Wednesday 11th November
Paul picked me up at 4 am and then Bob & Jacinta. She was off to her sisters' in Ireland ... Bob and I to Schiphol to catch a flight to Havana. We flew on a 330 - 200 Airbus and 10 and bit hours later we landed in a hot and slightly humid Cuba. After clearing passport control .. which took about half an hour we went through security(!) and waited ages for my bag.... Riccardalle (?) met us when we cleared customs and we got a taxi to the hotel..we'd agreed to see him at 19.30 in the morning .. After a shower etc. we walked about a bit and ate in reception based recommendation called 'Moneda Cubana' or similar. By the way Riccardelle claimed no one was on Cuba before the Spanish but I found out Cuba was occupied b the Taíno. Cuba, the largest island of the Antilles, was originally divided into 29 chiefdoms. Most of the native settlements later became the site of Spanish colonial cities retaining the original Taíno names, for instance; Havana, Batabanó, Camagüey, Baracoa and Bayamo. The name Cuba comes from the Taíno language; however the exact meaning of the name is unclear but it may be translated either as "where fertile land is abundant" (cubao), or "great place" (coabana).
... It was a bit touristy and not very good... Though I wasn't at all hungry. Both of us had a carrot soup, (unasked for but presented), then Bob had fish and I had a beef dish. It was OK but as I wrote, I wasn't really hungry. We had a beer (Bob had 2) and we left for an early night .. about 9;45 we went to sleep! room 402 at the top of the hotel...
Thursday 12th November
We had breakfast - cornflakes with yogurt, coffee and an omelette...then we changed some money and toured the City in a Chevy 4.2 open top lime green convertible with a white interior!
The car got more photos with people posing with it when we stopped then we took .. anywhere! At 12: 30 we had a drink at hotel with Riccardalle, who was 23, an ambassador's son and married for 3 years. His wife Chanel, of similar age, was due their first born any day soon,; he left us to catch a few buses home ... they lived some 60 kilometres from Havana. In the afternoon we strolled around, had a beer and a coffee at Plaza Vieja and went back to the hotel for Bob to have a nap ... at about 4:15. I started this diary. Most Cubans live on very little ... Doctors are highest paid and get about 60 CUCs a month! Healthcare and dentistry plus education all I state provided and free but the infrastructure needs significant investment which the communist State must struggle with ... There was a couple of Chinese warships in harbour when we passed ... We had seen the Place De La Revolution, with Che and Fidel's portraits ... Visited the fort (Fortaleza De San Carlos De La Cabana and the Havana Christ and seen some 'other' famous sites ... such as Che's house ... All over at Casablanca... Passed Josip Marti's memorial ... The port and harbour are stunning ... The view from there was spectacular ... Though so it was from the bell tower of St. Francis' which we went to later. We walked out northwards, looking for a place we could access WiFi and have a beer ... we failed and had a beer at Plaza Vieja and then went back ... Bob for a sleep and as I wrote I started this blog instalment. That night we went searching for WiFi and a beer again ... heading North! At a paladar called 'Los Mercaderes' a guy told us to go to Parc Central where we would get WiFi... We thought we had followed his guidance and failed but we hadn't walked far enough! We went back and had a meal and a beer. I had three kinds of steak and jus, (one I thought was green pepper and it was but in a blue cheese sauce!). Bob had an enormous sea food dish, which seemed to involve half a lobster! All excellent value and delicious ... especially the rice and black bean side we shared. Then we ruined it by having the most expensive rum ever ... 25 CUCs for one shot! Our bill was 114 or thereabouts ... We started to walk back but went wrong so solved it by getting a pedal taxi ... He told us 5 CUCs but when he dropped us off and I gave him ten he indicated it was 5 each! Bob was well put out and ready for an argument but I walked him away for a night cap ... A beer in the hotel as the next door cafe's waiter seemed slow on the uptake and service.
Friday 13th November
Next morning after breakfast Bob wanted to change more money and I phoned Margaret... Then we walked slowly up to Parc Central and had a daiquiri in one of Hemmingway's favourite haunts - The Floridita - famous for its daiquiris; (in fact known as "la cuna del daiquiri" - the cradle of the daiquiri). It also had Ezra Pound, John Dos Passos and Graham Greene as frequent customers. ... & it was crowded!) haunts ... We then strolled back ... Had a beer in a bar with a band playing and dancers ... Had a beer in cafe in Plaza Vieja and came back to the hotel ...Bob to sort out WiFi... (I wasn't bothered having spoken to Margaret), and a rest ... I showered, read, and wrote this up - having first panicked because I couldn't find my exit visa! I did find it in the local guide folder I had been given and Bob took from me! Phew! We went to La Guardian for dinner, which was in a less salubrious area then where we are staying and very inauspicious from the outside and a bit of a wreck on the way up the 52 steps ... Dinner was good - but not staggering ... We both had ceviche (a seafood dish, made from fresh, raw fish cured in citrus juices, and spiced with ají or chili peppers) which was great, then Bob had rabbit and I had boar ... Beers only to drink, all with a dessert each ... Bob had a tart and I tried the apple pie ... It was fine and I had a cortadido...Home for a night cap ... The Oriental let us down ... again so we had a cocktail in the hotel bar - I had a moijito and Bob an Havana Special, which seemed sweet - had pineapple slices everywhere and he complained it tasted alcoholic!
Saturday 14th November
Next day I had breakfast ... Bob sat with me on the web but was feeling unwell...I went out souvenir hunting and he went for a lie down... I bought 'Love At The Time Of Cholera' and 'The Old Man And The Sea' ...both in Spanish for Sophie ... A baseball hat for Rory (Cuba!) a small Cuban 'T' Shirt for the future Grand Child, (which I hope will be good!), and a guitar poster for Martin ... I also bough two small cigars as a souvenir ...no rum! I couldn't find anything Margaret would appreciate? We left at 12:10 ... We had gone down to be early and our laid back taxi driver was waiting for us so we left straight away. We got through the airport check in and immigration OK and waited for our flight, which we thought owing to flight departure boards it was going at 16:40 only to be told at 15:55 that the plane had finished boarding and was about to leave without us! We caught the short flight only to spend an hour and 20 mins. Getting through immigration and customs ...we found our pick up and then seemed to spend ages getting to a hotel (Hacienda Chichen) neither of us was enamoured of.... had a quick 'Mayan' type meal and went to bed having sorted an alarm knock (!) at 7:00 ... this wasn't too bad as we lost an hour here....
Sunday 15th November
Up and breakfasted we drove to Chichen Itza and I was bowled over ... what an amazing spot ... and much more than the pyramid ... the Temple of Kukulcan... though that was special ... and the noise of the Quetzal bird (or Kuk), from clapping at certain spot was awesome! Pool then lunch. Then transfer to airport. Misunderstanding re. departure tax and ticket out of Costa Rica ... Was a direct flight 45 mins. earlier .... business class. Hotel not correct on Bob's entry form ... Gran del Oro in San Jose fine... San Jose awful ... Walked Main Street and then to a Park ...pretty grim and lousy with noise and pollution of traffic.
Costa Rica covers 19,730 square miles. About 50% of Costa Rica is covered by different types of forests.
