Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Corcovado


Kim

Recommended Posts

Yes, more leafcutter ants. These endless parades of industrious ants were everywhere in Costa Rica, but this assembly line seemed particularly productive. We could see the tree from where they brought the leaves and we could follow them all the way to their nest in the ground. The immediate area all around the nest was noticeably defoliated compared to trees a distance away. I think ants rule Costa Rica, they are just very quiet about it...

post-216-1212381198_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After following the trails through dense forest for maybe 2 hours, we emerged at the ranger station on the beach for a short break. A collection of found objects was on display:

Whale skull

post-216-1212381475_thumb.jpg

Dolphin and tapir skulls

post-216-1212381493_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ranger station:

post-216-1212381627_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The view from the ranger station:

post-216-1212381780_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Urs in his wellies admiring the coconuts sprouting on the beach:

post-216-1212381938_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're everywhere, like weeds:

post-216-1212382192_thumb.jpg

post-216-1212382204_thumb.jpg

In the next installment I will continue with exciting coverage of our hike up a crocodile-infested creek. Don't miss it!

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yay! Kim saw Monkeys!!! :bemused: Send pics to Linda... ?

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess this is a good time to pitch in with a few pictures. To give credence to Kim, this is my monkey shot.

post-805-1212398130_thumb.jpg

Kim, it's not true that it takes skill. With the limited camera equipment we have, a good shot of a monkey is a lucky shot. You just keep on shooting and hope you get one with a monkey in the right position.

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And here is a shot of a land crab, with my finger for scale.

post-805-1212399954_thumb.jpg

It is the clearest shot I got. With the lack of contrast and low light, it was hard to focus! And I couldn't get closer, because it would scurry away.

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, this guy didn't run away.

post-805-1212400748_thumb.jpg

Neither, did this guy.

post-805-1212400850_thumb.jpg

Clinging innocuously to a tree, it is almost invisible.

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This shot gives an idea of how long the parade of leaf-cutter ants was.

post-805-1212401380_thumb.jpg

The parade extended beyond the bottom of the photo.

About a third from the top of the photo, a fallen tree trunk can be seen laying across their path. And, what did they do? Climb over like nobody's business. And the parade extended deep into the dark area which the camera flash was unable to illuminate.

We noticed one ant carrying an extra heavy load, going more slowly than the others, approaching the tree trunk, so we stood there, bent over, watching to see if she could carry her load over it. She dropped her load a couple of times but heroically persisted and was able to finally make it after superhuman, errr... super-ant effort, accompanied by a chorus of "Made it!".

Alberto then saw a soldier ant, characterized by extra large biting jaws, and proceeded to demonstrate how they could bite by putting his fingernail into her jaws. Her jaws clamped onto the fingernail tightly as if locked into place, giving us opportunities to take pictures of the stunt one by one. I was last in line, and as I was about to raise my camera, Alberto got startled. The soldier ant had bitten off a chunk of His fingernail! That must've been a first because Alberto looked totally shocked. And that left me with no photo to post. Sorry...

By the way, you can see Dan and Dawn? fully equipped with hiking boots, walking stick, and backpack, all provided by the lodge.

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

I'm glad to hear that you finally saw some monkeys. You can't go to CR and come home to tell your friends you never saw a monkey.....they would think your some kind of newby. But, I had to laugh when you mentioned your guide pointing his little red laser on animals and plants. Our guide(different one) used one also. They must get one each after they graduate from "guide school". But great pictures.

George,

I'm glad to hear you got the chance to go down there as well. It sounds like you had an awesome time. And great pictures also.

Jeff

Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

and The Rainforest Collection.

Southwest Ranches,Fl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

I feel your frustration trying to take pictures of wildlife in the rainforest, especially monkeys. They are everywhere in Corcovado, but like you said the won't sit still. I had a troop of spider monkeys outside my cabina and still couldn't get clean shots of them.

