Forty days in the rainforest, Talamanca mountains next...

Today was our final day ringing in the lowland Caribbean Forest. Tortuga Lodge our final venue and it gave us a great send off with three new species for the trip.
First was this seven inch male Green Kingfisher, one of three kingfisher species caught and of five species seen in the lowlands. Tennessee Warbler and Thick-billed Seedfinch the other two new species.

We don't often catch the adult male White-collared Manakin, but one today. This species is the most commonly caught resident - 73 our final total.

We caught more Swainson's Thrushes than any other migrant species, with 502 ringed. Thrushes made up a large proportion of our numbers --208 Veery and 158 Gray-cheeked  in the total of 1568 birds caught, but we did ring 73 species. Below a Swainson's Thrush, and like all the thrushes, different races were recorded.

We haven't really mentioned flycatchers, and Costa Rica has over 70 species, we caught 14 of them !
This Great Kiskadee was rather smart..

Another nice flycatcher, this Great-crested Flycatcher.......

During our 40 days ringing...a few breaks
- To be invited on a 3 hour pelagic was great and some close up views of Brown Boobies and other seabirds, this a Royal Tern resting on drifting wood.

We lived next to18 miles of turtle nesting beach which produced several species of waders  with small numbers seen most days. This a Willet.

Tortuguero's famous Green Turtle nesting beach...with c180,000 nesting visits being made this year !
More on turtles when Wendy is home...we did spend four hours one night with the turtles - quite amazing....and....a stunning photo of a female Green Turtle returning to sea after egg laying with a few words by Ralph - our "Turtle Man"

 "The raw beauty of Tortuguero is unmatched by any other place I have ever been. If you are looking for white sand beaches where you can sit under shade and sip a cocktail with a miniature umbrella, it may be best to skip Tortuguero. But, if you are looking to quench that desire to feel alive, I believe this may be your place."
Ralph Pace, Field Research Co-ordinator

At our next location in the Highlands at 2400m, we guess we may have poor internet service, here is the link to our previous visit last November ...

...a taste of...Madre Selva