About 30% of the total territory is reserved as protected areas. This small nation has a diverse landscape of tropical rain forests, mountain cloud forests, volcanoes, coastal lowlands, beaches, and beautiful rivers. Although Costa Rica lies entirely in the tropical climate zone, elevation changes
allow for cooler temperatures in the central highlands. The coastal lowlands are hot and humid; temperatures there average 81°F (27°C) year-round. Most people live at elevations where the climate is generally mild. In San José and other parts of the central valley highlands, temperatures
average 67°F (19°C) year-round. Rainfall varies between the wet season (May–November) and the dry season
(December–April). The land is subject to frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions.
A variety of native peoples lived in present-day Costa Rica before Columbus arrived in 1502. In the north, the indigenous cultures were influenced by Mayan civilisation. Southern groups were more closely related to the indigenous peoples of South America. Spain eventually colonized the Costa Rican
area along with most of Central America. Because minerals were scarce, the area was ignored by the Spanish crown and remained isolated. Costa Rica's long tradition of changes in government via
democratic means has been interrupted by military coups only three times in 150 years - a new constitution was introduced in 1949. Costa Rica has enjoyed peace and democracy ever since.
The nation practices a philosophy of nonintervention in the affairs of foreign governments. Former president Oscar Arias Sánchez (who left office in 1990) was an avid supporter of the Central American Peace Plan. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring peace to the region. The award is
a great source of pride for all Costa Ricans; they believe it emphasises their distinct heritage.
Costa Ricans eat rice and beans in various combinations for nearly every meal. Typical at breakfast is gallo pinto (mixture of rice and black beans). Bread, tortillas, and fruits are also staple items. Ticos of all ages enjoy coffee. Adults may take two or three coffee breaks each day. Fútbol (soccer) is the most popular sport!
Monday 16th November
Drove after breakfast for ages ... 3:45 hours over shocking roads in pouring rain to more a hotel ... The Hotel Arenal Manoa in La Fortunate at the side of the Arenal volcano.
The Wildlife of Costa Rica - Costa Rica supports an enormous variety of wildlife, due in large part to its geographic position between the North and South American continents, its neotropical climate, and its wide variety of habitats. Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, which represents nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide, making Costa Rica one of the 20 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world. Of these 500,000 species, a little more than 300,000 are insects!
After our evening meal I fell asleep ... about 9:30
Tuesday 17th November
We woke at 5:50 so Bob and I got ready for our hike ... starting at 8:00 with Nestor the guide and Oscar the driver... the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour. We saw or heard -
Spider monkey -
Buff-humped Warbler (Myiothlypis fulvicauda) -
Tarantula -
Leaf cutting ant - Atta cephalotes. http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/04/03/the-secret-lives-of-leaf-cutting-ants
Blue-jeans Frog or Strawberry Poison-dart Frog Blue-jeans Frog or Strawberry Poison-dart Frog (Dendrobates pumilio) In lowland moist and wet forest, the Strawberry Poison-dart lives in undisturbed areas or abandoned clearings. This bright, charismatic species is active during the day and has a high population density, making its charming figure frequently found in certain areas of Costa Rica. This frog reproduces all year long in areas without a long dry season, and males can be heard calling all day with a buzz or chirp. Their small bodies can be seen or sometimes heard moving around leaf litter as they walk and hop. Though small, males of this species are aggressively territorial. During the day, males perch on rocks, trees, or fallen logs, and make calls. These are both to attract females to mate as well as to intimidate trespassing males. If an intruder persists and calls back, a wrestling competition may result for up to 20 minutes. The males stand upright on their hind legs and grapple for dominance. Once one is pinned for several minutes he will leave after the winner releases him. The fascinating reproductive process of this species has captured the interest of biologists and tourists alike. When a female meets a male, he leads her to a place to lay their eggs, such as in a curved leaf or in moist leaf litter. Unlike many frogs, the male does not climb onto the female’s back in amplexus, but instead the pair stands vent to vent, or with their tails together. The female lays 3 to 4 eggs, the male fertilises them, and his mate leaves. The parental care beginning at this stage is unmatched by other amphibians. The male keeps the eggs moist by emptying his bladder on them. He also eats any eggs that are infected with fungi or that do not develop, as well as any eggs left by other males. Tadpoles hatch after one week, when the female returns. One to four tadpoles at a time squirm onto her back, and she carries each one to a different plant or leaf stem that is holding water—bromeliads are often the choice. These carefully chosen nests are sometimes in the canopy, high up from the frog’s otherwise ground-level habitat. Amazingly, the tadpole chooses its spot by vibrating when the mother approaches a desirable spot. Each tadpole is placed in a separate plant, where the mother leaves it with 1 to 5 unfertilised eggs for protein and nutrients. For more than a month, the female returns every few days to feed her young. The Poison-dart sustains itself on small invertebrates. Ants and mites comprise 90% of the frog’s diet. The alkaloids in the ants contribute to, but do not determine, the frog’s degree of toxicity. Adults of this small species are generally ¾ to 1 inch long.
Crested owl (Lophostrix cristata) is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species (monotypic) - the pale version is in Costa Rica. It is a nocturnal bird, roosting during the day in dense vegetation, especially in thickets along rivers. Paired owls often roost together. If disturbed at roost, the owl will become very slim and erect the ear-tufts high. At dusk, singing commences from perches in the middle canopy of the forest, and may continue throughout the night. A somewhat frog-like croak that begins with a stuttering rattle, then accelerates to a deep, purring, guttural and rough croak - k-k-kkk-krrrrrrao. At a distance, the lower first part of the call may be inaudible. The song is uttered at intervals of several seconds. Little information is available about what it eats. Feeds mainly on insects, but likely also small vertebrates. The breeding biology of the Crested Owl is also little known. Normally breeds in the dry or early wet season. Nests in natural holes in mature trees. It's habitat is lowland rainforest with undergrowth, mainly in primary forest but also second growth. This owl prefers to be near water.
Flora
See http://www.vivacostarica.com/costa-rica-information/costa-rica-flora.html
guayabo de monte, laurel, cirri, various species of palms, orchids, heliconias, ferns, strangler figs, bromeliads.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiba
Afternoon - Arenal lava hike
Saw two species of Vultures soaring high overhead. Known in Spanish as "Zopilotes", - there Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), & the Turkey Vulture (Carthartes aura). Nestor nearly trod on a hog nosed pit viper ...Porthidium nasutum - a venomous pit viper species found in Mexico, Central America and northern South America.
On both walks we passed past lots of interesting and wonderful vegetation - both primary and secondary rain forest. These included ...
Heliconias -a genus of flowering plants in the Heliconiaceae. Most of the species are native to the tropical Americas. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions. Common names for the genus include lobster-claws, wild plantains or false bird-of-paradise. The last term refers to their close similarity to the bird-of-paradise flowers (Strelitzia). Collectively, these plants are also simply referred to as heliconias. Heliconia are almost exclusively pollinated by hummingbirds.
Bromeliads - related to the pineapple family. Their thick, waxy leaves form a bowl shape in the centre for catching rainwater. Some bromeliads can hold several gallons of water and are miniature ecosystems in themselves providing homes for several creatures including frogs and their tadpoles, salamanders, snails, beetles and mosquito larvae. Those that die decompose and furnish the plant with nutrients. One bromeliad was found to contain several small beetles, crane flies, earwigs, a frog, a cockroach, spiders, fly larvae, a millipede, a scorpion, woodlice and an earthworm!
