Arenal Volcano National Park

We saw 2 Laughing Falcons in the area of  Pueblo Nuevo

  Before setting off for a look at the Catarata Rio Fortuna Waterfall this morning, I took a 20 minute walk around La Fortuna Town and came across many common species to the area. Yellow Warblers were all over the shop, as were Blue-grey Tanager, Great-tailed Crackle, Clay-coloured Robin, Grey-breasted Martin and Great Kiskadee. In the local park there were singles of Yellow-throated Vireo, male Summer Tanager and a male Red-winged Blackbird. 

I was out just before 07.00, but the small town came alive over an hour ago

  

Yellow-throated Vireo

  There are over 400 steps to get down the waterfall. It's not the going down I'm thinking of, it's the coming bloody up that scares me! Halfway down and a small crowed were observing a group of 6 Howler Monkeys at close range, sometimes at eye level. A couple in the 50's from the USA paused and asked, what we were all looking at? 'Howler Monkeys' And in their whinny, high pitched typical American sound 'Oh, we saw them yesterday somewhere else and they were a lot better than these ones' As they walked off, they carried on being irritating and they made sure we heard them all the way down to the last step near the waterfall! 'We also went on the cloths-lining and then the sky-tram, sky-trek, luke sky-walker, water-dingy thingy, followed by canoeing in the river' It's a shame they didn't drown! They carried on 'And later on we're landing on the moon and as we return back to earth, we'll land inside the Arenal Volcano, where no one else can go and ask for a big mack in Burger King!'

Talking about kings, one of the highlights while we were leaving was a King Vulture, although high up with the Turkey Vultures

Looking from a platform over the top of the rain forest were a White-faced Nun and Rufus-sided Woodpecker with the waterfall in the background

Mother and baby Howler Monkeys

Northern Oriole

Head of a Morning Warbler

Male Golden-hooded Tanager

In a single tree next to the road there were singles of Northern Oriole, male Golden-hooded Tanager, Zeledon's Tyrannulet and Morning and 2 Blackburn Warbler

How many times have the owners of the house tripped over this?

  Driving the short distance towards Pueblo Nuevo that runs along the SE end Lake Arenal. As usual stoping off along the roads and tracks if somethin of interest caught my eye. Otherwise, I would pull over anywhere along the road and go for a short stroll. Many times it payed off and we saw some good stuff. This included mamals. Taking my time along the dirt track and saw 2 very tame Coati and return home 5 Howler Monkeys as well as many good birds. 

Male Violaceous Trogan

Over 30 Olive-throated Parakeet were flushed by a Laughing Hawk

This fella, was guarding the bridge and the only way you could pass across to the other side, was if you gave him food. He happily took my scones.

This Coati knew what he was doing. He sits at the end of the bridge and every car that passes, stops to give him whatever crap they've got with them. 

Brown-crested Flycatcher? 

There were a pair of Barred Antshrike. 

Also in the area of interest were, Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped and Black-burnian Warbler, Common-tody Flycatcher, American Kestrel, Osprey and Red-tailed Hawk. 

 Keel-billed Toucan

Mother and baby Howler Monkeys