Wednesday 28 October 2020

First Afternoon at La Selva Biological Station

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The La Selva Biological Station occupies over 1500 hectares of lowland tropical rainforest in northeastern Costa Rica. Operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies, it hosts upwards of 300 scientists and 100 field courses each year and is one of the most prolific field stations in the world. 

La Selva is also a popular destination for visiting birders and naturalists. While La Selva's primary goal is to protect the primary forest and to provide facilities to enable forest research, it is also possible for ecotourists to book rooms and stay here. The price is relatively reasonable compared to nearby ecolodges, though one has to keep in mind that it is a field station and not a fancy ecolodge. 

One advantage that the La Selva Biological Station holds over nearby lodges (such as the Selva Verde Lodge that we had just stayed at) is that visitors are allowed to explore the forest without having to hire a guide. This is one of the main reasons why Laura and I decided to book two nights here with my parents.

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio) - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

An extensive trail system snakes throughout much of the protected forest. Many of the trails close to the station's buildings have been built with concrete, while other trails further from the station consist of standard dirt trails. Some trails are off-limits to non-researchers but even still, it is possible to spend several days here, exploring different locations each day. 

Personally, I was quite interested in visiting La Selva for a number of reasons. Primarily of course was the chance to explore lowland primary rainforest; an experience that I savour every time. But second, I was also hoping to catch up with some bird species that I had never seen before. There were a few main species I had on my mind, and these included Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Snowy Cotinga, Canebrake Wren and Nicaraguan Seed-Finch. I also had a chance of seeing a few other, more widespread species such as Short-tailed Nighthawk, Agami Heron and Black-cowled Oriole. And finally, there were potential lifers that are rare and not expected at La Selva, including the Bare-necked Umbrellabird and Gray-headed Piprites.

Collared Peccary - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

We pulled into the station around noon and were given a brief orientation and instructions. Our accommodations would be a large, two bedroom cabin set at the edge of a clearing adjacent to the forest, and only a two minute walk to the main station and dining area. Not a bad spot!

Upon dropping off our bags, Laura and I set off on the trails. The birding was relatively slow as expected given the time of day but we had a few nice sightings.

The above-pictured Collared Peccaries were feeding quietly at the edge of one of the concrete trails. Not expecting to see this species so well, Laura and I were thrilled to watch and photograph a group of them. 

Collared Peccary - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

It turns out that the peccaries are a mainstay along the trails and in clearings at La Selva. Not a rare sighting at all, though they are awfully cute!

Collared Peccary - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

We found a trail that was completely devoid of visitors and ventured deep into the forest. Our footsteps were nearly silent, a function of the concrete pathway covered in a light layer of moss. While the forest was quiet, occasionally something would catch our attention. A branch breaking in the understorey here, a flutter of wings over there, perhaps a bird vocalization from afar. A Green Ibis was foraging along the trail but it saw us first. We watched it fly away from us and dart into the mid-story of the forest. Later, one was seen curiously watching us from its arboreal perch.

 La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

We flushed a cryptically patterned bird on a little-used trail and I immediately recognized it as a Short-tailed Nighthawk due to its rich brown colour and lack of white patches in the wings. It landed somewhere in the forest. A few minutes of active searching ensued, and the bird flushed again - confirming the field marks I had earlier seen. Unfortunately, that was all we would get...

Hermes Satyr (Hermeuptychia hermes) - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Eventually Laura turned back since we had already walked quite a ways. It was time for a mid-afternoon nap. I pressed on. 

A familiar sound caught my ear - the crackling of branches and swishing of leaves that can only be caused by monkeys swinging through the trees. Stealthily, I peeked through the lush foliage and watched the group of Central American Spider Monkeys until they were gone, behind layers of green.

Central American Spider Monkey - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Later that afternoon I returned to the cabin, eager to meet up with everyone else and explore with them. On the way back I had heard the eery vocalizations of several Slaty-breasted Tinamous, a sound that is reminiscent of a train whistle. We would hear this species early every morning and late every evening, though we never actually saw one!

As afternoon transformed into evening I joined Laura and my parents for a walk around the property. The temperatures had cooled slightly and the bird activity was quite high! Just in the area around the buildings we found a few nice birds, some of which were new for my parents. Three species of toucan and two species of oropendola teed up on the tall trees around the clearing, while we managed excellent looks of a number of tanagers, flycatchers, and seedeater types. 