Lots of different types of Epiphytes including orchids (comprise one of the most abundant and varied of plants and their flowers vary considerably in shape colour and size, although they share a common pattern of three petals and three petal-like sepals. The lower petal has a very distinctive appearance), cacti, aroids, lichens, mosses and ferns also of course bromeliads. All these begin their life in the canopy from seeds or spores transported there by birds or winds. This also includes most stranglers figs. The seed of the strangler fig starts life as an epiphyte high in the trees, borne by birds and monkeys which eat the fig fruit. The seedling fig sends down long roots to the ground from where it begins to surround the host tree. It grows quickly and eventually suffocates the host: when the host tree dies it leaves an enormous upright strangler with a hollow core. By using an adult tree as its host, the strangler fig avoids competition for light and nutrients at ground level.
Walking palms - Socratea exorriza, - which is said to use its complex root system to "walk" across the rainforest floor. These are like mangrove trees. As a means of support they develop several aerial pitchfork-like extensions from the trunk which grow downwards and anchor themselves in the soil trapping sediment which helps to stabilise the tree. The tree lets roots on one side die off and grows new ones in the direction it wants to go. In this manner, the Walking Tree moves up to seven feet a year. The poor quality of the soil combined with the struggle for the sunlight have created some unique adaptations amongst the plants/trees in the jungle, the best example of which is the tree known as the
walking palm. The tree is capable of new sending roots towards regions rich in nutrients and severing the old ones, thereby seeming walk to the food rich locations.
Lianas - When they reach the top of the canopy they often spread to other trees or wrap themselves around other lianas. This network of vines gives support against strong winds to the shallow-rooted, top-heavy trees. However, when one tree falls several others may be pulled down also. These lianas include rattan palms, philodendron and Strychnos toxifera (from which the deadly poison strychnine is obtained).
Saprophytes - the organisms that act as the rainforests decomposers, competing with the heavy rainfall which constantly washes away nutrients on the forest floors. Some fungi, called mycorrhizals, are examples of plant life that carry out this function. Decomposers work extremely efficiently and, together with the warmth and wetness which helps accelerate decomposition, can often break down dead animals and vegetation within 24 hours. Decomposition in montane forests, which are colder and less humid, however, can sometimes take up to six weeks.
Barrigona, pona or huacrapona (Iriartea deltoidea) - Iriartea is a genus in the palm family Arecaceae, native to Central and South America. The best-known species – and probably the only one – is Iriartea deltoidea, which is found from Nicaragua south into Bolivia and a great portion of Western Amazonian basin. It is the most common tree in many forests in which it occurs. It is known by such names as bombona (which can also refer to other palms, e.g. Attalea regia) or cacho de vaca (which can refer to many other plants, like the Bignoniaceae Godmania aesculifolia or the orchid Myrmecophila.
Huasaí or palmito (Euterpe precatoria). This palm is thought to be the most common tree in the Amazon rainforest.
Huicungo (Astrocaryum murumuru). These single-trunk palm trees have spines on the trunk, and are found in primary and secondary forests, upland forests and seasonally flooded forests. The trees grow up to 15 metres tall, and their fruit and leaf buds are edible.
Palla, conta or shapaja (Attalea butyracea). The palms of palla trees have been used for making thatched roofs from the earliest days of people living in the rainforest. Indigenous people use the traditional method in many regions of the rainforest, and the sturdy leaves can last from five to 10 years.
Ceiba tree or Kapok. The ceiba is one of the fastest growing trees in existence, gaining as much as 13 feet a year to a maximum height of just under 200 feet tall! Because of its swift growth, the ceiba is an effective pioneer species and a great introduction for the reforestation of cleared land. Though the wood is not durable enough for construction, it is often used for canoes and coffins; which probably lends some meaning behind why the indigenous people of Costa Rica consider the ceiba to be sacred.
Milk or Cow tree - has provided indigenous people with numerous uses. It is identifiable by its vibrant orange-red roots and is very common in the rainforest. The tree produces a sweet edible fruit, and a drinkable thick, white latex flows through its trunk. Its wood is used for construction, and, after some manipuation, its bark has proven to make a pretty warm blanket.
Mosses and Lichens - Among the most diminutive epiphytes are the lichens and mosses that grab onto tree bark and other foliage. These epiphytes are generally found in regions that experience moderate to high precipitation throughout the year. By blanketing the host, these epiphytes can inadvertently inhibit the sun's UV rays from triggering the host's photosynthetic machinery, essentially starving the host. As a result, targets of epiphite colonization have developed methods of getting rid of these nuisances. Some trees shed their bark, thus casting off all unwelcome guests. Many plants have specialized leaves that will route standing water off of the leaf, ultimately denying mosses the moist substrate they require to colonize. These are referred to as "drip tip" leaves.
Ferns - Of the approximately 825 varieties of ferns that reside in the forests of Costa Rica, one of the most remarkable is the appropriately-named resurrection fern. During periods of low precipitation this fern withers, turns brown, and shuts down its photosynthetic processes. When a base-level of moisture returns to the soil, the plant is resurrected and maintains its normal functioning. Another interesting fern to look out for is the tree fern, an upright variety with formidable-looking thorny bristles.
Thursday 18th November
Coach ride of two hours or so then onto a boat for the Rio Frio trip... (found in Cano Negro) offer some of the richest bio-diverse regions to see countless birds from common species like anhingas, tiger herons, amazon king fishers, toucans, lineated woodpeckers and trogons to rare and endangered species like the roseate spoonbill. Other animals found here include armadillos, sloths, anole lizards, coatimundis, caimans, American crocodiles, green iguanas, oriole snakes, pit vipers, emerald basilisk lizards, howler monkeys and spider monkeys.
- See more at: http://costarica.com/destinations/arenal/activities/#sthash.OASTcJrj.dpuf
Set off after breakfast (where's the coffee?) for about 2 hours in a crowded van to go on a really interesting river cruise ... Hot and humid but awesome ... A list off things Carlos, the guide, made of what we saw was ...
Ringed kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) is a large, conspicuous and noisy - found through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in South America. The breeding habitat is areas near large bodies of water, usually in heavily wooded areas where it finds a perch to hunt from. It is mostly a sedentary species, remaining in territories all year long.
Sungrebe or American finfoot (Heliornis fulica) is a bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America from southern Mexico to northeast Argentina and southern Brazil. It is the only member of the genus Heliornis. These tropical birds of swamps and marshes have broad lobes on their feet, similar to grebes. These are shy birds which swim in slow-flowing streams and secluded waterways, sometimes partly submerged, like an anhinga.
Wood stork - Mycteria americana is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not really an ibis. It is a broad-winged soaring bird that flies with its neck outstretched and legs extended. It forages usually where lowering water levels concentrate fish in open wetlands. Walking slowly and steadily in shallow water up to its belly, it seeks prey, which, like that of most of its relatives, consists of fish, frogs and large insects. It catches fish by holding its bill open in the water until a fish is detected.
Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), commonly abbreviated to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia. These are stocky birds compared to many of their long-limbed heron relatives. They’re most active at night or at dusk, when you may see their ghostly forms flapping out from daytime roosts to forage in wetlands. In the light of day adults are striking in grey-and-black plumage and long white head plumes. These social birds breed in colonies of stick nests usually built over water. They live in fresh, salt, and brackish wetlands and are the most widespread heron in the world.
