG_3657%2Bmottled%2Bowl.jpg" width="462" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#346: Mottled Owl (through our guide's scope); Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; December 2015</td></tr>
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The song of the Black-faced Solitaire was frequently heard and we were soon able to identify it fairly easily. Spotting it was much harder.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S7AwOr4Pv-E/Vx1Bs8e71AI/AAAAAAAAMmo/dL_VOSQzApsCqKft8PKcSqNj0PRhke4IACLcB/s1600/DSC_0880%2Bblack-faced%2Bsolitaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S7AwOr4Pv-E/Vx1Bs8e71AI/AAAAAAAAMmo/dL_VOSQzApsCqKft8PKcSqNj0PRhke4IACLcB/s640/DSC_0880%2Bblack-faced%2Bsolitaire.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#347: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=545516">Black-faced Solitaire</a>; Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; December 2015</td></tr>
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The last stop of the tour was back to the gates of the park and at the Café Colibri. I'll do a separate post for that....it was magical, and ironically, a place where you don't even need to pay park admission or a guide to find you some wonderful birds! Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Monteverde, Costa Rica10.306390373664396 -84.8114490509033210.298578873664395 -84.821534050903324 10.314201873664397 -84.801364050903317tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-62300370107017378692016-04-23T17:34:00.000-04:002016-04-23T17:34:21.308-04:00Pura Vida IV: Tenorio continued #339-341Ok! It's been a while, so here's a little refresher. We left off in Tenorio, Costa Rica, near Bijagua. This area is best known for Tenorio National Park, where the shockingly blue Rio Celeste meanders along to a stunning waterfall.<br />
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We
stayed at the nearby at the Casitas Tenorio, a small bed and breakfast
where visitors stay in cabins and where the owners are very much in tune
with the land and the wildlife. They have a feeding area set up for birds where breakfast is served. They just toss some bananas grown on the property into the nook of a tree nearby and the birds flock to it.<br />
<br />
The
bird landscape evolved over the course of the morning. Some that we'd
seen earlier in the morning never came back and others only showed up
later. </div>
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We were
supposed to head up to Arenal that day, which is a perfectly conical
volcano and one of Costa Rica's top attractions, but it was just so far
away and we were enjoying ourselves so much that we decided to cut it
completely from the itinerary. We ended up hanging out at Casitas
Tenorio until 11 am, watching the birds from the breakfast area and
wandering the trail on the property. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#339: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=309496">Black-cheeked woodpecker</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYQXp4uRBHg/Vq5C5x-2eVI/AAAAAAAAMek/Xt_q0AhIiBk/s1600/DSC_0325%2BBuff-throated%2Bsaltator.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYQXp4uRBHg/Vq5C5x-2eVI/AAAAAAAAMek/Xt_q0AhIiBk/s640/DSC_0325%2BBuff-throated%2Bsaltator.jpg" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#340:<a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=660876"> Buff-Throated Saltator</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qMRZS2hiZQg/Vq5DL2hsoSI/AAAAAAAAMf0/zMbRg3bP0K4/s1600/DSC_0474.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qMRZS2hiZQg/Vq5DL2hsoSI/AAAAAAAAMf0/zMbRg3bP0K4/s640/DSC_0474.jpg" width="536" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#341: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=48972">Collared Aracari</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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I fell in love with the aricaris (and pretty much most of the birds I saw at Casitas Tenorio). While they look much like toucans, they are much smaller. The toucans are huge!<br />
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It wasn't until things quieted down and people had finished up
breakfast and left that the timid toucans came in. Still, they did so
very slowly and carefully, but patience always prevails in birding!<br />
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Donald
(right) is one of the owners and he took us on a stroll around the
property. He managed to find us two sloths (I think they were two-toed
but I'm not sure). They are so hard to spot - like most wildlife in
Costa Rica, it's incredibly hard to spot anything without a trained eye.
These are fairly large animals and still so difficult to see. They
blend in so well (in fact, their fur goes a little green from algae
growing on them, because they are so slow and always wet). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jn6a5GEWYhE/Vq5EqQ35VBI/AAAAAAAAMhA/8dpIz40Zvic/s1600/DSC_0542.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jn6a5GEWYhE/Vq5EqQ35VBI/AAAAAAAAMhA/8dpIz40Zvic/s640/DSC_0542.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=447721">Common Tody-Flycatcher</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015<br />
(I didn't count this one because I can't remember if Matt saw it or if I did too. But it's a great shot!) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyjnD6C2Tng/Vq5DReH5HtI/AAAAAAAAMgM/DihgWhbrFcI/s1600/DSC_0513.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyjnD6C2Tng/Vq5DReH5HtI/AAAAAAAAMgM/DihgWhbrFcI/s640/DSC_0513.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Black-mandibled Toucan </td></tr>
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We got much better views of the toucans than we did the previous day. I suppose I was influenced by the outgoing personality of Toucan Sam, so I was surprised when I realized how shy, quiet and careful toucans are in reality.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keel-billed Toucan</td></tr>
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Finally, we started to make our way over to Monteverde after check out, where the cloud rainforest is major destination for birders from around the world. Stay tuned for that!Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Alajuela, Costa Rica10.723188664617641 -85.05168914794921910.707587164617641 -85.071859147949212 10.738790164617642 -85.031519147949226tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-83271335450579318262016-02-10T20:27:00.000-05:002016-02-10T20:27:21.644-05:00Pura Vida III: Tenorio #333-338<div style="text-align: left;">
We were so excited for the morning at <a href="http://www.casitastenorio.com/">Casitas Tenorio</a> that we got up at the crack
of dawn. The first sound that I could hear from bed was so distinct, so
I got up and found the source. An Oropendula doing his thing right out the window (not my
video, but this is exactly what it was doing). "Oro" means "gold" and "pendola" for "pendulum"--you can see why.</div>
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We knew the owners of our B&B put fruit from the property out for the birds in the morning, so we got up way before breakfast to keep an eye on the feeding station. They had a perfect setup - breakfast was served in a covered building so you would be out of the elements but able to see everything out the sides. This effectively gave us some shelter and a sort of hide. These are the birds that visited over the course of the morning--the birds seemed to be on a schedule, some made just a brief appearance while others stayed longer. Some came only in the early morning and others came only late. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yysXcJGqAO0/Vq5CyT3ttBI/AAAAAAAAMeE/hV8l3Wyy0oo/s1600/DSC_0257%2Bmontezuma%2Boropendula.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yysXcJGqAO0/Vq5CyT3ttBI/AAAAAAAAMeE/hV8l3Wyy0oo/s640/DSC_0257%2Bmontezuma%2Boropendula.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#333: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=680076">Montezuma Oropendola</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OiYDXteYWSI/Vq5DXQNyrPI/AAAAAAAAMgk/F1h1Dtwa2Zc/s1600/DSC_0581.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OiYDXteYWSI/Vq5DXQNyrPI/AAAAAAAAMgk/F1h1Dtwa2Zc/s640/DSC_0581.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oropendola with "wattles" (fleshy bits at throat) visible</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_gV7AMpTbY/Vq5C9sw3SjI/AAAAAAAAMes/ZkWD6YA0NvM/s1600/DSC_0329.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O_gV7AMpTbY/Vq5C9sw3SjI/AAAAAAAAMes/ZkWD6YA0NvM/s640/DSC_0329.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#334: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=255416">Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015<br />
We saw only one type of hummingbird at the B&B, but it was easily seen. Donald explained that they are very territorial. Small but fiesty -- hm, seems I can identify with this! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_hcyKtS3ho/Vq5DcUZ5s4I/AAAAAAAAMg0/J8HvTHAMi5Q/s1600/_DSC9877%2Bred%2Blegged%2Bhoneycreeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_hcyKtS3ho/Vq5DcUZ5s4I/AAAAAAAAMg0/J8HvTHAMi5Q/s640/_DSC9877%2Bred%2Blegged%2Bhoneycreeper.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#335: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=615916">Red-legged Honeycreeper</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LA3S8uYpj2w/Vq5C0EwLv3I/AAAAAAAAMeM/4RxctAqecVs/s1600/DSC_0225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LA3S8uYpj2w/Vq5C0EwLv3I/AAAAAAAAMeM/4RxctAqecVs/s640/DSC_0225.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly one of my favourite shots of the day. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyj_lEYBPUg/Vq5DIObkRAI/AAAAAAAAMfk/5KQxHW_83vQ/s1600/DSC_0439.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="628" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyj_lEYBPUg/Vq5DIObkRAI/AAAAAAAAMfk/5KQxHW_83vQ/s640/DSC_0439.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same bird as above, but here are males in full plumage!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccOvn9B9oPA/Vq5C2PtVYxI/AAAAAAAAMeU/pHsCimpPrag/s1600/DSC_0256%2Bclay%2Bcoloured%2Bthrush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccOvn9B9oPA/Vq5C2PtVYxI/AAAAAAAAMeU/pHsCimpPrag/s640/DSC_0256%2Bclay%2Bcoloured%2Bthrush.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#336: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=550476">Clay-coloured Thrush</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015<br />
Early in the morning...notice how much better the lighting is just a while later!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7X1blWa9w4/Vq5DAoLXgOI/AAAAAAAAMfE/4M-KcsrXitM/s1600/DSC_0399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7X1blWa9w4/Vq5DAoLXgOI/AAAAAAAAMfE/4M-KcsrXitM/s640/DSC_0399.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=682796">Yellow-throated Euphonia</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015<br />
Same as the bird seen the day before, but the setup here allowed for way better shots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHL3m305ti4/Vq5DCg9SmVI/AAAAAAAAMfM/pxrwBFXOqgY/s1600/DSC_0410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHL3m305ti4/Vq5DCg9SmVI/AAAAAAAAMfM/pxrwBFXOqgY/s640/DSC_0410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#337: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=599756">Blue-grey Tanager</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015<br />
There is something about this bird I find so absolutely mesmerizing. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sfmXM5-16k/Vq5DKEKyVmI/AAAAAAAAMfs/sWknq-J0EM8/s1600/DSC_0455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sfmXM5-16k/Vq5DKEKyVmI/AAAAAAAAMfs/sWknq-J0EM8/s640/DSC_0455.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#338: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=615276">Green Honeycreeper (male)</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXWvodj0eoM/Vq5DD7CkbYI/AAAAAAAAMfU/vkZlHSluUIc/s1600/DSC_0416.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXWvodj0eoM/Vq5DD7CkbYI/AAAAAAAAMfU/vkZlHSluUIc/s640/DSC_0416.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#338: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=615276">Green Honeycreeper (female)</a>; Tenorio/Bijagua, Costa Rica; December 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pippa and Donald run an awesome little operation, and to be honest, it was one of the highlights for us. We literally didn't need to step off the property for awesome wildlife and bird viewing and photographing opportunities. At no other point during our trip did we see birds so easily and regularly, so there was huge value in this. Our room actually had a giant mural painted on it with local birds, plus they were so knowledgeable and kind--we felt right at home. They had also made laminated info sheets and left them in the area, so instead of skimming through 400 pages of our book, we could refer to 4 handy pages. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_W8jhwADNQ/VrvhylpJ5-I/AAAAAAAAMhY/_zeiLXVfB5I/s1600/20151226_100225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L_W8jhwADNQ/VrvhylpJ5-I/AAAAAAAAMhY/_zeiLXVfB5I/s640/20151226_100225.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
I really wanted to put all the birds from Casitas Tenorio in one post but I've run out of allowable tags again (that's the names of the birds on the side where you click from and how I keep track of what I've seen--that's right, even on vacation, I refer to my own blog!). Later that morning will be following shortly, so check back very soon! Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-90560797563463928372016-02-01T12:14:00.000-05:002016-02-01T12:14:00.254-05:00Pura Vida II: On the Road (to Tenorio) #328-332It's still Christmas Day and we've already done a short hike at Rincon de la Vieja. We then headed to toward our next destination,
Tenorio Volcano National Park, and it really struck me how relatively few tourists there were
around these parts. On the road, it sometimes felt like we were the only ones
around, with the exception of the off pick-up truck loaded with fruit.<br />
<br />
I spotted some big white birds through some trees in a large opening beside the road and I made Matt
stop--he kept insisting they were egrets (they were a long way off, and there were some egrets close by) and I
kept insisting they weren't. The images aren't amazing since they were
so far out, but they were huge (about 1 metre tall), and looks like the
one in the middle found something good to eat! It's a good thing we
stopped--we never saw these again! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-28zTkxtWfWQ/Vqg7K-I0msI/AAAAAAAAMao/uhwfi_7_oKk/s1600/DSC_0089%2Bwood%2Bstork.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-28zTkxtWfWQ/Vqg7K-I0msI/AAAAAAAAMao/uhwfi_7_oKk/s640/DSC_0089%2Bwood%2Bstork.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="st" data-hveid="47">#328: <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Stork/id">Wood Stork</a>; On the 6 just north of Interamericano 1, Costa Rica; December 2015 </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9bM3-pVhOw0/Vqg7Qmh9WWI/AAAAAAAAMa8/jn8UmbFHXVw/s1600/DSC_0101%2Bwood%2Bstork%2Bin%2Bflight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9bM3-pVhOw0/Vqg7Qmh9WWI/AAAAAAAAMa8/jn8UmbFHXVw/s640/DSC_0101%2Bwood%2Bstork%2Bin%2Bflight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood
stork in flight. Somehow I figured out with the new camera how to focus
on birds on flight! Or rather, I figured out the setting to do it,
which I "knew" of but I guess I didn't use, or it hadn't worked for me
before. Maybe it's the extra focus points--don't know, but it's awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gyeHUwzen44/Vq4_1zATUxI/AAAAAAAAMdw/pJLRVKRUN6U/s1600/headingtotenorio.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gyeHUwzen44/Vq4_1zATUxI/AAAAAAAAMdw/pJLRVKRUN6U/s640/headingtotenorio.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Tenorio - beautiful rolling countryside</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NsT7KS_FsM/Vqg7QgzczPI/AAAAAAAAMa4/Q-UI_3ERsZU/s1600/DSC_0106%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NsT7KS_FsM/Vqg7QgzczPI/AAAAAAAAMa4/Q-UI_3ERsZU/s640/DSC_0106%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#329: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=131796">Crested Caracara</a>; On <span class="st" data-hveid="47">the 6 north of Interamericano 1, Costa Rica; December 2015.<br />Matt
spotted this beauty (in fact, there were a few of them, and we'd see
many of them later on in the trip). Such a striking bird, it's almost
difficult to express how awesome I think they are!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sYJu3vfDxhw/Vqg7WuofmGI/AAAAAAAAMbI/8obN80meWDM/s1600/DSC_0120%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="461" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sYJu3vfDxhw/Vqg7WuofmGI/AAAAAAAAMbI/8obN80meWDM/s640/DSC_0120%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I included this one because you can see its EYELASHES! Seriously, click on it and see for yourself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eYlXJK1cazU/Vqg7YgJGxaI/AAAAAAAAMbQ/kzmRclRoiJw/s1600/DSC_0121%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eYlXJK1cazU/Vqg7YgJGxaI/AAAAAAAAMbQ/kzmRclRoiJw/s640/DSC_0121%2Bcrested%2Bcaracara.jpg" width="490" /></a> </div>
We
checked in quickly at our B&B in Bijagua and mentioned we were
headed to the Park. Donald (one of the owners) said, "well you can't get
in past 4, and it's 3:15 now, and the road is....only 10km but [pause]
quite bumpy..." 10 km, no problem right? It turns out it really can take
you 45-60 minutes to drive 10km in Costa Rica, and, wow. The roads. I
was warned; I scoffed. I get it. I get it now.<br />
<br />
But we
did make it. The park is truly lovely and has some super interesting
stuff. This is where we spotted our first white-faced monkeys! Matt
spotted a guan-type of bird in the forest but it took off before I could
get the camera out. I had tucked it away because it was SO WET.
