GREY HAWK, ARENAL PARAISO RESORT, LA FORTUNA, SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA

   The Grey Hawk is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 172.

BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER, ARENAL PARAISO RESORT, LA FORTUNA, SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA

   The Black-cheeked Woodpecker is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 171.

CICADA SHEDDED EXOSKELETON, MYSTICO HANGING BRIDGES PARK, LA FORTUNA, SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA

   The cicadas are a superfamily of insects.  There are about 2,500 species of cicadas.  Immature cicadas periodically shed their outer skin or exoskeleton, as canbe secn in the photo.

HOWLER MONKEY, MYSTICO HANGING BRIDGES PARK, LA FORTUNA, SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA

EMERALD TOUCANET, CINCHONA, COSTA RICA

   The Emerald Toucanet is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 170.

LA PAZ WATERFALL GARDENS, VARA BLANCA, COSTA RICA, 10/2/15

   La Paz Waterfall Gardens is a beautiful nature park and wildlife refuge.  It's a terrific hot spot for birding.  Not only are there Hummingbird feeders where there are numerous species of Hummingbirds and other birds, but there is a rain forest with beautiful waterfalls and numerous species of birds.  There is also a small zoo with White-faced Monkeys and Jaguars.

VISIT TO AN ORGANIC & RESEARCH FARM, LA FORTUNA, SAN CARLOS, COSTA RICA, 9/30/15

    We visited an organic and research farm, Reserva Ecologica Ecocentric Danaus in La Fortuna de San Carlos.  The first photo shows a traditional sugar cane press and the second photo shows Sharon, our tour guide Eric and the farm's guide pressing sugar cane.  The next three photos show Sharon and the farm tour guide making tortillas.  The two photos after this show fruit from which cocoa beans come from and the cocoa beans themselves.  The  rest of the photos are of various crops, flowes and animals at the farm.