December 18th

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They inhabit nearly every aquatic environment on earth; from the abyssal depths of the deepest oceans to high altitude lakes and rivers. The fish, as ancient as they are adaptive, have diversified into a staggering 35,000 species, making them the largest of all vertebrate groups. 500 million years of evolution has produced fish that can fly, crawl, light up, breathe air and yes, even climb! It seems absurd that a fish, with its streamlined body designed for an aqueous lifestyle could manage to scale even the most modest of heights. So you can imagine my surprise when while perched atop a cascading waterfall deep in the forest I noticed hundreds of tiny bodies clinging to the vertical rock wall below me. I had to take a second look, but indeed these one inch forms came complete with eyes, gills, fins, and strong flattened mouths from which they gripped firmly to the wet rock. They were arranged in large groups, traveling up a narrow band of rock that was kept damp by the falls constant mist. Incremental movements of their lower jaw facilitated their slow ascent, inching upwards like tiny vehicles in rush hour traffic. 

At the top of the falls, rock-climbing fish on rock

Rock-climbing goby on vertcial rock face

Rock-climbing goby

 I found very little information about these fish on-line, but I am fairly certain that they are juveniles of the poorly known Sicydium salvini, a species of Goby. They begin life in the ocean and young fish migrate up tropical rivers, scaling massive waterfalls to reach the deep and cool pools at higher elevations. It is here that they can develop into adults and breed in the absence of larger predators. The new generation will be washed out to sea to begin the cycle anew. No locals that I had talked to had ever remembered seeing the fish, so it is likely that these amazing upstream climbs only occurs for relatively short periods of time.

Ventrel view of rock climbing goby, Sicydium salvini

Rock climbing goby, Sicydium salvini

The waterfall itself was an impressive site; clear pools and cascading chutes that descended a steep gorge for hundreds of feet. It seemed impossible for such a tiny fish to conquer. It was quintessential Costa Rica, a perfect image of lush tropical seclusion.

Panica falls full shot of lower section

Panica falls main chute

Panica falls main chute

Small jungle stream

Bottom of Panica falls

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Lately I have been spending a lot of time in a steep jungle ravine hoping to capture some rarely seen behavior of an incredible bird. The long-tailed manakin lives in the dense undergrowth of tropical forests throughout north pacific Costa Rica. It belongs to an extremely fascinating family; the manakins, with 60 species distributed throughout central and south America. They are small and stubby birds with round wings and big eyes for seeing in the dimly lit understory. The males of many species bare colorful patches of feathers, while the females are nearly always a plain hue of subtle green. Long-tailed manakins are exceptionally beautiful with a sky blue back set against a black body and crimson crest. The costume is complete with two long tail streamers that can nearly double their overall length. However, it is not the males colorful plumage that makes them of interest, but their complex social lives and courtship behavior. Male long-tailed manakins form well-practiced dancing troupes that perform at special “dancing arenas”. Each arena is controlled by an "alpha" male; an experienced and well connected individual who has come do dominate the local social scene. The alpha male has at his beckon call multiple "beta" males that cooperate with him to perform a synchronized dance for females. The dance consists of cartwheeling overtop eachother while singing an unusual buzzy song. It is performed on a low horizontal display perch that is favored and used by many generations. The female watches carefully during the entire dance, which terminates when the alpha male calls out with a piercing PWEET! This abrupt call dismisses his backup dancers so he can copulate with the female. So the question is, why do the beta males cooperate so devotedly when it is always the alpha male that gets the girl? It turns out that it is the quality of dance that is attractive to the female, not individual males. Cooperation among males contributes to the reputation of certain dancing sites, which the females map out and visit regularly, tending to visit the sites where the performances are best. A young male must work his way into a dance group, forming a long-lasting relationship with the alpha male and together they must work hard to make a site attractive to passing females. Their bond, a union of song and dance, can last for over a decade. It is only when the alpha male of a site dies that the beta male will have a chance to become an alpha, and ensure his genes are passed to the next generation of regal dancers.

