Just Another Day.....

We've slowed down...

Well, we still walk to town everyday.  In fact, I wear my pedometer and since we arrived here in mid-December, we've walked 345 miles...  averaging 5 miles a day.

That's a lot of trips to town and back!

So.. slowing down?  Well, maybe I should word that differently.

We still get up around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m., but we plan our walk earlier.  Most days that we're walking to town, we leave early and are home by 11:00.  Today we were heading towards the beach by 7:00 and home again by 10:30.  The afternoon sun is brutal!  Clothes dry on the line really fast.  The water moat in my hummingbird feeder (to deter ants) needs replenished several times a day.  We keep our AC at 85 degrees, and that feels quite cool when coming in from outside.

Speaking of the hummingbirds....

The Cinnamon Hummingbird has taken possession of the feeder.  I do see another species of hummers around at times, but there's no doubt this little guy is King of the Feeder.  As is so common with hummers, he just dive bombs anything else that comes near...  even though there's plenty for everyone.  Well, he's quite attractive and I enjoy seeing him....  guess he might as well enjoy it while we're here.

I've really neglected "reporting" on the dove varieties here.  Guess I sound like a bird-snob when I admit this, but we all have our opinions of pigeons that crap on everything... or take over city parks...  you know.  Well, there are at least 26 different species of pigeons and doves in all of Costa Rica....  and 11 species right here in the area where we're living.  So, yeah, I see them...  I hear them....  and sometimes, when I think about it, I take a photo of them...

White-winged Dove

This is the one we see the most.  And also hear the most...  it calls "Who Cooks For You"...  sometimes incessantly.  Of course you'd never confuse it with the Barred Owl, who also calls "who cooks for you", it's just the same sequence of calls.  Isn't the blue around its eye gorgeous?

You know, I should investigate the dove species a little more.

And, speaking of gorgeous...

We've been seeing the Green Heron down near the Rickety Bridge again.  One day the tri-colored heron, the Great Egret and the green heron were all hanging out within a few feet of each other.  Outstanding!

We were within maybe a tenth of a mile of home today as we were walking back from town....  

Heard the howler monkeys...  real close!

We walked about 100' up a dirt road and saw at least 8 monkeys hanging out in the treetop...

There was this big male just sitting on a big branch...

And all the others had to leap over him in order to get past.  The little guy on the left was just a baby....  at first I thought it was a Mama protecting her little one, but after watching all of them...  maybe 5 or 6 here in this group, leap over the big male, I wonder if he is the alpha male...  and was making sure his whole troupe was in the next tree before moving on.  I don't know....  but they did all move to another tree.

I haven't even tried to ID this box turtle...

First one I've seen here.  He was big...  probably 6" or so in length... and quite big around.  Truth is, I haven't even checked into those kind of critters yet.....  guess there's just so much to see.

And, as a parting shot....

A view of Coco Beach....  and Coco Bay.

I'm standing maybe 100' from the water..... the tide was going out at this time of day.  There's a dirt road that runs alongside the beach, only it's high enough that the changing tides don't flood it.  Sometimes we walk along the road instead of the beach.

Doesn't make any difference.....   the view is grand wherever you're at!

And...  yes, it was Smelt I was trying to think of.  Thanks to all of you who came up with the answer.  Now, you've made me hungry for some....

That's All For Today!