Costa Rica 4 La Selva Botanical Station

I left Savegre Hotel and traveled to La Selva Botanical Station, a research facility on the Sarapiqui river and is famous for its birds.  I had a mixed experience.  I only stayed for one night, but I opted to stay in a cabin purportedly a 15 minute walk to the restaurant and reception.  It turned out to be an incredibly hot and humid 30 minute hike, and I almost destroyed myself.  I made the trip 4 times, each time wondering if I was going to make it.  On top of that, the bed in the cabin was quite simply the hardest bed of my experience.  I dispute calling it a bed.  A rock would be more appropriate.  And of course, no air, just a few fans, and so....  Nevertheless, the birding was incredible.  I had two mornings of birding, once with Luis Vargas by myself, and then with Sally and Neal another morning.  

Cinnamon Becard
I saw him on my first trek (slog, Bataan death march) from the cabin.  This bird was a great start to the 
day, as I had only a smudgy brown blob of a photo from Peru. 

Luis on the suspension bridge over the Sarapiqui River

From a log hinging over the river, my first large Iguana.  
I had no idea they got so big.  

A mama Peccari

and child following.

This Iguana was 4 feet long.

And a lizard, a foot long. 

Collared Aracari

Black-mandibled Toucan
Called by my guide the Yellow-throated Toucan

The spectacular Keel-billed Toucan

What a great bird!

Variable Seedeater

Yellow-billed Cacique

White-fronted Nunbird,  a life list bird.

Red-rumped Cacique

And another life list, the Great Green Macaw

Rufous Mot Mot

Red-throated Ant-tanager

Incredible!!
My first photo, ever, of a Common Pauraque.
Almost impossible to see. Luis had already left for the morning, I was sitting in the cafeteria
having a coffee, and he came racing back to show me this bird. I've seen them flying at dusk, black
images.  It took me quite a while to actually see him. 
The next day Luis found him again in another location for all three of us, but I have 
somehow lost that photograph. 

Mealy Parrot

Black-cheeked Woodpecker
life list

Chestnut-sided Warbler passing through.