Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
The early morning sunlight caught us anchored in the calm waters of Golfo Dulce, on the southern Pacific slope of Costa Rica. Early risers enjoyed viewing chestnut mandibled toucans calling from exposed perches. After breakfast and at high tide we cruised through mangroves on Zodiacs. In Costa Rica all mangrove swamps are protected by law and most of them are located on the Pacific coast as they require tidal variation. We saw bare-throated tiger herons, some ringed kingfishers and green kingfishers, mangrove swallows, yellow-headed caracara and many other species.
Those who did not take a Zodiac cruise walked along a rural road with mangroves on one side and rainforest on the other side and that road was productive, here we spotted a Hoffman’s two-toed sloth with a baby on her chest and a few meters further along the road a Brown-throated three-toed sloth was sunbathing on a Cecropia tree, both were good opportunities for the photographers to play with their cameras. We all arrived to a local cantina where part of the group was already enjoying cokes and cold beer. Rick Morales ran to his scope and shouted “turquoise cotingas!” as he was placing the scope in position to show us a beautiful purple and turquoise color male. Those who choose a kayak ride instead of the Zodiacs arrived seconds later.
After lunch on the boat we headed to Casa Orquideas, a wonderful private property owned by an American couple who hosted us and shared their beautiful gardens. Awesome blooming orchids, bromeliads and heliconias as well as fruiting pineapples, papayas and naranjillas surprised us as we walked through the trails. At sunset time scarlet macaws and red-lored parrots were actively interacting at a bare, leafless tree as two yellow-headed caracaras were quietly observing us as we were embarking the Zodiacs to return to the ship.
The early morning sunlight caught us anchored in the calm waters of Golfo Dulce, on the southern Pacific slope of Costa Rica. Early risers enjoyed viewing chestnut mandibled toucans calling from exposed perches. After breakfast and at high tide we cruised through mangroves on Zodiacs. In Costa Rica all mangrove swamps are protected by law and most of them are located on the Pacific coast as they require tidal variation. We saw bare-throated tiger herons, some ringed kingfishers and green kingfishers, mangrove swallows, yellow-headed caracara and many other species.
Those who did not take a Zodiac cruise walked along a rural road with mangroves on one side and rainforest on the other side and that road was productive, here we spotted a Hoffman’s two-toed sloth with a baby on her chest and a few meters further along the road a Brown-throated three-toed sloth was sunbathing on a Cecropia tree, both were good opportunities for the photographers to play with their cameras. We all arrived to a local cantina where part of the group was already enjoying cokes and cold beer. Rick Morales ran to his scope and shouted “turquoise cotingas!” as he was placing the scope in position to show us a beautiful purple and turquoise color male. Those who choose a kayak ride instead of the Zodiacs arrived seconds later.
After lunch on the boat we headed to Casa Orquideas, a wonderful private property owned by an American couple who hosted us and shared their beautiful gardens. Awesome blooming orchids, bromeliads and heliconias as well as fruiting pineapples, papayas and naranjillas surprised us as we walked through the trails. At sunset time scarlet macaws and red-lored parrots were actively interacting at a bare, leafless tree as two yellow-headed caracaras were quietly observing us as we were embarking the Zodiacs to return to the ship.
