Costa Rica: The Forest Jewel of Central America Tour Report 2024
11 June 2024
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![A stunning Fine-dendiculated (or Peruvian Shield) Mantis (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fine-dendiculated-Mantis-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A stunning Fine-dendiculated (or Peruvian Shield) Mantis (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Keel-billed Toucan watches its back as it approaches a nesting cavity with fruit for its young (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Keel-billed-Toucan-with-fruit-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Keel-billed Toucan watches its back as it approaches a nesting cavity with fruit for its young (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Drymaeus land snail adventure on a Heliconia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Drymaeus-land-snail-on-Heliconia-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Drymaeus land snail adventure on a Heliconia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Costa Rica's rainforests are filled with the wildest insects that camouflage themselves as leaves like this Crenulata Sylvan Leaf Katydid (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Leaf-insect-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Costa Rica's rainforests are filled with the wildest insects that camouflage themselves as leaves like this Crenulata Sylvan Leaf Katydid (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A beautiful Automeris moth with its wings open (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Automeris-moth-wings-open-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A beautiful Automeris moth with its wings open (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Before a Montezuma Oropendola sings its melodious song, it cranes its head and rattles. They really are fantastic birds! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Montezuma-Oropendola-singing-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Before a Montezuma Oropendola sings its melodious song, it cranes its head and rattles. They really are fantastic birds! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A cheeky Collared Aracari with his fruit breakfast (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Collared-Aracari-with-breakfast-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A cheeky Collared Aracari with his fruit breakfast (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A stunning male Resplendent Quetzal with fruit for his chick (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-with-fruit-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A stunning male Resplendent Quetzal with fruit for his chick (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Variable Cracker butterfly. When they take flight the males make a firecracker sound with their wings (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Variable-Cracker-butterfly-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Variable Cracker butterfly. When they take flight the males make a firecracker sound with their wings (image by Inger Vandyke)
![That telltale sign a frog is on a leaf above your head! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-eyed-Tree-Frog-feet-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
That telltale sign a frog is on a leaf above your head! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A male Resplendent Quetzal preening his feathers (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-preening-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A male Resplendent Quetzal preening his feathers (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stunning yellow morph of Eyelash Viper on a Heliconia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-Eyelash-Viper-on-Heliconia-flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-.jpg)
Stunning yellow morph of Eyelash Viper on a Heliconia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Black-cheeked Woodpecker enjoys the relief of rain in the Costa Rican heat (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-cheeked-Woodpecker-in-the-rain-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Black-cheeked Woodpecker enjoys the relief of rain in the Costa Rican heat (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Red-headed Barbets are another avian jewel of Costa Rica's cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-headed-Barbet-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Red-headed Barbets are another avian jewel of Costa Rica's cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Central American Pygmy Owl with his prey of Black-throated Wren (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Central-American-Pygmy-Owl-with-prey-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Central American Pygmy Owl with his prey of Black-throated Wren (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Beautiful Ornate Hawk Eagle female (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ornate-Hawk-Eagle-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Beautiful Ornate Hawk Eagle female (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Talamanca Hummingbird perched on a Salvia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Talamanca-Hummingbird-perched-on-Salvia-flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-.jpg)
Talamanca Hummingbird perched on a Salvia flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Golden-hooded Tanager alarm calling after spotting a nearby Central American Pygmy Owl (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Golden-hooded-Tanager-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Golden-hooded Tanager alarm calling after spotting a nearby Central American Pygmy Owl (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Giant Green Anole takes a break from digging his nesting cavity (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Giant-Green-Anole-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Giant Green Anole takes a break from digging his nesting cavity (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Central American Pygmy Owl peers out from his nesting hole (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Central-American-Pygmy-Owl-at-nest-hole-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Central American Pygmy Owl peers out from his nesting hole (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of an Emerald Toucanet (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Toucanet-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of an Emerald Toucanet (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Talamanca Hummingbird with its wings outstretched in a show of aggression (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Talamanca-Hummingbird-wings-outstretched-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Talamanca Hummingbird with its wings outstretched in a show of aggression (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A female Anhinga drying her wings (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Anhinga-female-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A female Anhinga drying her wings (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Slaty Flowerpiercers have evolved with a quirky bill designed to pierce the base of flowers to get right at the nectar! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Slaty-Flowerpiercer-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Slaty Flowerpiercers have evolved with a quirky bill designed to pierce the base of flowers to get right at the nectar! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Gorgeous Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers in the cloud forests of Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Long-tailed-Silky-Flycatcher-with-fruit-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Gorgeous Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers in the cloud forests of Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Kiskadee feasting on a moth (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kiskadee-with-moth-meal-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Kiskadee feasting on a moth (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A mother Long-nosed Proboscis bat with her baby (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Long-nosed-Proboscis-Bat-and-baby-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A mother Long-nosed Proboscis bat with her baby (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Adorable baby Honduran White Bats (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Honduran-White-Bats-and-babies-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Adorable baby Honduran White Bats (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Green & Black Poison Dart Frog sitting on a dead Cecropia leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Black-Poison-Dart-Frog-on-Cecropia-leaf-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Green & Black Poison Dart Frog sitting on a dead Cecropia leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Prong-billed Barbet takes a sneeky peak from the foliage (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Prong-billed-Barbet-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Prong-billed Barbet takes a sneeky peak from the foliage (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Reflections of a shy Sun Grebe on the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sun-Grebe-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Reflections of a shy Sun Grebe on the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Green Iguanas might be proof that we still live amongst dinosaurs (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Iguana-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Green Iguanas might be proof that we still live amongst dinosaurs (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stunning male Resplendent Quetzal with fruit (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-male-with-fruit-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Stunning male Resplendent Quetzal with fruit (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Pretty Strawberry Poison Frog sitting on a rainforest leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Strawberry-Poison-Frog-on-leaf-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Pretty Strawberry Poison Frog sitting on a rainforest leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a Bare-throated Tiger Heron (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bare-throated-Tiger-Heron-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a Bare-throated Tiger Heron (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A male Resplendent Quetzal delivering an insect meal to its chick on the nest (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-at-nesting-hole-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A male Resplendent Quetzal delivering an insect meal to its chick on the nest (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Male Resplendent Quetzals are so long they don't fit into their nests. Their tails always tell when they are home (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-male-in-nesting-hole-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Male Resplendent Quetzals are so long they don't fit into their nests. Their tails always tell when they are home (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Fiery-throated Hummingbird. When their throats catch their sun it is like a rainbow (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fiery-throated-Hummingbird-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Fiery-throated Hummingbird. When their throats catch their sun it is like a rainbow (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stunning Green Honeycreeper is a Costa Rican rainforest jewel (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Honeycreeper-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Stunning Green Honeycreeper is a Costa Rican rainforest jewel (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a male Great Curassow (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Great-Curassow-male-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a male Great Curassow (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Can you ever have too many photos of Keel-billed Toucans? (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Keel-billed-Toucan-Portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Can you ever have too many photos of Keel-billed Toucans? (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A tiny Green & Black Poison Dart frog sitting on a colourful Croton leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Black-Poison-Dart-Frog-on-Croton-leaf-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-.jpg)
A tiny Green & Black Poison Dart frog sitting on a colourful Croton leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A White-throated Crake with its chick. These tiny crakes are normally so shy but Costa Rica is the best place to photograph them if you are quiet and patient (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Grey-breasted-Crake-and-Chick-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A White-throated Crake with its chick. These tiny crakes are normally so shy but Costa Rica is the best place to photograph them if you are quiet and patient (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Eyelash Viper showing off those beautiful eyes (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-Eyelash-Viper-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Eyelash Viper showing off those beautiful eyes (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Black Vultures fighting over carrion (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-Vultures-with-carrion-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Black Vultures fighting over carrion (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Cheeky White-nosed Coati (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-nosed-Coati-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Cheeky White-nosed Coati (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Ghost Glass Frog - one of the rarest, most difficult to find and photograph frogs in all of Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Ghost-Glass-Frog-Close-Up-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Ghost Glass Frog - one of the rarest, most difficult to find and photograph frogs in all of Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Acorn Woodpecker in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Acorn-Woodpecker-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Acorn Woodpecker in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A regal King Vulture perches on a tree stump with a bromeliad. The carunculations on their heads are truly spectacular (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/King-Vulture-on-bromeliad-stump-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A regal King Vulture perches on a tree stump with a bromeliad. The carunculations on their heads are truly spectacular (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Adorable Scarlet-rumped Tanagers are quite common in Costa Rica and also very photogenic! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Scarlet-rumped-Tanager-on-mossy-branch-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Adorable Scarlet-rumped Tanagers are quite common in Costa Rica and also very photogenic! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Ghost Glass Frog, one of the most difficult to find and photograph frogs in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ghost-Glass-Frog-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Ghost Glass Frog, one of the most difficult to find and photograph frogs in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![An Emerald Basilisk lounging on a branch (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Basilisk-lizard-on-branch-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
An Emerald Basilisk lounging on a branch (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Yellow-throated Toucan taking berries to his female on the nest (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-throated-Toucan-at-nest-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Yellow-throated Toucan taking berries to his female on the nest (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Tri-coloured Heron in Cano Negro National Park near the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tri-coloured-Heron-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Tri-coloured Heron in Cano Negro National Park near the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A King Vulture comes into land (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/King-Vulture-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A King Vulture comes into land (image by Inger Vandyke)
![](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Great-Egret-with-fish-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
"Oh no! I'm done for!" (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Central American Pygmy Owl flies off from his nesting hole with his hapless Black-throated Wren (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Central-American-Pygmy-Owl-flying-with-prey-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Central American Pygmy Owl flies off from his nesting hole with his hapless Black-throated Wren (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Keel-billed Toucan portrait (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Keel-billed-Toucan-on-branch-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Keel-billed Toucan portrait (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pretty Dappled Daggerwing we found by the roadside (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dappled-Daggerwing.jpg)
A pretty Dappled Daggerwing we found by the roadside (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a White-crowned Parrot (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-crowned-Parrot-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a White-crowned Parrot (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pair of Great Curassow chicks. Even when they are little you an tell the males and females apart (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Curassow-chicks-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A pair of Great Curassow chicks. Even when they are little you an tell the males and females apart (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Montezuma Oropendola feasting on palm seeds (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Montezuma-Oropendola-on-palm-seeds-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Montezuma Oropendola feasting on palm seeds (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A lovely baby King Vulture takes advantage of a tree trunk to have a scratch (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Young-King-Vulture-scratching-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A lovely baby King Vulture takes advantage of a tree trunk to have a scratch (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A baby Geoffroy's Spider Monkey playing with a branch (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Geoffroys-Spider-Monkey-youngster-with-branch-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A baby Geoffroy's Spider Monkey playing with a branch (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Strawberry Poison Frog carrying its precious tadpole around on its back (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Strawberry-poison-frog-and-tadpole-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Strawberry Poison Frog carrying its precious tadpole around on its back (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A male Mantled Howler reaches down to snack on leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mantled-Howler-monkey-male-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A male Mantled Howler reaches down to snack on leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Keel-billed Toucan at its nest (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Keel-billed-Toucan-at-nest-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Keel-billed Toucan at its nest (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The mesmerising cloud forests of Costa Rica during the rainy season (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Cloud-forests-of-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The mesmerising cloud forests of Costa Rica during the rainy season (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Fiery-throated Hummingbird's throat catching the sun (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fiery-throated-Hummingbird-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1.jpg)
