Fortuna

Since nothing of interest is happening around home these days I'll do some more armchair travelling. This time I'll take you along to revisit my favorite place in Costa Rica. Fortuna is a small town at the base of the Arenal Volcano. I have been there on all three of my Costa Rica trips. It's very green, and very wet. The place is absolutely loaded with exotic birdlife, even in the middle of town.

Besides the massive, (and very active) Arenal Volcano, there is a beautiful waterfall a few miles above the town. Since my first visit there in the mid 1990's, the place has been discovered by the tourist hordes. Prices have risen substantially, development has dimminsished the experience, but it's still a worthwhile destination.

A bad photo of a lovely bird, White-faced Nunbird.

We set a banana on top of a rock wall next to our hotel, and watched the myriad of birds that joined the feast. These are male and female Red-legged Honeycreepers. What a thrilling sight.

Another common resident in Fortuna, and much of Costa Rica, Grayish Saltator.

Near the waterfall we saw a large Amazon-type parrot, Red-lored Parrot. They are a common sight in much of Costa Rica, as are many species of parrot.

Blue-gray Tanagers are common in Fortuna, and much of Latin America.

One of my best memories of Fortuna is the day we saw four species of toucan near the waterfall. This is a Collared Aracari. We also saw Emerald Toucanet, Keel-billed, and Chestnut-mandibled Toucans.

A better view of the Aracari.

A male Barred Antshrike near the town's center. Fortuna is the only place I have seen Barred Antshrikes. The females look completely different than the males, but are also strikingly beautiful.

The photo reminds me of a Lesser Goldfinch, but in life the Yellow-throated Euphonia is very exotic by comparision.

Another very common bird, Bananaquit. Naturally the common birds are the easiest to photograph, but I have seen some really good new birds in Fortuna and vicinity. Some of my favorites are,

Rufous-winged Woodpecker

Smoky-brown Woodpecker

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Green-breasted Mango

Black-crested Coquette

White-necked Jacobin

White-throated Crake

Snowy Cotinga

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis

Green Honeycreeper

Violaceous Trogon

Common Tody Flycatcher

Banded-backed Wren

Golden-hooded Tanager

Crimson-collared Tanager

Mealy Parrot

White-crowned Parrot

Streak-headed Woodcreeper

Rufous Mourner

etc. etc.