Now, to try to really get  up close and personal with my subjects, I could spend 10 years down here, crawling through deep undergrowth and emerge with 1,000s of photographs of empty branches and blurry feathers.

Or I could do as the busloads of tourists do, visit the Water Gardens at La Paz, where they have an aviary and free lunch with the entrance fee.

Let’s face it, I’m a wimp. Yesterday I chose the latter.

Once again, I’ll not try to identify species unless I already know them.

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Green Toucan. I had encountered one of these a couple of weeks ago at Manuel Antonio National Park.

Green Toucan.
I had encountered one of these a couple of weeks ago at Manuel Antonio National Park.

File these next three and the video in your cute animals folder. I had seen a sloth, again in Manuel Antonio Park, but it was about 50 meters away.
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They also have a hummingbird garden. Since I was unsuccessful in my previous attempts to photograph them ‘on the wing’, I gave it another go.
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I'm pleased with this: I like the blur in the wings to indicate their speed of motion.
I’m pleased with this: I like the blur in the wings to indicate their speed of motion.


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I know, I know: I’m a sucker for Toucans.

 

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You can see how tame they are!

You can see how tame they are!

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The waterfalls at La Paz

The waterfalls at La Paz

Typical mountain village

Typical mountain village

My Costa Rican adventure is at an end. Today (March 11) will be a largely administrative day and most likely unblogworthy.  Monday I fly back to Ottawa.

Many thanks to all who followed these exploits, and to those who left comments and encouragements along the way. Perhaps when next I travel, we’ll do it all again.
¡Saludos, mis amigos!