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), is sometimes called snakebird, or darter, or even the American darter. Sometimes it is called water turkey and is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word anhinga comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird. When swimming the origin of the name snakebird is apparent: only the colored neck appears above water so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nares (nostrils) and breathe solely through their epiglottis. It is placed in the darter family. Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fishes and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak.
Green Iguana is a genus of herbivorous lizards native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Iguanas can range from 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) including their tail and possess a dewlap, a row of spines running down their backs to their tails, and a tiny "third eye" on their heads. This light-sensing organ is known as the parietal eye, visible as a pale scale on the top of the head, and cannot make out details, just brightness. Behind their necks are small scales which resemble spokes, known as tuberculate scales. These scales may be a variety of colours and are not always visible from close distances. They have a large round scale on their cheeks known as a subtympanic shield.
Boat billed heron (Cochlearius cochlearius) The boat-billed heron colloquially known as the boatbill - is an atypical member of the heron family, and was formerly thought to be in a monotypic family, Cochlearidae. It lives in mangrove swamps from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil. It is a nocturnal bird, and breeds semi-colonially in mangrove trees, laying 2-4 bluish white eggs in a twig nest.
Spider monkey of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil. The genus contains seven species, all of which are under threat; the black-headed spider monkey, and brown spider monkey are critically endangered. Disproportionately long limbs and long prehensile tails make them one of the largest New World monkeys and gives rise to their common name. Spider monkeys live in the upper layers of the rainforest, and forage in the high canopy, from 25 to 30 metres. They primarily eat fruits, but will also occasionally consume leaves, flowers, and insects. Due to their large size, spider monkeys require large tracts of moist evergreen forests, and prefer undisturbed primary rainforest.They are social animals and live in bands of up to 35 individuals but will split up to forage during the day - they break up into subgroups of two to eight animals. This social structure (fission-fusion) is found in only two other types of primates: chimpanzees and Homo sapiens. At 107 grams (3.8 oz), the spider monkey brain is twice the size of a howler monkey brain of equivalent body size and this is thought to be a result of the spider monkeys' complex social system and their frugivorous diets, which consist primarily of ripe fruit from a wide variety (over 150 species) of plants. This requires the monkeys to remember when and where fruit can be found. The slow development may also play a role: the monkeys may live from 20 to 27 years or more, and females give birth once every 17 to 45 months.
Mantled Howler monkey (genus Alouatta monotypic in subfamily Alouattinae) are among the largest of the New World monkeys and one of only a few nest-building monkeys. Fifteen species are currently recognised. Previously classified in the family Cebidae, they are now placed in the family Atelidae. These monkeys are native to South and Central American. These monkeys are famous for their loud howls, which can travel three miles through dense forest.
Howler monkeys have short snouts and wide-set, round nostrils. Their noses are very keen, and the Howler monkey can smell out its food (primarily fruit and nuts) up to 2km away. Their noses are usually roundish snout-type, and the nostrils have many sensory hairs growing from the interior. They range in size from 22 to 36 inches, excluding their tails, which can be equally as long, in fact in some cases the tail has been found to be almost 5 times the body length. This is a prime characteristic. Like many New World monkeys, they have prehensile tails, which they use for picking fruit and nuts from trees. They have lifespans of 15 to 20 years. Howler species are dimorphic.
Oropendola montezuma - (Psarocolius montezuma) - is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in the Caribbean coastal lowlands from southeastern Mexico to central Panama, but is absent from El Salvador and southern Guatemala. It also occurs on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua and Honduras and northwestern Costa Rica. It is among the oropendola species sometimes separated in the genus Gymnostinops. The English and scientific names of this species commemorate the Aztec emperor Moctezuma II. The Montezuma oropendola inhabits forest canopy, edges and old plantations. It is a colonial breeder which builds a hanging woven nest of fibres and vines, 24–71 in long, high in a tree. Each colony has a dominant male, which mates with most of the females following an elaborate bowing display. The female lays two dark-spotted white or buff eggs which hatch in 15 days; the young fledge in 30. There are typically about 30 nests in a colony, but up to 172 have been recorded. The Montezuma oropendola is a quite common bird in parts of its range, often seen in small or larger flocks foraging in trees for small vertebrates, large insects, nectar, and fruit, including bananas, Cecropia spikes, gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba) and Trophis racemosa (Moraceae sp.). Outside the breeding season, this species is quite mobile, with some seasonal movements.
The Meso-American slider (Trachemys venusta uhrigi) is a species of turtle belonging to the family Emydidae with a distribution from Mexico to Colombia. There is a Mesoamerican River Turtle (Dermatemys mawii) locally known as the "hickatee" or "tortuga blanca"- (white turtle) is the only species in the family Dermatemydidae. It is a nocturnal, aquatic turtle that lives in larger rivers and lakes in Central America, from southern Mexico to northern Honduras. But it is rare and considered an endangered species.
Amazon kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) is a resident breeding bird in the lowlands of the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina. Amazon kingfishers are often seen perched on a branch or rock close to water before plunging in head first after their fish prey. They are the most likely green kingfisher to be seen on large rivers. They also feed on insects fish and amphibians.
Blue-and-white swallow (Notiochelidon cyanoleuca) is a passerine bird that breeds from Nicaragua south throughout South America, except in the deserts and the Amazon Basin. The southern race is migratory, wintering as far north as Trinidad. Like other swallows, the Blue-and-white Swallow is an aerialist; it spends most of its time on the wing foraging for small insects and spiders that have become caught in the winds. They roost for the night and often rest during midday on telephone wires, antennas and the eaves of buildings. This swallow is a cavity nester and it's shallow straw nest is built by both adults in a wide range of natural or man-made cavities include tree holes, rock crevices and bridges. The clutch is up to six white eggs in the south of the range, two or three in the north, which are incubated by both parents for 15 days to hatching. The nestlings are fed by both parents for 26 days to fledging, bur return to the nest to sleep with the parents for up to two months. There may be two broods.
Summer tanager (Piranga rubra), is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family. The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family. These birds are often out of sight, foraging high in trees, sometimes flying out to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, especially bees and wasps, and berries. Fruit of Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae) are an especially well-liked food in their winter quarters and birds will forage in human-altered habitat. Consequently, these trees can be planted to entice them to residential areas, and they may well be attracted to bird feeders. Summer tanagers build a cup nest on a horizontal tree branch.
Green basilisk or plumed basilisk, (Basiliscus plumifrons), also called a double crested basilisk, or Jesus Christ lizard, is a species of corytophanid native to Central America.
Plumed basilisks are omnivorous and eat insects, small mammals (such as rodents), smaller species of lizards, fruits and flowers. Their predators include birds of prey, opossums and snakes. This lizard is able to run short distances across water using both its feet and tail for support, an ability shared with other basilisks and the Malaysian sail-finned lizard, Hydrosaurus amboinensis. In Costa Rica, this has earned the plumed basilisk the nickname "Jesus Christ lizard". It is also an excellent swimmer and can stay under water for up to 30 minutes.