Yeah, turns out it actually rains a lot in the rain forest. I need to come up with a better cover for my camera for situations like these!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jlnBK3OhmJc/VqrBGF3UV6I/AAAAAAAAMdI/ntYCMoQqIhI/s1600/IMG_3611.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jlnBK3OhmJc/VqrBGF3UV6I/AAAAAAAAMdI/ntYCMoQqIhI/s640/IMG_3611.JPG" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The forest was so peaceful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBoA8jmfWUs/Vqg8fYGmeoI/AAAAAAAAMc4/XNPjPUBGUxg/s1600/_DSC9809%2Beuterpe%2Bpalm%2Bstilt%2Broots.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBoA8jmfWUs/Vqg8fYGmeoI/AAAAAAAAMc4/XNPjPUBGUxg/s640/_DSC9809%2Beuterpe%2Bpalm%2Bstilt%2Broots.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful stilt roots on a euterpe palm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p32QPPMpSMM/Vqg7ad5WBDI/AAAAAAAAMbY/GULprlka12o/s1600/DSC_0129%2Bwhite%2Bfaced%2Bmonkey.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p32QPPMpSMM/Vqg7ad5WBDI/AAAAAAAAMbY/GULprlka12o/s640/DSC_0129%2Bwhite%2Bfaced%2Bmonkey.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first monkeys (white-faced)! And they were so sweet looking! Not scared of us, but not particularly interested either. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was so
wet, in fact, that we rented rubber boots to walk the trail. So aside
from the monkeys and the guan, we didn't see much until in terms of
wildlife and birds (since they sort of lay low in the rain). But as we were about to leave I noticed some action in the tree birds right at the trail head, including some wonderfully colourful birds.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oS52vsXLoPw/Vqg7eND6nQI/AAAAAAAAMbo/sbNPhPv0X5k/s1600/DSC_0136%2Byellow%2Bthroated%2Beuphonia.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oS52vsXLoPw/Vqg7eND6nQI/AAAAAAAAMbo/sbNPhPv0X5k/s640/DSC_0136%2Byellow%2Bthroated%2Beuphonia.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#330: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=682796">Yellow-throated Euphonia</a>;<span class="st" data-hveid="47"> Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015. <br />At first I almost cropped into the mail until I noticed the female hiding out below him. Kind of neat to see them side by side!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-59-M4uwz-Hk/Vq5C91h-KTI/AAAAAAAAMew/N7x53rgo8IM/s1600/DSC_0586%2Bblack%2Bvulture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-59-M4uwz-Hk/Vq5C91h-KTI/AAAAAAAAMew/N7x53rgo8IM/s640/DSC_0586%2Bblack%2Bvulture.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black vulture on the roadside</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the drive home, Matt spotted a few toucans, which just seemed so
unreal. There was so much fog, turning the branches into this eerie
stark backdrop. They sat for the longest time. I guess I'm influenced by Fruit Loops commercials, but Toucans are different than I was expecting--they are very shy and so striking and careful in their movement - they stay still for very long periods, or
move just the slightest (turn their heads).<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JPs-j7m7Ink/Vqg7dRbvo6I/AAAAAAAAMbg/H0cJ37I88ks/s1600/DSC_0141%2Bkeel%2Bbilled%2Btoucan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JPs-j7m7Ink/Vqg7dRbvo6I/AAAAAAAAMbg/H0cJ37I88ks/s640/DSC_0141%2Bkeel%2Bbilled%2Btoucan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#331: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=303256">Keel-billed Toucan</a>; <span class="st" data-hveid="47">near Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5inY-vJeT5c/Vqg7gdU1hKI/AAAAAAAAMbw/oD-3Eua2suY/s1600/DSC_0163%2Bblack%2Bmadibled%2Btoucan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5inY-vJeT5c/Vqg7gdU1hKI/AAAAAAAAMbw/oD-3Eua2suY/s640/DSC_0163%2Bblack%2Bmadibled%2Btoucan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#332: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=27206">Black-mandibled Toucan</a>; near T<span class="st" data-hveid="47">enorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica; December 2015.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7TW9nGAfV8/VqrSvJL8jcI/AAAAAAAAMdg/8Av7Jas5DVg/s1600/4285639-4432932105-img_t.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7TW9nGAfV8/VqrSvJL8jcI/AAAAAAAAMdg/8Av7Jas5DVg/s1600/4285639-4432932105-img_t.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not really sure which bird Toucan Sam is modeled after!<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm pretty excited for the next post about our morning in Tenorio, so check back soon :)Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-18512875151787667682016-01-28T22:19:00.000-05:002016-01-28T22:34:25.572-05:00Pura Vida I: Feliz Navidad! Rincon de la Vieja #323-327Happy new year! I'm back for what seems to be my once-a-year series of posts. Not that there hasn't been any shortage of things to talk about (the first thing that comes to mind is the many birders from far and wide who descended on nearby Pakenham to spot a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bullock-s-oriole-birdwatchers-packenham-1.3345634">rare "Bullock's Oriole,"</a> which was followed by a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bullock-s-oriole-rescued-from-freezing-temperatures-in-pakenham-ont-1.3394650">dramatic rescue</a>, but then it <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bullocks-oriole-1.3416191">turned out...not to be a bullock's oriole?</a> Or earlier this year when a Little Egret<a href="http://ontbirds.ca/pipermail/birdalert_ontbirds.ca/Week-of-Mon-20150608/077994.html"> made an appearance</a> and birders zig-zagged across the city on a daily basis, reporting sightings (and non-sightings) by the day, hour and sometimes even minute. Hmm...seems I forgot to count that one.). But I've got to admit, there's nothing like a lifer to get you excited, and nothing like travelling to a new place to guarantee a nice string of new and amazing birds to spot and observe, especially when they are BIG (and teeny tiny), colorful ones in Costa Rica!<br>
<br>
We made a really last-minute decision to take off for the holidays. I had it in my head I needed to get away and Costa Rica was where I wanted to go most. We got really lucky and found a really awesome deal on a flight (booking last-minute accommodations during the holidays was not so much of a great deal, but I don't need to write about that here!).<br>
<br>
So, we had basically 2.5 weeks to prepare, find places to stay, order <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801479886/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=080147373X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1CB6Y4HXY3RPGTJ7606C">The Birds of Costa Rica</a> and get it in the mail just in time. As it turns out, it was also a frantic 2.5 weeks of research and searching for a new/used camera body to add to the current inventory (more on that later).<br>
<br>
So let's just jump right into it. We landed in Liberia on Christmas Eve and headed inland. Yes, it was really hard to turn away from the beach, but I thought it would be better to end on the beach than to start there. Plus, the way I travel, I'd need some rest after a few days of "vacation." Our first challenge was just driving through the myriad of streets of Liberia and attempting to comprehend the logic and rules where street signs, traffic lights and stop signs seemed to be completely non-existent. We got honked at constantly and had no clue what we had done wrong. The rest of the day was spent caked in mud at the Rio Negro hot springs, skyping/messaging home to family, and sitting down to a long table with all the other guests at our bed and breakfast for a Christmas Eve dinner. So it wasn't home, but it was something special nevertheless.<br>
<br>
Birding in earnest wouldn't start until Christmas day. I guess you could say we did our own version of a Christmas Bird Count! We set our alarm for 5:30, but the sun wasn't really up enough yet. Finally at about 6 we headed out and just birded around our <i>cabina</i> (which was a revamped storage container...it was very cool!) set on a large rural property.<br>
<br>
A few birds were familiar to us (or at least looked that way). I definitely wish I'd had time to use the new camera before we left, but it was literally, fresh out of the box and I couldn't figure out a few things right away---important ones, like selective focus points. Aye! It's also SO frustrating when you set such a high standard for yourself, and you only see a bird ONCE for a few split seconds, and the lighting is hard, or the settings are wrong, and the picture is just crap. But it's the only shots you've got. This is why vacations need to be longer--so you have more chance to spot and photograph those elusive ones :)<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IrvAhxZdMd4/Vqg7EBEhfWI/AAAAAAAAMaI/JJzPj4Y_MHU/s1600/DSC_0035groove%2Bbilled%2Bani%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IrvAhxZdMd4/Vqg7EBEhfWI/AAAAAAAAMaI/JJzPj4Y_MHU/s640/DSC_0035groove%2Bbilled%2Bani%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" width="452"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Groove-billed ani, looking a little molty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEhLjZsWHLA/Vqg7hWSZmqI/AAAAAAAAMb4/XAraeueXevE/s1600/_DSC9658%2Brufous%2Bnaped%2Bwren%2Bcosta%2Brica%2Bjenna%2Bthompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uEhLjZsWHLA/Vqg7hWSZmqI/AAAAAAAAMb4/XAraeueXevE/s640/_DSC9658%2Brufous%2Bnaped%2Bwren%2Bcosta%2Brica%2Bjenna%2Bthompson.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> #323: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=529356">Rufous-naped wren</a>; Rincon de laVieja, Costa Rica; December 2015 <br>One of the first birds I noticed moving around the property in the morning. We had a heated discussion about the type of wren it was over communal breakfast - <i>gallo pinto </i>smothered in <i>salsa lizano. </i>The other guests likely thought we were bananas. They ended up being quite a common sight over the week.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4BTlSd0G2Y/Vqg7oNE2LwI/AAAAAAAAMcY/c5Do3ZNKM7I/s1600/_DSC9721%2Binca%2Bdove%2Bcosta%2Brica%2Bjenna%2Bthompson.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4BTlSd0G2Y/Vqg7oNE2LwI/AAAAAAAAMcY/c5Do3ZNKM7I/s640/_DSC9721%2Binca%2Bdove%2Bcosta%2Brica%2Bjenna%2Bthompson.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inca Dove hanging out in front of our container</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XFedLvW3jEo/Vqg7GAHQ-zI/AAAAAAAAMaU/JsC0-JZlioU/s1600/DSC_0038%2Bkiskadee.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XFedLvW3jEo/Vqg7GAHQ-zI/AAAAAAAAMaU/JsC0-JZlioU/s640/DSC_0038%2Bkiskadee.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Kiskadee - a familiar one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxzO8EqDpPw/Vqg7FxKakuI/AAAAAAAAMaQ/4E5nVpy4l10/s1600/DSC_0037%2Bmystery%2Bhummingbird.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="497" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxzO8EqDpPw/Vqg7FxKakuI/AAAAAAAAMaQ/4E5nVpy4l10/s640/DSC_0037%2Bmystery%2Bhummingbird.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't quite figure this one out but it sure is a beauty. Feel free to contact me if you have ideas :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtZUjA6uWlQ/Vqg7mVZ5jRI/AAAAAAAAMcQ/cbf0dMGgz4Y/s1600/_DSC9686%2Bwhite-necked%2Bjacobin.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtZUjA6uWlQ/Vqg7mVZ5jRI/AAAAAAAAMcQ/cbf0dMGgz4Y/s640/_DSC9686%2Bwhite-necked%2Bjacobin.jpg" width="489"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> #324: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=237691">White-necked Jacobin</a>; Rincon de la vieja, Costa Rica; December 2016<br>It was so frustrating shooting these teeny tiny, incredibly fast little birds zipping around WAY up in a massive tree in pretty harsh light. Matt managed to get this shot, which isn't our best, but it's perfect for identification!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP5xovaHmok/Vqg7jcug3II/AAAAAAAAMcI/cMl2sXSnQPA/s1600/_DSC9664%2Borange%2Bchinned%2Bparakeet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zP5xovaHmok/Vqg7jcug3II/AAAAAAAAMcI/cMl2sXSnQPA/s640/_DSC9664%2Borange%2Bchinned%2Bparakeet.jpg" width="482"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#325: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=189976">Orange-chinned parakeet</a>; Rincon de la vieja, Costa Rica; December 2016. <br>Another shot Matt managed to get while I was off wandering, doing I don't know what (I'd given up on shooting). This pic was so dark but I boosted the exposure, which revealed something very interesting--a clincher for ID--the orange under the chin! Booyah! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<br>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You have to be really careful and not just assume they are the same as similar birds you've seen before, and I did this so many times while Matt kept shooting, only to get home and look at the pictures and realize it was something completely new--I won't fall for that again! <br><br>CASE IN POINT: As I was finalizing this post and adding tags, I was wondering why "white-throated magpie jay" wasn't popping up in my previously used tags. BECAUSE I'VE NEVER USED IT. We saw a BLACK-throated magpie jay <a href="http://100birdsinayear.blogspot.ca/2014/02/mexico-i-sweet-tweet-sayulita-281-289.html">previously in Mexico</a>, not a white-throated. And I just realized that...right now. Literally, after I'd already written this entire post, even edited the pictures. Assuming---bad, bad, bad!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXO47zrdSTE/Vqg7iBBPNyI/AAAAAAAAMcA/1-vQ6Y9wOIk/s1600/_DSC9661western%2Bkingbird.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OXO47zrdSTE/Vqg7iBBPNyI/AAAAAAAAMcA/1-vQ6Y9wOIk/s640/_DSC9661western%2Bkingbird.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My book is seeming to indicate to me this is a Western Kingbird, but I'm going to be conservative (ha, for once!) and wait to make a call.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3usq063mD1U/Vqg7M4CA2FI/AAAAAAAAMaw/aOwiVn8ZXdE/s1600/DSC_0084%2Bhoffman%2527s%2Bwoodpecker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="598" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3usq063mD1U/Vqg7M4CA2FI/AAAAAAAAMaw/aOwiVn8ZXdE/s640/DSC_0084%2Bhoffman%2527s%2Bwoodpecker.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#326: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=310936">Hoffmann's woodpecker</a>; Rincon de la vieja, Costa Rica; December 2016. Another once I was convinced we'd likely seen. Thank goodness we stopped for a few shots. What a gorgeous bird! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After wandering the property, we headed back up to Rincon de la Vieja, mainly to hike the trail to see the mudpots and other volcanic activity. There was bird activity in the forest but we didn't linger--with our typical jam-packed itinerary (I'm trying to slow down, really!), we had other places to be later in the day.</div>
</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4l4SCyWWRF8/VqgTkSZnBSI/AAAAAAAAMYc/uYFeqq49QK0/s1600/_DSC9721.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbm610jKb38/VqgUUZJviXI/AAAAAAAAMZE/B9jq5FUHviU/s1600/_DSC9773.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a30LvCLKUd4/VqgUTcgnfUI/AAAAAAAAMY0/j_ZWyvJV-uE/s1600/_DSC9727.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BeH2Q_8n7RY/VqgUci6fbdI/AAAAAAAAMZw/UB7QhmuA9G4/s1600/DSC_0048.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KnTmhXvU1N0/VqgUagiU9WI/AAAAAAAAMZY/09jW6GMQkk0/s1600/DSC_0089.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H7aWouIlYnc/VqgUXVHe7EI/AAAAAAAAMZM/N3ePy7ukWsA/s1600/DSC_0101.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m-LMS_BAjvQ/VqgUsp42w8I/AAAAAAAAMZ8/BpcyvswDwm4/s1600/DSC_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YUEWY740QF0/VqgUb3BRJDI/AAAAAAAAMZk/BXbqqYxt0cA/s1600/DSC_0121.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UWryeXxZ09U/Vqg7q9u3LyI/AAAAAAAAMcg/8jiV81l7t-w/s1600/_DSC9727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UWryeXxZ09U/Vqg7q9u3LyI/AAAAAAAAMcg/8jiV81l7t-w/s640/_DSC9727.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saw this little guy (I *think* it's a ruby-throated). Seems like odd behaviour--looking for insects? Sourcing mud? I'm not sure and can't find info on ruby-throats using mud. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afBLt_abzZI/Vqg7Ja5-gkI/AAAAAAAAMag/0AeCJO4etgA/s1600/DSC_0048%2Bwhite%2Bthroated%2Bmagpie%2Bjay%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afBLt_abzZI/Vqg7Ja5-gkI/AAAAAAAAMag/0AeCJO4etgA/s640/DSC_0048%2Bwhite%2Bthroated%2Bmagpie%2Bjay%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#327: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=514796">White-throated magpie jay</a>; Rincon de la vieja, Costa Rica, December 2016. <br>They are so majestic--like GIANT blue jays (about 50 cm). Compare to the Black-throated magpie jays we saw in Mexico.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fSY5EMGH1XI/Vqg7ukYiCzI/AAAAAAAAMco/GdlGhGj61-k/s1600/_DSC9773%2Bking%2Bmilk%2Bsnake%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fSY5EMGH1XI/Vqg7ukYiCzI/AAAAAAAAMco/GdlGhGj61-k/s640/_DSC9773%2Bking%2Bmilk%2Bsnake%2Bcosta%2Brica.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I showed this picture to the ranger after our hike, he had to look twice. This is NOT a poisonous coral snake but it's safe cousin, a milk or king snake. The rhyme to remember it is "<span class="st" data-hveid="47">Red touch black, safe for Jack. Red touches yellow, kills a fellow."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fro_q3hUZzg/Vqg8C-1hLPI/AAAAAAAAMcw/1917t9gr43c/s1600/_DSC9778%2Bcoati.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fro_q3hUZzg/Vqg8C-1hLPI/AAAAAAAAMcw/1917t9gr43c/s640/_DSC9778%2Bcoati.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A coati hanging out near the ranger station--they remind me a lot of raccoons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As we were on the move that day, we didn't stay to do any of the waterfall trails. Instead, we started weaving our way through the countryside to Tenorio Volcano National Park. We wanted to do lots each day, but it's difficult when the sun sets at 5:30. I was thinking this was because it was winter, but no, it rises at 5:30 in the morning and sets at 5:30 at night every day. As a result, we never slept in (ok, maybe once), but if you want to see anything in daylight, you need to get up! So coming home to Canada was great, because I got to sleep an extra hour and half in the morning!<br>
<br>
Let's keep in mind, it's Christmas Day. And it couldn't feel less like it. No snow, no presents under tree, no family and no Rudolph on TV. But they celebrate a little differently. This isn't a bird-related picture (and I'm going to really try to stick to the birding activities for this series of posts or I would be writing this blog for the next year--plus, the bird stuff is what you're here for, right?!), but it was pretty cool that we stopped at this waterfall on Christmas Day and it was fill of Costa Rican families swimming and having picnics. Later that night we'd drive through a little town and many of the<i> casitas</i> had Christmas lights and decorations up (sometimes decorated full-size fake Christmas trees on the front porch). It was so strange to see.<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rkFR9XQL7l4/VqrBIRlnhwI/AAAAAAAAMdQ/f_I_KAXiOdA/s1600/IMG_3597.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rkFR9XQL7l4/VqrBIRlnhwI/AAAAAAAAMdQ/f_I_KAXiOdA/s640/IMG_3597.JPG" width="480"></a></div>
Looks like I'm going to have to cut this one short--I've already run out
of my 200-character tag limit, and I know it's hard to read super-long
blog posts. Be back soon!Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-10927818774029647542015-04-07T21:43:00.001-04:002015-04-07T21:43:50.686-04:00Southwest #2: Tristate birding (319-322)When you grow up on the Great Lakes, and you spend your days
exploring woodlands and water, Bullhead is a very strange place. There
are no lawns--certainly property, but it's hard to tell where one ends
and another begins when it's just a bunch of gravel and dirt everywhere.