A Fiery-throated Hummingbird's throat catching the sun (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The eye of a dinosaur, or Green Iguana (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Iguana-eye-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The eye of a dinosaur, or Green Iguana (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Side-striped Palm Pit Viper on its palm leaf home (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Side-striped-Palm-Pit-Viper-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Side-striped Palm Pit Viper on its palm leaf home (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A White-naped Jacobin hovering above a rainforest flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-naped-Jacobin-hovering-on-flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A White-naped Jacobin hovering above a rainforest flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a Buff-throated Saltator (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Buff-Throated-Saltator-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a Buff-throated Saltator (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Trailing moth dust, a Kiskadee tries to shake a moth to death before he has it for breakfast! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kiskadee-and-moth-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Trailing moth dust, a Kiskadee tries to shake a moth to death before he has it for breakfast! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A cute Black-crowned Tityra doing a display with its leaf gift for its female (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-crowned-Tityra-displaying-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A cute Black-crowned Tityra doing a display with its leaf gift for its female (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Ripha Flammans Moth is just one of many stunning moths in Costa Rica's lowland rainforests (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rhipha-Flammans-Moth-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Ripha Flammans Moth is just one of many stunning moths in Costa Rica's lowland rainforests (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The charismatic Boat-billed Heron is normally a nocturnal species but we found one at a day roost stretching its wings (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Boat-billed-Heron-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The charismatic Boat-billed Heron is normally a nocturnal species but we found one at a day roost stretching its wings (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Emerald Basilisk is one of Costa Rica's most charismatic lizards (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Basilisk-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Emerald Basilisk is one of Costa Rica's most charismatic lizards (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Manakins are certainly one of our favourite rainforest birds in Costa Rica. This Red-capped Manakin has a wonderful whistling call when it displays to a female (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-capped-Manakin-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Manakins are certainly one of our favourite rainforest birds in Costa Rica. This Red-capped Manakin has a wonderful whistling call when it displays to a female (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A bird of the middle and high altitudes in Costa Rica, Emerald Toucanets love lichen covered branches (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Toucanet-on-lichen-branches-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A bird of the middle and high altitudes in Costa Rica, Emerald Toucanets love lichen covered branches (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Fiery-throated Hummingbird in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fiery-throated-Hummingbird-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Fiery-throated Hummingbird in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)
![King Vultures would have to be the most beautiful vultures in the world (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/King-Vulture-Portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
King Vultures would have to be the most beautiful vultures in the world (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Great Green Macaw on the nest below a giant bromeliad (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Great-Green-Macaw-on-nest-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Great Green Macaw on the nest below a giant bromeliad (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Gigantic Clerodendrum Flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Clerodrendrum-Flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Gigantic Clerodendrum Flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Rufescent Tiger Heron mother preening herself on her nest (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rufescent-Tiger-Heron-preening-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Rufescent Tiger Heron mother preening herself on her nest (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The Green Dragon! Portrait of an Emerald Basilisk (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Basilisk-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The Green Dragon! Portrait of an Emerald Basilisk (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Resplendent Quetzals. When they fly they are so beautiful they almost don't look real (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1.jpg)
Resplendent Quetzals. When they fly they are so beautiful they almost don't look real (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Yellow-headed Gecko (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-headed-Gecko-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Yellow-headed Gecko (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Yellow-bellied Elaenia bringing insect food to its chicks on the nest in a school ground of all places! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-bellied-Elaenia-feeding-chicks-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Yellow-bellied Elaenia bringing insect food to its chicks on the nest in a school ground of all places! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Baby-faced baby King Vulture (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Young-King-Vulture-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Baby-faced baby King Vulture (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Montezuma Oropendola in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Montezuma-Oropendola-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Montezuma Oropendola in flight (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Red-lored Parrot at its nesting cavity (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-lored-Parrot-at-nest-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Red-lored Parrot at its nesting cavity (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Pretty Yellow-throated Euphonias are always a bird photographer's highlight in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-throated-Euphonia-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Pretty Yellow-throated Euphonias are always a bird photographer's highlight in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The elegant aigrette feathers of a Great Egret (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Great-Egret-feathers-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The elegant aigrette feathers of a Great Egret (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The sly eye of a crocodile (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-eye-of-a-crocodile-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The sly eye of a crocodile (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Smilie Spectacled Cayman (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spectacled-Cayman-reflection-3-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Smilie Spectacled Cayman (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Trees pierce the mist of Costa Rica's rainforests (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Cloud-forests-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Trees pierce the mist of Costa Rica's rainforests (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-bellied-Whistling-Ducks-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pair of Emerald Toucanets (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Toucanet-pair-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A pair of Emerald Toucanets (image by Inger Vandyke)
![When the Cecropia trees come into fruit, White-nosed Coatis take to the trees searching for breakfast (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-nosed-Coati-in-Cecropia-tree-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
When the Cecropia trees come into fruit, White-nosed Coatis take to the trees searching for breakfast (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Pretty Brown-hooded Parrot (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Brown-hooded-Parrot-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Pretty Brown-hooded Parrot (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Red-eyed Tree Frog peers over the edge of a rainforest leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-eyed-Tree-Frog-leaf-edge-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Red-eyed Tree Frog peers over the edge of a rainforest leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A bold Geoffroy's Spider Monkey perched on a palm seed cluster (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Geoffroys-Spider-Monkey-baby-with-palm-seeds-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A bold Geoffroy's Spider Monkey perched on a palm seed cluster (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pair of Nicaraguan Slider Turtles on the side of the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Nicaraguan-Slider-Turtles-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A pair of Nicaraguan Slider Turtles on the side of the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A beautiful Red-legged Honeycreeper searches for berries (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-legged-Honeycreeper-on-bush-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A beautiful Red-legged Honeycreeper searches for berries (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pair of male Green & Black Poison Dart frogs tussle over territory (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Male-Green-Black-Poison-Dart-Frogs-fighting-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A pair of male Green & Black Poison Dart frogs tussle over territory (image by Inger Vandyke)
![White-throated Round-eared Bat peering down from its tiny roosting cavity inside a hollow tree branch (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-throated-Round-eared-Bat-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
White-throated Round-eared Bat peering down from its tiny roosting cavity inside a hollow tree branch (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Talamanca Hummingbird flying in the rain (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Talamanca-Hummingbird-flying-in-rain-near-Salvia-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Talamanca Hummingbird flying in the rain (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Fiery-throated Hummingbirds face off over females (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fiery-throated-Hummingbirds-facing-off-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Fiery-throated Hummingbirds face off over females (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Black Vulture on a tree trunk (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-Vulture-on-tree-trunk-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Black Vulture on a tree trunk (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Playing in the rain. Doing a long exposure of creatures in the rain relies on having a very cooperative creature like this Black-cheeked Woodpecker who relished the sudden downpour to cool off (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-cheeked-Woodpecker-long-exposure-in-rain-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Playing in the rain. Doing a long exposure of creatures in the rain relies on having a very cooperative creature like this Black-cheeked Woodpecker who relished the sudden downpour to cool off (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stunning residents of the forest floor, tiny Green & Black Poison Dart frogs really make you watch your step in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Black-Poison-Dart-Frog-leaping-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Stunning residents of the forest floor, tiny Green & Black Poison Dart frogs really make you watch your step in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![There's only one thing better than one King Vulture and that's a pair (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/King-Vulture-pair-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