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. Like the American flamingo, their pink color is diet-derived, consisting of the carotenoid pigment canthaxanthin. Another carotenoid, astaxanthin, can also be found deposited in flight and body feathers. The colours can range from pale pink to bright magenta, depending on age and location. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched. They alternate groups of stiff, shallow wingbeats with glides. This species feeds in shallow fresh or coastal waters by swinging its bill from side to side as it steadily walks through the water, often in groups. The spoon-shaped bill allows it to sift easily through mud. It feeds on crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, newts and very small fish ignored by larger waders.
Green hero cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal. The cattle egret feeds on a wide range of prey, particularly insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets, flies and moths, as well as spiders, frogs, and earthworms. The species is usually found with cattle and other large grazing and browsing animals, and catches small creatures disturbed by the mammals. When foraging with cattle, it has been shown to be 3.6 times more successful in capturing prey than when foraging alone.
Green ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis), is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.
It is largely crepuscular, it is usually seen alone or in pairs.When it does forage in mixed-species flocks, it tends to remain on the fringes, usually among other green ibises. It regularly perches in trees. It eats fish, frogs and insects ...It nests - in a structure that consists of a platform of twigs placed in a tree. It has been recorded as harassing sunbitterns nesting in the same tree.
White faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus), also known as the white-faced capuchin or white-throated capuchin, is a medium-sized New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae. Native to the forests of Central America and the extreme north-western portion of South America, the white-headed capuchin is important to rainforest ecology for its role in dispersing seeds and pollen. It is versatile, living in many different types of forest, and eating many different types of food, including fruit, other plant material, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. It lives in troops that can exceed 20 animals and include both males and females. It is noted for its tool use, including rubbing plants over its body in an apparent use of herbal medicine, and also using tools as weapons and for getting to food. It is a long-lived monkey, with a maximum recorded age of over 54 years.
Great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret or (in the Old World) great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, and it is ubiquitous in the Neotropics. The great egret feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, feeding mainly on fish, frogs, small mammals, and occasionally small reptiles and insects, spearing them with its long, sharp bill most of the time by standing still and allowing the prey to come within its striking distance of its bill which it uses as a spear. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim.
Proboscis bat (Rhynchonycteris naso) is a bat species from South and Central America. Other common names include Long-nosed proboscis bat, sharp-nosed bat, Brazilian long-nosed bat and river bat in English, and murciélago narizón in Spanish. It is monotypic within its genus. This species is in the family Emballonuridae, the sac-winged or sheath-tailed bats. Like most bats, it is nocturnal. A colony of proboscis bats usually has a regular feeding area, typically a small patch of water. Here the bats catch insects using echolocation. They have no specific breeding season, forming stable year-round harems. One young is born. Both sexes disperse after weaning at around 2–4 months. Proboscis bats live in groups. The colonies are usually between five and ten individuals, and very rarely exceed forty. The bats are nocturnal, sleeping during the day in an unusual formation: they lay one after another on a branch or wooden beam, nose to tail, in a straight row.
Little blue heron - (Egretta caerulea) - is a small heron. It breeds in the Gulf states of the US, through Central America and the Caribbean south to Peru and Uruguay. It is a resident breeder in most of its range. The little blue heron's breeding habitat is sub-tropical swamps. It nests in colonies, often with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to seven light blue eggs are laid. The little blue heron stalks its prey methodically in shallow water, often running as it does so. It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans, small rodents and insects.
Two toed sloth - is a genus of mammals of Central and South America, within the family Megalonychidae consisting of two-toed sloths. The two species of Choloepus are Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) and Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni), and are the only surviving members of the family Megalonychidae. I have no idea which one we saw.
Great Potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is a near passerine bird, both the largest potoo species and the largest member of the order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and allies). They are also one of seven species in one genus, Nyctibius, located in tropical America. Similar to the owl, these species is also nocturnal. However they prey on eating insects and occasionally bats, which they capture in sallies from high perches. Possibly its most well known characteristic is its unique moaning growl that the Great Potoo vocalizes throughout the night, creating an unsettling atmosphere in the Neotropics with its nocturnal sounds.
Blue morpho - Morpho menelaus - is a very large butterfly, with a wingspan of approximately 6 inches! It's an iridescent tropical butterfly of Central and South America. The adult drinks juice from rotten fruit with its long proboscis, which is like a sucking tube. The adult males have brighter colours than the females.
Black river turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea), or black wood turtle is one of nine species of turtle in the genus Rhinoclemmys, which is in the family Geoemydidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Their habitats include freshwater ecosystems, coastal marine areas, and tropical forests. Most are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous or carnivorous species. In mating, the males are usually much more active than females. A relatively small number of eggs per clutch is common, produced several times a year. Some species have a temperature-dependent sex determination system, while others possess different sex chromosomes.
Lesser nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas. They catch flying insects on the wing, mainly foraging near dawn and dusk (crepuscular), sometimes at night with a full moon or near street lighting. Their breeding habitat is open country from the Southwestern United States through Central America to tropical South America. They usually nest on bare ground, sometimes in raised locations including stumps and boulders or flat house roofs. The two eggs are laid directly on bare ground—there is no nest. Incubation is performed largely by the female and lasts for about 20 days. Young fledge at about 20 days of age. Adults flushed from the nest may try to distract the intruder or defend the nest site by aerial attack. Young birds sometimes perform a defense display by opening up their mouths and spreading their wings, looking to appear threatening and larger than they actually are before they run off.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Monteverde+Cloud+Forest+Reserve,+Carretera+a+Reserva+de+Monteverde,+Monte+Verde/@10.3049984,-84.8048866,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8fa0198755ec11cf:0xaf2fb8e79ee9ce66?hl=en
http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/maps/monteverde.htm
Friday 19th November
We transferred to Hotel Belmar, via Arenal lake and seeing an Osprey. In order to cut an arduous 10 hour travel day down to a mere 4 hours, we used a van from the hotel arriving at a makeshift dock, then a 45 minute boat ride took us across the lake, amongst some of the greenest terrain you will ever see, until we hit a muddy shore where our van finally came. From here it took us a very slow going two hours to travel 30km over steep and bumpy roughhewn dirt and gravel roads with mountainous vistas abound. We surmounted (by van!) the Tilaran Range, part of the Continental Divide east of Lake Arenal and the nearby active volcano Arenal, and running into the Cordillera Central range further east. It is located in the Abangares district of the province of Guanacaste. At the edge of this range is the Monteverde cloud forest preserve, a major ecotourism destination.
Like all Central American countries, Costa Rica is considered part of a biodiversity hotspot. According to the INBio, about 4.5% of the world's biodiversity can be found in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is home to about 12,119 species of plants, of which 950 are endemic. There are 117 native trees and more than 1,400 types of orchids, a third of them can be found in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Almost a half of the country's land is covered by forests, though only 3.5% is covered by primary forests. Although there is no accurate data on the amount of species of flora in the reserve because no inventory has ever been made, it is said that approximately one third of Costa Rica's flora has been recorded in the Monteverde region (the reserve and nearby areas). An update of the Haber's list (1991) contains 3021 species including a total of 755 species of trees. The extremely abundant flora of the cloud forest, epiphyte, contributes substantially to the entire richness of species in the Monteverde region compared to the lowlands.
Epiphytes include 29% of the flora and are more visible and plentiful in the cloud forest. They are the richest life form of flora in Monteverde, with 878 species, including 230 dicotyledons in 25 families, 471 monocotyledons in five families and 177 ferns and the like, in 13 families. The diversity of epiphytes is higher on the hillsides facing the east and on the summits where tall trees withstand hundreds of kilos of dense masses of moss, epiphytes and arboreal soil. However, several scientists claim that the area with more diverse epiphyte plants in the reserve is the one called "El Triangulo" (personal communication, Rafael Bolaños, 2005).