It's dry, very very dry, and not much of anything, even cacti grow.
Bullhead City, Arizona, and Laughlin, Nevada, straddle the (mighty)
Colorado River, and here, where there is some water, and even some
vegetation, there is a little more action. So we spent quite a bit of
time walking up and down along the river, checking out the birds, but
also the feral cats (we did not see the raccoons or skunks that hang out
with them) and apparently, a resident beaver. Wildlife!<br />
<br />The first bird of major interest was this brown one
skulking around...very tricky to get in clear view. We managed, though
light was clearly fading. I was completely unfamiliar with this bird
(you know, one of those ones you don't even really pay attention to in
your guidebook because it's range is so very limited. It looked an awful lot like a cardinal, but
obviously it is not with that brown colouring. So, it was very cool to
locate it in the book and discover we'd seen a bird I wasn't even really
aware existed (though it SHOULD have rung a bell--it's the first bird
in the alphabetical listings on Whatbird.com). Fortunately, we ended up
seeing them quite a few times along the river...but always so difficult
to photograph!<br />
<br />
#319: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1011/_/Aberts_Towhee.aspx">Abert's Towhee</a>; Colorado River Heritage Greenway Parks and Trails (Laughlin); December 2014<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuj57VAsKHc/VL8HUwgcOGI/AAAAAAAAMOE/JGSrQCuI0uQ/s1600/_DSC5697aberts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuj57VAsKHc/VL8HUwgcOGI/AAAAAAAAMOE/JGSrQCuI0uQ/s1600/_DSC5697aberts.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1z2QUrPP3EA/VL8HRpAEjvI/AAAAAAAAMN0/a5NVxNreSjU/s1600/_DSC5677mockingbird.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1z2QUrPP3EA/VL8HRpAEjvI/AAAAAAAAMN0/a5NVxNreSjU/s1600/_DSC5677mockingbird.jpg" height="548" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another mockingbird on another prickly tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There
were many, many ducks fighting the flow of the Colorado. So many
American coots--I really should have taken a pictures just to show how
many--really unbelievable! However, we were always on the lookout to see
what else might be mixed in with them, and we weren't disappointed!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLCynFjCQDg/VL8HWx9fKRI/AAAAAAAAMOM/B_Fi-1X7MjM/s1600/_DSC5922pintail.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLCynFjCQDg/VL8HWx9fKRI/AAAAAAAAMOM/B_Fi-1X7MjM/s1600/_DSC5922pintail.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Pintail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We also spotted some ring-necked ducks (in addition to some
we had seen in a golf course pond earlier on the way to Oatman)--a bird
I have somehow managed not to see, or pick out, at home. <br />
<br />
#320: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/95/overview/Ring-necked_Duck.aspx">Ring-necked duck</a>; Colorado River Heritage Greenway Parks and Trails (Laughlin); December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4n4z25aoP0U/VL8HX397xMI/AAAAAAAAMOU/C_IQFxmsXDA/s1600/_DSC5927ringnecked.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4n4z25aoP0U/VL8HX397xMI/AAAAAAAAMOU/C_IQFxmsXDA/s1600/_DSC5927ringnecked.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
And
then, we hit what I might call the duck jackpot (while most people in
Laughlin are looking for some other kind of jackpot). A pintail,
ring-necked ducks and American wigeons in a little flotilla together!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sSUWE7tce34/VMWvgbSTT9I/AAAAAAAAMQU/S18iW11b4Dc/s1600/_DSC5955jackpot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sSUWE7tce34/VMWvgbSTT9I/AAAAAAAAMQU/S18iW11b4Dc/s1600/_DSC5955jackpot.jpg" height="216" width="640" /></a></div>
The
duck jackpot even gave us a bonus round---another
lifer--another duck I have no excuses for not finding closer to
home.<br />
<br />
#321: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/365/overview/Redhead.aspx">Redhead</a>; Colorado River between Lauglin and Bullhead City; December 2014<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TMJ3Ahnb854/VL8Hd2B3gQI/AAAAAAAAMO0/j2oSDfw6wIM/s1600/_DSC6123redhead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TMJ3Ahnb854/VL8Hd2B3gQI/AAAAAAAAMO0/j2oSDfw6wIM/s1600/_DSC6123redhead.jpg" height="306" width="640" /></a></div>
There were so many yellow-rumped warblers--some birds were in absolute abundance, like the coots. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TT31KC-hkC0/VL8IiSna6CI/AAAAAAAAMPY/RVxDOZ3dzN0/s1600/_DSC6106yellowthroat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TT31KC-hkC0/VL8IiSna6CI/AAAAAAAAMPY/RVxDOZ3dzN0/s1600/_DSC6106yellowthroat.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VoaXUDQ_LWk/VL8HZx_bQPI/AAAAAAAAMOc/m2WxNA-kjno/s1600/_DSC5963yellow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VoaXUDQ_LWk/VL8HZx_bQPI/AAAAAAAAMOc/m2WxNA-kjno/s1600/_DSC5963yellow.jpg" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My best guess is orange-crowned warbler</td></tr>
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Walking
along the river, we heard a familiar sound, which helped us to locate
this flicker. I think it's a regular northern flicker, though I secretly
hoped it was a gilded. Unfortunately I can't tell for sure with this
picture...I'll have to find another one!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ6U5ratzRE/VL8HcdXysJI/AAAAAAAAMOs/WrEQM9SAatk/s1600/_DSC6080flicker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ6U5ratzRE/VL8HcdXysJI/AAAAAAAAMOs/WrEQM9SAatk/s1600/_DSC6080flicker.jpg" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
We were both incredibly excited when we realized the little blue-grey bird darting around was a blue-grey gnatcatcher! I remember when one lone one was reported at Mud Lake years ago and I wandered around for hours looking for it to no avail. <br />
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#322: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/351/overview/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher.aspx">Blue-gray gnatcatcher</a>; Laughlin/Bullhead City; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u7JCmeCUQlw/VL8Hb6eIvyI/AAAAAAAAMOk/rRWeHyi_2to/s1600/_DSC6089gnatcatcher.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u7JCmeCUQlw/VL8Hb6eIvyI/AAAAAAAAMOk/rRWeHyi_2to/s1600/_DSC6089gnatcatcher.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></div>
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Further
along and across a few state lines, we found ourselves in amazing Utah, in
Zion National Park. Our focus wasn't birding (it was, however, reaching
the peak of <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/hiking/1383502-155/landing-angels-hike-chain-hikers-shouldn">Angels Landing</a>),
but we did manage to spot a few birds at the base of the trail,
including this cutie, a species that I forgot I already saw on a
previous trip west. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1w1DgVIJMbg/VL8HervrKUI/AAAAAAAAMO8/Byl0qfUlo_M/s1600/_DSC6495bushtit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1w1DgVIJMbg/VL8HervrKUI/AAAAAAAAMO8/Byl0qfUlo_M/s1600/_DSC6495bushtit.jpg" height="640" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bushtit</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dRQdsStAEg/VL8HmF_sYDI/AAAAAAAAMPE/sNRtD2MzCYc/s1600/_DSC6639bushtit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dRQdsStAEg/VL8HmF_sYDI/AAAAAAAAMPE/sNRtD2MzCYc/s1600/_DSC6639bushtit.jpg" height="484" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another bushtit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lgk4uleBX3M/VL8IoLirr3I/AAAAAAAAMPg/uhdFvSPGXSg/s1600/_DSC5261kinglet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lgk4uleBX3M/VL8IoLirr3I/AAAAAAAAMPg/uhdFvSPGXSg/s1600/_DSC5261kinglet.jpg" height="466" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite certain this is a golden-crowned kinglet, with the giveaway hidden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All in all, another wonderful trip. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PA5e3Ji2KVo/VSSHFZjlyAI/AAAAAAAAMSU/XeDiy69EgYg/s1600/_DSC6657jenna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PA5e3Ji2KVo/VSSHFZjlyAI/AAAAAAAAMSU/XeDiy69EgYg/s1600/_DSC6657jenna.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear amazing, amazing Utah: I'll be back. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-50273349003305999712015-01-28T10:57:00.001-05:002015-01-28T10:57:53.835-05:00American Southwest #1: The Travelling Birder, and a New Year, New Destinations, New Birds (#310-318)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I swear I don't mean to post only when I travel, but it's easy not post the local birds I've already seen, but I absolutely can't get away with not posting new life birds! Which inevitably happens on my travels.<br />
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So, without making any more excuses, I'll get started. I was very fortunate to spend New Year's in the American Southwest. Of course, birding was not the primary objective, but we do manage to squeeze it in. When Matt had visited last year without me, he came home with all kinds of pictures of dreambirds that were so foreign and wonderful and outside my scope of experience--limited to these drawings in my bird guides, i.e., Roadrunner, Phainopepla, etc.<br />
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So it was my time to get caught up. Inevitably a visit to this area involves landing in Vegas, AGAIN, a city for which my primary objective is to get the heck out of there. While feathers are found in abundance on the strip, it's not very interesting in terms of birds (On my last day, I learned that there is actually a <a href="http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Urban_LV/Henderson/_Henderson.htm">bird viewing preserve</a> in nearby Henderson. Next time, and of course there will be a next time, I'll check it out). If you're not interested in shopping, or impressing people with fancy clothes, or gambling at the "money extraction factories," that town sure leaves a lot to be desired. Fortunately, it is surrounded by much awesomeness, just a few hours' drive away.<br />
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So, you can imagine my delight when we are finally headed down Flamingo Drive, away from Las Vegas. It's my first visit to Red Rock. I'd never been to this little Conservation Area so close to Vegas, always opting for the big draws - the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc. I was pleasantly surprised and the drive through Red Rock was really nice.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJFN0nvLMtU/VMhVTALQ6-I/AAAAAAAAMQk/4XFksRIf25M/s1600/_DSC5201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJFN0nvLMtU/VMhVTALQ6-I/AAAAAAAAMQk/4XFksRIf25M/s1600/_DSC5201.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
First bird spotted. It reminds me of a robin, but of course it's not quite right. I'm embarrassed that I don't know what it is. I've been slacking lately, and don't know every single bird in the book anymore. I have to get the guide out, but when I do, I'm quite certain: it's Say's Phoebe. <br />
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#310; <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/395/overview/Says_Phoebe.aspx">Say's Phoebe</a>; Red Rock Canyon Visitor Centre; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHTMcQ9CWKE/VL8GfIFiMCI/AAAAAAAAML0/GwQ9lh2U5pM/s1600/_DSC5205says.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PHTMcQ9CWKE/VL8GfIFiMCI/AAAAAAAAML0/GwQ9lh2U5pM/s1600/_DSC5205says.jpg" height="576" width="640" /></a></div>
Also just by the parked cars is a clearly new bird. Something feels not quite as satisfying when you spot a lifer in a parking lots, but it's still one of the most exciting things ever. And a little frustrating when you're not actually really sure what it is. <br />
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#311: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/812/overview/Rock_Wren.aspx">Rock Wren</a>; Red Rock Canyon Visitor Centre; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQDPNjtB9fg/VL8GgiDqyCI/AAAAAAAAML8/vGuu0N7c9AI/s1600/_DSC5296wren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQDPNjtB9fg/VL8GgiDqyCI/AAAAAAAAML8/vGuu0N7c9AI/s1600/_DSC5296wren.jpg" height="564" width="640" /></a></div>
Generally, the Red Rock scenic loop is dry desert, with big rocks. Just think "dirt" and "rocks" and that's basically what it is (on an impressive scale, to be certain). However, at one of the stops, there is some more vegetation and it's quite different from the rest. A ranger has told us it's a good spot to bird (birds liking trees and all) so we get out, long enough to enjoy two lifers. <br />
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Something is rustling around in the bushes...every once in a while we get a glimpse of a flash of orange. We also spotted the awesome red eye, but this guy was too shy to give as a really good look at him. Anyways, this is enough for me to know that this is...and look at that red eye!<br />
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#312: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/102/overview/Spotted_Towhee.aspx">Spotted Towhee</a>; Red Rock Canyon Visitor Centre; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AR_VlFeoWAs/VL8GppSyM1I/AAAAAAAAMMQ/emdAzLBSr44/s1600/_DSC5348towhee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AR_VlFeoWAs/VL8GppSyM1I/AAAAAAAAMMQ/emdAzLBSr44/s1600/_DSC5348towhee.jpg" height="434" width="640" /></a></div>
PS. How do you say towhee, anyway? Too-eee? Tau-ee? Tow-hee? I never know what's right. (well, I couldn't wait. The internet says it's "tow-hee," like "tow truck." Important to know, because there's another one comin'!)<br />
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Not far away, in fact, just steps away, was this wonderful little bird, perched--<a href="http://Scrub Jay">a familiar bird</a>, but still a beauty to see.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-InzyqbCYYb4/VL8Igzh5V8I/AAAAAAAAMPQ/TEQ1pKX45YY/s1600/_DSC5349scrubjay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-InzyqbCYYb4/VL8Igzh5V8I/AAAAAAAAMPQ/TEQ1pKX45YY/s1600/_DSC5349scrubjay.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Scrub Jay</td></tr>
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Moving along, a few hours drive and across a state line, once nestled into our temporary home in Arizona, just across the Colorado River from Nevada. Although we wouldn't be staying there long really--only a few nights total. But I went for a walk around the hood, with Matt was eager to find me all the birds he'd seen the year before. It was funny--a lot of them were almost in exactly the same place. <br />
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#313: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/918/overview/Gambels_Quail.aspx">Gambel's Quail</a>; Bullhead City, Arizona; December 2014<br />
The Gambel's Quail were such delight! They teeter-tottered around, almost like they had somewhere to go, and while very skittish, avoided flight at almost any cost. Inevitably they were only spotted in a large mass, and they sounded much like grouse do. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lCb8yI-UMpk/VL8G3_mQD2I/AAAAAAAAMMk/eCSzhE9bDDk/s1600/_DSC5368quail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lCb8yI-UMpk/VL8G3_mQD2I/AAAAAAAAMMk/eCSzhE9bDDk/s1600/_DSC5368quail.jpg" height="326" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aPEuJHt1yc0/VL8HN5QKctI/AAAAAAAAMNc/sD3u0V3GuOs/s1600/_DSC5598quAIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aPEuJHt1yc0/VL8HN5QKctI/AAAAAAAAMNc/sD3u0V3GuOs/s1600/_DSC5598quAIL.jpg" height="314" width="640" /></a></div>
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#314: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/745/overview/Curve-billed_Thrasher.aspx">Curve-Billed Thrasher</a>; Bullhead City; December 2014<br />
I also saw this Curve-Billed Thrasher on more than one occasion in the
same tree. Actually, it felt a bit like déjà vu, every time we visited
this one empty square lot diagonal from our house in Bullhead. We'd
start from the road, go up a small hill, every time, there would quail
on the ridge to the left, which would run across to the back side of the
lot on the ride, our steps would scare a bunny under this one bush, and
he'd dart in the same direction, the thrasher would be in the palm tree
on the left--it happened like that every time with total
predictability. It was like just pushing the reset button every time I
went. Groundhog day or whatever. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeVA2vaAfgg/VL8GzZT4jrI/AAAAAAAAMMc/qpneVy141aY/s1600/_DSC5380thrasher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QeVA2vaAfgg/VL8GzZT4jrI/AAAAAAAAMMc/qpneVy141aY/s1600/_DSC5380thrasher.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Also at the corner of that lot, we spotted this cactus wren. Sadly I
only saw the one, and it was quite dark, but its markings are so
distinctive, it's unmistakable. I wish I had more time to observe it. <br />
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#315; <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/811/overview/Cactus_Wren.aspx">Cactus Wren</a>; Bullhead City, Arizona; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rj0XYBB1gCM/VL8HGXxT6tI/AAAAAAAAMM8/yiDaadtYMa4/s1600/_DSC5418cactuswren.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rj0XYBB1gCM/VL8HGXxT6tI/AAAAAAAAMM8/yiDaadtYMa4/s1600/_DSC5418cactuswren.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a> </div>
This is the second time I've seen the Eurasian-collared Doves. Their expansion must be happening fast. Watch, they'll be the next starling!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4eUBYK1ofU/VL8HFsIPssI/AAAAAAAAMM0/l0d1smGVTCw/s1600/_DSC5376doves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4eUBYK1ofU/VL8HFsIPssI/AAAAAAAAMM0/l0d1smGVTCw/s1600/_DSC5376doves.jpg" height="486" width="640" /></a></div>
