CR Blog 3: Villa Lapas, Carara Natl. Park, Tarcoles River

 A brand new area of CR for me, including a Pacific Ocean beach (finally, a beach in CR, my first ever).  One very frustrating hike, one hugely rewarding boat trip, and many very satisfying waterfowl shots. . 

Sally just couldn't abide crowds, and the result was that all but one of our hikes were with private guides for the four of us.  And the boat trip! Four of us in the boat with a guide and captain, about the perfect way to get some good photography done. (As we were leaving at the end, another crowd of about 60 birders were headed for the boats. Yeow!) Thank you, Sally (and Sonia!) for perhaps the most rewarding excursion of all. 

On the way to Villa Lapas, a Roadside Hawk

Neal, Gray and Sally in Juan Carlos' very comfy van

And! The Pacific Ocean!
Juan Carlos took us there early in the evening in hopes of getting a good glimpse.
of the Scarlet Macaws, which we did.

Sally, Neal

Beautiful shoreline

Magnificent Frigatebird, a bird barely out of the age of dinosaurs.

Scarlet Macaw

Neal, Gray

Sunset

I am not sure of the sequence but we traveled a great distance in a car to see very few
birds, BUT I did get to see a bird I have been after very trip and only succeeded this time. 
Spectacled Owl!

Slaty-tailed Trogan

Now on a hike in the Carara National Park, the least-rewarding, and by far the hottes
hike of the trip.  I am afraid our guide was more of a talker than a looker, but we did see
some rareties, and this Green-and-Black Poison-dart Frog

Magnificent specimen (the tree, I mean).  Oh, you too, Gray!

Pale-billed Woodpecker

And now, the afternoon boat ride on the Tarcoles River.
Greeting us at the landing was this Gartered Trogan

Just for the four of us. 

The first crocodile.  This one was about 6 feet.  We had a 
15-footer approach the boat, very sobering sight

I love this shot! A Roseate Spoonbill

Long-nosed Bats.  We were told by the guide that they perch in a straight line, but when in danger, create an S-shaped line resembling a snake!  Is dat True?

Ah, the Pacific Ocean again. 

Brown Pelican

Three shots of three Bare-necked Tiger-Herons, called that not because of the striping, 
but because they can growl. 

Drying out.

The drinks were free!  (Well, you know what I mean).

I think one more blog will do it. 
I admire your patience!