Golfo Dulce, Puntarenas; Costa Rica
We spent our first day in Costa Rica visiting Casa Orquideas botanical garden and the mangrove estuary of the Rincon River. The weather was rainy for our morning activities, but when the rain stopped, the birds came alive for the rest of an overcast day.
We started with three different options for our outings. Some of us decided to walk on the deserted gravel road that seems to go nowhere and that runs between the mangrove estuary and the rainforest. It definitely was the preferred activity for the avid birdwatchers and those who wanted to stretch their legs. Riverside wrens, spotted crowned euphonias and yellow billed cotingas accounted among the spectacular birds reported on the walk. The kayakers paddled to the adventure with the rising tide. The rising tide was not enough to help us fight other forces of nature, but kayaking allowed us great close up looks to wading birds and a roseate spoonbill. The unusual current of the river was unbeatable.
After another one of Mother Nature’s humbling experiences, the kayakers got a lift to our destination with wonderful sightings of lineated woodpeckers, scarlet rumped caciques, black crowned tityras and a Hoffmann’s two toed sloth. The Zodiac riders were the first to arrive to a local pub that marks the crossroads of the Osa Peninsula.
In the afternoon we visited the botanical garden where we enjoyed colorful tropical flowers and fruiting trees from around the world. Those flowers and fruits are irresistible to the diverse bird life. Five scarlet macaws perched on a bare tree, in the middle of the garden invigorating the birdwatchers with excitement. The striking iridescent colors of different species of honeycreepers and euphonias were the great last impressions of the day.
We spent our first day in Costa Rica visiting Casa Orquideas botanical garden and the mangrove estuary of the Rincon River. The weather was rainy for our morning activities, but when the rain stopped, the birds came alive for the rest of an overcast day.
We started with three different options for our outings. Some of us decided to walk on the deserted gravel road that seems to go nowhere and that runs between the mangrove estuary and the rainforest. It definitely was the preferred activity for the avid birdwatchers and those who wanted to stretch their legs. Riverside wrens, spotted crowned euphonias and yellow billed cotingas accounted among the spectacular birds reported on the walk. The kayakers paddled to the adventure with the rising tide. The rising tide was not enough to help us fight other forces of nature, but kayaking allowed us great close up looks to wading birds and a roseate spoonbill. The unusual current of the river was unbeatable.
After another one of Mother Nature’s humbling experiences, the kayakers got a lift to our destination with wonderful sightings of lineated woodpeckers, scarlet rumped caciques, black crowned tityras and a Hoffmann’s two toed sloth. The Zodiac riders were the first to arrive to a local pub that marks the crossroads of the Osa Peninsula.
In the afternoon we visited the botanical garden where we enjoyed colorful tropical flowers and fruiting trees from around the world. Those flowers and fruits are irresistible to the diverse bird life. Five scarlet macaws perched on a bare tree, in the middle of the garden invigorating the birdwatchers with excitement. The striking iridescent colors of different species of honeycreepers and euphonias were the great last impressions of the day.
