Birding in Northern Costa Rica 3-10-26

This morning, I was up before the alarm, getting comfortable with nature as it rises, not only with the birds chirping to each other but also with the howler monkeys making a haunting sound that says, 'This is our territory.' With all those announcements, I get ready for another day looking for amazement. After our walk and breakfast, I am told about a boat ride and am excited about being on the water. I see them prepare the boat, getting it ready to launch as they trailer it down to the dock, grab my pack, and head down. While they are reading things, I catch a few snaps of the area. Once everyone was loaded into the boat, which I thought was on the narrow side for so many people, we were off to the mangroves to find the birds. It didn't take long, and our guide was shouting orders in Spanish to our driver about where to go so we could all see. Coming in from the ride, it was incredible to see all the different shorebirds perched on the pier railing, watching us pull in. We had some time before lunch and another short walk along the road after lunch to see the pygmy owl and check whether the howler monkeys had moved on, as their voices can carry a distance. We had another boat ride this afternoon that took us to another part of the inlet, which seemed like a river before opening up and showcasing many different birds. My only thought is that we had too many people in such a narrow boat to be comfortable as photographers, and a hard top overhead that blocked some of the view if the bird flew over. The late afternoon had us on a tractor-driven cart for a birding tour of the property, which was great. I prefer it to walking and was amazed at how big it was. But then there was the diesel smell, my fault for sitting up front. Once we stopped to look at something, it was soon forgotten. The climax of the day was an amusing climb up this devious hill, with an overview of the property, a drink, and good conversation with like-minded people, all while watching the sunset to mark another adventurous day.