Wednesday, February 19
We have a boat safari this morning before breakfast, as that is when the animals and birds are most active. It rained hard last night and is pretty dark this morning. We ARE in the rain forest....so carry rain gear with us at all times!
Interesting noises around us - various birds, frogs and an occasional howler monkey. Andrey is talented in mimicking many birds and the howlers and sometimes does this to draw wildlife closer to us. The animals often respond to his calls!
Not long into the trip, the skies open and we are drenched. The boats have drainage, but Greg and I are near the back and water is soon an inch or two deep at our feet. Oh well - Pura Vida!
Pura Vida is a term often used in Costa Rica - it is a slogan but also a lifestyle which encourages a relaxed attitude toward life, no matter the circumstances. It's raining today, Pura Vida, relax and go with it. It can also be used in other ways. See below.
The rain was short-lived and we continued on, seeing many birds, monkeys, iguanas and a caiman (smaller alligator type reptile.) Greg got an ant bite on his hand which caused some pain and swelling!
Back to our rooms to dry out, and have breakfast. Not sure how things dry here with the high humidity. Someone suggests using a hair dryer - thanks, good idea! Then we meet at 9:30 for a hike on the nearby Poponjoche Trail.
Heliconia attracts hummingbirds. The flowers are actually tiny and are inside the brightly colored waxy bracts and there are many varieties. There are hummingbirds that have curved bills to feed on these plants. Other hummers have different length or shaped bills to suit other plants. We don't see a lot of hummers this trip, just one zooming by now and then.
Ficus trees are one of the largest and most prolific trees. Andrey calls them "snake hotels". Because there is no change of seasons here, trees do not have rings to determine their age. Must use carbon dating.
Northern black-throated trogon.
Many types of woodpeckers in Costa Rica and we hear them often. Here is a chestnut colored one (picture by Rick Colvin) - just gorgeous!
Lots of fungi, mushrooms. Andrey says they are all edible - at least once! Some are poisonous, some aren't.
I think this is another night heron. It doesn't have a green tail, haha, that's a leaf!
Back to the lodge for lunch and then another boat ride at 2:30.
An oddly posing emerald basilisk lizard - also called a Jesus Christ lizard because it can run on top of the water. Their large feet somehow produce bubbles.
Speckled Caiman - about 4' long.
Andrey calls this the Costa Rican Amazon.
Back at the lodge, this afternoon's lecture is by Rafael Robles, who talks about the development of Tortuguero. The park was created in 1970, but in 1987 there were still no accommodations, phones, water or electricity here. Development has been steady, but sustainable development is the goal. What we found encouraging is that only 1% of the park is open for ecotourism.
There have been 442 bird species identified here, 136 mammals, 118 reptiles and 58 amphibians. The area floods yearly, particularly from July to December and this past year was the worst is 25 years. Mammals that live here must be swimmers, including sloths.
Dinner. The single women travelers - Helen, Charline, Barbara and Sharon - often sit together, but we rotate who we sit with so we are getting to know everyone a little bit. By the end of the week I should have all the names down😊.
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