The grounds around our rooms at Arenal Observatory Lodge

The grounds below the deck off the dining room at Arenal Observatory Lodge our last morning there

Last look at Lake Arenal from the deck at the Lodge

The forest mist seen from the deck at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Common Tody-Flycatcher
They always seem to show attitude.
This one was in bushes outside our room.

Female Chestnut-sided Warbler
On berried bush below the dining room deck at Arenal Observatory Lodge our last morning there

Hepatic Tanager
Arenal Observatory Lodge, CR

Hepatic Tanager
note silver-black bill

Male Yellow-throated Euphonia
yellow forehead patch does not go behind eye as in Thick-billed

Male Yellow-throated Euphonia
Arenal Observatory Lodge, CR

Eastern Wood-Pewee on nest
Lower mandible orange with black tip

Tropical Pewee on nest
Arenal Observatory Lodge, CR

Southern Lapwing
one of a group of three we saw along the highway leaving Arenal

Southern Lapwings
Provincia de Alajuela, Costa Rica

Southern Lapwing

White-throated Magpie-Jay
along the highway from Arenal to Tarcoles
Alajuela Province, Costa Rica

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

Tropical Mockingbird
along the highway from Arenal to Tarcoles
Alajuela Province, Costa Rica

Neotropic Cormorants in a river along the highway

Olive-throated Parakeets in a bare tree along the highway

Olive-throated Parakeets

Puentes Colgantes, suspension bridges, or in this case, ziplines. We pulled in for a rest stop, but Erick found they had hummingbird feeders that drew in several species, so we spent some time viewing and photographing them.

Taking a break at San Luis Canopy zipline Adventure Park

Back side of a Silver-throated Tanager
at San Luis Canopy Adventure

Silver-throated Tanager

Silver-throated Tanager

Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Female Coppery-headed Emerald hummingbird

Male Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbird

Female Green Hermit hummingbird

Male Crowned Woodnymph hummingbird
previously Violet-crowned

Male Crowned Woodnymph hummingbird
You can see a bit of the violet crown in this photo.

Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Brown Violetear hummingbird

Female White-necked Jacobin hummingbird

Female White-necked Jacobin hummingbird

Green Hermit hummingbird

Immature Crowned Woodnymph hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Female Green-crowned Brilliant (L) and male Violet-headed Hummingbird (R)

Female Green-crowned Brilliant (L) and male Violet-headed Hummingbird (R)

Female Crowned Woodnymphs

Male Crowned Woodnymph hummingbird

Female Green Hermit hummingbird

Female Green Hermit hummingbird in foreground

Female Green Hermit hummingbird

Female Crowned Woodnymph hummingbird

Rear view of the Brown Violetear hummingbird

Male Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbird
showing iridescent green crown and blue throat patch

Male Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbird
With a small turn of the head, the iridescence disappears.

Side view of Brown Violetear hummingbird

White-necked Jacobin (L) and Green-crowned Brilliant (R) hummingbirds

Front view of male Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Male Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

Green-crowned Brilliant, unidentified hummingbird and Green Hermit

Female Green Thorntail hummingbird

Male Green Thorntail hummingbird

Gray Hawk
on a telephone pole across the highway near Caldera, CR

Silhouette of a Magnificent Frigatebird soaring about the water when we reached the Pacific coast

Lizard (12-14") on a tree at Hotel Villa Lapas after we arrived

This pair of Scarlet Macaws were in a tree above the road we were taking to our riverboat ride. They seemed to be preening each other.

Scarlet Macaws in Tarcoles, Costa Rica

Pair of Scarlet Macaws, one preening its tail feather

Scarlet Macaws

Backside of one of the Scarlet Macaws

Boats from Jungle Crocodile Safari like the one we used to tour Rio Tarcoles after arriving at Hotel Villa Lapas in Tarcoles, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, near the Pacific coast.

Skinny lizard on the bank along Rio Tarcoles

Green Heron along the Tarcoles River, CR

Green Heron

Green Heron
one of Mary's favorite birds

Female Green Kingfisher

Mangrove Swallow

Backside view of Common Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

Turquoise-browed Motmot in the same tree with the Black Hawk

White Ibis

White Ibis

Turquoise-browed Motmot
on a snag in Rio Tarcoles, CR

Turquoise-browed Motmot
on a snag in Rio Tarcoles, CR,
tick-tocking its tail back and forth

Turquoise-browed Motmot
on a snag in Rio Tarcoles, CR

Willet

Ruddy Turnstone in breeding plumage

Ruddy Turnstone

Female Anhinga drying on a snag in the Tarcoles River, CR

Northern Jacanas along the river

Male Anhinga

Great Blue Heron

White-winged Dove

Great Egret

White Ibis and Black-necked Stilt

Willet

White Ibis and Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt and White Ibis

Black-necked Stilt and White Ibis

Whimbrel and White Ibis

Whimbrel and White Ibis

Whimbrel

Common Black Hawk eating a fish on the bank of Rio Tarcoles, CR

Common Black Hawk

Osprey on a snag above the river

Crocodile along Rio Tarcoles

Crocodile

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

Streaked Flycatcher

Social Flycatcher

Mangrove Warbler

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher
white throat and green collar/breast band indicate female

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Female American Pygmy Kingfisher

Plumbeous Kite above and Black Vulture below

Black Vulture

Immature Tricolored Heron

Female Ringed Kingfisher
blue breast band indicates female

Ringed Kingfisher
At 16 inches, the largest kingfisher in the Americas

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

Yellow-headed Caracara pacing the shoreline

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-headed Caracara striking a pose

Yellow-headed Caracara pacing again

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
We had turned back toward the dock and were moving fast along already-covered territory.

Looking west in the late afternoon from Rio Tarcoles at the end of our ride

We spotted this stealthy Rufous-naped Wren as we were returning from the boat to the bus.

After leaving the boat, Erick and Enrique took us to look for Black and White Owls. Andy takes aim while Erick puts one of the birds in the spotting scope and Carl, Vickie and Jerry wait for a look.

Black and White Owl

Black and White Owl

Black and White Owl

The second Black and White Owl

Black and White Owl seems bored with our watching it.

Yawning Black and White Owl

And then it turned its back on us.

Are you still here?

Go away, grumble, grumble.

On the way back to Hotel Villa Lapas, we came upon two Yellow-naped Parrots in a bare tree at the side of the road.

Yellow-naped Parrot with wings akimbo

Yellow-naped Parrot
Tarcoles, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Yellow-naped Parrot

Yellow-naped Parrot
with the yellow on the back of the neck visible

Yellow-naped Parrot

Andy found this frog on the door to one of the rooms at Hotel Villa Lapas at the end of the day.