This mockingbird seemed to love this very inhospitable-looking tree. Again, another bird predictably perched in the same location. <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rj0XYBB1gCM/VL8HGXxT6tI/AAAAAAAAMM8/yiDaadtYMa4/s1600/_DSC5418cactuswren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h5q3GK2HjYo/VL8HD5pzZEI/AAAAAAAAMMs/OwrsMGCaug8/s1600/_DSC5393mockingbird.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a>Also spotted (from quite far away--this is completely cropped...I can't believe it's distinguishable at all!) was this wee little wren (looks like another rock wren, as seen at Red Rock).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0jSHu3C5ys/VL8HH0kIUwI/AAAAAAAAMNE/D5X5ILfzuzE/s1600/_DSC5423wren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P0jSHu3C5ys/VL8HH0kIUwI/AAAAAAAAMNE/D5X5ILfzuzE/s1600/_DSC5423wren.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
At one particular house there was lots of action, all little birds. The first day I visited the yard, I was able to see the birds clearly enough but my shots weren't great. When I returned on a walk, the home owner was leaving in her car. She paused and I felt the need to explain to her what I was looking at in her tree, at which point she invited me to just go up the drive and take all the pictures I wanted! Very kind. At first, I was surprised to learn they were Verdin, since my guidebook said they are generally seen alone (but the tree was full of them). Luckily I had many opportunities to see these adorable birds!<br />
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#316: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/764/overview/Verdin.aspx">Verdin</a>; Bullhead City; December 2014 <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWyVZE83Z4k/VL8HQLpp53I/AAAAAAAAMNs/2We5na50-qg/s1600/_DSC5624verdin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWyVZE83Z4k/VL8HQLpp53I/AAAAAAAAMNs/2We5na50-qg/s1600/_DSC5624verdin.jpg" height="526" width="640" /></a></div>
It's at this point that I want to mention what an amazing tool ebird is when you are travelling. I did a bit of prep, looking at the guide, seeing what might come up, but there is just so much to look at and analyze in the book when realistically you are probably going to see a pretty predictable assortment of birds. But by exploring the ebird data, I could determine what birds had been reported in the area in the last few weeks, which gave me a pretty darn good idea of what I would see, and it eliminated poring over the entire field guide, looking at birds that wouldn't be there in that season or are just really rare.<br />
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Perhaps one of the birds I envied Matt most for seeing last year was the roadrunner. They are hilarious, and a bird we've all been familiar with since childhood. Run like mad, stop, put tail up, look around, run like mad, repeat. Matt made it his personal goal to find me one. The first one was the hardest, but after that, I spotted them several times. And I squealed with delight every single time. <br />
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#317; <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/306/overview/Greater_Roadrunner.aspx">Greater Roadrunner</a>; Bullhead City, Arizona; December 2014 <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WSCHXaguC8Y/VL8HTc2TjgI/AAAAAAAAMN8/j6EhIVSyq3k/s1600/_DSC5669roadrunner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WSCHXaguC8Y/VL8HTc2TjgI/AAAAAAAAMN8/j6EhIVSyq3k/s1600/_DSC5669roadrunner.jpg" height="634" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wallpapersinhq.com/images/medium/a-road_runner-987851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wallpapersinhq.com/images/medium/a-road_runner-987851.jpg" /></a></div>
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We did a little day trip to Oatman, Arizona, which is on Route 66. This little town is pretty touristy, with wild donkeys roaming the street and fake gunfights put on every day at high noon, but it's only place I managed to find the incredible Phainopepla. Seriously....is that stunning or what?<br />
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#318: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/209/overview/Phainopepla.aspx">Phainopepla</a>; Oatman, Arizona; December 2014<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wygmclth64/VL8HJKInMNI/AAAAAAAAMNM/OPpEp0hg2S4/s1600/_DSC5458phan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wygmclth64/VL8HJKInMNI/AAAAAAAAMNM/OPpEp0hg2S4/s1600/_DSC5458phan.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FZ8xq1ZTvLI/VMhaVr4BoGI/AAAAAAAAMRE/aR9C6oF28c0/s1600/_DSC5528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FZ8xq1ZTvLI/VMhaVr4BoGI/AAAAAAAAMRE/aR9C6oF28c0/s1600/_DSC5528.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm always a sucker for the animals...</td></tr>
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We also spotted this beauty from the car on the ride home. <br />
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<br />Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-90091912349932172232014-11-06T16:35:00.002-05:002014-11-06T16:37:44.624-05:00Strange birdy behaviourMy street is a lively place in the morning during the getting-ready-and-leaving-for-work-hours. Someone must have opened a home daycare a few doors down because for the past little while I've noticed the sound of dying cats outside while I eat my breakfast, only to realize it's wailing children being pulled down the street in wagons. <br />
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However, this morning, I noticed another sound that instantly grabbed my attention. I stepped out the front door in my gloves and jacket and there were these woodpeckers, all clinging to the side of one of the neighbour's houses on the other side of the street. Several other neighbours were out observing and commenting on the oddity as well.<br />
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The tree in front of this out looked dying or dead and they were going back and forth....finding bugs? hiding bugs? The siding that they were clinging to is stucco (and has asbestos in it, unfortunately). I have no answers...but here's a pic. So odd to see them doing this together. <br />
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<br />Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-89964143550759355532014-05-20T19:48:00.000-04:002014-09-04T13:27:58.996-04:00History repeating (#308-309)This long weekend was the perfect opportunity to finally get out and do some serious birding. I hadn't really had a chance to check out the migrants, but we have enjoyed watching the bluebirds and swallows that nest nearby.<br />
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*Erratum: Bird below is tree swallow, not sparrow. Clearly I was snoozing when photo editing :) Sorry about that!<br />
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On Saturday morning I headed to Mud Lake. I was there early (for me) but there were so many cars! I seemed to get there at just the right time because the trees were seemingly just drizzled with birds.<br />
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I never imagined that I'd get not one, but TWO lifers, on home turf especially! <br />
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Now I wouldn't be surprised if I'd seen this bird before, but I definitely haven't counted. In the past I had a hard time photographing vireos, and never had a definitive shot of a red-eyed. I underexposed this (of course, the same day I told some one "I never shoot RAW, waste of space, totally unnecessary," and it came back to bite me!) Anyways, I managed to pull something out of the shot, but do scroll down for WICKED shot of a red-eyed vireo the next day.<br />
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#308: Red-Eyed Vireo; Mud Lake, Ottawa; May 2014 <br />
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And many warbling vireos as well, doing that thing for which they get their name. I searched my own blog to see when else I posted about warblng vireos, and I think it's hilarious that three years ago, I was in the exact same place (Mud Lake) on the exact same day (May 17) and sightings were very similar. </div>
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Again, this is not a tack sharp, but it's the best shot I have of a Black-Throated Blue and a huge improvement over the last one. I've seen these twice before...<a href="http://100birdsinayear.blogspot.ca/2011/03/126-bird-that-took-me-six-months-to-id.html">my first, also at Mud Lake, was a female</a> and I didn't even know what it was for the longest time, and my<a href="http://100birdsinayear.blogspot.ca/2011/05/where-do-all-birds-go-at-night-137.html"> first male was just a fleeting glimpse</a> in the thick of the brush. Come one, how AWESOME is this bird? He has got a mask on!<br />
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There were so many redstarts around. I forgot they are quite tiny (warbler size....I seem to recall them being bigger) but they are so joyful! And I love that almost neon orange on his sides...he's wearing the uniform of the early 90s! (was it the 90s? I don't know, I was only like 4 at the time...)<br />
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I spotted this awkward baby cardinal hiding in the bus, and mom flitting around nearby. Not one I found by hearing the song....definitely trying to go unnoticed.<br />
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As usual, many many yellow warblers were about. I believe this is an immature (no streaks on breast), according to my <i>National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America</i> (my absolute favourite guide, by the way).<br />
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East of the ridge, in the evergreens there were a ton of Cape May warblers and yellow-rumped warblers. The Cape Mays are a special treat...my first Cape May was in Mexico!<br />
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I walked past a man standing close to the water treatment plant and he waved me over and pointed out a blackpoll warbler. I didn't realize that I hadn't seen one, and I definitely would have brushed it off as a chickadee or a black-and-white-warbler! So, a lifer, just because this nice man pointed it out to me!<br />
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#309: Blackpoll Warbler; Mud Lake, Ottawa; May 2014 <br />
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It was such a great day that I got that addicted adrenaline buzz and had to head back again the next day, this time one hour earlier. Worth it? I think so!<br />
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Much better shots of the red-eyeds...uh....yeah.<br />
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I'm quite certain about this warbler, although I didn't get a great view, just one quick moment and it was gone..<br />
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There were so many yellow-rumped warblers. I assumed the one below is a female, but is it normal for them to have a yellow eyebrow?<br />
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Many catbirds could be heard singing their uneven warbled song. <br />
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More adorable redstarts everywhere. <br />
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I didn't see nearly as many species as are being reported but I certainly had an amazing day. I didn't make a list, but saw (I'm sure I've forgotten a bunch):<br />
- ooodles and oodles and oodles of cedar waxwings (so many this year),<br />
- lots of yellow-rumped warblers<br />
- cape may warblers<br />
- warbling vireos <br />
- red-eyed vireos<br />
- 1 black-and-white warbler<br />
- at least one blackpoll warbler<br />
- several American redstarts<br />
- many yellow warblers<br />
- red-winged blackbirds<br />
- 1 black-crowned nightheron<br />
- 1 magnolia warbler<br />
- tree swallows<br />
- mallards<br />
- gray catbirds<br />
- downy woodpeckers<br />
- great egret (overhead)<br />
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You may have noticed I've started putting text on my images, because I've noticed an increase in photo downloads and also some images popping up around the web (Pinterest...). That's great - it means people are seeing my stuff and that's really exciting, but want to make sure there is some reference back to the blog :)<br />
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This last shot I just adore...a cedar waxwing was totally silhouetted and the light play is totally fantastic. I may even print this one up...I think it's just magical. Nice to bring a little art to my birds shots!<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUBKdti7Fb0/U3oZlPzBYYI/AAAAAAAALtw/iSzztArpdk0/s1600/_DSC1889cedarlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MUBKdti7Fb0/U3oZlPzBYYI/AAAAAAAALtw/iSzztArpdk0/s1600/_DSC1889cedarlight.jpg" height="634" width="640" /></a><br />
Until the next one,<br />
j Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com3Crystal Bay - Lakeview Park - Britannia Village, Ottawa, ON, Canada45.373436485264733 -75.796575836523445.367858985264732 -75.8066608365234 45.379013985264734 -75.7864908365234tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-85121252532042166962014-05-17T18:59:00.001-04:002014-05-17T18:59:31.360-04:00New bird, old place (#307)Easter came and went a long time ago, but it's important to catch up on birds, especially when there are lifers in question! So I'm going to keep this short, since I have today's birds to write about too.<br />
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Holidays mean one thing--to Kingston we go. Luckily we saw some great birds on the way! I'm not sure why, maybe I'm just better at identifying them, but I've seen a lot of Northern Harriers this year. Is it just me? <br />
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We always drive by this one house with a pond, and usually see swans there. I guess they are pets, which means I unfortunately can't count these as life birds--they appear to be Whooper Swans, or the Bewick's version of the Tundra Swan. <br />
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We made the customary stop in Wilton and this guy was just singing his heart out on the overhead wires. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern meadowlark</td></tr>
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And once we finally made it all the way home, we spotted this merlin just ripping this animal, bird, I'm not sure what it was, to bits on my very own street. Eventually he flew off and took it with him and it was almost as big as he was. <br />
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After a great weekend of far too much and food and awesome family time, we walked over to the marina early in the morning, just to enjoy the water more than anything else. We certainly weren't expecting a lifer! There were so many Bonaparte's Gulls. I've seen Laughing Gulls down south, and wasn't sure at the time what the difference was, but the Bonaparte's has a black, not orange bill, so it was pretty clear! I don't remember seeing gulls with black heads growing up on the water, even if only for a short time during migration. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-tailed ducks playing around</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist at work! Brand placement totally unintentional :)</td></tr>
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Spring is here, and I can here a yellow warbler singing from my window. Exciting times ahead!<br />
cheers,<br />
jJennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-56455166710072895712014-05-12T16:36:00.002-04:002014-05-12T16:36:47.342-04:00The Big 30 and the Big 300 (#300-306)Well, we were mid-hike where I last left off...at #299...<br />
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I
wasn't aware of it in the field, but I found my 300th bird out in the
field, just one day before my 30th birthday. Turns out we found a lot of
reasons to celebrate in Yelapa.<br />
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I'm not sure how the girl who set out to find 100 birds back in 2010 would feel about me finding #300. But I think she'd be pretty impressed, and happy that something that started out as a little challenge became a full-blown passion. I think she'd marvel at the small, beautiful things I've found, the secret world I've been discovering, the knowledge I've gained, and the adventures I've had. I'm pretty sure she'd laugh at my unbridled nerdiness.<br />
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#300: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/identification?p_p_spp=282936">San Blas Jay</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
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There are amazing jays in Mexico. I'm still waiting to spot a Green Jay...one day, on another adventure! <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWwwU09wMPI/U0M6MRmrdQI/AAAAAAAALnw/Mr6AOsafNTA/s1600/sanblasjay_DSC0823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MWwwU09wMPI/U0M6MRmrdQI/AAAAAAAALnw/Mr6AOsafNTA/s1600/sanblasjay_DSC0823.jpg" height="640" width="534" /></a></div>
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#301: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/867/_/Groove-billed_Ani.aspx">Groove-billed Ani</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
I
had decided it was time to get moving a little faster (not as much fun
when you aren't carrying the camera), but Matt was taking just forever
and I was getting a little peeved. eventually I turn back to see where
the heck he is, and I realize I totally missed out on a life bird.