There's only one thing better than one King Vulture and that's a pair (image by Inger Vandyke)
![In Costa Rica's cloud forests brightly coloured flowers like this Red Hot Poker are a magnet for hummingbirds (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Talamanca-Hummingbird-on-Red-Hot-Poker-flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
In Costa Rica's cloud forests brightly coloured flowers like this Red Hot Poker are a magnet for hummingbirds (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a Collared Aracari. Look at that serrated bill! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Collared-Aracari-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a Collared Aracari. Look at that serrated bill! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Fiery-throated Hummingbird takes an aggressive pose (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fiery-throated-Hummingbird-aggression-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Fiery-throated Hummingbird takes an aggressive pose (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stunning Resplendent Quetzals are the true sylphs of the cloud forests in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-in-flight-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Stunning Resplendent Quetzals are the true sylphs of the cloud forests in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Brown-throated Sloth doing what sloths love best (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Brown-throated-Sloth-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Brown-throated Sloth doing what sloths love best (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Splendid Tree Frog walks the leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Splendid-Tree-Frog-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Splendid Tree Frog walks the leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Yellow-throated Toucan cools off in his tree-trunk plunge pool (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-throated-Toucan-taking-a-bath-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Yellow-throated Toucan cools off in his tree-trunk plunge pool (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Green Heron hunting with reflection (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Heron-hunting-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Green Heron hunting with reflection (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Elegant Brown Vine snake opening its jaws to reveal the beautiful navy blue colouration of its mouth (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Brown-Vine-Snake-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Elegant Brown Vine snake opening its jaws to reveal the beautiful navy blue colouration of its mouth (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a Roseate Spoonbill (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Roseate-Spoonbill-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a Roseate Spoonbill (image by Inger Vandyke)
![When its wings are closed an Automeris moth more closely resembles a leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Automeris-Moth-wings-closed-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
When its wings are closed an Automeris moth more closely resembles a leaf (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Flame-coloured Tanager in a fruiting tree (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Flame-coloured-Tanager-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Flame-coloured Tanager in a fruiting tree (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Boa's truly are beautiful snakes (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Boa-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Boa's truly are beautiful snakes (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Portrait of a male Crested Guan (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Crested-Guan-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Portrait of a male Crested Guan (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A tiny Middle American Screech Owl at a day roost (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Middle-American-Screech-Owl-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A tiny Middle American Screech Owl at a day roost (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Variegated Squirrel deep in the Costa Rican rainforest (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Variegated-Squirrel-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Variegated Squirrel deep in the Costa Rican rainforest (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Neotropic Cormorant tussles with its dinner of Tchupapiela in Cano Negro (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Neotropic-Cormorant-with-Tchupapiela-Fish-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Neotropic Cormorant tussles with its dinner of Tchupapiela in Cano Negro (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Black-cheeked Woodpecker at a tree (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Black-cheeked-Woodpecker-on-tree-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Black-cheeked Woodpecker at a tree (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Knob-tailed Dragonfly in a rainforest pool (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Knob-tailed-Dragonfly-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Knob-tailed Dragonfly in a rainforest pool (image by Inger Vandyke)
![You need to be careful you don't overlook the lichen covered tree trunks as you might miss the beautiful Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spot-crowned-Woodcreeper-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
You need to be careful you don't overlook the lichen covered tree trunks as you might miss the beautiful Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A pair of Green Ibises on the shore of the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Green-Ibises-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A pair of Green Ibises on the shore of the Rio Frio (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Red-eyed Tree Frog on a Shampoo Flower (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-eyed-Tree-Frog-on-Shampoo-Flower-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Red-eyed Tree Frog on a Shampoo Flower (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Stately Bare-throated Tiger Heron (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bare-throated-Tiger-Heron-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Stately Bare-throated Tiger Heron (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Crested Guan pair in the Cecropia trees that characterise the middle altitude mist forests in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Crested-Guan-pair-in-Cecropias-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Crested Guan pair in the Cecropia trees that characterise the middle altitude mist forests in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A male Resplendent Quetzal preening (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-Preening-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1.jpg)
A male Resplendent Quetzal preening (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The mirrored face of a Spectacled Cayman (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spectacled-Cayman-reflection-2-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The mirrored face of a Spectacled Cayman (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Smooth-skinned Brilliant Forest Frog sitting near spawn in a rainforest pool (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Smooth-skinned-Brilliant-Forest-Frog-and-spawn-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Smooth-skinned Brilliant Forest Frog sitting near spawn in a rainforest pool (image by Inger Vandyke)
![When you shine a light below a Spiny Cochran frog you can truly see why it is one of Costa Rica's glass frog species (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Spiny-Cochran-Frog-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
When you shine a light below a Spiny Cochran frog you can truly see why it is one of Costa Rica's glass frog species (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A Talamanca Hummingbird hovering at a Fuschia (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Talamanca-Hummingbird-at-Fuschia-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A Talamanca Hummingbird hovering at a Fuschia (image by Inger Vandyke)
![A male Resplendent Quetzal pokes his head out from the nest making sure his surroundings are OK before he leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-male-nest-portrait-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
A male Resplendent Quetzal pokes his head out from the nest making sure his surroundings are OK before he leaves (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Clouds gather on the hills of Costa Rica's cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Costa-Rica-Cloud-Forest-in-black-and-white-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
Clouds gather on the hills of Costa Rica's cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)
![The intent stare of a Rainforest Hog-nosed Pit Viper on the dead leaves of the forest floor (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rainforest-Hognosed-Pit-Viper-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke.jpg)
The intent stare of a Rainforest Hog-nosed Pit Viper on the dead leaves of the forest floor (image by Inger Vandyke)
I always thought it would be wonderful to go to Costa Rica for photography. A few years ago I joined a Birdquest tour to see the country’s birds and I felt completely beguiled by it. Where else in Central America can you find such vast expanses of completely unexplored rainforest filled with charismatic and wonderful wildlife? I always remember asking about how many Bare-throated Umbrellabirds there may be left on earth and our lovely guide, Leo, said he didn’t know because so much of where they live is inaccessible for humans.
