Costa Rica Day 23

January 28th 2022

This crazy Russet-napped Wood Rail was only arms lenghs away from me that I had to wait for it to move away from me so I focus my bins and camera onto it.

It had just gone 06.30, the sun was warming me up, and nearing the west pond on the path just a few meters ahead of me, is a Russet-napped Wood Rail! I could of booted it out of touch if I wanted as it was so close I couldn’t focus my bins and camera onto it! Great start and while I was observing the 2 Green Ibis and from yesterday, the Bare-throated Tiger Heron on the west ponds, I could hear a dogs squeaky toy at the north end of the patch. No idea what it was until I was almost on top of where the sound was coming from. Perched on a low branch was a Roadside Hawk. I had a good look at it and it allowed me to take some pics before I moved on with it still squeaking. A Mourning Warbler was calling low down in cover and a White-winged Dove on wires was the first patch tick of the morning. There are also tall mallows in the centre of the reserve and here I found the Rufous-tailed Jacamar beating a large moth on the stalks of the plant.

Great start to the morning with this Russet-napped Wood Rail showing off just meters in front of me

One of the 2 Green Ibis favouring the ponds

The stunning Bare-throated Tiger Heron still at the west pools for the third day.

This Roadside Hawk showed superbly and was very vocal and sounded like a dogs squeaky toy

The moth is nearly as big as the Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Later in the afternoon, Graham joined me for the first time and he immediately picked up a Laughing Falcon in the trees overlooking one of the west ponds. Ideal! The rest of the day was pretty slow with the usual suspects, Yellow-throated Toucan at the nest hole, Ringed Kingfisher, Northern Waterthrush, Wood Thrush, American Redstart, all 4 yank warbler species and vocal White-throated Crake all over the shop. We left for a bite to eat and then arranged to meet early the following morning. We didn’t arrange a time and as there is no wifi on the patch, we thought that we would bump into each other down there. It’s only six hectors. What could go wrong?

I had forgotten how large these Laughing Falcons were after seeing my last over five years ago near to Lake Arenal

Ringed Kingfisher

Up to 4 Wood Thrush was the highest count so far

And there are 2 maybe 3 Northern Waterthrush in the area

American Redstart

Great Kisadee

Volcano Arenal viewed SE from the patch

This is why today’s update from Sue Gray will likely be the end of Boris Johnson’s premiership

16,560 views

Jan 31, 2022

1.1KDISLIKESHARESAVEPeter Stefanovic

23.3K subscribers