Luckily we found more soon after! <br />
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#302:<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/inca_dove/id"> Inca Dove</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
The inca doves were pretty easy to spot, were often pairs, and quite tiny. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJyOZh0urrw/U0M6BGT_yWI/AAAAAAAALmY/nvO2yHceZnA/s1600/inca+dove_DSC0893.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FJyOZh0urrw/U0M6BGT_yWI/AAAAAAAALmY/nvO2yHceZnA/s1600/inca+dove_DSC0893.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></div>
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We couldn't believe our luck when we spotted a green kingfisher perched by the river!<br />
#303: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/936/overview/Green_Kingfisher.aspx">Green Kingfisher</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y72TW-KuhVI/U0M6AHBlnnI/AAAAAAAALmE/OJ-Ym6GQFt4/s1600/green+kingfisher_DSC0699.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y72TW-KuhVI/U0M6AHBlnnI/AAAAAAAALmE/OJ-Ym6GQFt4/s1600/green+kingfisher_DSC0699.jpg" height="486" width="640" /></a><br />
#304: <a href="http://birds.audubon.org/birds/common-black-hawk">Common Black Hawk</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
Matt had a knack that day for wandering off when I just wanted to get going and seeing life birds so then I'd feel really bad. This beautiful hawk was perched over a very quiet marshy area, right beside a bunch of the ricketiest houses you ever saw. Seemed a bit of a shanty-town over there. <br />
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<br />
I
had a feeling this Muscovy duck was domestic but we weren't sure and
took a shot just in case. Wild muscovies have black and domestics have
more white. Safe to say this one is domestic!<br />
<a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/domducks.htm"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Confusing Domestic Ducks (and hybrids)</span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://10000birds.com/manky-muscovy-ducks.htm">Manky Muscovy Ducks</a> </span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YC6g1JmipZk/U0xvOqnV9NI/AAAAAAAALpc/VbvE8iSaOdI/s1600/muscovy+duck_DSC1043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YC6g1JmipZk/U0xvOqnV9NI/AAAAAAAALpc/VbvE8iSaOdI/s1600/muscovy+duck_DSC1043.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kgzz8rU0daw/U0M6M5NaAZI/AAAAAAAALoA/mGwDh3Q4j8k/s1600/squirrel_DSC0001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kgzz8rU0daw/U0M6M5NaAZI/AAAAAAAALoA/mGwDh3Q4j8k/s1600/squirrel_DSC0001.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How's it hanging squirrel? Got nuts?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6CXj11a3rsU/U0M52iXtqSI/AAAAAAAALjU/ezVHyezNWLg/s1600/_DSC0906.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6CXj11a3rsU/U0M52iXtqSI/AAAAAAAALjU/ezVHyezNWLg/s1600/_DSC0906.jpg" height="537" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure about this one...there are so many yellow/grey/brown flycatchers in Mexico!</td></tr>
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On my birthday, I wanted to hike to the big waterfall (there's a smaller but also awesome one right in the village). It was about a 2-hour hike each way so we had ample opportunity to bird along the way. I couldn't believe that I'd hit my 300th bird just the day before and really wanted to keep up my "birthday life bird" tradition (it would have been too perfect to find my 300th on my 30th, right? Maybe I'll find my 500th on my 50th, lol!). We'd heard that macaws were frequently seen on the way to the falls and I was so hopeful that we'd see them too. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following the directions to the falls "crawl through the gate on the left"</td></tr>
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We made it all the way to the falls and still hadn't seen the macaws. I was starting to feel that growing, heavy feeling of imminent disappointment...until we heard this crazy loud squawking and these small specks <br />
wayyyyyyyy overhead. The macaws are massive birds (70cm), so for them to appear so small is really something...I really expected them to just be perched on a nearby branch...like in a pet shop or something...<br />
<br />
Anyways, it was clear that we'd seen them (and I had my birthday lifer), but we only had the most disappointing of photos. <br />
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Luckily, on the hike back, a couple flew back quite a bit closer, close enough that you could see the bold sections of colour. <br />
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#305: <a href="http://www.parrots.org/index.php/encyclopedia/profile/military_macaw/">Military Macaw</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhytJHQekrM/U0M6B8iGkPI/AAAAAAAALmk/0hQRcntFEVY/s1600/militarymacaws_DSC1004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhytJHQekrM/U0M6B8iGkPI/AAAAAAAALmk/0hQRcntFEVY/s1600/militarymacaws_DSC1004.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a><br />
While the quality of this shot is pretty far from spectacular, it made me oddly happy. Here are these birds that are at a high risk of being poached for the pet trade and there they are, up there, doing their awesome thing. It was sadly so odd to see them flying so high--because we only ever see them in cages. The reason this picture is not technically very good is the reason it's so awesome: because it's on the birds' terms. Here are two beautiful parrots, wild and free. And on my 30th birthday, I thought that that's pretty much the best thing you can be--wild and free. I can't say how good it is to hit a milestone and feel so immensely grateful, and to feel like maybe you've figured it out. To feel like the path is unfolding before you in the most wonderful way. <br />
<br />
The day after my birthday I had a few hours to myself to roam around the village. It was generally pretty quiet, but I did spot this beauty...I'm not sure how, as it was sitting absolutely still. <br />
#306: Russet-crowned Motmot; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
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Later that day, on our last morning in Yelapa, we
started out the day at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g504234-d1603067-Reviews-CAFE_BAHIA-Yelapa_Costalegre.html">Cafe Bahia</a>. In addition to our first real
coffees in several days and fantastic grub, I loved the view right out
front pier, watching the water taxis come in, unload,
load up and take off again. I love that on each post of the pier there was an awesome bird...magnificent frigatebird, brown pelicans, and black vultures around too. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5nRWVqXngow/U0M8CicYA3I/AAAAAAAALok/M7lAEaH9Poo/s1600/pier_DSC1223.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5nRWVqXngow/U0M8CicYA3I/AAAAAAAALok/M7lAEaH9Poo/s1600/pier_DSC1223.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my fave bird.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20uj2bXA9UI/U0M55UWbnwI/AAAAAAAALkQ/pt86zqZ_F7I/s1600/brownpelican_DSC1231.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-20uj2bXA9UI/U0M55UWbnwI/AAAAAAAALkQ/pt86zqZ_F7I/s1600/brownpelican_DSC1231.jpg" height="528" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's always fun watching the pelicans do their thing--dive bombing for fish, cruising, or taking a snooze on someone's rickety fishing boat. Also hilarious watching them try to turn the fish around to gobble them down whole, or take one that's just a bit too big.<br />
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As always lots of yellow/black birds that I could agonize over identifying them or I could just post the pics for you to enjoy. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBfPUoASFXs/U0M53nhuEgI/AAAAAAAALjo/kos3MhQQs_M/s1600/_DSC1361.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBfPUoASFXs/U0M53nhuEgI/AAAAAAAALjo/kos3MhQQs_M/s1600/_DSC1361.jpg" height="640" width="574" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iFBiyp1_fvw/U0M537xcMpI/AAAAAAAALjs/OPTDEaQj6fE/s1600/_DSC1374.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iFBiyp1_fvw/U0M537xcMpI/AAAAAAAALjs/OPTDEaQj6fE/s1600/_DSC1374.jpg" height="468" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-szSiFq2k4NY/U0M54Ef7mhI/AAAAAAAALj0/hszStKUoS4c/s1600/_DSC1566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-szSiFq2k4NY/U0M54Ef7mhI/AAAAAAAALj0/hszStKUoS4c/s1600/_DSC1566.jpg" height="516" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaWhrDqyF38/U0M6Nk1sGHI/AAAAAAAALoM/BC00RZyXX3s/s1600/swallows_DSC1384.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaWhrDqyF38/U0M6Nk1sGHI/AAAAAAAALoM/BC00RZyXX3s/s1600/swallows_DSC1384.jpg" height="546" width="640" /></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love these swallows and love the dramatic backdrop and how they lined up perfectly. Art in nature!</td></tr>
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Well, it looks like I reached the end of Mexico 2014. I don't know what it is about that place, but it makes me feel more like me than I ever feel. It strips away all the distractions and everyone and everything is so real. it's vibrant, and confusing, and awesome. <br />
<br />
It's so exciting birding away from home and seeing lifers it seems every day. The birding continues at home, but I don't always take my camera with me. but I'm out there, loving it as always.<br /><br />
catch ya later...<br />
j<br />
<br />
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-6CXj11a3rsU%2FU0M52iXtqSI%2FAAAAAAAALjU%2FezVHyezNWLg%2Fs1600%2F_DSC0906.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6CXj11a3rsU/U0M52iXtqSI/AAAAAAAALjU/ezVHyezNWLg/s1600/_DSC0906.jpg" -->Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Yelapa, JAL, Mexico20.4882236 -105.44846740000003-5.0338108999999989 -146.75706140000003 46.0102581 -64.139873400000027tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-67829212783997864032014-05-04T16:10:00.002-04:002014-05-04T16:10:25.422-04:00YOLO in Yelapa (#295-299)Yelapa...was like a dream. One of the first places where I felt like we were someplace different, and finally got away from everything. The only access to Yelapa is by a 45-minute water taxi from Puerto Vallarta. Yelapa just got electricity 10 years ago, and there are no roads (since there are no cars), just little paths zigzagging all through the village. I'd been wanting to go there since about five years ago when I stumbled on the website for one of the casas (private rental--there aren't really any typical hotels there). It took me forever to refind the place on the Internet, but I did and we spent three glorious days in Yelapa.<br />
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It's such a neat little spot and I'm sure the ex-pats there would kill me for spreading their little secret. We met some great people (a group of older folk who showed up at Tacos y Mas and there were no tables left...since we had seats left we asked if they wanted to join us at our table and they did. They told us about what not to miss, and we ended up seeing them all over...it's hard not to in that little village!)<br />
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There is a combination of indigenous people and ex-pats, and it's just kind of slow and lazy and great. There's not much going on, so no need to plan, but there is certainly an odd rhythm to this little village. As soon as the sun rises (which was amazing from our suite which was
overlooking the ocean, and no windows or walls--basically a massive
covered balcony---so it was just like us, the end of our bed and then
OCEAN), you could see all the fishing boats heading out at the crack of
dawn, and coming back into the pier a few hours later with the <i>bonitas</i> they'd caught. Sometime after the tourist boat from Puerto Vallarta gets in, but most of the tourists just come for the day and stick to the strip of sand across the river, so it gets busy (but not really) until the last water taxi leaves around 4 or 5 and then it quiets down again. Then if you want, there are a few restaurants (basically these patio affairs with plastic chairs in a yard), but you have to know which day of the week it is because there are usually only one or two open per day, and at certain times. And at night, there might be live music, or not, but everybody knows where to go on which night of the week.<br />
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On our first full day in Yelapa, we went for what was supposed to be a short walk around the village The thing I have discovered real time and bird time is like real time and football time. As a child I'd ask my dad how much longer, and he'd say 2 minutes. And then 2 minutes later it would still be a minute left. How did that make sense? Well, what's supposed to be a short walk quickly becomes a four-hour adventure when you have a camera and binoculars in your hands.<br />
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On our first walk into the village, we spotted a really exciting bird...black vultures on the ground, so close to us. It didn't take long for us to realize that there are black vultures<i> everywhere </i>in Yelapa.<br />
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#295: <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black_vulture/id">Black Vulture</a>; Mexico, February 2014<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black vultures and pelicans in the background...not shy around here</td></tr>
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On the way into the village, this poster was on a tree, asking people not to poach the parrots. <br />
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And it was nice that just across from that poster, we saw a parakeet, wild of course. This picture is of a parakeet we saw later. You always heard them before you saw them, and they blend in so well, you could stare at the tree five minutes before you found them (and sometimes you still couldn't!)<br />
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#296: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-fronted_Parakeet">Orange-fronted parakeet</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pix20uvLvHM/U0M6EKADqmI/AAAAAAAALnU/_TB5WBJnEx0/s1600/parrot_DSC1051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pix20uvLvHM/U0M6EKADqmI/AAAAAAAALnU/_TB5WBJnEx0/s1600/parrot_DSC1051.jpg" height="496" width="640" /></a></div>
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Their bulgy yellow eyes often made them look funny. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsdEbJyomxQ/U0M6D7V_mdI/AAAAAAAALnM/swVBQDr1tyU/s1600/parrot_DSC0723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsdEbJyomxQ/U0M6D7V_mdI/AAAAAAAALnM/swVBQDr1tyU/s1600/parrot_DSC0723.jpg" height="640" width="612" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NbaxIjcFlZs/U0M6DB4-PtI/AAAAAAAALm8/HWThVDrQ6i4/s1600/parrot_DSC0715.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NbaxIjcFlZs/U0M6DB4-PtI/AAAAAAAALm8/HWThVDrQ6i4/s1600/parrot_DSC0715.jpg" height="490" width="640" /></a></div>
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This really handy posted was posted in town, and was how I managed to figure out the parakeets we saw earlier in Sayulita. The mini guide I'd brought didn't have all these birds so I took a picture!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmG_6Kh4H0E/U0M52XD5kOI/AAAAAAAALjQ/_vjYRZzUI2E/s1600/IMG_2789parrots+mexico+poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmG_6Kh4H0E/U0M52XD5kOI/AAAAAAAALjQ/_vjYRZzUI2E/s1600/IMG_2789parrots+mexico+poster.jpg" height="640" width="440" /></a></div>
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And how apt that we were staying at <a href="http://yelapacasa.com/">Casa Pericos</a>? (House of Parrots)<br />
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There is a river that runs through Yelapa, splitting the beach from the village. The directions in Yelapa are not typical and quite interesting..."it's upriver," "it's down river," "past the tortilla place," "on the way to the telephone tower," "it's by the point," "near the second water taxi dropoff." <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map by "Map Jeff" who we met on the water taxi. </td></tr>
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You can cross the river at the bridge by wading through it, or you can cross farther up at the bridge. Following the river is an excellent choice, and the basin behind the sand bar has excellent birding opportunities!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRzRcd9pQt0/U0YCvsgeiDI/AAAAAAAALo8/imsD6wwGqqk/s1600/juv+little+blue_DSC0533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aRzRcd9pQt0/U0YCvsgeiDI/AAAAAAAALo8/imsD6wwGqqk/s1600/juv+little+blue_DSC0533.jpg" height="640" width="546" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile little blue. Easy to confuse with the egrets and other herons!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little boy blue</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little blue - big awesome</td></tr>
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Following the river, you get some water-loving birds in the river, but other birds on the sides of the trail too. Golden-cheeked woodpeckers were really common in this part of Mexico and we often saw them in pairs.<br />
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I don't think I could post all these pictures from Mexico and not include a great-tailed grackle...they are as common there as the common grackle is at home!<br />
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The caciques were ubiquitous as well.<br />
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The caciques were most amusing when they tossed up their lids.They are incredibly loud birds.<br />
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#297: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=76231">West Mexican Chachalacha</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
I didn't realize it at the time, but we saw a different type of chachalacha in Yelapa! Apparently I cannot read Mexican range maps...we were farther south than I realized! </div>
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It's amazing that even when you don't know the bird calls of birds in a place you're not familiar with that you can still recognize a sound you <i>haven't </i>heard yet.<br />
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Looking through the mini guide that I had on the plane, Matt and I loved picking out random birds we never heard of, and the ones with the weirdest names ("Yellow-throated euphonia!" "Montezuma's Oropendola!" Black-headed saltator!" Pauraque!" "Squirrel Cuckoo!" "Blue-crowned Motmot!"). It made it all the more wonderful when we spotted some of these birds, as if the oddness of their names made us incredulous of their real-life existence.<br />
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#298: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel_Cuckoo">Squirrel Cuckoo</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014</div>
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#299: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/identification?p_p_spp=282936">Elegant Trogon</a>; Yelapa, Mexico; February 2014<br />
The elegant trogon was one of the most majestic birds that we spotted in Mexico. It was on my list of the ones I really wanted to see. I saw them only on a couple occasions, and they were always pretty quiet, except for our last day in Yelapa when I had a chance to see one feeding. Seriously fantastic. Sometimes in awe of the beauty of some of nature's little beings. <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fsiOX-uwxVI/U0M59jTfkVI/AAAAAAAALlU/0HytlkNC0QI/s1600/eleganttrogon_DSC1157.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VUWmFN3hEu0/U0M59ASEpwI/AAAAAAAALlQ/R2LexVjjuF4/s1600/elegant+trogon_DSC0617.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VUWmFN3hEu0/U0M59ASEpwI/AAAAAAAALlQ/R2LexVjjuF4/s1600/elegant+trogon_DSC0617.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fsiOX-uwxVI/U0M59jTfkVI/AAAAAAAALlU/0HytlkNC0QI/s1600/eleganttrogon_DSC1157.jpg" height="640" width="640" /><br />
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Well, I don't mean to be a tease and it makes no sense to stop here but I have actually reached the limit for tags for this post. You may have noticed I stopped at #299.....!Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com3Yelapa, JAL, Mexico20.4882236 -105.44846740000003-5.0338108999999989 -146.75706140000003 46.0102581 -64.139873400000027tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-44010003780399642162014-03-27T08:00:00.000-04:002014-03-27T08:00:16.357-04:00Boobies and I'm on a boat ... to the Marietas Islands (#294)One of the places near Puerto Vallarta that we absolutely wanted to visit was the Marietas Islands (Islas Marietas). The islands, thanks in part to Jacques Cousteau, are now a protected national park. Previously, the islands were used for military bomb testing, which created some interesting formations, but did some serious damage to the resident wildlife population.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/06/article-0-1A2CE9E0000005DC-259_964x665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/06/article-0-1A2CE9E0000005DC-259_964x665.jpg" height="440" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my pic, but so you get an idea---More pics and info on Hidden Beach <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2336764/Worlds-idyllic-bomb-site-Hidden-beach-created-giant-blast-Mexican-government-target-practice-stunning-strip-sand.html">here</a></td></tr>
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If that pretty much sounds like paradise, the beach is much smaller than it looks. Now imagine the 120 other people you showed up with it and the pervasive scent of bird guano. <br />
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Well, it is still an interesting spot. But first...how we got there...<br />
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This story isn't really about birding, but it's all part of the adventure. If you think for one second that travelling with Matt and me is glamorous, you are terribly wrong. Our schedule was, let's say rather hectic, and we had to get from Sayulita to Puerto Vallarta for a boat departure at 8:30 am. That meant needing a bit of breathing room for something going wrong (it always does), plus the bus ride of an hour or so, plus getting to the bus from our remote jungle casita. That meant waking up at 5 am and getting a taxi for 5:30 am.<br />