Yet despite the fact Costa Rica sits on the edge of these incredible wilderness areas, it is surprisingly accessible. The country is committed to providing great walking trails, comfortable lodges and a good road infrastructure amongst so many things.
Leading a wildlife photography tour there was a sheer delight. On this, our first tour to Costa Rica with Wild Images, we saw no less than six different owls species, Resplendent Quetzals on the nest and we managed to find and photograph one of the harder glass frogs to see in the world – Ghost Glass Frog.
In total we recorded an incredible number of species on this tour including over 130 birds, at least 10 different insects and arachnids, 19 species of reptiles, 1 mollusc, 11 amphibians, 13 mammals and 3 fish – and that was just what I could identify as their tour leader! I’m sure we saw many more but the sheer number of species to photograph was overwhelming, even for an experienced tour leader. In the end it was hard to narrow down my favourites!
Our group met at the wonderful Bougainvillea Hotel in San Jose at the start of the tour. Located on the outskirts of the city, this beautiful hotel has incredible gardens that are filled with a myriad of fascinating tropical plants, some very tame Turquoise-browed Motmots, Mottled Owl, Hoffman’s Woodpecker, Red-lored Parrots and Clay-coloured Thrush, Costa Rica’s national bird. Spending some time in these gardens was a fantastic way to whet our appetites for what lay ahead of us on tour and after a welcome dinner on our first night, we left the following morning for the rainforests.
![The wonderful gardens of the Bougainvillea Hotel are filled with art and tropical plants (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bougainvillea-Hotel-Garden-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
The wonderful gardens of the Bougainvillea Hotel are filled with art and tropical plants (image by Inger Vandyke)
Sarapiqui
Our drive to Costa Rica’s lowland rainforests took us over a forest-clad mountain range dotted with stands of gigantic Gunnera and waterfalls. We arrived at our lodge in time for lunch and we spent the afternoon wandering around the network of trails in the lodge grounds, searching for creatures. We managed to find our first Strawberry Poison Frogs and also displaying White-collared Manakins.
Nestled at the edge of the untamed wilderness of Braulio Carrillo National Park, Sarapiqui is an area of dense lowland rainforest that feels more like a garden of eden when you explore it.
We spent our first day with the leading naturalist of this area who provided us with a stunning introduction to what might lie ahead on our tour. In the grounds of his home alone we photographed a diverse number of bird species including White-necked Jacobins, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue Grey, Palm, Crimson-collared and Scarlet-rumped Tanagers, Montezuma Oropendola, Green-breasted Mango, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, White-tipped Dove and Clay-coloured Thrush. Close by we photographed a pair of White-throated Crakes with their chicks as they emerged from long grasses on a neighbouring block of land.
We also enjoyed stunning photography chances with a habituated Variegated Squirrel which was a delight since they are normally quite difficult to capture while they run around in bushes. It was becoming hard to tear ourselves away but our guide wanted to show us some wildlife in his nearby forest so we drove a short distance, stopping at a school to photograph a Yellow-bellied Elaenias feeding their chicks at a nest. Into the forest we went and finally we chanced upon a few lines of meandering Leafcutter Ants, a brown Kaydid, Central American Wandering Spider, Golden Orb spider and our target for the first half of the walk, a pair of Spectacled Owls at a day roost with their near adult chick. What a highlight! On our way back to the bus we stopped to photograph the first of two colonies of Honduran White Bats we would see on the tour.
After a brief break at the bus, we alighted and saw a beautiful Dappled Daggerwing Butterfly fluttering around near the door of the bus.
Crossing the road another stretch of forest produced a stunning day roosting Crested Owl – quite a hard species to see! Finally we stopped to photograph some White-collared Manakins before we all took a break for lunch.
Within an hour of returning to our guide’s home for more photography we spotted four species of reptiles including Yellow-headed Gecko, Bighead, Great Green and Pug-nosed Anole! To our delight the Great Green Anole we found was actually contentedly digging a potential nesting hole right in front of us while we photographed him.
Insect highlights of the day came in the form of both a like this Crenulata Sylvan Leaf Katydid and a fantastic Fine-dendiculated (or Peruvian Shield) Mantis.
![A stunning Fine-dendiculated (or Peruvian Shield) Mantis (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fine-dendiculated-Mantis-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A stunning Fine-dendiculated (or Peruvian Shield) Mantis (image by Inger Vandyke)
We spent a little time photographing hovering hummingbirds including White-necked Jacobin and Green Mango at a ginger flower.
The true highlights of this incredible day were with amphibians. We first saw a tiny Strawberry Poison Frog carrying her precious tadpole on her back. In one stunning encounter we all got to photograph Ghost Glass Frog – one of the hardest to find glass frogs in Central America. This tiny frog is best known for it’s spangled eyes that look similar to some geckos. As a tour leader I had long wanted to show my guests one of these but I had zero hopes of actually seeing one on this tour as I knew how difficult they are to see in the wild. What a fantastic climax to an almost overwhelming day with so many incredible creatures to photograph!
That night we joined a local naturalist guide at our lodge for a night walk on the lodge trails. Activity had improved on some of these by nightfall and we found a Central American wandering Spider, Giant Green Anole, Common Dink Frog, Common Rain Frog, a wonderful Spiny Cochran Frog and its baby. We saw a Bullet Ant Nest which we avoided for the danger of being bitten! The streams produced catfish and Tiger Bass. Finally we went to visit some of the lodge’s Red-Eyed Tree Frogs for photos. What an incredible end to a mesmerizing day! It was hard for all of us to imagine we were only on our first day of the trip!
The following day we spent an entire day at a carefully managed conservation project for frogs and snakes at Sarapiqui. Although these were our two main targets we actually saw three species of bats when we first arrived, including an adorable family of Honduran White Bats with their young, Long-snouted Proboscis Bats with their babies and White-throated Round-eared Bats in a tiny nesting hole, also with their babies. Our guides showed us a Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine but he was asleep high in a happy plant and very difficult to photograph. Before we even started to photograph frogs for the morning we saw Great Green Macaws eating fruits in the rainforest canopy. sleeping Brown-throated Sloths and more White-collared Manakins at a large lek, displaying.