Keel-billed Toucan - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

The Río Puerto Viejo runs just a few dozen meters from the main buildings on the research station, while the extensive trail system begins on the far side of the river. A swing bridge has been constructed to access these areas, and it was here where we spent part of the last hour of daylight. 

Río Puerto Viejo - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Rivers are always excellent places to spend time if one is searching for wildlife. Turtles and crocodilians bask on exposed banks and logs, mixed flocks of birds move up and down the river corridor, and species like cotingas can often be seen perching on dead snags and at the tops of trees. Perhaps, if one is extraordinarily lucky, a rare mammal may be seen along the banks or swimming across the watercourse. 

I was really hoping to find a Snowy Cotinga here as it was one of my main targets. Unfortunately, we would not be lucky this evening but we still enjoyed many other species. Vaux's Swifts and migrant Ciff Swallows coursed overhead, several Black River Turtles were trying to catch the last rays of the day, more Keel-billed Toucans entertained us with their antics, and a few small flocks of songbirds passed through. This Olive-backed Euphonia was my first for Costa Rica. 

Olive-backed Euphonia - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

That evening we enjoyed a hearty dinner before heading back out to the trails. We were all a little tired and so only stayed out for an hour or so. We had noticed earlier that the forest was pretty dry, with no recent evidence of rainfall. This hampered our night hike efforts and we found almost zero herps. At least there were numerous interesting invertebrates to keep us occupied. 

Fidicina mannifera - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Yellow-edged Ruby-Eye (Orses cynisca) - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Rhynchacris sp. - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

Unidentified orbweaver - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

The most common frog was this beauty, known as Savage's Thin-toed Frog. This species can grow to be quite large, exceeding 15 cm in length. 

Savage's Thin-toed Frog (Leptodactylus savagei) - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

The conditions were dead calm, making it easy to listen for owls and other nocturnal birds. We heard a pair of Mottled Owls as well as a single Middle American Screech-Owl. At one point we spotted a thrush roosting high up in a tree. I did not have my big lens with me but it appeared to be a Wood Thrush, based on the photos that I obtained with my macro lens. The lowland rainforest of La Selva provides excellent wintering habitat for Wood Thrushes. 

Wood Thrush - La Selva Biological Station, Heredia, Costa Rica

The following day would be our only full day at La Selva Biological Station. I set my alarm early and was pretty excited for what the day had in store!

Thursday 22 October 2020

Searching for Lepidoptera in Northern Ontario: Lake Simcoe Interlude

The next morning I headed west towards Orillia where I met up with a good friend of mine, Dave Szmyr. We enjoyed a fine day of early summer birding along with a detour to Sawdust City Brewing Co. in Gravenhurst - always a worthy stop! I did not take any photos during the day though we did have a few nice finds. These included several "good" breeding birds for Muskoka District - Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Sedge Wren, Canada Warbler and Vesper Sparrow. A fine day, indeed. 

Dave and I spent the night with our friends Josh and Sarah who live along the south shore of Lake Simcoe. I set up my moth light and sheet; it was quite the hit with their six year old twin girls! Below are a few of the moths. It was a bit tricky capturing good photos amongst the pandemonium, but we had a blast. 

Tufted Apple Bud Moth (Platynota idaeusalis) - Innisfil, Simcoe County

Sunday 18 October 2020

Searching for Lepidoptera in Northern Ontario: Balsam Lake Area

Due to the ongoing global pandemic, life has been a little (or a lot) different for all of us in various ways. For me, it meant that between late March and August I was stuck in Cambridge, Ontario while I waited out the situation. Laura meanwhile had spent six weeks or so with her parents in Nova Scotia, but otherwise, she was with me in Cambridge.

June is one of my favourite months for naturalizing despite the abundance of biting insects that one has to contend with. I usually spend the better part of the month completing breeding bird surveys and other inventories but this year was different, with my schedule a little more open than usual. 

I decided to put this free time to good use and visit a part of the province that I have not had the chance to properly explore. I mean, I had visited many areas between North Bay, Sault Ste Marie, Thunder Bay and Cochrane during the month of June before, but never with a free schedule and all the time in the world to look for whatever I wanted to. And so it was, that on June 15 I found myself driving into the Kawarthas to begin my trip. 