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We'd arranged a taxi the night before, and our driver says "No problem, I come pick you up, no problem," but we have the phone numbers of two other drivers in case. By 6 am our driver has still not arrived, the other two are not answering their phones, and I sit on the step to figure out the options to realize...we have none. So, I turn to Matt and there's only one thing to do: start walking.<br />
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Through the dark jungle, on a ridiculous potholed dirt road with our suitcases, backpacks, and me...remember that ceramic sink I bought the night before? Yep...I'm carrying it too. At first the road is cobbles and the suitcases are rattling away behind us and I wonder if the wheels are even still attached. Then the road gives way to sand and the wheels sink right in and we are essentially dragging them through it as the sand builds up at the front. At this rate it will take us at least an hour to walk into town. The only positive thing is that I thought to pack a headlamp, so we can see...sort of. Because in the jungle, when it is dark, man is it dark. <br />
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This continues for about 10 minutes until we hear a rumbling behind us and I'm not sure what to think--this is either our saving grace or our worst nightmare--here we are in the Mexican jungle in the dark---and the old, battered truck comes rattling down the road looking like something is going to fall off it any minute and stops next to us. The driver asks in Spanish if we want a ride and Matt and I look at each other again...do we have any other option? I'm calculating how long it would take for us to walk to the bus stop and I know we aren't going to make it, so we throw our suitcases in the cab and squeeze into his truck, and I thank god for my broken Spanish and explain we need to catch the bus to Puerto Vallarta from Sayulita. He nods his head and I learn a few things about him and hope we haven't found our way into serious trouble, but 5-10 minutes later we jumping out at the bus stop just as the bus is getting ready to leave. Bless this Mexican man's soul!<br />
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A very bumpy, dark ride to Sayulita. Most people are clearly heading in for work, and lots of kids in uniforms are making their way to school. We get dropped off close to the marina and walk to it, we walk around for 20 minutes or so and can't find what we're looking for. Eventually we find someone and realize we are at the WRONG marina and we need to be at the other one NOW. We still have all the stupid luggage and get in a taxi to the other end of the marina, where we realize there is nowhere to put our luggage during the boat ride. I've been out of resort mode and forgot this is a "day trip" for most people, so we end up taking all of out luggage (including the sink) onto the boat. <br />
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So, we are finally off. We are also, literally, the very last people on the boat. There are not a lot of options to get to the Marietas. No boats are actually allowed to land on the islands. Most people are not going for the birds. We had looked into just renting a water taxi to get to the islands, but it turns out most of the water taxis would run out of gas before they got there. The the tour we took (Vallarta Adventures) was way more tolerable than we imagined (except the part where the crew dressed up like the Flintstones and air guitared Guns & Roses on the top deck). The ride is about an hour, and it's not long before we spot what we came for: boobies! I mean, blue-footed ones! <br />
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We are also treated to sea turtle sightings and several humpback whale sightings. We have seen a lot of humpback whales lately, but it was really amazing how many there were.<br />
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We get breakfast on the boat, which is a real unexpected treat since we didn't have time to eat earlier. When we get to the islands, there are thousands of birds and the distinct smell of bird poop. Everyone piles out of the boat and swims through the tunnel to Hidden Beach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm wearing leggings because my legs are sooooo burnt</td></tr>
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It's really not long before they round us up to get back on the boat for "activities." The options are all splendid, and I would do all three but the choice is easy:<br />
<ol>
<li>Paddleboarding</li>
<li>Kayaking</li>
<li>Birdwatching</li>
<li>Staying on the boat and getting drunk</li>
</ol>
Of the 120 people on our boat we were two of only six people who chose birdwatching (and I'm pretty sure two if them didn't even really want to do it but didn't speak English and I think they misunderstood what was happening). Anyway, it was pretty great. We got into a smaller boat and were able to get way close to the birds.<br />
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The guide explained that the name "booby" comes from the Spanish <i>bobo</i>, meaning dumb, since they are so clumsy on land and not scared of people at all (and we basically got right beside them).<br />
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#294: Blue-footed Booby; Mexico; February 2014<br />
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There were both brown boobies (he called them yellow-footed) and
blue-footed boobies, in addition to lots of Heerman's Gulls and
magnificent frigatebirds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyjXeKtd-iQ/UzNqmAgDsUI/AAAAAAAALh0/Jfkq5WTe2fw/s1600/yellowfootedbooby_DSC0344.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyjXeKtd-iQ/UzNqmAgDsUI/AAAAAAAALh0/Jfkq5WTe2fw/s1600/yellowfootedbooby_DSC0344.jpg" height="482" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Booby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8e00ML2yhTY/UzNqhKfufEI/AAAAAAAALgg/rS6ckCxRlOo/s1600/frigatebirds_DSC0190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8e00ML2yhTY/UzNqhKfufEI/AAAAAAAALgg/rS6ckCxRlOo/s1600/frigatebirds_DSC0190.jpg" height="380" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy that these frigatebirds looks small! And neat to see them landed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wl1l8EVQVT4/UzNqikbrodI/AAAAAAAALg8/fGlGn2VVMms/s1600/heermansgulls_DSC0285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wl1l8EVQVT4/UzNqikbrodI/AAAAAAAALg8/fGlGn2VVMms/s1600/heermansgulls_DSC0285.jpg" height="516" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heerman's Gulls. I think they are quite striking!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9AyANTP6e4/UzNqig8Yh-I/AAAAAAAALgo/3E-cMaGCQaE/s1600/laughing+gull_DSC0332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9AyANTP6e4/UzNqig8Yh-I/AAAAAAAALgo/3E-cMaGCQaE/s1600/laughing+gull_DSC0332.jpg" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Gull</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LLWSXcsaJjQ/UzNqkLquZOI/AAAAAAAALhQ/HOroazSGI3E/s1600/pelicans+and+gulls_DSC0231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LLWSXcsaJjQ/UzNqkLquZOI/AAAAAAAALhQ/HOroazSGI3E/s1600/pelicans+and+gulls_DSC0231.jpg" height="386" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I watched this guy land after he caught a fish. Beautiful breeding plumage and he's swallowing his food. Great view of neck pouch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lazWWcjQ4DI/UzNqjjmsjeI/AAAAAAAALhA/Oi4WYErKrU0/s1600/pelican_DSC0227.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lazWWcjQ4DI/UzNqjjmsjeI/AAAAAAAALhA/Oi4WYErKrU0/s1600/pelican_DSC0227.jpg" height="530" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down the hatch! Amazing how slender his neck is!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QhAjC2UA5vE/UzNqlb1f1hI/AAAAAAAALho/fZQ3BRFPxyE/s1600/royal+terns_DSC0324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QhAjC2UA5vE/UzNqlb1f1hI/AAAAAAAALho/fZQ3BRFPxyE/s1600/royal+terns_DSC0324.jpg" height="336" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Terns looking cool. Also, check out the speck of red on the tip of the bill of the laughing gull in the back!!</td></tr>
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Overhead there were so many birds, mainly frigatebirds and vultures. The guide explained something I didn't know (and these tidbits really made it for me)--that frigatebirds, though pelagic (they live mostly at sea), their feathers are not waterproof, so they just fly around and then steal their food from the boobies. Frigate refers to the ships that pirates used. So they are piratebirds! Stealin' all yer goods!<br />
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I don't often check to see if they are black vultures anymore since I never find one, but when the guide said there were both turkey and black cultures, I was like "WHAT!" He was right, and we saw lots more later in the trip.<br />
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Once we got back on land, we raced down to Los Muerto pier just to get on another boat--the water taxi to Yelapa. While waiting, I loved watching the pelicans on the fishermen's boats. I imagine the owners hate it since they must have lots of cleaning to do. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5DAKkXAJi38/UzNqkgTEbyI/AAAAAAAALhU/wKIfXXEiaiI/s1600/pelicans+on+boat_DSC0354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5DAKkXAJi38/UzNqkgTEbyI/AAAAAAAALhU/wKIfXXEiaiI/s1600/pelicans+on+boat_DSC0354.jpg" height="640" width="446" /></a></div>
I have a sneaking suspicion that #300 is coming up really soon. See you in Yelapa!Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com1Marietas Islands, Mexico20.699641 -105.5701536999999920.6847875 -105.59032369999998 20.7144945 -105.5499837tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-57203583748074794922014-03-20T22:28:00.003-04:002014-03-20T22:28:46.225-04:00Mexico II: Sayulita (290-293)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow, time flies! At this rate I'll never keep up with my birding adventures. Life has been a little bit nutty...I've been working my tail off (and let's face it, playing pretty hard too)...but it's time to take a timeout for the birds!<br />
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Following our morning jungle birding earlier that day, we walked into town. The surf was not so good in Sayulita when we visited, so we found van to take us out to La Lancha. On the drive over, there was a pond with some birds, and we made the van full of surfers stop so we could take pictures (just in case it was the only time we saw them. i apologized profusely and swore we wouldn't ask them to do it. luckily everyone was pretty chill about it...ha). <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdKENa_InDs/UxXQT3FVUtI/AAAAAAAALe8/jupelk2uA2I/s1600/white+ibis+9877.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdKENa_InDs/UxXQT3FVUtI/AAAAAAAALe8/jupelk2uA2I/s1600/white+ibis+9877.jpg" height="285" width="640" /></a></div>
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When we got there I was a little sad (but not really) that we couldn't take anything at all. La Lancha is guarded and you can only get in if you have a board, and your board is all you are allowed to take with you. So we headed in and I have nary a shot to show for it. Not that the camera would have been useful to me anyway. Sometimes I need something to get the camera out of my hands so I can just see things.<br />
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So my highlight of the whole day was actually this: hanging out on my board, waiting for the next set, scanning the scene ahead of me....black rock turning into white beach and coast. A convoy of 10 or so pelicans cruise low along the surface of the water toward the shore...they are a ways down the beach but they approach, hugging the water's surface as they go, until they are right where I am, and one by one, each silently, gracefully, effortlessly lifts directly over me just as we appear to collide. the very last one, I swear, looks me in the eye as he goes. i don't think any camera could capture that, and words barely do either. I think that feeling will stick with me forever. i just sat there in awe and my mouth gaped. this, this is a happy girl. i turned around and said to everyone, I don't care if I get another damn wave. it was all worth it just for that moment. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-92S3odS6ud4/TZIRtgGPbFI/AAAAAAAAADI/tGDAddRq6kk/s1600/PERFECT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-92S3odS6ud4/TZIRtgGPbFI/AAAAAAAAADI/tGDAddRq6kk/s1600/PERFECT.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckily this girl has some pictures of La Lancha http://melissa-ajourney.blogspot.ca/2011/03/surf-please.html</td></tr>
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It was only a few hours before I was totally wiped, so we tried Sayulita Fish Tacos with our new friend Aryn and we had one thing on our minds: margaritas. Not having eaten all day, and only one rather strong margarita was all it took to put me out of commission. Afterwards, we wandered around town and found a great birding spot (the wastewater treatment centre beside the river) but Matt took all the photos, me still being in my "margarita mindset"). <br />
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<a href="http://www.sayulitalife.com/applications/sayulitalife/static/images/maps/sayulita_business.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sayulitalife.com/applications/sayulitalife/static/images/maps/sayulita_business.png" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
This one little area was a hotbed of birds! Just about a block from the beach was a totally different scene, but here we had some really beautiful species that we're just so unused to seeing that it was a real treat.<br />
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I love the shots where there are different types of birds together...especially when they are birds I don't normally get to see!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Ibis, black-necked stilt, snowy egret</td></tr>
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#290: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1106/overview/White_Ibis.aspx">White Ibis</a>; February 2014; Sayulita, Mexico<br />
(I guess we did see the white ibis again after all, but they looked totally different! We never saw the all-white ones again)<br />
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There were so many beautiful and interesting birds in such a small
area. The snowy egrets were a blast to watch, chasing each other around
and hopping over each other, it's easy to laugh when such an elegant bird is being so inconsistently awkward compared to its appearance!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-htKg56cA_Rc/UxXQR0FHrEI/AAAAAAAALek/KSQgN3oKABw/s1600/snowyegret9898.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-htKg56cA_Rc/UxXQR0FHrEI/AAAAAAAALek/KSQgN3oKABw/s1600/snowyegret9898.jpg" height="580" width="640" /></a></div>
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We'd seen the Hawaiian subspecies of the black-necked stilt, but here's the more common variation:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-quOm5DnBhjQ/UxXQPQMCyCI/AAAAAAAALd8/OK4aKCJJIuE/s1600/black+necked+stilts+9846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-quOm5DnBhjQ/UxXQPQMCyCI/AAAAAAAALd8/OK4aKCJJIuE/s1600/black+necked+stilts+9846.jpg" height="468" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iI50WkllHYY/UxXQCM7H2AI/AAAAAAAALds/8_0EU0bZngM/s1600/black+necked+stilt9934.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iI50WkllHYY/UxXQCM7H2AI/AAAAAAAALds/8_0EU0bZngM/s1600/black+necked+stilt9934.jpg" height="640" width="466" /></a></div>
As you can see, the water wasn't looking very clear, but this little blue heron didn't seem to mind. Yuck!<br />
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#291: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/46/_/Little_Blue_Heron.aspx">Little Blue Heron</a>, February 2014; Sayulita, Mexico<br />
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Again in BW. I'm not sure which I prefer. I never do this so you can see the colours, but I think this one looks really nice. So strikingly elegant. <br />
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It seemed that a lot of birds came to this little spot to roost for the night. The area was taken over by caciques--detected most easily by the total racket they were making, but also the flashes of yellow and black They were incredibly hard to photograph.<br />
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Soon we saw a tricolored heron land in a big palm tree across the creek.<br />
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#292: <a href="http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/49/_/Tricolored_Heron.aspx">Tricolored Heron</a>; February 2014; Sayulita, Mexico <br />
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Then a snowy egret came into land. A cormorant also came in, and they didn't seem to mind each other at all. <br />
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And then we noticed a little blue also in the same tree, standing silently.<br />
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I was just a little bit in awe that there were so many spectacular birds in one tree. <br />
There was also a green heron at the bottom!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K994bLd78XA/UxXQOrRl4dI/AAAAAAAALd4/MwkxAcYLCrY/s1600/_DSC0115.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K994bLd78XA/UxXQOrRl4dI/AAAAAAAALd4/MwkxAcYLCrY/s1600/_DSC0115.jpg" height="451" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from bottom left: green heron, double-crested cormorant, snowy egret (circle moved somehow!), tricolored heron, little blue heron, snowy egret. Amazing!</td></tr>
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Then, all that was left to do was head toward the beach, enjoy basking in the warm glow of the setting sun, watch some fisherman hand cast nets in the shallows and watch the pelicans dive for fish--my favourite activity and the end of a perfect day. Sayulita, our stay with you was short and sweet, but absolutely wonderful. But we like to move and we have more adventures waiting for us...always!<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7TavB5li_ic/UxXQSdfcO2I/AAAAAAAALew/GaXSWbA_rlc/s1600/snowyegret9977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7TavB5li_ic/UxXQSdfcO2I/AAAAAAAALew/GaXSWbA_rlc/s1600/snowyegret9977.jpg" height="640" width="459" /></a></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-tAjUf8782HQ%2FUxXQCIX-wbI%2FAAAAAAAALdo%2FEUpjSK-FnQE%2Fs1600%2F0064%2Btricolored%2Bheron.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tAjUf8782HQ/UxXQCIX-wbI/AAAAAAAALdo/EUpjSK-FnQE/s1600/0064+tricolored+heron.jpg" -->Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-48989345611205765232014-02-26T19:15:00.000-05:002014-02-26T19:15:05.256-05:00Mexico I: Sweet tweet Sayulita (#281-289) In our house, we like to go big on Valentine's Day. That means that for the second time now, we've loaded ourselves onto flights to my favourite escape destination--Mexico. Because airports are so romantic right?<br />
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Edge rolled over in bed and presented my with my Valentine in the morning - <br />
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mexico-Birds-Folding-Familiar-Naturalist/dp/1583554807/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393422046&sr=8-2&keywords=mexico+birds"><i>Mexico Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species</i></a>, (which turned out to be the first of many surprises). Some girls want roses, some want diamonds and I get excited about a $6 bird guide from the Internet. I had wanted to order it, but they wouldn't ship to Canada. Anyways, now I had it in my little hands and was ready to go!</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">After a rather eventful flight trajectory to Puerto Vallarta, we finally landed. We like to play a little game whenever we land at a foreign airport--see who can spot the first bird, and the first life bird (bonus if it's the same bird).</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"></span><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">The first destination was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmy1yO_5xGQ">Sayulita</a> (and pardon the bum shots), north of Puerto Vallarta by about an hour. It's a little beach town and we stayed just a bit out of the town in the jungle in Villa Bali at a privately owned casita. This meant that in the morning we were up in the trees (as I've discovered, it's key if you can somehow get yourself relatively close to the tree tops, so being on a hillside is perfect). The owner of our <a href="http://www.sayulitajungleretreat.com/index.html">vacation rental</a>, Liz, joined us for some morning birdwatching. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our casita</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home! For a few nights. </td></tr>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">The very first obvious sounds were the chachalachas and the caciques. </span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">The chachalachas I liken to our wild turkeys a bit, large and quite awkward. They fumble around the trees, eating berries. </span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"># 281: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview%3Fp_p_spp%3D76071">Rufous-bellied (or Wagler's) Chachalaca</a>; Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Similarly loud with a call described by Liz as "Bryan," the caciques were ubiquitous but decidledly difficult to photograph! I'll add more photos of these birds in later posts. They have a great tuft of hair that they flip forward. Unfortunately you can't quite see it here. </span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">#282: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=679116">Yellow-winged Cacique</a>; </span><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lyoA5UeJyc0/Uw4Whob5R_I/AAAAAAAALcs/G2bb2OqRFMg/s1600/cacique9686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lyoA5UeJyc0/Uw4Whob5R_I/AAAAAAAALcs/G2bb2OqRFMg/s1600/cacique9686.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">We were both a little dumbstruck by the magnificence of the black-throated magpie jays. They came flying overhead with their long tails trailing behind. They came in a group of four or five, but didn't stay long. Don't be deceived by their names...they are far larger than our regular jays, at </span><br />58.5 - 76.5 cm long, they are truly magnificent!</div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">#283: Black-throated Magpie Jay; </span><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">It still amazes me to see the diversity of woodpeckers in Mexico--for some reason I associate them as northern birds--but that's false! </span></div>