The frog highlights of the morning included photography of Strawberry Poison Frog, Green and Black Poison Dart Frog, Splendid Leaf Frog and Red-eyed Tree frog, perhaps the most iconic of all of Costa Rica’s frogs.
![It's important to always watch your step in the rainforest. Tiny Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs are often in the leaf litter! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Watch-your-step-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x768.jpg)
It’s important to always watch your step in the rainforest. Tiny Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs are often in the leaf litter! (image by Inger Vandyke)
We took a break for lunch and on our return we spent an afternoon photographing some wonderful snakes including Boa, Side-striped Pit Viper, Hog-nosed Viper and a beautiful yellow morph of Eyelash Viper. One of the more entertaining snakes we met was Brown Vinesnake who, when agitated, opened his mouth to reveal a beautiful navy blue colouration!
![Linda and Stu admiring photos (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Is-that-in-focus-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x768.jpg)
Linda and Stu admiring photos (image by Inger Vandyke)
While we were photographing snakes one of the local guides exclaimed that he had found two male Green and Black Poison Dart frogs fighting each other over territory so we went off to photograph and video these amazing little creatures as they fought.
A pair of male Green and Black Poison Dart frogs fight over territory (video kindly supplied by Luis Acuña)
As we left the project we found a slot but he was also difficult to photograph. We did see, however, a pair of White-tipped Doves attending to their young on a nest as we walked out of the reserve.
What a tremendous couple of days in Sarapiqui!
La Cinchona
![Red-headed Barbets are another avian jewel of Costa Rica's cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Red-headed-Barbet-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
Red-headed Barbets are another avian jewel of Costa Rica’s cloud forests (image by Inger Vandyke)
Before we continued our exploration of Costa Rica’s lowland rainforests, we made a slight diversion to visit a wonderful café at La Cinchona for lunch. This café had numerous feeders so we spent some time there photographing species we may not have been able to see easily elsewhere on the tour including Red-headed and Prong-billed Barbets, Silvery-throated Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Violet Sabrewing, Purple-eared and Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis and Emerald Toucanet. Across the valley from the café is a giant waterfall and it was beautiful to watch the rainforest mist shroud it then reveal it while we visited. A tall tree stump allowed us to capture our first photographs of Costa Rica’s vultures as we watched Black Vultures tussle over the best perching spot on top of it.
Alajuela
From La Cinchona we descended once again to the lowland rainforests and the wonderful lodge at Laguna Lagarto.
Before we arrived I had heard that the previous three groups visiting the area had not seen any toucans. The huge abundance of wild fruits in the rainforests was blamed for the lack of sightings so I started to get a little worried. The other groups had local naturalist guides constantly with them. We had none. Would we see any? I could only hope.
Shortly before we reached the lodge I saw a Collared Aracari sitting high in a cecropia tree so I stopped the bus and we all got out to photograph him. Even though he was quite some distance from us it was still great to see him!
Well he turned out to be a good omen. Not only did we see Keel-billed Toucans each day we were at the lodge, we found a pair at a nesting cavity and we also photographed them with fruit in their bills in the lodge’s trees. Each day a Keel-billed Toucan visited the lodge feeder and we saw Collared Aracari at the feeder in the end also. Phew! Persistence (and a little luck) pays!
Over the course of the next two days in this area we all enjoyed some wonderful wildlife encounters including watching a local Agouti forage for coconuts in the lodge grounds and curious White-nosed Coatis scrounging around fallen bananas.
![Cheeky White-nosed Coati (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-nosed-Coati-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
Cheeky White-nosed Coati (image by Inger Vandyke)
Some of the bird highlights included nesting Great Green Macaw and Rufescent Tiger Heron. We saw three species of owls – Spectacled, Middle American Screech Owl and Central American Pygmy Owl at a nesting hole in a palm trunk. The latter put on a good show for us on our final day when he turned up with his prey of a Black-throated Wren, only to be turned away with it by the female on the nest who we think scowled at him for bringing in prey too large for their chicks!
Nesting near to the lodge we found gorgeous little Black-crowned Tityras displaying and Red-lored Parrots at their nesting holes. We also enjoyed a fantastic encounter with displaying Red-capped Manakins who were doing their high pitched whistles to attract a mate!
The lodge feeder and nearby fruiting trees attracted Brown-hooded Parrots, Black-cheeked Woodpeckers, Montezuma Oropendola, Blue Grey Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, Blue and Green Honeycreepers, Scarlet-rumped Tanager and Yellow-throated Euphonia.
A highlight of staying at Laguna Lagarto is a chance to spend a time in their dedicated bird hides to photograph King Vulture. On the morning we planned to see them, however, an Ornate Hawk Eagle arrived and scared most of them off! We went to photograph the Hawk Eagle but we had to deploy a bit of patience as we waited for him to leave and the vultures could descend on their vulture dinner in safety. When they did we spent a lovely couple of hours photographing King and Black Vultures in the heat of the afternoon. At one point our wonderful driver showed up to see how we were going and I jokingly declared it was ‘beer o’clock’. The next thing we knew he went off to get us some cold beers from the lodge to drink in the hide while we were taking photos! What a treat!
One of the more interesting additions to the lodge since we last visited were Moth Cloths. These illuminated sheets are designed to lure moths and insects out of the forest to be viewed. Although we didn’t spend a lot of time at them, the lodge did accidentally leave the outside lights on one night and when we woke at sunrise to take photos we were quite astounded by some of the beautiful moths that lingered on the lodge balcony well after dawn. In a race to photograph them before a local Kiskadee had them for breakfast, we managed to secure the futures of some really pretty ones like the red and white Ripha Flammans Moth, Automeris moth and I managed to find a Variegated Cracker butterfly, a unique species that cracks its wings like a firecracker when they take flight.
![A beautiful Automeris moth with its wings open (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Automeris-moth-wings-open-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A beautiful Automeris moth with its wings open (image by Inger Vandyke)
Another great addition was a shower over the feeder. On one hot afternoon the lodge staff started it and instantly a Black-cheeked Woodpecker flew down in order to take a bath. It was so relieved to find an impromptu shower that it bathed long enough for us to practice fast and slow shutter photos of this lovely bird in what looked like a tropical rain shower.
That evening, at sunset, we caught some wonderful photographs of a male Great Curassow who visited the feeder at dusk.
