TRIP TO COSTA RICA: RUFUS-COLLARED SPARROW, PARQUE FRANCISCO ALVARADO, ZARCERO, COSTA RICA

     Thanks to our tour guide and avid birder, Eric, for identifying this bird and the others on the Avenal Volcano leg of our trip to Costa Rica.  This is a distinctive bird with a black-and-gray head.  

   The Rufus-Collared Sparrow is a new species to our Life List, which now stands at 158.

TRIP TO COSTA RICA: SHARON & GEORGE AT THE TOPIARY GARDENS, ZARCERO, COSTA RICA

TRIP TO COSTA RICA: TOPIARY GARDENS & CHURCH, ZARCERO, COSTA RICA

   This beautiful topiary garden is in Parque Francisco Alvarado in front of a magnificent church: Inglesia de San Rafael in Zarcero, Costa Rica.  The church was built in 1895.  The bushes in the garden are in the shape of various figures.

TRIP TO COSTA RICA: VIEWS FROM BUS ON RIDE FROM SAN JOSE TO ZARCERO

TRIP TO COSTA RICA: PANAMA CITY AIRPORT & MOUNTAINS FROM THE PLANE

TRIP TO COSTA RICA: TORONTO TO PANAMA CITY-VIEWS FROM THE PLANE

   Sharon and I started our trip to Costa Rica this morning.  We traveled all day.  When we got to the Toronto airport we found out that our Delta flight to Atlanta had bee delayed from 6:20 am to 11 am due to mechanical ptoblems.  This would mean we would miss our connection to San Jose, Costa Rica and would have to stay overnight in Atlanta.  We would be late for the start of our tour on Tuesday.

   Sharon came up wiyh a brilliant idea.  In May we had traveled to Panama City by  Copa Airlines, so she figured they might fly to San Jose.  Low and behold they did.  So we ended up taking Copa to Panama City and then to San Jose.  We arrived at the  San Jose Airport about 4 pm, but we did get here todsy.

   Below are some photos from the plane.

RAINBOW ON A POND, RICHMOND GREEN PARK, RICHMOND HILL, ON

   Sharon and I were walking our dog Kenya, when we saw this rainbow rising up from the pond at Richmond Green Park.  A few minutes later it was gone.