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#284: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=310136">Golden-cheeked woodpecker</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"></span><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span><br />
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You might need to do a double take to realize that this is not a pileated woodpecker. They must be cousins!<br />
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#285: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=320376">Lineated Woodpecker</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"></span><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span> <br />
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Having Liz on hand was great as she was already familiar with some of the birds and could name them for us, and she also had a copy of the book I had ordered before leaving but hadn't received in time. We soon realized that the quick reference pamphlet was missing a good number of our sightings. We had our National Geographic Birds of North America Guide, which I love, but it too was missing many birds--which leads me to a real peeve---why do they call it the Birds of North America when it doesn't have all the birds of North America? Because Mexico is definitely part of North America....HELLO! So they should really call it the Birds of USA and Canada, because it's rather misleading! Anyways, I also just found that Cornell has an online guide to <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/home">Neotropical Birds. </a><br />
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#286: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=488876">Masked Tityra</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span><br />
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The parrot family birds are fun and tricky! Given their colour, they blend in spectacularly well with their surroundings. You can hear them loud and clear and not see the darn things. Matt spotted these, and pointed them out and I looked forever and ever and had the hardest time finding them. Nevermind that there are around 10 of them in this shot! It's like those games on the cereal box were you have to find all the items...I've included this one full size so you can enlarge and see how good your sleuthing skills are!<br />
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#287: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=189496">Mexican (or Blue-rumped) Parrotlet</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span><br />
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Close up. Did you find them all?<br />
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I love that these were either ALWAYS in pairs, or snuggled up together in a line.<br />
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There was one rather elusive bird directly in front of the house. We could tell it was there because of the leaves moving around, but it was so hard to spot. Luckily, we got a good enough look to get a quick shot of another bird with a cousin up north.<br />
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#288; <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=553036">Rufous-backed Robin</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span><br />
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Remember that post I wrote last time I was in Mexico about<a href="http://100birdsinayear.blogspot.ca/2012/04/grey-and-yellow-flycactchers-of-mexico.html"> grey and yellow flycatchers of Mexico</a>? (well, it's my second most popular post--apparently these birds don't give only me headaches!). This reminds me of one of the ones I couldn't identify. I distinctly recalled the Greater Kiskadees on the Gulf side, but these birds seemed smaller (and habitat different). So for now, I'm not too sure what this is. But it sure is nice, don't you think?</div>
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We both spotted this little bird flitting around, and Matt said, hey there's a black and white warbler. Now I'm getting a better look, and it's not at all. I already have a Black-Throated Green Warbler, a Black-Throated Blue Warbler, and now I have a Black-Throated Grey Warbler to add to my collection!</div>
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#289: <a href="http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=566476">Black-Throated Grey Warbler</a>; <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle">Sayulita, Mexico, February 2014</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sGedhzN6YbI/Uw4R_frSc7I/AAAAAAAALa4/WJoWoPpEAXc/s1600/_DSC9645.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sGedhzN6YbI/Uw4R_frSc7I/AAAAAAAALa4/WJoWoPpEAXc/s1600/_DSC9645.jpg" height="630" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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Thought I'd add in this little one that we also have at home, but not the variation that we normally see--a yellow-rumped warbler, but an Audubon's. </div>
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This one I am still researching a bit. I'm not sure between the warblers and female tanagers. If I figure it out I'll get back to you! <span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vIl3dtHVlSA/Uw4SAG19FnI/AAAAAAAALbE/Fu5vqQdrtB4/s1600/_DSC9666.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vIl3dtHVlSA/Uw4SAG19FnI/AAAAAAAALbE/Fu5vqQdrtB4/s1600/_DSC9666.jpg" height="476" width="640" /></a></span></div>
We enjoyed a few good hours of birding before heading into town. More on that later!<br />Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico20.865163 -105.4380909999999920.835489 -105.47843149999999 20.894837 -105.39775049999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-744968452644721332014-01-26T20:22:00.003-05:002014-01-26T20:22:46.345-05:00First lifer of the year (#280) I wanted to get out birding this weekend, but it wasn't until there was only about an hour left of sunlight left that I was ready to go. I already had it in mind that I wanted to look for the Barrow's Goldeneyes but hadn't mentioned it, so I had to laugh when I asked Matt where he wanted to go and he said "I was thinking of looking for the Barrow's Goldeneyes." Seriously, in what normal couple does this conversation happen?<br />
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"Barrow's goldeneyes."<br />
"Yeah, that's just what I was thinking."<br />
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So we thought we'd pass through snowy territory on the way (which, by the way, is pretty much anywhere in Ottawa right now). The first spotting was on a tall hydro pole way out in the middle of the field--so far out you probably wouldn't see it, but I knew to look from the last time. Just around the bend, there were a bunch of parked cars, and no surprise, a perched snowy nearby.<br />
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The key to spotting a snowy owl? Look for a whole bunch of parked cars and expensive optics. <br />
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I watched from the car and was extremely pleased with the behavior of the birders/photographers at this particular location--everyone was respecting property boundaries, keeping distance, being quiet and no flying rodents. The only thing that eventually flushed the owl was the behemoth snowplow that came down the street. <br />
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So we headed to our intended destination--one of few locations of open water in Ottawa. The patch of water in the Jock River is only about 100 metres long, so it didn't take long to find the five ducks bobbing about. They took off out of the water but only flew to the beginning of the patch of water, and they were busy ducking and diving and preening and generally being ducks, surfing the current backwards. It didn't seem to bother them at all that the water must be totally frigid! There were two female Barrow's, one male Barrow's and two male common goldeneyes. It's always pretty exciting to get a life bird on home turf--it doesn't happen so often anymore!<br />
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#280: Barrow's Goldeneye; January 2014; Ottawa, Ontario <br />
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I do worry what these ducks are going to do when the river freezes over! It's only going to get worse here before it gets better. It seems that -30 Celsius is the new normal in Ottawa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Barrow's wit Common. Neat to see side-by-side!</td></tr>
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At this point it was quite dark and shots were getting blurry even with the tripod, so we headed home. I spotted two more stories, one of which we practically drove right under, but didn't notice until the last minute. Not shy at all, these ones...<br />
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All in all, a life bird and four snowies in about an hour--not bad at all!Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-71722699455423477602014-01-05T17:10:00.001-05:002014-01-05T17:10:06.673-05:00Back at Point BobHere's the final post from out West. After a few weeks on the road, it was good to finally relax on the beach, kayak and paddleboard in the ocean, play games, bike around the point and catch up with West Coast friends and family. The birds around there start to feel familiar too: there are always a few herons in the tide pools, the kingfisher hunting at dinnertime and hanging out at the breakwater, an eagle eating up fish leftovers on the beach, hummingbirds at the top of the hill.<br />
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This year was finally my year to see the orcas! A mom and her baby. The curse is over!<br />
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Remember this pic? Oops. It's actually from the Point. Somehow it got mixed in with pics from way earlier in the trip. It's a rufous :)<br />
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These birds are a little less familiar--I can't recall seeing them on the Point before and I almost missed them, they blended in so well with the seaweed. Of course we didn't take the camera and so this meant kayaking back to get it! Black Oystercatchers.<br />
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Anyone who knows me knows I'm anything but a morning person. I was sleeping soundly while Matt was out snaping pics of this eagle in front of the cabin who'd found something good on the beach, in that quiet time before the beachwalkers and dogs emerge and take over the sandbars. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh hai.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">got something good here. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">what?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">goh!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">going for a walk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bzTOttQTdbU/UsnTNBdSM9I/AAAAAAAALX8/t41BSSDc2NQ/s1600/_DSC6733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bzTOttQTdbU/UsnTNBdSM9I/AAAAAAAALX8/t41BSSDc2NQ/s640/_DSC6733.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thirsty bird</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AAUs5hvOqSs/UsnTRCHRAlI/AAAAAAAALYc/3L_DHyPt24c/s1600/_DSC6739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AAUs5hvOqSs/UsnTRCHRAlI/AAAAAAAALYc/3L_DHyPt24c/s640/_DSC6739.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jIUeOp_009Q/UsnTPHxlcVI/AAAAAAAALYU/3mdNuTtB3-c/s1600/_DSC6740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jIUeOp_009Q/UsnTPHxlcVI/AAAAAAAALYU/3mdNuTtB3-c/s640/_DSC6740.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">who's the fairest bird of them all?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x73YYhQ9nOY/UsnTTJ2wK9I/AAAAAAAALYs/Tt3fzFB4w8Q/s1600/_DSC6746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="514" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x73YYhQ9nOY/UsnTTJ2wK9I/AAAAAAAALYs/Tt3fzFB4w8Q/s640/_DSC6746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am, of course. what were you going to say?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've got swagger, after all.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PZfsVVHUE70/UsnTTG_dM_I/AAAAAAAALY0/auMu0JPcOjA/s1600/_DSC6752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PZfsVVHUE70/UsnTTG_dM_I/AAAAAAAALY0/auMu0JPcOjA/s640/_DSC6752.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not to be confused with a sandpiper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t-K6mOdCZ7c/UsnTWgzz3aI/AAAAAAAALZM/GhHOnNWj30Y/s1600/_DSC6754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t-K6mOdCZ7c/UsnTWgzz3aI/AAAAAAAALZM/GhHOnNWj30Y/s640/_DSC6754.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get me from my good side. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AV0mGckPeJs/UsnTU7UvwbI/AAAAAAAALZA/J9ottTYnJTg/s1600/_DSC6755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AV0mGckPeJs/UsnTU7UvwbI/AAAAAAAALZA/J9ottTYnJTg/s640/_DSC6755.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YOLO</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JUBOK-6Zrsw/UsnTYCKQYWI/AAAAAAAALZY/s6i7BLylPqc/s1600/_DSC6759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JUBOK-6Zrsw/UsnTYCKQYWI/AAAAAAAALZY/s6i7BLylPqc/s640/_DSC6759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hey paparazzi. have you had enough yet?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkr_Pv4a99s/UsnTWmrVSOI/AAAAAAAALZQ/F9-ZsDAKjf0/s1600/_DSC6760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkr_Pv4a99s/UsnTWmrVSOI/AAAAAAAALZQ/F9-ZsDAKjf0/s640/_DSC6760.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">see ya! I've got take-out.</td></tr>
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Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0Point Roberts, USA48.984777889212161 -123.050689490429748.943097389212163 -123.1313704904297 49.026458389212159 -122.97000849042971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-12470716275473591672014-01-03T12:07:00.001-05:002014-01-03T12:07:05.530-05:00New Year Birding: Off to a Great Start!New Year's Day was gorgeous--clear and blue--although a little chilly with the windchill at about -25. But a day off is a day off and not something to waste, as it's rare these days that I have much sunlight to play with. So I was really looking forward to having the camera (and my birding partner) back and hitting the trails.<br />
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Shannon, Brent, Violet and Donovan joined us (I'm secretly creating a birding army) and provided lots of extra sets of eyes to spot the winged ones. Apparently they weren't scared off by their <a href="http://100birdsinayear.blogspot.ca/2013/04/and-now-we-interrupt-your-scheduled.html">first experience</a> with us. <br />
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With the temperature it was, it was pretty quiet on Old Quarry Trail. But eventually we were swarmed by chickadees looking for lunch, and everyone was happy to oblige. Even a red-breasted nuthatch came to eat out of our hands. Violet's mittens were black so the birds couldn't see the seeds very well..she found she had better luck putting the seeds on her head...<br />
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We did the entire loop and saw just chickadees, a single nuthatch, three deer and a porcupine. Back by the cars though, I spotted a flash of red and a great black body. Everyone was a little mesmerized by the Pileated, even though we'd all seen them before. This individual was not at all concerned by our presence and really went at the tree, taking massive chunks off. The evidence of his destruction lay all around the base. Soon after we noticed a brown creeper that reaped rewards from the pileated's work---he hopped around the pile on the ground investigating. Eventually two downy woodpeckers landed on the tree and there was a pileated, a creeper, two downies and then an American crow all on one tree! If I only I could have got a shot of all of them in the same frame.<br />
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I headed to yoga in the aft, but had just enough sunlight left to hear out one more time. I hadn't had a chance to look for any of the snowies so I thought we'd have a quick look. Within 15 minutes we'd found two, one really far off and another a little closer, still a little far for a great shot. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcPVPkvjdLw/UsX2bYeUCII/AAAAAAAALVs/LOS_Gw8342M/s1600/_DSC9237snowy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcPVPkvjdLw/UsX2bYeUCII/AAAAAAAALVs/LOS_Gw8342M/s640/_DSC9237snowy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
We observed for a bit before moving on, and just around the corner a
bunch of little birds took off, but resettled and they turned out to be
precious little horned larks!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOvpcVTWuXc/UsX2e4aIyHI/AAAAAAAALWM/IUWt2VjUNOQ/s1600/_DSC9289horned+lark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOvpcVTWuXc/UsX2e4aIyHI/AAAAAAAALWM/IUWt2VjUNOQ/s640/_DSC9289horned+lark.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6rBNoZbJLk/UsX2c5MbkEI/AAAAAAAALWA/NyfTnxgr374/s1600/_DSC9292hornedlark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6rBNoZbJLk/UsX2c5MbkEI/AAAAAAAALWA/NyfTnxgr374/s640/_DSC9292hornedlark.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">umph. I'm so mad!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have to say it was a pretty wonderful new year's day. We decided to keep a year list, and it stands at 8 so far. Best of birding in 2014 to all! I can't wait to see what this year has in store :)Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-42784247041198136112014-01-01T10:35:00.002-05:002014-01-01T10:35:14.187-05:00Happy new year!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Another year gone by, and I guess it's something of a tradition for me to write a new year's post! In 2013 one of Matt's goals was to find 50 new life birds, and I thought he was crazy. Well, he did it! (I think I fell just short, but wasn't really counting anyway). A trip to Hawaii, the West Coast and Arizona probably didn't hurt!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So that brings me to resolutions. I used to hate them but recently have embraced them in that they help me have direction and keep me on track. So I have a few birding goals for this year. Not resolutions per se, but things to work on:</span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bird topography. After several years of birding I still can't tell a primary from a tertial (ok, as of two days ago I can). But knowing ALL of the parts of the bird should help me with tricky identifications. <a href="http://www.sibleyguides.com/category/quiz-bird-topography/">Sibley has some neat quizzes </a>you can do covering all parts of the bird. </span></li>
<li>Bird calls. I am really, really bad at this. I plan to pay a little more attention to bird sounds and try to remember at least some of them. </li>
<li>Shorebirds! I will do my best not to miss migration and start figuring these out!</li>
<li>Local birding. I'm becoming notorious for doing most of my birding away from home. I want to rediscover my local area. That's starting today! And I want to make sure I don't miss spring migration!</li>
<li>Target bird for the year? Just one: Tufted titmouse, because it's so cute, and I should be some places in their range. </li>
</ol>
What about you? Have you made any birding resolutions, are do have goals you are working towards? <br />
<ol>
</ol>
In other bits of randomness, someone posted this on Facebook the other day and I laughed because I thought, I would actually really love to play that!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Trivia-Game-What-Educational/dp/B001TABLXK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MM1GGczFL.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">If you don't get purchase the game, you can always play this alternative online: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/birding123/identify/allaboutbirds_quiz">Cornell Bird Trivia Game</a>. But then you don't get to play with someone else.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Also my in-laws gave me a cute little stuffed owl and a necklace with an owl on it at Christmas. Am I becoming the crazy bird lady already? :P </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span>
<br />
Happy birding in the New Year! I'm heading out today...can't wait to see what's out there!<br />
<br />Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-13965337910300435512013-12-31T17:47:00.000-05:002013-12-31T17:47:16.840-05:00Let plovers nest in peace! Save the snowy plovers.... (#278-279)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
We are nearing the end of the journey (well, it kept going, but the birding slowed down a bit as we hit urban centres and finally arrived at our ultimate destination). We stayed in a log cabin in the <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/siuslaw/recreation/recarea/?recid=42465">Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area</a>, and hit the dunes in the morning. I wasn't sure what to expect, but had seen some images of this unique area. I was a little annoyed by the gazillion dune buggies---I just don't get it!<br />
<br />
The dunes are a long area of the Oregon Coast and we accessed them near Coos Bay. We did the long walk down the dunes (knowing it would be a fun climb back up again). When we came back up again, two rangers had set up a little table and had information on the dunes and ...birds! The one ranger was a university student and so helpful--I asked her what birds I could be seeing at that time and what I might have missed and she mentioned that there were western snowy plovers around. These tiny birds are threatened and long sections of the beach have been roped off, as well as signs and <a href="http://www.fws.gov/pacific/news/news.cfm?id=2144375201">warnings</a> indicating that motorized vehicles are not allowed in the beach during certain times (it's a bit odd...everybody drives their trucks on the beach there). Dogs are also a huge threat, scaring the birds away from their nest and wasting precious energy. Apparently, there were as few as 28 nesting birds in 1992 but they are now up to at least 231--a step in the right direction, for sure! She pointed me to a location where we might see them. <br />
<br />