Oddly, primates were conspicuously absent from Lagarto in comparison to our previous experiences there but we did have a lovely encounter with some White-faced Capuchin monkeys on one of the forest trails. They were quite hard to photograph but we all delighted in watching one drink from a pool of water in a large canopy bromeliad which was fascinating to see!
![A White-faced Capuchin Monkey drinking from a pool of water in a bromeliad (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/White-faced-Capuchin-drinking-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A White-faced Capuchin Monkey drinking from a pool of water in a bromeliad (image by Inger Vandyke)
Lagarto is always an amazing place for photography. The more you look, the more you find. Even in the lodge carpark there was a fantastic Clerodendrum bush in flower with its giant Christmas Tree-like red flowers.
As always it was hard to leave such an amazing place but the more remote part of our trip was waiting and after a final sunrise morning of photography, we packed up our bags and headed north towards the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Cano Negro
The drive to Cano Negro passes through a large tract of agricultural area in Costa Rica. I wanted to make a quick stop at a spot I knew from my last visit that had gigantic Green Iguanas and thankfully they were still at the same place but we couldn’t linger on the way north due to time.
The wilds of the Rio Frio were waiting for us so we continued on to the Cano Negro area where our small family run lodge was ready for us to have lunch. Kept in the same family for several generations, our lodge in this remote part of the country has the most wonderful food, friendly staff and a homey atmosphere. We enjoyed a wonderful meal but just as we were finishing our driver alerted us to the fact there was a troupe of Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys playing in the trees across the lodge. We all quickly devoured our last mouthfuls of food, grabbed our cameras and went to check them out. What happened next turned out to be the best encounter I have ever had with this species anywhere. We communed with several families of monkeys eating fruit, caring for babies and scrambling around in the trees. At one point a bold youngster grabbed branches and sat on a palm seed pod almost posing for us. It was very special and we all had a hard time tearing ourselves away from them.
We had to leave though. Our boat driver was waiting to take us on a sunset cruise for wildlife on the river. After stopping to purchase our park permits for the trip we went down to our comfortable motor boat and saw our first Nicaraguan Grackles. Just nearby we watched some Red-winged Blackbirds having a bath at the water’s edge in full view of some Neotropic Cormorants and Northern Jacanas. These birds were just the start of some wonderful wildlife we were to encounter that afternoon.
Staying out until sunset we enjoyed encounters with Mantled Howler Monkeys, Nicaraguan Slider Turtles, kingfishers, ibises, anhingas, Limpkin, Sun Grebe, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Skimmer, Broad-billed Heron, Spectacled Cayman and iguanas, amongst so much more.
As we returned to dock we amusingly watched a Neotropic Cormorant wrestle with his catch of a Tchupapiela fish. Like many cormorants his eyes were bigger than his belly we thought – until he actually managed to gulp it down!
![A Neotropic Cormorant tussles with its dinner of Tchupapiela in Cano Negro (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Neotropic-Cormorant-with-Tchupapiela-Fish-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A Neotropic Cormorant tussles with its dinner of Tchupapiela in Cano Negro (image by Inger Vandyke)
Linda’s Birthday
That night after another wonderful and intense day of wildlife photography we sat down to celebrate Linda’s birthday with cocktails and a birthday cake from the lodge. Not a bad place to celebrate if I must say!
![What was left from Linda's Birthday Cake - a delicious sponge with cream and mango icing! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Lindas-Birthday-Cake-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
What was left from Linda’s Birthday Cake – a delicious sponge with cream and mango icing! (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Celebratory birthday dinner for Linda (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Birthday-dinner-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
Celebratory birthday dinner for Linda (image by Inger Vandyke)
The following morning we were due to go back out on the river at sunrise but once again we were distracted by the troupe of Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys. This time they didn’t linger as long so we enjoyed a few moments with them before returning to the river. The photography in the soft morning light was truly wondrous. We enjoyed encounters with Black-collared Hawk, Purple Gallinule and a variety of other waterbirds including herons, egrets, anhinga and cormorants. Even smaller birds delighted us this morning as we saw Barred Antshrikes, Bright-rumped Attila, Black-headed Tody Flycatcher and Southern Rough-winged Swallow.
![Sunrise on the Rio Frio in remote Costa Rica, close to the border of Nicaragua (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rio-Frio-sunrise-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1-1024x683.jpg)
Sunrise on the Rio Frio in remote Costa Rica, close to the border of Nicaragua (image by Inger Vandyke)
On the reptile front we saw iguanas, Spectacled Cayman, crocodiles and we had some spectacular encounters with several Emerald Basilisks including one very confiding male who was sunning himself on the river bank!
The stillness of the river that morning was magical. The reflections we saw with some animals produced photographs that almost didn’t look real. It became quite hard to tear ourselves away from one lagoon that had near perfect reflections of cayman and waterbirds.
As we were faced with a rather long drive to our next location we reluctantly got off the river and drove towards Arenal area, stopping to photograph some gigantic iguanas and do a little souvenir shopping en-route.
Arenal Volcano
We arrived in the bustling tourist town of La Fortuna around noon and we drove out to our spectacular lodge at the foothills of Arenal in time for a break and some lunch while we waited for our rooms to be ready for check in. That afternoon was a free afternoon, allowing us time to wander around the lodge grounds taking photos of the resident wildlife.
It was here that we found some very tame White-nosed Coatis and we saw Great Curassows with little chicks that were adorable!
![Street art in La Fortuna is tropical themed (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/La-Fortuna-Street-Art-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
Street art in La Fortuna is tropical themed (image by Inger Vandyke)
Hearing about a nesting pair of Yellow-throated Toucans we went to check that out but the afternoon was a little quiet. Other members of the group went in search of Black-crested Coquette without luck and I went off for a wander until I found Linda. Just as we met we spotted some spider monkeys scrabbling around in the cecropias above our heads. We looked at each other and made a quick, joint decision to see if we could get better views of them from the lodge’s canopy tower so we scaled the numerous stairs to try and catch up with them. Once we were up there we realized the tower wasn’t very stable for photos but we did catch the tail end of the monkeys and enjoyed seeing one pregnant female dining on cecropia fruit in the canopy.
Since it was quite a tiring climb we stopped at the top for a while to see Yellow-throated Toucans also feasting on cecropia fruits. The rain threatened our photos, however, so we descended and joined the rest of the group for a lovely dinner.