It is believed that the Monteverde region has the highest diversity of orchids in the world. There are more than 500 known species, 34 discovered in the reserve, are new to science. Ten percent (10%) of the reserve's flora is endemic to the Tilarán mountain range. For example, Podocarpus monteverdeensis, an endemic tree, is a species of conifer native to Monteverde.
Saturday 20th November.
We hiked into the cloud forest. A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation, in which case they are also referred to as mossy forests. Mossy forests usually develop on the saddles of mountains, where moisture introduced by settling clouds is more effectively retained. While cloud forest today is the most widely used term, in some regions, these ecosystems or special types of cloud forests are called mossy forest, elfin forest, montane thicket, and dwarf cloud forest.
National Geographic has called the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve "the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves". Newsweek has declared Monteverde the world's #14 Place to Remember Before it Disappears." By popular vote in Costa Rica, Monteverde was enshrined as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Costa Rica, along with Isla del Coco, Volcán Arenal, Cerro Chirripó, Río Celeste, Tortuguero, and Volcán Poás.
Resting roughly at 4,600 ft above sea level, Monteverde is misty, humid, and windy, with a mean annual temperature of 64 °F and aNnual rainfall averages around 118 inches. Humidity oscillates between 74% and 80+%. The massive 26,000-acre Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve draws 70,000 tourists a year. It is known as the site with the largest number of orchids in the world, with 34 of its 500 species newly discovered. 58 species have been found in Monteverde. This area is also a stop for 91 species of migratory birds. The famed quetzal resides here seasonally. The 134 mammals of Monteverde include representatives from both North and South America as endemic species. The mammalian fauna of the region includes six species of marsupials, three muskrats, at least 58 bats, three primates, seven edentates, two rabbits, one ground hog, three species of squirrels, one species of spiny mouse, at least 15 species of long-tailed rats and mice; one species of porcupine, one species of agouti, one paca, two canids, five mustelids, four species of procyonids, six species of felines, two species of wild pigs, two species of deer, and one tapir.
Monteverde's vegetation is characterized by two specific aspects: the abundance of mosses, epiphytes and lianas in the cloud forest; and the massive variety of types of vegetation. As a result there is a great regional variety of diverse plants found in a small area of land; these are found near the narrow altitudinal zone of the habitat throughout the higher parts of the steep mountainsides. It appears that the strong winds limit the height of the forest on exposed crests. The fog and rain that comes from the Caribbean side during the dry season maintains the diversity of epiphytes on the high pacific side of the reserve. Due to its altitudinal variation and its exposure climatic factors that vary between the Pacific and Caribbean slopes, the reserve offers a great variety of types of vegetation that are characteristic of the majority of vegetation formations described for the Tilaran mountain range.
Saw ...
Strangler figs A specific growth habit is an adaptation for growing in dark forests - where the competition for light is intense. These plants begin life as hemiepiphytes, when their seeds, often bird-dispersed, germinate in crevices atop other trees.
These seedlings grow their roots downward and envelop the host tree while also growing upward to reach into the sunlight zone above the canopy.
Mahagony tree (Swietenia poaaibly humilis but probably macrophylla) Please note that some botanists believe that S. humilis is a mere variant of S. macrophylla.
Mahogany has a straight, fine, and even grain, and is relatively free of voids and pockets. Its reddish-brown color darkens over time, and displays a reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent workability, and is very durable. Historically, the tree's girth allowed for wide boards from traditional mahogany species.
Cow's tongue
Ferns
Tree ferns
Palms
Loads of bromeliads
Lianas
Mosses
Heliconias
Mushrooms .. One tat glows in the dark bluefish ...
Orchids
Common Agouti (Dasyprocta punctuate). The term agouti (Spanish: Agutí) designates several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta. They are native to Middle America, northern and central South America, and the southern Lesser Antilles. Some species have also been introduced elsewhere in the West Indies. They are related to guinea pigs and look quite similar, but are larger and have longer legs. The species vary considerably in colour, being brown, reddish, dull orange, greyish or blackish, but typically with lighter underparts. Their bodies are covered with coarse hair which is raised when alarmed. They weigh 2.4–6 kg and are about 18+ inches in length, with short, hairless tails. When feeding, agoutis sit on their hind legs and hold food between their fore paws. They eat fallen fruit, leaves and roots, although they may sometimes climb trees to eat green fruit. They will hoard food in small, buried stores. They are an important seed disperser for plants in its habitat: the agouti buries food in small caches that it will recover if fruit becomes scarce. If it does not return to these seeds, they may grow into plants and replenish the sources from which the agouti feeds. An agouti is capable of eating seeds with very hard seed coats, In a pinch, they have also been seen eating the eggs of ground-nesting birds. They are regarded as one of the few species that can open Brazil nuts without tools, mainly thanks to their strength and exceptionally sharp teeth. Agoutis give birth to litters of two to four young after a gestation period of three months. Some species have two litters a year in May and October, while others breed year round. Young are born into burrows lined with leaves, roots and hair. They are well developed at birth and may be up and eating within an hour. Fathers are barred from the nest while the young are very small, but the parents pair bond for the rest of their lives. They can live for as long as 20 years, a remarkably long time for a rodent.
Quetzal bird - Female - Belongs to the family of the trogons, among the most colourful birds of tropical America and probably the most beautiful trogon you will ever see, this magnificent bird has glittering green plumages and bright crimson on belly, in essence this is one of the most attractive birds of Costa Rica. Quetzals are strikingly coloured birds in the trogon family found in forests and woodlands, especially in humid highlands, with the five species from the genus Pharomachrus being exclusively Neotropical. They are fairly large (13 inches long), slightly bigger than other trogon species. Quetzals have iridescent green or golden-green wing coverts, back, chest and head, with a red belly. They are strongly sexually dimorphic, and parts of the females' plumage are brown or grey. These largely solitary birds feed on fruits, berries, insects and small vertebrates (such as frogs). Even with their famous bright plumage, they can be hard to see in their natural wooded habitats.
Heard a wren
Black-faced solitaire (Myadestes melanops) - is a bird in the thrush family endemic to highlands in Costa Rica. The black-faced solitaire usually forages low in vegetation, mainly for berries, but also insects. It will ascend into the canopy or emerge into trees in pasture in its search for food. The call is a nasal ghank or liquid quirt, and the song is a beautiful fluty whistled teedleedlee…tleedleeee…lee-dah…lee-dah given mainly in the evening from a shady canopy perch. While the extremely slow song is of a wonderfully pure, ethereal colour in nature... the call's sound is like a rusty gate hinge... Hence it's common name the rusty gate solitaire. This is a bird of dense undergrowth and bamboo clumps in wet mountain forest, normally from 750 to 3,000 metres altitude. It disperses as low as 400 metres in the wet season, when it may form loose flocks. It builds a cup nest of mosses and liverworts in a tree crevice, hole in a mossy bank, or concealed amongst mosses and epiphytes in a tree fork up to 11 feet above the ground. The female lays two or three rufous-brown marked white or pinkish eggs between April and June. The fledging period is 15–16 days.