We drove there and walked a long ways down the shore not really seeing anything. First of all, it was really foggy and you couldn't really see all that far, and secondly because there were no birds! And also no people. It's crazy how much shoreline there is, and how few people are on it. Just at some at the main stops, but there are just not enough people to fill up all that beach, plus it's really too cold to do any sunbathing or swimming, so everyone just walks the beach and checks out the rocks and beachcombs generally. <br />
<br />
Knowing chances would be really slim of seeing this bird anywhere else, we walked all the way down the beach as far as we could, at least 30 minutes. Finally, Matt yells my name quite urgently and laughs--pointing out this bird that is so tiny...so tiny this little bird weighs only 1.4 oz--scurrying along the beach. Scurrying, stopping in its tracks, scurrying some more. So sweet. And so white and fluffy. That tiny little bird totally won my heart. <br />
<br />
You can check out this site for more information on the snowy plover and conservation efforts at http://www.westernsnowyplover.org/. I'd recommend you read up on this special little bird.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QVztlTcDNvc/Urz0HhFdCUI/AAAAAAAALSQ/hwDkGMk87gg/s1600/_DSC5956ploversin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QVztlTcDNvc/Urz0HhFdCUI/AAAAAAAALSQ/hwDkGMk87gg/s640/_DSC5956ploversin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
#278: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Plover">Snowy Plover</a>, Oregon Dunes, August 2013<br />
I swear little snowy you are not just a number to me!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G4mlgk2DvzM/Urz0IT85NwI/AAAAAAAALSU/7MtxNzl7QZw/s1600/_DSC5968snowyplover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G4mlgk2DvzM/Urz0IT85NwI/AAAAAAAALSU/7MtxNzl7QZw/s640/_DSC5968snowyplover.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the teeny tiny bands on its legs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After we noticed the plover, we started to see a few other birds, including some gnarly terns nearby, a few gulls eating dead crabs on the beach and a small sandpiper, that I almost thought was another plover. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9TiZX_gMYvA/Urz0JIpJY-I/AAAAAAAALSo/g3dnFcnInbg/s1600/_DSC5987caspianterns.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9TiZX_gMYvA/Urz0JIpJY-I/AAAAAAAALSo/g3dnFcnInbg/s640/_DSC5987caspianterns.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gull with Caspian Terns</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IbqPPN-cw08/Urz0Jbr03TI/AAAAAAAALSk/ckzKQAVfWTk/s640/_DSC5996westernsandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western sandpiper</td></tr>
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Our last section before heading into Portland was Seaside to Astoria. We spent an extra day there than we had planned, hanging out with some amazing Warm Showers/Couchsurfing people we had met, relaxing, cooking, going to a karaoke bar, and for me at least, shooting the hummingbirds through the kitchen window. :)</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umjjXfWsk_M/Urz0KhPHcKI/AAAAAAAALS0/Gp4YCjnpyyM/s1600/_DSC6425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umjjXfWsk_M/Urz0KhPHcKI/AAAAAAAALS0/Gp4YCjnpyyM/s640/_DSC6425.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes. It's sticking it's tongue out. At me?</td></tr>
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I headed back to the archives for a better look and I'm glad I didn't delete this shot because this is the confirmation I need that these were rufous humingbirds :)</div>
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#278: Rufous Hummingbird; Seaside, Oregon, August 2013 </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QwzEqbKSGwo/UsNBHg3bJQI/AAAAAAAALVI/tzhA4EmcHYU/s1600/_DSC6435+rufous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QwzEqbKSGwo/UsNBHg3bJQI/AAAAAAAALVI/tzhA4EmcHYU/s640/_DSC6435+rufous.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little bird playing peekabo shows the white tips of his tail. YES!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8naBo-TyHU/UsNBInU1cZI/AAAAAAAALVQ/WiJ0n-wA4EE/s1600/_DSC6392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8naBo-TyHU/UsNBInU1cZI/AAAAAAAALVQ/WiJ0n-wA4EE/s640/_DSC6392.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another angle</td></tr>
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On that note--more developments on the redwoods hummingbirds. here's proof that Matt <i>did</i> see Anna's. I went back and found this among the pics from that day....but none of them turned out, sadly--either super over or underexposed. But I think we can safely agree that the previous posted bird wasn't an Anna's and this one is--they are pretty clearly different! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YHFXwbVJH3s/UsNBIPZpTiI/AAAAAAAALVM/mC8VN25o-dY/s1600/annas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YHFXwbVJH3s/UsNBIPZpTiI/AAAAAAAALVM/mC8VN25o-dY/s320/annas.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHhBf4lzq9g/Ur409ekNSWI/AAAAAAAALUE/KKWd3afea8k/s1600/_DSC6442.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHhBf4lzq9g/Ur409ekNSWI/AAAAAAAALUE/KKWd3afea8k/s640/_DSC6442.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can find friends anywhere. I love that these experiences are so short but so intense. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiwyqfVX8mg/Urz0GH-XYrI/AAAAAAAALSE/yiSgE6anz7Q/s1600/_DSC5730.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiwyqfVX8mg/Urz0GH-XYrI/AAAAAAAALSE/yiSgE6anz7Q/s640/_DSC5730.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love you Oregon.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.cdn.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/2497977/max_h-1000+max_w-1000/Oregon_heart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.cdn.bigcartel.com/bigcartel/product_images/2497977/max_h-1000+max_w-1000/Oregon_heart.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was on all the cars in OR. I think I know why. </td></tr>
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It's nice taking a while before doing these posts after a trip (I'm justifying my slacker habits here) because it's been nice to revisit the trip. I think just one more west coast post to come. It will be a familiar bird but a funny one. See you soon :)<br />
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Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6085946821546117983.post-71087678771742297502013-12-30T19:27:00.002-05:002013-12-30T19:27:51.581-05:00Arcata. That is all. And a funny binocular story. And more identification woes... (#276-277)<br />
A cut inland, through the Redwoods and 400 kilometres later (or since we're in the USA, 247 miles), we're
back to the ocean's edge. The visitor centres have been great handing
out one-page maps pointing out the major natural areas. Arcata was
pointed out as a great spot for birding. So far we haven't really been
birding a lot, just an hour here and there. After all, this trip was never planned
as a birding trip, and not timed with any migration or anything, so any
sightings were just luck.<br />
<br />
Well let me tell you just how lucky we got.<br />
<br />
THIS.<br />
<br />
Matt
took a little path off the main trail to the edge and I followed. We
looked down the shore and saw a bunch of grey bumps that I thought were
rocks. But Matt was taking pictures.<br />
<br />
Because they were birds. ALL OF THEM. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DH7RE4Hdx78/UrzzsdDzSYI/AAAAAAAALPk/1MDbTEOuYCo/s1600/_DSC5423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DH7RE4Hdx78/UrzzsdDzSYI/AAAAAAAALPk/1MDbTEOuYCo/s640/_DSC5423.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUcjPIPemuM/Urzz9uMKk-I/AAAAAAAALQ4/rHtmhpRLANc/s1600/_DSC5442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUcjPIPemuM/Urzz9uMKk-I/AAAAAAAALQ4/rHtmhpRLANc/s640/_DSC5442.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I
started to pinch myself around this point.We sort of just stumbled on
shorebird heaven. My previous shorebird excursions have been a little
frustrating. The birds are so far away that you need a behemoth of a
scope and still they can be hard to identify.<br />
<br />
#276: Willet; <a href="http://www.cityofarcata.org/departments/environmental-services/water-wastewater/wildlife-sanctuary">Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary</a>; California; August 2013<br />
#277: Marbled Godwit; <a href="http://www.cityofarcata.org/departments/environmental-services/water-wastewater/wildlife-sanctuary">Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary</a>; California; August 2013<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAGUpqqql6s/Urzzu2e8I3I/AAAAAAAALPs/L93nAIEMKII/s1600/_DSC5455willetsmarbledgodwit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAGUpqqql6s/Urzzu2e8I3I/AAAAAAAALPs/L93nAIEMKII/s640/_DSC5455willetsmarbledgodwit.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willets with Marbled godwits</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5oHctetl7E0/Urz0Bpx7OpI/AAAAAAAALRY/aYzhZ5DdqX8/s1600/_DSC5528.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5oHctetl7E0/Urz0Bpx7OpI/AAAAAAAALRY/aYzhZ5DdqX8/s640/_DSC5528.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled Godwit</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF3HMDV2mEg/Urzz9fgg30I/AAAAAAAALQs/A3SIuW_3mxA/s1600/_DSC5500.jpg"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF3HMDV2mEg/Urzz9fgg30I/AAAAAAAALQs/A3SIuW_3mxA/s1600/_DSC5500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iMlOkE_D7Mw/Urz0AMd0TeI/AAAAAAAALRI/oywj16aMPmA/s1600/_DSC5535willetgreylegs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iMlOkE_D7Mw/Urz0AMd0TeI/AAAAAAAALRI/oywj16aMPmA/s640/_DSC5535willetgreylegs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willet. Note
grey legs! Think it might be the only shorebird with grey legs that I
can think of, except whimbrel---makes my life easy :)</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF3HMDV2mEg/Urzz9fgg30I/AAAAAAAALQs/A3SIuW_3mxA/s1600/_DSC5500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uF3HMDV2mEg/Urzz9fgg30I/AAAAAAAALQs/A3SIuW_3mxA/s640/_DSC5500.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9LT9wn-YqM/Urz0A3v3l5I/AAAAAAAALRQ/AS-Z2RmwaTk/s1600/_DSC5517willetgreylegs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9LT9wn-YqM/Urz0A3v3l5I/AAAAAAAALRQ/AS-Z2RmwaTk/s640/_DSC5517willetgreylegs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another willet, with dowitchers</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
This last image leads me to the next section. I could have either one or two life birds in addition to
these...long-billed and short-billed dowitchers. There's enough resolution in
these pics (the originals, at least) that I might spend some more time
on this, but I've already spent hours it feels, comparing illustrations
and reading articles and ripping my hair out and wondering if am slowly going crazy123456switch. I think, if they have to write super lengthy
articles about distinguishing the two, I shouldn't feel so bad about
not being able to tell them apart. On the upside, I'm getting a little
better with my bird anatomy (I didn't actually now where a tertial was
until...oh, five minutes ago....blush). It's all tertials an juveniles and breeding and worn breeding and tiger stripes and spring and fall and winter and how is fall in August anyway and on and on and none of it seems to be helping. Next time, I'll just make sure
that I....listen!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
These resources seem pretty good:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.surfbirds.com/ID%20Articles/dowitchers1005/dowitchers.html">New advances in the field of identification of dowitchers</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://thebirdguide.com/identification/dowitchers/dowitchers.htm">Identification of Dowitchers in the Pacific Northwest</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sn7aZahg1tU/Urzz-yIzGUI/AAAAAAAALQ8/KTENui6WkLM/s1600/_DSC5525longbilleddowitcher.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="339" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sn7aZahg1tU/Urzz-yIzGUI/AAAAAAAALQ8/KTENui6WkLM/s640/_DSC5525longbilleddowitcher.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JvxxqeVT6R8/Urzz4O6MZ_I/AAAAAAAALQE/3ZvPAMii6So/s1600/_DSC5463.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JvxxqeVT6R8/Urzz4O6MZ_I/AAAAAAAALQE/3ZvPAMii6So/s640/_DSC5463.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Dowitchers in flight</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGSWJWKNxmE/UsIHBxQ5M9I/AAAAAAAALU4/P3WjjMOygHw/s1600/_DSC5484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGSWJWKNxmE/UsIHBxQ5M9I/AAAAAAAALU4/P3WjjMOygHw/s640/_DSC5484.jpg" width="588" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently wider black bars on the tail tan wide is a surefire sign of a long-billed, EXCEPT on the West Coast. BAH.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sx5vkc3YmYQ/Urzz7TgoOTI/AAAAAAAALQY/3tBe8k6A7fI/s1600/_DSC5482marbledgodithwithdwitcher.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sx5vkc3YmYQ/Urzz7TgoOTI/AAAAAAAALQY/3tBe8k6A7fI/s640/_DSC5482marbledgodithwithdwitcher.jpg" width="546" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled godwits with dowitcher</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5bjAgYOJVYw/Urzz8NAaLII/AAAAAAAALQc/m0whtagDmI8/s1600/_DSC5495marbledgodwitanddowitcer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5bjAgYOJVYw/Urzz8NAaLII/AAAAAAAALQc/m0whtagDmI8/s640/_DSC5495marbledgodwitanddowitcer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled godwit with dowitchers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VR7653Iu6oQ/Urzz90cJcbI/AAAAAAAALQ0/pbQfA5nvQw0/s1600/_DSC5512.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VR7653Iu6oQ/Urzz90cJcbI/AAAAAAAALQ0/pbQfA5nvQw0/s640/_DSC5512.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Size comparison!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaQwukyz7RM/Urzz6pj9wjI/AAAAAAAALQM/0vToO8yTBmA/s1600/_DSC5473least+sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="594" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FaQwukyz7RM/Urzz6pj9wjI/AAAAAAAALQM/0vToO8yTBmA/s640/_DSC5473least+sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Least Sandpiper</td></tr>
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The snowy egret was also there, and this time I managed a shot where it was lifting its feet out of the water so you can see its awesome yellow feet! This is one thing that makes it really stand apart from the egrets at home (plus the obvious size difference!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RjHgffhYe1M/Urz0CFAV51I/AAAAAAAALRg/fxL0xzwRbe8/s1600/_DSC5558snowyegret.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RjHgffhYe1M/Urz0CFAV51I/AAAAAAAALRg/fxL0xzwRbe8/s640/_DSC5558snowyegret.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy Egret</td></tr>
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I love how the GBH stands over the other little shorebirds; I call him the Godfather. For sure if he could talk he'd have an Italian accent.<br />
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There was also a marshy/forest walk but it was a little bit quieter. This little sparrow stopped and said hello. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3uVknCsCVk/Urz0DLfuJmI/AAAAAAAALRk/Ekn5ZYtGsao/s1600/_DSC5573.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3uVknCsCVk/Urz0DLfuJmI/AAAAAAAALRk/Ekn5ZYtGsao/s640/_DSC5573.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Song? I THINK....</td></tr>
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Hawks. Hawks. Hawk. I believe we saw these on the road. I don't know if I could count the hours I've spent poring over my bird guides trying to sort these hawks out. I think there's only one consistent thing in this post.....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0IrMBWk8tTg/Urz0F03n1VI/AAAAAAAALSA/SQ4jSqke7g8/s1600/_DSC5625.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="484" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0IrMBWk8tTg/Urz0F03n1VI/AAAAAAAALSA/SQ4jSqke7g8/s640/_DSC5625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm most inclined to think red-shouldered hawk (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/red-shouldered-hawk/), although there isn't an obvious red part on the shoulder. But the tail is striped and not the giveaway red of a red-tailed hawk. Out of range for Broad winged and doesn't have dark breast of rough-legged, but that would be my second choice. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the spidey web on the bottom left! Red-shouldered again? maybe? sigh....how much longer until I sort this out? :(</td></tr>
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<br />
So here's another little anecdote. I decided to buy Matt (ahem...) binoculars for his birthday in August. Of course I left this to just a few days before we had to leave. So the first step was researching which ones to get. He had mentions Monarchs and I think he was already sold on the Nikon brand (obviously!) but I wanted to do some thorough research before throwing the cash down. I got some great <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/377736792291721/permalink/532839036781495/">input</a> from a Facebook group (Eagle Optics Ranfer line came highly recommended).<br />
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I made my way to <a href="http://focusscientific.com/layout.php?eventid=hours">Focus Scientific</a> in Ottawa. They closed at 6 so I had to really give it once I got out of work. I figured out the bus route and was making good time. I got off at Westgate Mall but didn't see the sign for the store or its listing in the directory. I then realized that I was quite off and assumed the store was in the mall but it was way back down the road, and there was no bus going in the other direction. I had a huge bag, and it was a typically warm August Day, and I silly stupid office shoes on (which were quite cute but not good for much else). I walked 20-30 minutes back in the other direction and ended up with a spectacularly painful blister. I must have been a sore sight limping down the street. And I bet I have scars to show for this story.<br />
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There was a really confusing intersection I had to cross to get to the store on the other side of the road. Some really nice and helpful guy helped me out. He showed me pics he had taken of some celestial body with a telescope mounted on his camera, and I wondered, "is it possible there is someone nerdier than me?" I was so surprised how different the binos looked/felt. Picking one was easier than I thought. Some of them just felt wrong and were easy to eliminate. Focus Scientific did not carry the Ranger line but I didn't have time to locate them somewhere else to try them out. I felt good about the Monarchs so that's what I picked up. (HEY SANTA I'M STILL WAITING FOR THAT SCOPE). As I was paying, a cyclist got hit by a car in that weird intersection right in front o the store window. The whole thing was just crazy. <br />
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So this is where it gets to the good part! I wanted to give the binos to Matt on the plane, which meant I had to bring a bigger carry-on on the plane, and had to hide it in my bag. As I approached the CATSA scanner, I signaled to one of the officers and tried to explain discreetly that I had a present in my bag for the next man in line and if he needs to search my bag could he please do it somewhere where that guy down the line wouldn't see? I wasn't sure if this would raise more suspicion but I was waved right through after my bag was scanned. I decided not to wait until we were on the plane because the stupid airline didn't even give us seats together and we had a bit of a wait. So he opened them up and we watched the gulls waddling around on the tarmac and I thought for sure the guard were watching us because of all the antics we were up to. <br />
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It was such a good move getting the binoculars for the trip. In fact Matt had a hard time getting them out of my hands. I liked looking through them so much sometimes I forgot to put them down....<br />
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I have no idea if my experience at Arcata was typical but it was pretty awesome. So if you are out that way, I'd recommend it!<br />
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I'd also like to give a shout-out to Dwayne over at <a href="http://dwaynejava.blogspot.com/">Nerdy for Birdy </a>for his input on the mysterious hummingbird in my previous post. I love getting feedback! His comment led me to the Cornell page on Allen's Hummingbirds (I think that is a real possibility and I hadn't even thought of it) which led me to the ebird sightings range map, which is AWESOME because I could choose a species, choose a date range (August 2013) and zoom right in to where we were (Garberville).<br />
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With this tool, it's easy to get a sense if a certain bird is in the area at a given time. Of course you are relying on other birders to submit sightings and to do so accurately, but definitely interesting results:<br />
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<a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/map/annhum?neg=true&env.minX=-129.6905041078203&env.minY=35.402146290536464&env.maxX=-108.59675410782029&env.maxY=42.83136375470247&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=8&emo=8&yr=cur&byr=2013&eyr=2013">Anna's</a><br />
<a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/map/rufhum?neg=true&env.minX=-125.06251338516404&env.minY=39.09883914267195&env.maxX=-119.78907588516404&env.maxY=40.934990081844965&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=8&emo=8&yr=cur&byr=2013&eyr=2013">Rufous</a><br />
<a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/map/allhum?neg=true&env.minX=-125.06251338516404&env.minY=39.09883914267195&env.maxX=-119.78907588516404&env.maxY=40.934990081844965&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=on&bmo=8&emo=8&yr=cur&byr=2013&eyr=2013">Allen's</a> <br />
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All this to say it could probably be any of the three of them. :P<br />
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Still have a few more posts to go and I'm moving through them rapid fire, so come back (real) soon! <br />
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Jennahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908280092138434027noreply@blogger.com0