The following day we spent the morning once again taking photos around the lodge. We found some very obliging Crested Guans to photograph and we finally located the Black-crested Coquettes. We also checked out the lodge’s frog pond and found Brilliant Tree Frogs active there. The nesting hole for the Yellow-throated Toucans was also more active and we were surprised to find a pair of Black-cheeked Woodpeckers sharing the same truck and excavating their nesting hole too. We lingered for a while waiting for the toucans to fly in and out of the nest to take photos which was challenging, given the nest’s location, but fun nonetheless.
![A glimpse of Arenal Volcano's summit on a sunny day. Still active, there is always a plume of smoke mingling with the clouds at its peak (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Arenal-volcano-summit-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A glimpse of Arenal Volcano’s summit on a sunny day. Still active, there is always a plume of smoke mingling with the clouds at its peak (image by Inger Vandyke)
For lunch that day we dined at a wonderful local restaurant in La Fortuna and just as we were finishing eating, some of the restaurant guests alerted us to a pair of Boat-billed Herons and some basilisk lizards in the restaurant grounds so we briefly checked them out. Realising they were harder than we thought to photograph, we went off to a nearby rainforest stretch known for its good sloth encounters.
![The food in Costa Rica is delicious! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Delicious-food-in-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
The food in Costa Rica is delicious! (image by Inger Vandyke)
Once there we met our guide and went off on the forest trails. While we saw both two and three-toed sloths that afternoon, we also had so many other wild encounters including watching a Yellow-throated Toucan take a bath in his own ‘plunge pool’ in a tree trunk, a baby Rufous-tailed Hummingbird on the nest, Black and White Owls with their chick, Yellow-spot Lizard, agoutis, a Boa, Proboscis Bats, a Crested Guan with her three chicks, Orange-chinned Parakeets at a nesting cavity, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and finally a wonderful chance to photograph Red-eyed Tree Frogs on heliconias before our tour ended. What a fabulous afternoon! While the sloths were great, we never expected to see so many other things. It was a wonderful experience.
![A Yellow-throated Toucan cools off in his tree-trunk plunge pool (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yellow-throated-Toucan-taking-a-bath-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A Yellow-throated Toucan cools off in his tree-trunk plunge pool (image by Inger Vandyke)
Back at the lodge we enjoyed some sunset photography at the lodge’s frog pond where we encountered numerous Red-eyed Tree Frogs, a Green Pit Viper, Yellow Tree Frog, Brilliant Tree Frog and also a pretty Ringed Tree Boa.
The rain began to fall so we decided to head back for a later dinner and we found a Giant Toad on the side of the trail which was truly massive in size.
On our final morning at Arenal we enjoyed some final photography in the lodge grounds. A couple of our group members found a pair of White-nosed Coatis with NINE youngsters following them around. Myself and other members of the group returned to the Yellow-throated Toucan nest to try and get photos of them flying out. We also found a pretty Drymaeus snail which we photographed on the lodge’s heliconias.
After finally packing our bags, the rain began to fall and as we left our lodge we spotted some Chachalacas on the side of the road before La Fortuna.
San Gerardo
By the time it was sunset we had reached our final destination of our tour at San Gerardo.
Located high in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, this region proved to be a literal high point of the tour. We spent three days here enjoying our mornings taking photos at an active nest of Resplendent Quetzals. Although I say ‘active’, we still needed a lot of patience while we waited for this pair of birds to exchange, bringing food for their chick, but I’m happy to say we all had enough encounters with both the male and female to get some wonderful shots of them in flight, with food and on their perching branches as they went to and from their nest. While we waited we also photographed Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers, Chestnut-capped Brush Finch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Black-faced Nightingale Thrush and Spot-crowned Woodcreeper. Of course, the Quetzals were a huge highlight of this tour with so many wonderful and photogenic encounters.
At one point while we waited we were also shown a redundant Quetzal egg to see what it looked like and also one of the wild avocadoes – their favourite fruits.
![A redundant Resplendent Quetzal egg (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Resplendent-Quetzal-egg-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-683x1024.jpg)
A redundant Resplendent Quetzal egg (image by Inger Vandyke)
![Wild avocadoes are the favourite food of Resplendent Quetzals (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wild-avocado-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-683x1024.jpg)
Wild avocadoes are the favourite food of Resplendent Quetzals (image by Inger Vandyke)
Each afternoon at the lodge we spent time photographing some of the hundreds of hummingbirds that visited the lodge feeders including Volcano, Talamanca and Fiery Throated. At one point we set up some flowers and drenched them in sugar syrup to attract birds and this was wonderful for shots.
The lodge grounds were home to Large-footed Finch, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Slaty Flowerpiercer and Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers. We also had encounters with Hairy Woodpecker and another Resplendent Quetzal on our photography afternoons.
Miriams
On our last morning of the tour we drove around to Miriam’s, one of the most famous cafes in the entire country for their bird feeders and we enjoyed a final morning of photography with some very tame Emerald Toucanets, Acorn Woodpecker, Flame-coloured Tanagers, Slaty Flowerpiercers and some cheeky Bang’s Mountain Squirrels.
![A pair of Emerald Toucanets (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Emerald-Toucanet-pair-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A pair of Emerald Toucanets (image by Inger Vandyke)
We finally enjoyed lunch at the café before returning to San Jose where our tour ended.
Some final thoughts….
![A rainforest tour leader's journal complete with Motmot tail feather! (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tour-leader-journal-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A rainforest tour leader’s journal complete with Motmot tail feather! (image by Inger Vandyke)
Costa Rica beguiled me after our first visit there prior to the pandemic. It’s hard to imagine a rainforest filled country with more or better diversity of photographic subjects. The entire experience of travelling there, including the wonderful lodges, great food, friendly local and abundance of wildlife, all truly make for an astounding photographic experience.
With such a wonderful group, my only real complaint was that the tour simply didn’t last long enough! What a true feast for the senses. We can hardly wait to return in 2025!
![A happy group at the end of a wonderful tour in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)](https://www.wildimages-phototours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wi-Group-2024-Costa-Rica-Inger-Vandyke-1024x683.jpg)
A happy group at the end of a wonderful tour in Costa Rica (image by Inger Vandyke)