CRESTED GUAN, SANTA ROSA NATIONAL PARK, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

   We can ID this bird as a Crested Guan by its red flap of bare skin on the throat and the white flecking on its breast.

   The Crested Guan is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 290.

CLAY-COLORED THRUSH, SANTA ROSA NATIONAL PARK, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

   The Clay-colored Thrush is the national bird of Costa Rica.  We can ID this bird as a Cly-colored Thrush as follows:

• Brownish plumage: darker above and lighter below.
• Dark around eye with reddish iris.  You can make out the reddish color if you look closely, particularly in the second photo..
• The left leg, which is not in shadow, is flesh colored.
• The bill is yellowish with a dark base.

TRIP TO SANTA ROSA NATIONAL PARK & CURUBANDA LODGE PRIVATE PRESERVE, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

   This past Saturday we went on a birding trip to the tropical dry forest in Santa Rosa National Park and the rain forest in the private preserve of Curubanda Lodge.  We were picked up by our local birding guide Carlos Bello of Green Life Tours at 5 am and returned to the hotel at 5:30 pm.  We stopped for breakfast on the way to Santa Rosa National Park and had lunch at the Curubanda Lodge.  Both meals were great.

   Carlos is a great birding guide. On the way to and from the park and the lodge he spotted many birds and we stopped to see and photograph them.  In addition to the birds, the scenery was great.  We highly recommend Carlos as a birding guide.

   On the way to Santa Rosa National Park we could see sunrise (the first photo).  Our first stop in the park was a great view of the tropical dry forest.

VIEWS AT COCO BEACH, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

MALE HOFFMANN'S WOODPECKER, COCO BEACH, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

   We can ID this woodpecker as a male Hoffmann's Woodpecker by its yellow-orange nape and the red cap on its head, which you can just abour make out if you look closely.

WALKING ALONG THE BEACH, HOTEL RIU GUANACASTE BEACH & AREA, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

    The intrepid birder and shopper, Sharon is in the first four photos.  The Hotel Riu Guanacaste is shown in the next two photos.  The last photo shows an interesting looking tree on a trail to the beach.

YELLOW TRUMPET TREE, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

   These beautiful yellow flowering trees are Yellow Trumpet Trees.  They are the first to bloom as the dry season ends and the wet season begins.