Crested Guan
Slaty-tailed trogon female - (Trogon massena) - is a near passerine* bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. It is a resident of the canopy and higher levels of damp tropical forests, but comes lower in adjacent semi-open areas. It nests 10 to 49 feet high in an occupied termite nest or decaying tree trunk, with a typical clutch of three white or bluish-white eggs laid in a chamber reached by an ascending tunnel. Both sexes excavate the nesting chamber. Slaty-tailed trogons feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. They typically perch upright and motionless. Trogons have distinctive male and female plumages, with soft, often colourful, feathers. This species is about 12 in. long and weighs 5 or so ounces. It has a uniformly dark grey tail, and the wing coverts also appear grey, although actually finely vermiculated in black and white. The male slaty-tailed trogon has a green back, head and breast, red belly and orange bill. The female has a dark grey back, head and breast, red belly and only partially orange bill, most of the upper mandible being black. The call is a nasal uk uk.
*Near passerine or higher land-bird assemblage are terms of traditional, pre-cladistic taxonomy that have often been given to tree-dwelling birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines (order Passeriformes) due to ecological similarities.
The three-striped warbler (Basileuterus tristriatus) is a species of bird in the Parulidae family, measuring about 5 Inches in length. It is mostly olive-brown with a buffy belly and underparts. It has distinct black and white striping on the head and a dark cheek. Male and female three-striped warblers have similar plumages. Their song is a rapid series of squeaky chirps. Probably feeds mainly, if not entirely, on invertebrates. Food items carried to a nest were mostly arthropods.
Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta Palliata) including a mother with a baby on her back and an alpha male. The group is usually defined as several adult males and females, with their juveniles and infants, although juveniles usually leave their parents' group eventually. At 12 weeks old, howlers may move away from their parents. A female will become sexually active at 3 years, and have her first infant before her fourth year, with a gestation period of 6 months. Within a group, all adult males are dominant to all adult females, but the youngest adult of either sex holds the alpha rank for that sex. Average group size varies from 11 to 18 depending on the region. Howlers hardly ever descend to the ground except to travel between islands of trees in a habitat. Howlers are relatively common in Costa Rican forests, where they constitute 69% of primate biomass within the country. Diet - these primates are sedentary foragers: they eat mostly leaves, but they may also pick fruits and flowers. Since they are not dependent on only eating fruit (as spider monkeys do), howlers can survive in daily and home ranges rather small for a primate of their size. They are very choosy eaters, and often only eat certain parts of an individual tree and other parts of a different tree. From one tree they may choose mature leaves, young leaves, flowers, the petioles or the pulvinus of leaves. They also seem to base their food choices on how much the plant contains protein, fibre, and levels of alkaloids and tannins. Essentially, they try to maximise protein and amino acids in their diet but minimise their intake of fibre and plant secondary compounds.
Lots of hummingbirds at the Hummingbird Gallery including the Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus) - one of the largest hummingbirds in the world, matched in size only by a few other species, and surpassed only by the Giant Hummingbird. This abundant but distinct species resembles no other in Costa Rica. Although the male and female have divergent plumage, they share the wide, long tail with bright white corner feathers, wide wing feathers, conspicuous size, and the long, curved bill reminiscent of a hermit, such as the Long-tailed Hermit. The female's bill is especially curved; she is dark green with a gray underside and a violet throat. The male's plumage grants the species its name: his head and most of his body is a deep, solid violet, with dark green on some wing feathers and the lower back, a blackish tail, and the aforementioned white tail corners.
.. Lots of small greenish ones Vibrantly-colored and energetic, Hummingbirds (Hummers) are named for the distinctive sound made by their tiny beating wings. Known locally as colibris, their remarkable size, fearless nature and shimmering colors have made these flying jewels a favorite among birders and wildlife lovers. Of the 338 known species, roughly 50 hummingbirds live or breed in Costa Rica’s tropical lowlands and cool cloud forests. Native to New World countries, hummers are divided into two sub-families. The Trochilinae, or typical hummingbirds, include all of the colorful species, while the Phaethornithinae comprise 34 species of hermits.
The Americas are home to a dazzling variety of hummingbird species that range from minuscule to surprisingly big, with varying tail streamers, head plumes and colorations. Their ability to hover for long periods of time and to fly backwards makes them different from all other birds. Hummingbirds eat at least half their body weight in food every day to support their high energy lifestyle.
At night, their body temperature drops as they go into a state of torpor to help conserve energy. Hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of any bird – their heart rate can exceed 1,200 beats a minute.
Hummingbirds have co-evolved (avoids an awkward question!) with flowers and plants, developing long slender bills and even longer tongues to feed on nectar. Because flowers regularly bloom and fade, most hummingbirds lead somewhat solitary lives, aggressively defending nectar sources from rival hummers, bees and butterflies. They also eat insects to help supplement fat and protein in their diet.
The smallest Costa Rican hummer is the male scintillant hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla), which weighs in at just two grams. At 11.5 grams, the violet sabrewing, or Campylopterus hemileucurus, is the largest – its brilliant violet head and body contrasted by dark green wings.
Hummingbirds inhabit a variety of temperate and tropical habitats in Costa Rica. In the lowland areas, hummers typically nest during the dry season months of December through April. Those found in highlands like Monteverde or San Gerardo de Dota usually nest towards the end of the year when temperatures are colder and epiphytic flowers are blooming.
Only ten species of hummingbirds are known to live in Costa Rica’s highlands. One of the more common is the fiery-throated hummingbird (Panterpe insignis), which breeds in the cool forests near Poas and Irazu volcanoes and the high-elevation cloud forests along the Talamanca Mountains. This stunner is an iridescent green, with a dark blue tail, indigo chest, copper-orange throat and a radiant blue crown. Another cold-weather lover is the magnificent hummingbird, which flashes its shimmering plumage along the Cerro de la Muerte, frequenting the humid montane forests from 2000 meters up to the timberline.
True loners due to their territorial nature, hummingbirds only mingle with the opposite sex for a short time during mating. Nests are constructed of moss, twigs, plant fibres and fern leaves, sometimes bound together with cobwebs. A clutch typically consists of two small white eggs, which are incubated by the female for 14-19 days. Chicks are fed a mixture of nectar and regurgitated insects and remain in the nest for up to a month.
- See more at: http://costarica.com/wildlife/hummingbirds/#sthash.GTnTolTQ.dpuf
We did a night hike with Jorge and saw ....
Two Toed sloth
Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuraris). This toucan is common from sea level to 1,200 m in forest, tall second growth, and pastures that contain some mature trees. It is sometimes called the Rainbow-Billed Toucan, for the progression of yellow, orange, lime, and pale blue to the crimson tip of its exceptionally bright and enormous beak. This bill is deceptively light-being hollow and narrow-and a surprisingly adroit tool for plucking ripened fruits from awkward angles without trusting this large bird's weight to flimsy branches. The bill, white tail feathers, and bright blue legs contrast with the rest of the dark bird. Aside from yellow facial skin and bib lined in red, this large bird's body is mostly black with maroon on its back and neck, and olive on its lower back and underside. In small flocks of up to 6 birds, the Keel-Billed Toucan travels through the upper levels of closed-canopy forest and nearby tall secondary forest. They may also forage in areas that are semi-open or along edges as they look lower for berries. They can be seen tossing their heads backwards to drop food from the end of the long bill into the throat. Choruses that sound like frogs may be sung while in their flocks; individually, the toucan may croak or call in a wooden or metallic tone, or sing a series of shrill chirps that resounds like a cricket. The toucan nests deep within tree cavities that have hollowed out from decay. They may move into holes that are 2.7 to 27 m off the forest floor, and do not bother lining the nest with anything besides regurgitated seeds. This omnivorous bird sustains itself on fruits, including those with large seeds (such as Cirola or Protium), small seeded berries, or Cecropia catkins. To diversify its diet, the toucan also eats insects, spiders, small lizard and snakes, and the eggs and nestlings of small bird species.