Cincinnati, Ohio USA & Mindo, Ecuador

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, guys, so it's not just me having trouble nailing those monkeys on digital. :mrlooney: Grant Stephenson and Garvin Yao had some pretty good lenses with them, I hope they will post some of their photos as well, maybe they got some better shots of the capucins or the howlers.

And a correction: looking at these photos on larger screen, it's quite obvious in post #39 that is not George Yao walking with Grant on the jungle trail; it's the second guide from the lodge who joined us.

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aloha and Mahalo again to Kim and George for the additional photo posts and interesting comments.

Regarding post #39: The second guide who led the other half of the hiking group that day had the same name as me, Daniel – the Tico nick name for Daniel is “Danni”, which is what Alberto called him as they kept in touch using walkie-talkies

Regarding post #40: I live on Big Island where there are choke (plenty) geckos, and I daily see the geckos stalking / catching / eating insects. So as I watched Alberto play with the lizard using his red laser pointer it seemed to me that the lizard was being fooled into thinking the moving red point of light was actually a tasty red insect – the lizard kept pouncing at the point of light and then each time Alberto would move the light a little bit farther away…

Regarding post #51: I was watching as the soldier ant clamped its biting jaws onto Alberto’s fingernail, and was amazed by the thick chunk of fingernail the ant had quickly chewed off – it looked like someone had used a razor-sharp Exacto-knife or scalpel to cleanly slice out a chunk of fingernail

Dan on Big Island

Dan on the Big Island of Hawai'i / Dani en la Isla Grande de Hawai

Events Photographer roving paparazzi "konadanni"

Master Gardener, University of Hawai’i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Certified Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture

LinkedIn & email: konadanni@gmail.com / Facebook & Twitter & Google Plus: DanTom BigIsland

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We resumed our hike, going up the river canyon again. It wasn't long before we spotted a croc on the bank of the creek, but with our small group disturbing his nap, he quickly launched himself into the water and out of sight.

Crossing the creek:

post-216-1212962938_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had to climb over this freshly fallen tree. The heart of the wood, newly exposed and bright, had a purplish cast to it.

post-216-1212963094_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-216-1212963165_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A blue-tailed lizard along the trail:

post-216-1212963255_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasn't long before we reached the crashing waterfall:

post-216-1212963364_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I first reviewed this photo, I almost deleted it because there was "nothing" in it:

post-216-1212963460_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you notice that young crocodile napping in the center of the pic? A very short distance downstream from this croc, the water cascades over a bank of rocks into a large, beautiful pool. The guide said we could all swim there if we wished. Dan Ashley was the only one to take up the offer to swim downstream from the crocodile! As the water was muddy from the previous night's rains, I decided I would just lounge on the banks and maybe stick my feet in. But it wasn't long before the ever-present ants asserted their dominance of the forest, swarming ever so discreetly over backpacks and shoes, so I picked up my gear and retraced our steps to the ocean.

Several of us bodysurfed for awhile in the small waves. Thoroughly refreshed, we had a pleasant picnic by the sea:

post-216-1212964520_thumb.jpg

There was plenty of entertainment here, with a coati foraging for fruit in a tree and scarlet macaws flittering in the treetops.

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wandered around the grounds later that afternoon and came across this flowering shrub:

post-216-1212964826_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This butterfly garden and observation bench were situated off the beaten path:

post-216-1212964936_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kim,

What an incredible shot! (Post #61) Not to mention the excellent camouflage! :)

Bo-Göran

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Sunset Bar naturally drew everyone for views of the sunset.

post-216-1212965124_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the unforeseen pleasures of the trip extension was the camraderie of the other travelers. We heard several good fishing stories as we gathered in the bar before dinner.

l to r: Dawn from the UK, Bunni and Stephen Collins from Barbados, Susanne and Urs Germann of Switzerland

post-216-1212965382_thumb.jpg

l to r: Garvin, George, and Aurora Yao from the Philippines; Dan Ashley, Kona, Hawaii, USA; Dawn again.

post-216-1212965405_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Early morning dawned, and the boat would be waiting after breakfast. The time passed too quickly!

