31st July - San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica

The wish for a change in the weather after last night’s sunset was granted and we awoke to clear skies and the early morning sunlight just touching the top of the valley slopes.  There was some loud about but in the most the sky was clear and we could see cloud clearing away down the valley towards the Pacific.

Our pick up was to be at 10.00am, but as usual we were up at dawn, and outside waiting for breakfast at 7.00am.  In the bushes around the restaurant a Black-capped Flycatcher, probably the same bird I had seen a few days ago, was perched on the small bushes.

It was very approachable, hardly bothered by my presence.

After breakfast we returned to the bungalow while we waited for our pick up, it was a beautiful morning, and the valley slopes looked superb in the sunshine.

We took the chance to sit outside the bungalow, Helen to read her book, but for me it was the final chance to see what was about here in the highlands.

When the sun had been out previously there had been a few butterflies about, but I never had the chance to get close.  This morning I had that opportunity.  The challenge as ever would be in identifying them.

First was a small blue butterfly, not an electric blue but more of a powder, light blue.  The upper wings were bordered by a dark grey.

Spots on the underwing reminded me of our Holly Blue, and I was surprised to find that the species is also found in the Americas and known as the Spring Azure.  This is the closest I can get to this particular butterfly, but I am not certain.

Here is one with different markings on the upper wing, but the same spots on the underside

This long wing butterfly is a type of Julia Heliconian

Looking here a little bit worse for wear.

I then spent a considerable amount of time pursuing this small brown butterfly.  From the markings I am happy this is a Hairstreak, but which particular species I am yet to work out.

In flight there were flashes of electric blue

Here another Hairstreak, this time with three fine streaks on the under wing, and definite tail on the hind wing

This one I was able to identify, definitely a skipper it is I believe a Grass Dart Skipper as seen previously at Rancho Naturalista.

Then another mystery, a medium sized butterfly, overall a dark grey, with patterns on the upper wing, similar to the patterns seen on a Dingy Skipper, and then a plain grey hindwing that is bordered with white

It is a little frustrating not to be able conclusively identify the butterflies, the closest you can get is to put them into families, there are so many species that firming up on one is almost impossible.

Two different hummingbirds had been about while I was watching the butterflies, a Talamanca, that would briefly visit the feeder outside the window of the bungalow, and the tiny Volcano.  The Volcano had now settled in the bush below sitting amongst the leaves.

It sat there for some time, and I could see it laying on one side as if sun bathing.

Back to the butterflies, this one another large orange butterfly with striking black stripes that indicates either a species of long wing, or fritillary

Here a damaged banded butterfly, not sure how this one could fly at all!

Then this elaborately marked butterfly on the underside.  I was not able to view the upper wing as I lost it.

I had noticed that there were patches of grass that had been disturbed, and thought this was down to the feeding Sooty Thrushes, Blackbirds regularly dig up the moss in search of food.  This was to be proved wrong though.  Two of the hotel workers walked past, stopped and called me over and pointed out the animal that had been doing the digging, a Coati, or to be more specific a White-nosed Coati.

Unlike their relatives the Racoon, Coatis are active mostly during the day, spending the night up in the safety of the trees.

This one was busily digging through the grass, you can see how suited the claws are for digging.

They are omnivorous eating almost anything including raiding human settlements like the racoons.

It was time to leave, so we made our way up to the reception area, which in the sunshine looked completely different to when we arrived.

Our driver arrived early, and we were off heading back up the valley towards the Pan American Highway, which also looked completely different now that the cloud and rain had gone.  Our journey took us up over the highlands, climbing up to 3,400 metres at our highest point.  We then turned off the highway and headed west downhill to Dominical on the pacific coast.  Here we turned right and after another hour arrived in Quepos.  Here we were staying at Arenas Del Mar a beachfront resort on the outskirts of Manuel Antonio National Park.  The resort is set in its own private reserve with access to the beach.  We took the time to rest and settle in before setting out to explore the next day.