Costa Rica 4/20 ~ 29

Arrived in San Jose on Friday April 20th at 10:30am.  We were picked up by a taxi and taken to our hotel Barceló Palma Real.  Uneventful first afternoon and night, we were both exhausted and wanted to rest up before our real adventure began the next day.  We did have 3 excellent meals at the hotel, but the accommodations were not all that great.



Saturday morning April 21st Taxi driver returned to our hotel and took us the the air terminal for Nature Air, headed for Jimenez.  San Jose is a very crowed congested city.

lucky day!

Saw my first Veary and heard a couple N. Waterthrush. The Spring birding has officially begun.

Babies

Painted is free

First Public Presentation

On Friday I did my first Wildlife Rehabilitation Presentation to a group of people at Kimberton Camphill Village.  My oldest son asked me to come down and do one for the residents.  It was fun and from now on I will offer to do them for other groups.  There is a great need to educate the public about co-existing with Wildlife.  I am also squirrel sitting for my fellow rehabber.  She has 2 black squirrels, in a litter of 4.  They are a gorgeous color.

Lost faith in the human race

A couple nights ago I was up on the trail close to dusk taking a quick hike with my pup. I ran into some people who I've known a long time. They said for a moment they thought Monty was a coyote, and yelled, fearing for their little dog. Then the man proceeded to tell me that someone else that frequents the trails took it upon himself to shoot and kill four coyotes recently. Because he was afraid that they would grab one of his dogs! I was shocked and outraged and I couldn't control my anger. How dare someone hunt out of season, with out a license in a park that it's illegal to hunt in! HOW DARE THEY KILL FOUR INNOCENT COYOTES THAT VERY WELL MAY HAVE HAD PUPS SOMEWHERE. In the 23 years I've lived and hiked in this town, I have never laid eyes on a coyote on a trail. I am out there every day of the week! I've never heard of even one bothering a single human or dog. What is the hell is wrong with people? Didn't we learn anything about eradicating species from ecosystems? Why are some still trying to do this? I feel violated that someone extinguised the sweet song of a small pack of coyotes. Sick over how cruel and inhumane my fellow humans are. For some reason I thought everyone took to the trails for the same reason I did, to hope for a glimpse of a wild animal, to be one with nature, I was grossly mistaken.  The wildlife was here first, go to a park if you don't want to expose yourself to them. 

Well if there is one thing I know for sure now.....my work here has just begun. I am an advocate for wildlife, I will do all I can for the rest of my life to protect wild animals in my town. I lit candles for those poor unfortuante animals, and prayed for the sick human who killed them, that he some how learns something so that he never does this again.

On the bird front, tons of blackbirds gathering again. Trees budding out a bit. All bulbs up and flowered. Weather turned more normal the last few days, 50s during the day and high 30s and 40s at night. Seems like a very normal spring right now.

Hike in the rain!

Great Herp Week!

Today there were Northern Leopard Frogs and Toads singing. I found another wood turt.  Found 2 Northern Water snakes. Some Spotted Eggs in the vegetation at the pond.  None in the Vernal Pools....we need rain!  Skunk Cabbage leaves have opened, tree buds are popping

Happy Spring!

I decided to take a quick ride past a birding spot on my way home from my hike, and this was the surprise waiting for me on that road.  Never question your inner voice.  I found her crossing the road, and was able to get the on coming car to stop and not hit her.  She was safely crossed to the wetlands.  Look at the intelligence and trust in this beautiful girls eyes. She has been around a really long time, she is a mature female, the largest I've ever seen.  What a start to my reptile Spring already!
First Garter snake down by the water where I put the spotted.


Went to the tipi and laid looking up at the sky, thanking the universe for my incredible life. I have been trapped by all the wrong things for a long time. In the last few days I feel as though my world is coming back into focus. I'm feeling a sense of joy that I haven't felt in a very long time. Nature = God for me. I need to get up and out there as often as I possibly can.

It's been an amazing day so far! Happy first day of Spring, it came in at 1:14am. Today is also my youngest sons 18th Birthday. I can't believe that 18 years ago I gave birth to my fourth and final child. He is a total blessing, whom I completely adore. My intense parenting duties almost finished I am now free to spend my time as I like.  Today I spent many hours hiking and opening my senses back up to the natural world. I was hyper aware today, all senses working at top speed. Monty and I were able to walk up on a flock of 25 turkeys feeding in down in a gully. We watched them for quite a long time before one spotted us. I'm hoping to head out again later to enjoy this amazing day. 

Cloud Paintings

Pretty evening walk with the pup.  It was thundering the entire time.  No planes, guess they were avoiding the lightening.  Forest was full of the sounds of birds and Spring Peepers.  The air got cooler and smelled like Spring.  I felt truly alive.

Reptiles

So happy to see some reptiles out again.  I missed them during their hibernation. 

sayings

Buds

Nice hike this am. Stuck with the Stay in the moment meditation. Went even further with it enjoying all the scents and sounds of the forest. Today's notables, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, male Phoebe singing his little heart out by the pavilion. Lots of wood frogs and spring peepers calling.