We piled into the trailer behind the tractor "limo" and slowly bumped down to the water's edge. The sea was bluer than blue. The boats backed into shore for boarding.

post-216-1212965951_thumb.jpg

post-216-1212965966_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the boats were loaded and up to speed, we skimmed along the ocean surface, as smooth as a silken scarf laid on a table, the mirrored surface reflecting the sky and the coconut palms along the shore.

post-216-1212966274_thumb.jpg

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

KIM I LOVE the first pic in post #68. It make me feel like I'm right there! I want to walk and wade right into that Lagoon! It doesn't look to hot nor too cold, just right.

Thus its now my Desktop photo. It took a long time to unseat Gary Levines Bismarkias in Madagascar.....

Thanx!

Bill

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-216-1212966381_thumb.jpg

iAdiós Corcovado!

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Bo -- you really would have enjoyed this trip.

Thanks Bill, I'm very flattered, enjoy the photo. And yes, the water was just right...

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know I would! I'm blue with envy (influenced by those last few, amazing, photos) :lol:

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great story. Thanks for your narrative. I don't know if you mentioned it, but I noticed the ubiquitous "blue flashlights". LOL! They look like Star Trek communicators or Phasers. What a great time you had.

Larry Davis

Time flies like an arrow,

But fruit flies like a banana

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hello Kim and all,

I finally got around to finishing my postings in this thread, thanks to others' encouragement and compliments of my new Mac. :lol: It took some learning, but the Mac handles images so much faster! :)

Here is my first resumption image, a coning female Zamia, probably fairchildiana.

post-805-1218889171_thumb.jpg

We saw this when we got back on the trail from the ranger's station.

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is a double-headed Zamia fairchildiana (I think) with trunk almost horizontal and the crowns trying to make 90 degrees turns upward.

post-805-1218890266_thumb.jpg

We saw many Zamias and Cyclanths (probably Carludovica palmata) as seen in this picture of the opposite bank of the stream we were following to go to the waterfall.

post-805-1218890462_thumb.jpg

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When Kim mentioned in Post #39 that "The jungle... seems drenched all the time", I was reminded of what our guide told us in Braulio Carillo National Park that the palms we were looking at had developed drip-tips to drain away excess water that can become harmful. I had to take this picture there.

post-805-1218891272_thumb.jpg

Here in Corcovado, the cycads have done the same thing.

post-805-1218891359_thumb.jpg

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drip-tips for palms and cycads, I understand, but who would have thought that ferns, the quintessential rainforest habitue would get into the act.

post-805-1218892037_thumb.jpg

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After an interesting trek, we finally got to the waterfall. We were supposed to take a swim there, but the heavy rain of the previous night made the water muddy and deterred us to do so, except maybe Dan (as mentioned by Kim).

Here is a picture of the waterfall by itself.

post-805-1218892209_thumb.jpg

And here is one with people for scale.

post-805-1218892494_thumb.jpg

That is my son, Garvin, and to the left of his head, a figure smaller than his head, you can barely see Grant (I think).

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the way back to the beach, I was told that there was a croc on the stream bank which I wasn't aware of earlier. It was hard to take a good picture from the trail so I went down closer. I was ready to run anytime it moved, but it didn't move at all. :lol:

post-805-1218892946_thumb.jpg

Our guide Alberto pointed out this tiny poisonous tree frog to my wife and me. It was so tiny that you had to get real close to get a good picture. But everytime you got close, it moved away a little. Finally, it got cornered in this small gap between the trail and the tree roots. But it became too dark to focus well. Should've brought a flashlight!

post-805-1218893018_thumb.jpg

George Yao

Metro-Manila

Philippines

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...