Large stick insect
Small stick insect
Preying mantis - female
Female moss preying mantis
Yellow-streaked side Pit viper
Vine snake
Nectar bats
Tiny frog
Saturday 21st November
Curiancha natural history walk. Walk in the morning into the Monteverde cloud forest in with the guide Sergio. The montane forest straddles the Continental Divide, flowing down toward both the Pacific and the Caribbean coastlines. On the Caribbean side, the cloud forest begins at an elevation of about 4,430 feet. It peaks at the top of the Tilaran Mountains at around 6,070 feet and then flows down the Pacific slope to around 4,920 feet. Trees at the lower elevations grow to form a forest canopy 115 feet high. Closer to the top, tree are stunted by the impact of constant winds. They grow to heights of 16 to 33 feet, forming an elfin forest. Monteverde harbours at least 878 species of epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants), including 450 kinds of orchids. Trees are covered with mosses, bromeliads, and ferns. There are more than 425 species of birds, 5,000 species of moths, and innumerable other plants and animals, including jaguars, tapirs, and pumas, and exotic species such as resplendent quetzals and three-wattled bellbirds. Saw ...
Blue morpho - the Menelaus Blue Morpho (Morpho menelaus) is an iridescent tropical butterfly of Central and South America. It has a wing span of around 5.9 inches. The adult drinks juice from rotten fruit with its long proboscis, which is like a sucking tube. The adult males have brighter colours than the females. It is a very large butterfly, with a wingspan of approximately 5.5 inches. The forewing is concave at the outer edge. The upper side of wings are metallic blue. The under side is brown. The nocturnal larvae are known to feed on Erythroxylum pulchrum and Machaerium. The larvae are red-brown in colour with bright patches of lime-green or yellow. The larvae are also highly cannibalistic. The Morpho butterfly drinks its food rather than eat it. It uses its proboscis (long, protruding mouth part) to drink sap and fruit juices. Morpho butterflies taste with sensors on their legs and taste-smell the air with their antennae; they feed on the juices of fermenting fruit with which they may also be lured. The inebriated butterflies wobble in flight and are easy to catch. Morphos will also feed on the bodily fluids of dead animals and on fungi so may be important in dispersing fungal spores. The adults dwell in the forest canopy layer and rarely come near the under-storey and forest floor layers. However, they have sometimes been observed flying near the ground in clearings.
Quetzal - female
White fronted parrot
The golden-browed chlorophonia (Chlorophonia callophrys) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. It is common in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests above 2,460 ft. elevation. A brightly coloured bird, the golden-browed chlorophonia is distinctive within its range. The male is bright green above and yellow below, with a wide golden-yellow eyebrow stripe and a violet-blue cap. It has a narrow blue eye ring and a thin blue line extending from its nape to its breast. The female is similar, but without the golden brown and yellow breast; these are both replaced with green. They average 5.1 inches in length. It has a soft whistling call: wheeeeuuu. It eats fruit, nuts and insects.
Variegated squirrel
Cappuccino monkey
Pit viper
Agouti
Slaty-tailed Tongan
Warbler
Clay-colored Thrush
Brown Jay
Blue crowned Mot-Mot
Loads of hummingbirds again.
Sunday 22nd November.
Transfer - to El Romano ... Up at 5:45 and off at 6:15 .... Down a long, long way to transpacific highway. At airport early for flight to Puerto Jiminez. It was an hour late and a small single prop. Set off at 13:05; should have been 11:50! Landed near cemetery(!) and took a long bumpy ride to hotel. Saw a toucan, a river otter and some termite nests on the way. Before dinner we chose some activities and after Bob had a whiskey we went to a warm room and our beds!
Monday 23rd November.
Up early (5am) to go on the bird hike at 5:30. Saw lots ...
Turkey and Black Vultures, Great and Cattle Egrets, Crested Caracara, Enstrikes, Scarlet Macaw, Red-lorded Parrot, Crested Guan, Blue-and-white Swallow, (Marsh Swallow?), Road-side (and Black-chested?) Hawks, tanager, Red-winged (?) Blackbird, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Lapwing, Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, White-necked Puffbird,
Then at 8:45 we hiked around the botanical and part of the ridge trail, seeing...
Spider monkey,
Hoffman's Woodpecker(?),
Howler monkey,
Army ant,
Leaf cutting ant ... Workers, minias and soldiers!
Streak side snake (in the forest litter),
Leaf frog,
Long-tailed Hermit Hummingbird,
Magnificent Frigate Bird,
Ant bird,
Treecreeper,
Little Blue Heron,
Fig wasp
We relaxed after a swim and lunch... Then I mailed Margaret from outside the office and told Chad I was away until the end of the month! We had fish for dinner ... The catch of the day and pleasant is was too.... with a couple of beers ...we turned in at about 9pm and asleep by 10!
Tuesday 24th November.
After a light breakfast Bob and I walked down to the beach ... Hiked more like! Back up after a brief exploration ... Tide was coming in fast we sweated our way back up ... A shower swim and proper shower saw us ready for a beer and lunch! At lunch we met an English woman called Jacky and her partner ...an Australian called? Don't know what she does but he builds cinemas! He is building one in Bradford - at the Westgate Centre! Bob was interested because of the paper and tickets .... Then we were called to see a Black-billed Toucan. After lunch we packed/slept/read ( I started 'The Speech') until dinner.
Wednesday 25th November.
After breakfast we checked out and with the exRussian, now German and his Japanese girlfriend we drove to the airport... An hour and a half or so later we were landing at Drakes's Bay for an exchange of passengers ... Then off for San Jose airport where we queued to pay the departure tax (29 dollars) and booked in for our short flight to Panama City... Picked up and taken to our hotel I showered and changed and we went out for a beer and a look around ... We were lodging in San Felipe ... The old City near a police station! Just around the corner was the British Embassy and we walked passed to go for a drink when suddenly a young policeman armed with a sub-machine gun jumped on as pillion to a motorcyclist and off they rode ... Gave us a fit! We had a meal in the restaurant near the hotel.
Thursday 26th November
Next morning after breakfast at Tantula hotel (?) we caught Mike, an ex USA serviceman as a taxi driver and he took us and picked us up from Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal. Back from a stroll and a beer we then got ready to leave and got picked up about 3:15. We were at the poorly internally signed airport at 4ish ... After messing about for a couple of hours we boarded at 5:30! We were among the last ... The Copa Lounge departure screen did not show anything against the flight even though it was boarding! After a relatively poor dinner of soup and a poor sea bass I went to sleep ...
Friday 27th November.
We landed at 10:20ish and stayed in the Crown Lounge until the flight home - got in at 17:30ish.
