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Rainforest Bird Watching Hike in Costa Rica
As of January 2006 more than 350 species of birds have been identified at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge. This is mostly due to the wide diversity of habitats found on the 330 hectare (815 acre) reserve. These include: primary rainforest, secondary forest, swamp forest, mangrove forest, river bank, wetlands, seashore, old cacao plantations and open pastures. The primary rainforest is found in the highlands and all the rest are in the lowland portions of the hacienda.
Rainforest Bird Watching Hike in Costa Rica
The Rainforest Bird Watching Hike begins before daybreak. Your expert guide will take you through old cacao plantations and up into the rainforest. After about an hour of hiking and experiencing the early morning jungle, you will arrive at the campsite where you may observe birds at your leisure while your guide fixes coffee and sweet rolls, granola and milk. After breakfast you will hike through primary forest in search for the birds that forage in this particular habitat.
The dense forest provides unlimited hiding places, and birding here is definitely hard work. With a little luck, you will be rewarded with sightings of some of the more illusive birds such as: trogons, motmots, antshrikes, manakins, tinamous, curasows and others.
Duration of the tour: 6-7 hours
Price: $35 per persons
Time: 5:00 to 5:30 AM, Requires prior reservation
Limit: 8 persons, Minimum: 2 persons
Hocus and Pocus - Strange, creeper cats
- By Jack Ewing
When I first laid eyes on the two black kittens a quote from a Robert Heinlein novel popped into my mind,. It has been so many years ago since I read it that I can't even remember which one is was, but I remember the quote. In referring to a complex subject Heinlein said that making sense of it was “... like searching in a dark cellar at midnight on a moonless night for a black cat that isn't there.” These two kittens were that black without a hint of any other color. Even their eyes were black. In addition to their extreme blackness there was always an air of mysteriousness about them. They didn't walk like ordinary cats, rather they walked all crouched down, more of a creep than a walk, like they were constantly stalking something. They never made any noises other than purring; they never clawed the furniture; they were never underfoot and never got into trouble of any kind. There was always something strange about them. We named them Hocus and Pocus.
Buy Jack's book
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Discover the mysterious and fascinating ways in which animals and plants-and people-interact with one another in the rainforests of Costa Rica. Author and naturalist Jack Ewing shares a wealth of observations and experiences, gathered from more than three decades of living in southwestern Costa Rica, home to some of the most prolific and diverse ecosystems on Earth. More than just a simple collection of essays, Monkeys are Made of Chocolate is a testament to the wonder of life in all its countless guises, as seen through the eyes of a man with a gift for subtle discernment and a natural flair for storytelling. |
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Capuchin Capers
The troop of 26 monkeys was strung out over about 100 meters, moving through the forest. The lead monkey, a mature female, came to an area where the tree cover was broken by an open swamp with only a narrow corridor two trees wide going around it.
Chocolate Monkey Gift Shop
Our Gift Shop is well known in the area for having a wide variety of gifts. Not only will you find T-Shirts, Hammocks and Jewelry, but also a beautiful selection of Costa Rican made Arts and Crafts. Our policy is to buy (as much as possible) from local artisans who work with local materials of a sustainable resource.