Part 1: Arrival; Playing catch up at Bosque del Tolomuco

The idea of this mini series is to attempt as close to real time updates as possible while at Bosque del Tolomuco. Unfortunately, I arrived yesterday, but only I thought of this idea while out hiking today. So, here's what you missed on an exciting day one:

The bus from San Jose to the entrance took only about 2 1/2 hours. I was dropped off at the sign and proceeded to make my way up the steep hillside:

I immediately noticed that there was a hummingbird species in the garden that I had never seen

White-throated Mountain-gem

White-throated Mountain-gem

I made my way up to the reception area and met the owner, husband and wife, Lise and Rolf. Never have I been treated to better hospitality than what I am receiving from these two; they're simply amazing.

I noticed a few hummingbird feeders and  fruit feeders baited with bananas. Here were some of the visitors:

 Banana-stealing squirrel

An odd assemblage at the feeders
Golden-hooded Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Rufous-collared Sparrow

Rufous-collared Sparrow mania in this place

Take a guess at the identification of this bird...

The front yard

Now help with the identification of this little guy.
I'm thinking Paultry Tyranulet

Now help with the identification of this little guy.
I'm thinking Paultry or Rough-legged Tyranulet

I've seen more Silver-throated Tanagers this March than
in all of my previous time in Costa Rica combined.

Female hummingbird, anyone want to take a guess at the species?

Costa Rica's national bird: Clay-colored Robin

LISTEN UP! Clay-colored Thrush singing as the clouds move through the forest

Slate-throated Redstart

After some shooting around the clearing, I decided to check out the trail system. It was already around 4pm and with the cloud cover it was already getting dark. I decided to go fast just to get a feel for the trails before I went out at night.

Not five minutes into the hike, this beauty makes an appearance:

Black milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae) in-situ on the trail

First of two found

Black milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae)
Close up of head

Some video, don't laugh, I was super excited to find this snake...

Black milk snake

Part 1 of 2:

Part 2 of 2:


On the way back to my room I came across this big fellow

Tarantula

That spider is lucky that he didn't come across this lady. Wasps in genus Pepsis are large, shiny, and specialized tarantula hunters. They first sting the spider, which paralyzes it, then bury it in a burrow and lay their eggs on the spider's abdomen. Once the wasp larvae hatch, they consume the paralyzed tarantula alive.

Pepsis wasp digging a burrow

Large Pepsis wasp

This spider wasn't so lucky. Pardon the talking, a couple that was also hiking walked up as I was filming.




I ended the night with a three hour night walk through the forest, going down the Pizote trail and spending some time in the clearing. Here are a couple of pocket camera snapshots during the walk.

This forest is full of fuzzy white caterpillars,
watch  where you put your hands

Sleeping migrant

Terrarana in a bag, real photos to come.
 Red eyes are always cool on a frog.

Shawn, Orthopteran? ;-)

That about does it for yesterday.  The specimens collected last night were photographed today, so the real photos of them will have to wait until that post. I hope everyone enjoyed!

Feel free to ask questions or start a discussion, let's make this interactive!

Pura Vida,

-Don

Birds off of the top of my head:

Barred parakeet

Sulphur-winged parakeet

Black Guan

Pigeon- Scaled or Band-tailed, it was SUPER far away

Bare-shanked Screech Owl

Green-crowned Brilliant

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

White-throated Mountain-gem

Emerald Toucanet (heard)

Rough-legged Tyranulet ?

Tufted Flycatcher

House Wren

Black-faced Solitare (heard)

Clay-colored Thrush

Slate-throated Redstart

Golden-hooded Tanager

Silver-throated Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Buff-throated Saltator

Baltimore Oriole

Herps:

Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae

Geophis downsi

Norops woodi
Norops sp.

Diasporus 

Assorted terrarana