My Trip to Costa Rica Part 2

Before leaving Olguita’s on the second day in Costa Rica, I spotted this migrant male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) pictured above, but I also enjoyed a resident Black-cowled Oriole (Icterus prosthemelas), both lifers!

Since the weather was not favorable for snorkeling I decided to kayak up the local Quebrada Ernesto Inlet. Climbing into the kayak I noticed a Three-toed Sloth hanging in an overhanging tree. The sloths are a big draw in Costa Rica. Whenever we saw large groups of folks looking up into the trees, they were usually watching sloths.

Heading up the inlet…

were several Black River Turtles.

But the coolest thing seen was a Common Black-Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) feeding on its prey.

Back at the hotel the ever present Scarlet-rumped Tanagers (Ramphocelus passerinii) were frolicking. The female trying to hide in the foliage…

and the male found at a feeding station.

A Streak-headed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes souleyetti) was spotted occupied in its normal behavior of climbing a tree in the yard.

 Both a Tropical Kingbird (Tyannus melancholicus)…

and a Pale-vented Pigeon (Patagioenas cayennensis) were in plain view.

That last night at one of the beach-side restaurants in Punta Uva we were treated to several beautiful Blue Land Crabs.

As we were leaving Olguita’s for our next destination in Sarapiqui we got great looks at probably the most common hawk seen in Costa Rica, the Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris)…

the cool thing was, we also got great looks at a juvenile as well!