The next morning at Arenal Observatory Lodge we were still getting some rain, but it was dry on the observation deck.

Guess who that is with her head in the hedge.

That's Betsy under there, looking for a bird.

Last look at Arenal Volcano

Our group on the observation deck

The restaurant and deck at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Lake Arenal

Red and green bamboo

Bamboo at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Bamboo and tropical verbena

Steve and Joanie take a last look around

Volcanic monitoring station

Moon plant

Montezuma Oropendola

Stripe-headed Sparrow

Keel-billed Toucan

Stripe-headed Toucan

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Blue-chested Hummingbird

Brown Violetear

Brown Violetear

A tree full of oropendolas

Montezuma Oropendolas

House Wren

Moon plants

Sedges?

Bamboo at Arenal Observatory Lodge

First we heard we were not going to be able to take the short road around Lake Arenal because the rains we'd been experiencing for the last couple of days had caused some mudslides that had blocked the road. Then Esteban got word that the road had been cleared, so we took off, only to find they were still clearing the road in places.

Front-end loader clearing the road around Lake Arenal; we continued after a few minutes.

Near Arenal Lake dam we stopped for Esteban to look for a potoo with no luck, but Felix, our driver, spotted a snake (Ebony Keelback) that slithered under the bus. Some of us got out to gawk and take photos.

Ebony Keel-back snake

Ebony Keel-back Snake on the road around Arenal Lake

Kim decided everyone in the bus deserved a look.

Kim shows the folks on the bus the Ebony Keel-back Snake.

On the road into La Ensenada, we got our first look at the
Turquoise-browed Motmot.

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Turquoise-browed Motmot
with an insect

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Turquoise-browed Motmot
swished his tail back and forth like
the weights on a grandfather's clock.

Turquoise-browed Motmot
We suspected it was waiting to go to a nest.

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Turquoise-browed Motmot
When it's the first one, you take a lot of photos.

Just a little farther down the road,
we came upon a couple of Double-striped Thick-knees.

Double-striped Thick-knee
in a cultivated, irrigated field

Double-striped Thick-knees

Double-striped Thick-knee

Double-striped Thick-knee
What big eyes you have.

The view to the Pacific Ocean at La Ensenada

A young Howler monkey on the grounds at La Ensenada

Kannan relaxes in a rocker on the covered porch.

There were many butterflies on the wildflowers
at La Ensenada.

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on wildflower
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterflies on wildflowers
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterflies on wildflowers
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on rotting fruit
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly on rotting fruit
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly
at La Ensenada, CR

That leaf is a butterfly on rotting fruit
at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly
at La Ensenada, CR

The top sides of this butterfly's wings are blue
and the undersides are yellow and black.

Howler monkeys at La Ensenada

Howler monkey reaching for fruit in a tree at La Ensenada

The Pacific Ocean view from our lunch place at La Ensenada

Jim Deming walked out to the end of this rickety pier.

Jim on the pier at La Ensenada

White-thoated Magpie-Jays
An adult had a big catepillar and the young ones wanted part of it.

White-throated Magpie-Jay with catepillar
Note characteristic feather tuft on head.

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jay

White-throated Magpie-Jays

White-throated Magpie-Jays

White-throated Magpie-Jays

White-throated Magpie-Jays

White-throated Magpie-Jay

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Butterfly at La Ensenada, CR

Groove-billed Ani

Groove-billed Ani

Male Spot-breasted Oriole
we saw on a walk behind the restaurant at La Ensenada

Male Spot-breasted Oriole

Male Spot-breasted Oriole with catepillar

Male Spot-breasted Oriole

Male Spot-breasted Oriole

Male Spot-breasted Oriole

Male Spot-breasted Oriole

Male Rose-throated Becard with nesting material

Nest of the Rose-throated Becard

Male Rose-throated Becard

Male Rose-throated Becard

Male Streak-backed Oriole

Male Streak-backed Oriole

Stripe-headed Sparrow

Eastern Meadowlark

Eastern Meadowlark singing

A pair of Pacific Screech Owls
at the house of one of the restaurant staff

Pacific Screech Owls in the rain

Looking for shorebirds at the salt ponds near La Ensenada restaurant

Esteban, Kannan, Steve and others under a rough shed porch at the salt ponds

Salt from the salt ponds

View of salt pond from the storage shed in the drizzle

Western Sandpipers in the drizzle at the salt ponds at La Ensenada, CR

Whimbrels, Ruddy Turnstones, and a Willet
Betsy counted 86 Whimbrels

Closer look at Whimbrels, Ruddy Turnstones, and a Willet

Adult and juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Herons

Whimbels

Black-necked Stilt and Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Black-necked Stilts and White Ibis in the distance.

Great Egret

Several Whimbrels with Ruddy Turnstones in the foreground

Wilson's Plover

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

White Ibis, including an immature one flapping its wings, and a Great Egret

Immature Yellow-crowned Night-Heron and White Ibis in the drizzle at the salt pond at La Ensenada, CR

Royal Terns

Closer look at the Royal Terns at the salt ponds

Wilson's Plovers

Black-bellied Plover and Wilson's Plover (long, thick bill)

Whimbrel and Ruddy Turnstone

Black-necked Stilts

Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, plover and Black-necked Stilt

Immature Little Blue Heron

Semipalmated Plovers?

Plovers and Ruddy Turnstones

Piping Plovers or Semipalmated Plovers
The former are rare and the latter were reported by Kannan to eBird, but there is no black on these birds; they seem to have the plain faces and washed out appearance that field guides describe as Piping Plover.

Black-necked Stilts

Snowy Egret

Royal Tern over salt ponds at La Ensenada, Costa Rica, near the Pacific Ocean

Snowy Egret

Tricolored Heron