Since I have a couple months between trips, I’m taking some time to tackle older photos that have not yet been added to the archive. I felt it was appropriate to work on a Costa Rica set, since I was supposed to be heading back there later this month. However, that trip was cancelled, so I’ll continue to miss one of my favorite wildlife destinations and will have to be satisfied reliving past adventures.
In this case, I tackled my two 2010 Costa Rica visits. The first took place in February, and combined my first visit to La Selva Biological Station with some time in my favorite spot, Corcovado National Park. The second visit was something of a surprise, as I was invited to join other travelers in Tortuguero National Park by Michael Kaye, the founder of Costa Rica Expeditions (something I wrote about in my remembrance of Michael following his passing). These trips allowed me to add new species to my life list, particularly the Tortuguero trip, which remains my only visit to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast to date.
I’ve chosen to add these reprocessed images to an existing gallery, which now houses my Costa Rica photos from my first trip in 2005 through 2010. I encourage you to visit the gallery (use the Slideshow function!). A short preview follows below.
The Collared Aracari is one of the most common toucan species I’ve seen in Costa Rica over the years.
I haven’t seen nearly as many green basilisks as browns over the years.
These greater sac-winged bats were probably the first bats I ever photographed successfully.
An American crocodile swims in the Pacific Ocean. I actually saw this croc butt heads with a bull shark!
On the same day, we saw two young fer-de-lances. The first was curled up five meters from where campers were having breakfast at the research station. The second was crossing a trail in Corcovado National Park. This remains the scariest wildlife encounter I’ve ever had, as the snake slithered out of the frame (in my direction) while I was photographing it!
The Caribbean slope version of the green-and-black poison dart frog (seen here) has more green on its body. The Pacific version (which you can see in the photo gallery) has more black.
The largest of Costa Rica’s four monkey species is the Geoffroy’s spider monkey.
Though I had seen neotropical river otters on previous trips to Costa Rica, this sighting in Tortuguero (a pregnant female???) was my best to date.
For some reason, I never published this shot of a three-toed sloth previously. It only took fifteen years!
One of my favorite Costa Rican animals is the northern tamandua, and this remains one of my better sightings of it (in Corcovado, of course). Note the beefy arms and large claws used for digging out bugs.
During the October 2010 visit, we were able to see green sea turtle hatchlings make their way to the ocean.
I love large woodpecker species. This Lineated Woodpecker was working on a tree right near the trail as I walked from my room at La Selva.
View the full Costa Rica 2005 – 2010 gallery (130 images, including 57 photos from the 2010 trips).
Interested in joining me on a future Costa Rica adventure? The next photo tour will likely be in 2027.