Luna Moth (Actias luna) - Balsam Lake, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario


Saturday 17 October 2020

San José to the Selva Verde Lodge


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Our nearly two weeks with the rental car in Costa Rica was coming to an end. But we were just trading one rental in for another. You see, my parents were flying down from Canada, and were looking forward to spending March Break with us in Costa Rica!

The Covid-19 pandemic was quickly becoming a Big Deal around this time. Each hour, it seemed, additional dreadful news about the pandemic was broadcast. My parents were actually en route to Costa Rica when our Prime Minister declared that Canadians should not undergo non-essential travel. A few hours later they landed in San José. We would make the most of our travels together, even if it meant that they might have to cut the trip short at some point to fly home early.

Laura and I had planned out the whole trip for my parents. Well, to be honest, Laura did almost all of the  work! We would begin with three nights in the lush Caribbean lowlands of La Selva, followed by some time at two Pacific lowland locations, and we would finish up in the highlands east of San José. 

Bridge near La Virgen del Socorro, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Friday dawned sunny with a light breeze as we picked up the rental car (a Toyota Rav4) at the San José airport. We dealt with the usual rental car bullshit as they tried to up-sell us on various insurances that are neither mandatory nor a particularly good deal, but we were soon on our way. 

The sun was replaced by heavy cloud cover as we ascended the mountains leaving the city. We could not resist making a few stops to stretch our legs and to do a little bit of birding. One such location was a picturesque bridge near the Virgen del Socorro, depicted above. As we walked, we enjoyed some crisp looks at Yellow-throated Toucans, picked through a small mixed flock (two Scarlet-thighed Dacnis were nice!) and watched at least six Swallow-tailed Kites perform aerial acrobatics above us. 

Birding at La Virgen del Socorro, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Arawacus togarna - La Virgen del Socorro, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Even though the rain threatened while we explored, a few butterflies had taken to the wing. Above is a Arawacus hairstreak; pictured below is a Spot-winged Daggerwing.

Spot-winged Daggerwing - La Virgen del Socorro, Alajuela, Costa Rica

A coffee break at a roadside cafe produced an amazing view as well as some excellent birds - Purple-throated Mountain-Gem and Prong-billed Barbet included. 

Prong-billed Barbet - Cinchona area, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Silver-throated Tanager - Cinchona area, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Lunch was at a roadside barbeque joint that, I have to say, was possibly the best meal of the trip. Of course ,there was some birding to be had from our table here while we waited for the food to arrive. The Gray-headed Chachalacas were a real hit!

During the afternoon we completed the last hour of the drive, pulling up to the Selva Verde Lodge just after 3:30 PM. For those birders reading, you may be wondering why we stayed at Selva Verde Lodge instead of the famous La Selva Biological Station. Somewhere in the planning our wires got crossed and Laura booked Selva Verde instead of La Selva. It is an easy mistake to make as the names are virtually identical and the locations are near each other. Short story long, but we were able to call Selva Verde and cancel the last two nights of the reservation, though we felt bad and agreed to stay there for the first night after all. Fortunately, La Selva Biological Station had space for the last two nights and so we booked it! 

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

La Selva Biological Station has some distinct advantages to naturalists that simply aren't afforded to guests at Selva Verde, unless money is not a limitation. At Selva Verde all of the high quality forest in on the far side of the raging Sarapiqui River, the only access being a single bridge. To reach this forest, one has to hire a guide for an exorbitant fee. You simply are not allowed to visit without a guide. Of course the lodge has a locked gate located at the far end of the bridge, meaning that an individual could not even sneak into the high quality forest if they tried (not that I would ever try that...). That being said, there are a couple of small self-guided loop trails that go through more degraded forest - one near the lodge, and the other across the road from the lodge. At La Selva Biological Station there are countless trails that can all be visited without having to hire a guide.

One benefit that Selva Verde Lodge does provide is that the food and lodging are a little more high-end. We enjoyed the relative luxury for our one night! Following a delicious dinner we set out for a night hike. Rain earlier in the day had primed the forest and we were excited for what was in store. 

We did not venture too far from the lodge, finding most species in the gardens. Snakes sadly remained unaccounted for but we had a little more luck with lizards. Below are two gorgeous species (Yellow-spotted Night Lizard and Yellow-headed Gecko) and one that is a bit more drab (Border Anole).

