Heermann's Gull

(242 views)
by Terry Costales

This juvenile Heermann's gull exhibits its main identifying marks clearly: black feet, red bill and dusky body. As an adult, its head will become pure white.

White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)

(239 views)
by Terry Costales

I was quite taken with this two foot tall, chicken-turkey-like bird. It's a ground dwelling native of eastern Africa.

Long-nosed bat

(239 views)
by Terry Costales

On a tour of the Canal of Palms, this was the first animal spotted by our guide. There were three of these tiny bats on the underside of a dead branch. How the guide even saw them was a mystery because they were perfectly camouflaged. The guide identified them as long-nosed bats.

American White Pelican

(238 views)
by Terry Costales

There was this one lone white pelican at the nature center that day. It was probably an injured bird being nursed back to health, or it just knew a good hand-out when it saw one.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

(238 views)
by Denver Welte

Bald Eagles are very numerous in Dutch Harbor, where they live year round. They are used to people and you see them perched on dumpsters and piers, looking for an easy meal. Bald comes from the Old English "pie-bald", which means partially white.

Black Crowned Night Heron

(237 views)
by Terry Costales

It's breeding season again for the Night Herons and Snowy Egrets. Here is a Heron settling a property dispute with his Egret neighbor.

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)

(237 views)
by Terry Costales

Here is a shot of the male from yesterday's posting which shows the unusual feather formation over his back.

Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Our guide Jaime was very excited to see these migratory Jabiru because they were a very rare sight. Jabiru are storks which stand four and a half feet tall. The ones we saw were sedate and seemed to be resting in the shade.

Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Up close and personal with a curious ostrich.

Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

A large fledgling appears mesmerized by the camera.

Green Heron

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Green herons are abundant in Costa Rica. We saw them on both coasts and in a preserve near the center of Costa Rica. It took me a while to remember their name however, because they are hardly green at all.

Gray-necked Wood-Rail (aramides cajanea)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

We saw many wood rails and like the clapper rails, they are quite shy and quickly melt into the background as soon as they realize they are being noticed.

Black River Turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

There are numerous Black River Turtles in the canals and rivers of Costa Rica. We stopped to view a caiman near the riverbank and this curious turtle came up to the boat. It was definitely used to people and was looking for a handout. Of course feeding the wildlife is frowned upon. It makes them dependent on humans and puts them at risk of disease and abuse.

Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

This is a male Canvasback duck resting in the water. You can't see the long red neck in this photo but I like the pose anyway.

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

This is a very cute little diving bird . When they come up after a dive they puff up their posterior so it looks like a big powder puff. Then right before they dive, they bring those feathers close to their body and the powder puff becomes a streamlined torpedo.

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Greater Scaups are very common in the Bay Area. This is a male.

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja, sometimes Ajaia ajaja)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

On our boat trip to Turtle Beach Lodge we saw many Roseate Spoonbills feeding near the banks. When they feed, they move their heads rapidly back and forth in the shallow water, making them look very industrious and a bit silly.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

My first day in the woods I heard woodpeckers but only glimpsed them from a distance. My second day was more successful and I saw several. Not close-up but close enough for a photo.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

This pair of woodpeckers stayed in the tops of very tall trees making them very hard to photograph. This shot has been cropped about 75%. The Great Spotted is larger, with a longer bill than the Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Yes, there is a Lesser Spotted but I never saw one.

Bare-Throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

We saw a lot of these solitary herons on the trip. Although it's called bare throated, you can't see that detail in this flying shot.

Siberian Tiger Tatiana

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Here is Tatiana on Sept 29, 2007 looking alive and well. Due to incompetence at the Zoo and the malicious idiocy of a few young men, she and one of those young men are now deceased. A needless tragedy that ought never have happened. One should build wild animal enclosures with as much protection for the animals from the public as the public from the animals. We all know bridges and buildings in San Francisco must be built, or retrofitted, to withstand an earthquake the magnitude of which we m . . .

Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

This is a beautiful female camel. She has very petite furry ears.

Ugly Bird

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

I don't know what kind of bird this is. Some kind of stork-like-vulture-thingy. It was in the walk-through aviary. Scary huh?

Collared Aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus)

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

There were many of these toucans in the forest surrounding the volcano. They traveled in small flocks and were easily seen and heard.

Flamingos

(236 views)
by Terry Costales

Maybe I should have posted this on Valentines Day. It's either affection or defense of territory.