Today was one of the best days of the trip for wildlife. The group stopped for lunch near the coast before heading over to the Tarcoles River for a river cruise. Just as we were getting seated for lunch, our bus driver came to get us. There was a Bat Falcon perched on a wire by the road. After lunch, we walked around the restaurant grounds and got a few more wildlife goodies.
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Bat Falcon
Bat Falcon
Iguana
Howler Monkey
It was a short drive to the Tarcoles River. I didn't know what to expect, but was hoping for at least a few wildlife species. Soon after leaving the small dock, we saw our first crocodile of the trip. And there were more crocodiles, lizards, and birds everywhere. Our NatGeo naturalist was on board, and the boat driver who did not speak any English, also seemed extremely knowledgeable about the river wildlife.
Crocodile
Crocodile
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Anhinga
Roseate Spoonbill
Roseate Spoonbill
Neotropic Cormorants
Neotropic Cormorant
Magnificent Frigatebird
Brown Pelicans
Yellow-headed Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracaras
Osprey
Mangrove Black Hawk
Mangrove Black Hawk
Amazon Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilts
Least Sandpiper
Mangrove Swallow
Muscovy Ducks
Royal Terns
Whimbrels and Ruddy Turnstone
Whimbrel
Willet and Short-billed Dowitchers
White-footed Crab
Lizard
Lizard
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
After the river cruise, we drove to Puerto Caldera to board the Quest.
Today's life birds (trip# 21-25): Bat Falcon; Yellow-headed Caracara; Mangrove Black Hawk; Amazon Kingfisher; Bare-throated Tiger-Heron.
Click here to continue on the trip to the Corcovado National Park on January 10
Jump to start of trip; January 5/6
Jump to Monteverde Cloud Forest; January 7
Jump to Monteverde Cloud Forest; January 8
Jump to Tarcoles River Cruise; January 9
Jump to Corcovado National Park; January 10
Jump to Golfo Dulce; January 11
Jump to Golfo Dulce; January 12
Jump to Coiba National Park; January 13
Jump to Panama Canal; January 14
Jump to Gatun Lake January 15
Jump to Panama City trip extension January 16-18
Jump to Final remarks and trip bird list