Yellow-spotted Night Lizard (Lepidophyma flavimaculatum) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Yellow-headed Gecko (Gonatodes albogularis) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Border Anole (Anolis limifrons) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Fitzinger's Robber Frog is not flashy but it is one that I seem to see everywhere that I travel within the lowlands of Central America. This species can be quite common in disturbed areas, but also in pristine habitat. 

Fitzinger's Robber Frog (Craugastor fitzingeri) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Fitzinger's Robber Frog (Craugastor fitzingeri) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Near the pool we discovered a species of frog which we had been targeting. A Red-eyed Treefrog!

Red-eyed Treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Red-eyed Tree Frogs are one of the iconic species of Costa Rica and so we were all quite happy to find these ones!

Nearby, a different individual perched a little lower down on the vegetation. This enabled a few initial photo opportunities but it quickly wizened up to us. It brought in its legs close to its body, hid its toes, and closed its eyes so that only the green body colouration was visible. Remarkable!  

Red-eyed Treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

The Red-eyed Treefrog would not even be the flashiest frog species that we encountered this evening. That honour would be bestowed upon the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio).

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

These little gems would prove to be abundant on the grounds of Selva Verde Lodge and we totalled double digit numbers of them. Some populations of this species are among the most toxic of Oophaga dart frogs, though there are other dart frog genera which are far more toxic.
 
Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophila pumilio) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Bird-wise, I was very happy to hear my very first Middle American Screech Owl vocalizing. No luck with a visual though!

Of course the arachnids, insects and other arthropods are almost as exciting as the reptile or amphibian representatives of a night-hike.  Below are a few that I photographed.

Unidentified cicada - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Unidentified orbweaver (Araneidae) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Unidentified katydid (tribe Cocconotini) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Unidentified derbid planthopper (Derbidae) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Below is the famous Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata). I still have yet to be stung by one of these, but I am sure it will happen eventually!

Bullet Ant - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Unidentified cockroach - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

This incredible planthopper might be my favourite non-vertebrate find of our night-hike.

Biolleyana costalis - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Butterflies can sometimes be found roosting on vegetation through the night. Below are two examples.

Taygeta inconspicua - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Mechanitis polymnia - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

This odd treefrog caught my attention, demanding a closer look. It is known as Boulenger's Snouted Tree Frog (Scinax boulengeri) and it ranges from Honduras to northwest Colombia.

Scinax boulengeri - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Scinax boulengeri - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

The howls of Mantled Howler Monkeys began just before dawn, signalling the arrival of a new day. Around lunchtime we would be leaving Selva Verde and making the short trip to the La Selva Biological Station, our home for the next two nights, but first, we had one morning to inspect the grounds of Selva Verde for wildlife. 

Before breakfast, my dad and I made our way over to where the monkeys had been calling from and we quickly found a group of them slowly moving through the trees. Mantled Howler Monkeys live in groups of typically 10-20 individuals. These include 1 to 3 adult males and 5 to 10 adult females, along with some immature individuals. It is said that individuals in a group are generally not related to each other since both males and females will leave the group upon reaching sexual maturity. 

Mantled Howler Monkey - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

We enjoyed breakfast simultaneously with the oropendolas and orioles! 

Montezuma Oropendola - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Baltimore Oriole - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Next on the agenda was a hike of the loop trail, located on the opposite side of the road from the lodge. We had the trail to ourselves and it was a gorgeous morning, if a tad humid (as expected in the lowlands).

Rufous Motmot - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Red-throated Ant-Tanager - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Red-throated Ant-Tanager - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

We enjoyed a nice walk though the birding was a little slow. We kept our eyes out for herps and were pretty successful with a few lizard species and another dart frog - the Green-and-Black Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus).

Yellow-headed Gecko (Gonatodes albogularis) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Green-and-black Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

I noticed a suspiciously coiled vine by a small pond and quickly realized that it was a snake. A huge Bird-eating Snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus)! 

Bird-eating Snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

I moved very slowly and carefully as I picked up the snake. It was remarkably relaxed and did not attempt to bite once during the ordeal. A seriously impressive snake for my parents to observe!

Bird-eating Snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

We enjoyed our time with this incredible serpent and let it on its way, wishing for it many bird nests in its future. 

Bird-eating Snake (Phrynonax poecilonotus) - Selva Verde Lodge, Heredia, Costa Rica

Our time at Selva Verde was complete and we made the short drive to nearby La Selva Biological Station. Our visit at La Selva will be the focus of my next two Costa Rica posts.