Quepos, Costa Rica

 Sea Date, January 26, 2024

Another day in the rainforest.  It was a birder's dream day.  I can't believe the stunning, colorful birds we saw today along with Mother Nature's other delights.  The earth is full of amazing flora and fauna.  We started at Carara National Park and then went on a boat ride down the Tarcoles River.  A long drive but definitely worth it.  We got back to the ship an hour late but we were on a HAL tour so no worries.

Another fun evening with the fiddling comedienne - Chris Pendleton. She had Jim and I LOLing!

 Tour began at 645am

    
                                                                Tender lowering.

    
                                            African palm trees are a major cash crop - palm oil.


    
                                                    Jaco - beach resort town

                                            
                                                                    Carara National Park

                                                                        Iguana

                                                
                                                            Tiny iguana thru the view finder.
                                
                                            Weird flower, smells like rotting meat, attracts flies,
                                            traps them for an hour, flies covered in pollen when released,
                                                            plant reproduction system
    
                                                                Large buttress.
    
                                                                    I love the fungi.





                                                            Polka dot leaves.

    
                                                                Little turtle (Scott)

    
                                                                Yellow throated toucan

 
                                                                            WOW!

                                                                 Killer tree- Costa Strangler


    
                                                                     Tarcoles River

        
                                                  School of fish - big white eyes, black dot
        
                                                                        Baby croc,croc,croc ...
    
                                                                    Snowy Egret

    
                                                                   Drying its wings.

    
                                                    Mountains in the background.

    
                                                                    Tiger Heron

    
                                            Jesus Christ Lizard can "walk" across water.


                                                        Black-necked Stilt
    
                                                            Yellow throat night heron

                                                                    
                                                                Bright Yellow Butterfly
                                                
                                                                Little Blue Heron
                 
                                                                    Scarlet Macaw
    
                                                                        Mangrove Swallow

    
                                                                        Tiger Heron

        
                                                                Tropical Kingbird
    
                                                                              Green Heron


                                                    
                                                                Flying scarlet macaws.







    
                                                Captain Hook, a well known croc, is 12 feet.
    
                                                            A face only a mother could love.

    
                                                        Buffet lunch - rice and beans, of course.


                                        Macaws are known to be monogamous.  A few years ago a 
                                        researcher studied the DNA of three eggs from one Mommy Macaw.
                                       Surprise, 3 different daddies.  Mate for life but foll around on the side.
                                        Naturalist told us this is better for survival of the species. 


    
                        Back on ship.  We arrived 1 hour late and had trouble getting off the tender.
                                                  Very rough waves.  Beautiful evening sky.

    
                                            When does the check arrive?  Moving on up to the big suite!

    
                                                                    Chris Pendleton





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