Blue-gray tanager and clay-colored thrush. The thrush is the National Bird of Costa Rica. It seems a drab choice.
Turkey vulture. Vultures are always in the air whenever we see the sky. They perform a valuable function.
The morning outing to Mystico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park started early with Alvin driving again and Zander, our new guide. This forest was dryer than the last, but nearly as densely and diversely packed. We walked up and down and crossed many hanging bridges. There were birds, bats, lizards, butterflies and a waterfall. By the time we completed the two-mile loop, Arenal was cloud free for the first time. We could see steam rising out of vents at the top.
This trail had good footing and lots of green.
Bats doing their daytime snooze.
Not much sun gets to the forest floor. When a tree falls, seeds on the ground 'hear' it and grow because they get sun for the first time.
Trail below a bridge above.
Monkey ladder.
Small waterfall from a bridge.
How 'bout that blue tail?
Arenal exposed, very symmetrical.
The white stuff at the top is steam escaping from vents.
Back in the van, we drove to La Fortuna Waterfall, going through La Fortuna. It’s so named because the town once dodged a lava flow.
The big waterfall, Catarata Fortuna drops more than 200 feet with 500 steps down and 500 steps back up. That’s 40 or 50 flights of stairs, but we did it, if slowly. Many people were soaking in the pool and rapids at the bottom. Next to the waterfall is a formation of columnar basalt.
Waterfall, you can see the volcanic basalt behind the water. I'll put a video up on FB.
Blue morpho butterfly. The blue shows on the dorsal surface of the wings when they're spread in flight. They hardly ever show the blue when they're still.
The columnar basalt. As it cools, the basalt forms hexagonal columns. This rock structure can be seen in many places, including the Hudson River Palisades. In the wet season, this site becomes another waterfall.
Alvin and Zander took us to a local ranch for a late lunch. It was Costa Rican cuisine buffet, and we loved it. I went Costa Rican for all the subsequent lunches. We toured the gardens and tilapia ponds after lunch.
Zander, Alvin, Judy and my lunch on the right--heavy with rice and beans and tilapia.
Back at Lost Iguana we got a few more bird pix before dinner and packing for the next transfer to the Osa Peninsula.
Visible from our little patio, a flock of scarlet-rumped tanagers and a brown jay, below, were feasting on that fruit.
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