Around the lodge -December 22

Swallow-tailed Kite, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Dec 22, 2012

Swallow-tailed Kite, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Dec 22, 2012

Purple crowned Fairy, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Dec 22, 2012

As a continued recap of my recent trip to Costa Rica December 22 found me once again around the area of the lodge.  That morning I was joined by bird guide Johan Fernandez for the entire morning and with his help we found a nice selection of species including several trogons, lots of hummingbirds and a wide variety of others.  One sighting that was great but I didn't get a picture of (left the camera back at the cottage as the trails were slick) was a Barred Forest Falcon sitting near the top of a tree in the open repeatedly calling.  Another raptor highlight was an Ornate Hawk-Eagle  that was soaring over the forest calling while a Barred Hawk circled next to it.  During the afternoon I spent more time around the lodge including a lot of time scanning the area for the multitude of raptors with the handful of Swallow tailed Kites putting on a great show. 

Meanwhile back here in Massachusetts we got another dose of snow with a few inches of heavy wet snow blanketing the landscape that had just recent lost its coating of snow.  Hopefully the new snow will force the birds in the fields along the Connecticut River to congregate once again and perhaps, just perhaps, the Gyrfalcon will resurface again.