Costa Rica

The road was long and muddy. Unbelievably muddy. We had walked deep into the cloud forest and arrived at the remote research station. The cool mist swirled around our faces and hung off the vegetation like a veil. Although we could not see the sun, we knew the day was almost over. The cicadas intensified their electric hum. We were tired and drenched in sweat and mud, but most of all we were hungry. We were about to step inside when a cool breeze touched our skin. It felt good so we hesitated at the door. The breeze increased and the mist hanging over the trees was peeled away, layer by layer. then it broke and we could see! Our jaws dropped. Miles of misty jungle spread out before us and at the end of it rose the volcano. Before anyone could speak, one ray of setting sun broke through and illuminated the cloud that capped the peak. Welcome to Costa Rica.

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Green-crowned Brilliant

A Glass Frog at night in the Cloud Forest. The undersides of these frogs are so transparent that you can see their hearts filling and pumping blood.

It was impossible to tell where one plant ended and the next began.

White-nosed Coati sleeping the day away in a tree.

The mist and clouds would dictate what views the jungle would reveal. Often you would see very little, but on occasion the mist would clear at the perfect moment.

Resting Hummingbird, Monteverde

Adult Green Iguana – I know this one is not green, but it was really big and mean looking so I didn’t want to press the matter.

Emerald Toucanet

One of the highlights of the trip was having these huge Morphos Butterflies drift by as you walked through the forest. The underside of their wings is striking, but no match for the dazzling blue that’s exposed when they fly.

Magnificent frigatebird

Central American Spider Monkey

Cloud Forest canopy

The key to surviving on this earth for 200 million years is knowing how to chill out.

One challenge I faced was trying to keep my horizons straight with one hand operating the camera and the other operating the beer.

Some of the Costa Rican birds were so exquisite that you had to break them down to one body part at a time to fully appreciate them.

A guided night walk was a great way to explore the nocturnal happenings of the forest. At the beginning I could see nothing for myself and had to rely on the guide to point things out, but as the walk progressed I started to learn where to look and began spotting my own creatures. A frog on a fern, a stick bug on a branch, a huge butterfly hanging under a leaf. The guide must have done this same walk hundreds of times and the monotony of it showed. It was time to turn around and head home and the pace quickened. I was shining my light around half-heartedly when it fell on a leaf, and then past. Wait, there was something on that leaf, I flicked the light back. A small green frog. It looked slightly different from the rest so I asked the guide what kind it was. He begrudgingly wandered over to have A look and his demeanour changed in a flash. His eyes widened and his voice got excited and reverted to Spanish. When it came back to English he explained that this particular species of Glass Frog was not thought to occur in this area of Cloud Forest! He took many photos to document the discovery and I asked him if this meant I would get a tip at the end of the walk? It did not.

Young Green Iguana

A typical jungle “trail.” Can you spot the tarantula and snake in this picture? Neither can I, but I know for damn sure they’re in there somewhere!

Scarlet Macaw

White-headed Capuchins

Swirling Seas

Crocodile or not, I’m not sure I’d feel overly relaxed being the one laying in the middle.

Green Violetear

Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

When you mate for life, you’ve got to make time for love.

Sunset, Playa Uvita

A Wood Stork taking a break from its job of delivering babies.

Keeping watch for pirates – Drake Bay, Costa Rica

I gotta say that it took all my willpower and respect not to pull the tail to see what would happen.

Monkeys on the move.