I felt extremely fortunate to “inherit” a dancing arena myself when I stumbled upon one in the boundaries of Finca Tropical. Within this teak and mango farm are sections of primary forest, as the owner has left a generous buffer zone where a small stream runs down through the hills. We have been building a system of trails to access this beautiful area, where wildlife is abundant. During a morning birding tour in the area, a couple lucky guests were witness to the amazing dance of the long-tailed manakin. We could just make out the tiny dancing figures as they leaped up and down through the thick undergrowth. Long-tailed manakins tend to display in very dense vegetation, which makes it hard to get an unobstructed view. I went back to the area afterwards and spent hours waiting for them to dance again. I did not see another dance, but I did catch a glimpse of a well dressed male descending to a low perch. It was a vine that stretched horizontally just long enough to provide adequate dance space before twisting chaotically back into the undergrowth. The ground beneath was cleaned of leaves and debris and the sparse canopy let narrow rays of sun penetrate like spotlights on a lighted stage. I was certain that this must be the dance site, and I set-up a camouflaged photography blind with a clear view of it. 

Manakin blind set-up

View from inside the blind

For the next five days I spent a total of 15 hours in the blind, during the early morning hours when the birds are most active and likely to display. Although I have yet to see them in full dance from the blind, I have been lucky enough to get lots of great looks and learn even more about the peculiar habits of these birds. It turns out the males visit the dance perch quite regularly to clean off fallen debris, call out to other males, or even practice their dance steps. I watched one young male, not yet with full adult attire, as he practiced each component of the dance and song. It was clear that he had a lot of practice to do and I found it quite comical. Also evident was the complex communication between males, who use a wide array of whistles, calls and buzzy tones to interact and synchronize their behavior long before any dancing begins.. At one point I was sure I was going to see the dance when a female showed up at the perch and three males descended to join her. For whatever reason, the group broke up before a proper dance. I plan to spend a lot more time in the blind and hopefully photograph the full dance as well as lots of other interesting behavior. Here are some shots from the blind so far...

Alpha male long-tailed manakin on display perch

Alpha male long-tailed manakin on display perch

Beta male long-tailed manakin in canopy

Alpha male long-tailed manakin in canopy

Beta male long-tailed manakin practicing dance

Female long-tailed manakin on display perch

Female long-tailed manakin on display perch

No progress on the mangrove hummingbird project, the tea mangrove trees haven’t bloomed lately and the female I spent so much time with is no longer tending the two trees. She, or possibly a different female, shows up at the feeders at Tambor Tropical a couple times a day, a reminder of unfinished business.  Hopefully the trees will start producing blooms again and I will get some more chances in the near future.

I can hear the distant tune of “O Holy Night” playing at one of the local bars. Up until now I’d barely thought about the fact that it is approaching Christmas. It certainly doesn’t feel like it with 30 degrees and sun everyday. It will be a lot different then Christmas back home and I will very much miss spending time with friends and family. I hope that many of us can talk, be it through skype or e-mail. Until then, Merry Christmas to everyone and I wish you all a safe holiday season.
-Nick

December 7^th

The morning air is tainted with a decaying smell that wafts up from the beach. I raise my binoculars to search the vast expanse of sand and surf to see a dense aggregation of black vultures, a clear sign that the tide has washed up a fresh meal.  The hungry crowd of scavengers parts upon my approach, revealing the remains of a large sea turtle. Although it is impossible to say for sure, this is likely one of the thousands of sea turtles killed by fishery activities every year in Costa Rica. A study by the conservation group PRETOMA looked at one long line fleet in Playa del Cocos, just north of my location on the Nicoya Peninsula. The fleet consists of over 500 vessels using 700,000 hooks that are strung on “motherlines” that can extend for up to 40 miles. The estimated annual catch of sea turtles in this one fleet is approximately 300,000, not mentioning the thousands of sharks, rays and other fish species that are caught as bycatch and discarded, lifeless, back into the ocean. I set-up my camera and used a wireless remote to trigger the shutter from afar as the vultures feasted.

I hope that my next sea turtle encounter will be more pleasant.

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Often in the mornings I walk up the riverbed that dries with the receding tide.  The thick mud reveals the previous nights activity; a deep gash in the sand where a crocodile drug its tail, the favorite fishing hole of a raccoon or the bone filet remains of the coatimundis midnight snack. The sun is low and the air is cool, often with a breeze that blows ocean air from the direction of the rising sun. The river is lined with hungry egrets, shorebirds and chattering kingfishers. The raucous calls of scarlet macaws echo from afar and the dawn song from forest birds is a chaotic mixture of chirps and whistled tones.  Through the cacophony I recognize the guttural calls of tiger herons, large handsome birds with barred necks and broad wings that are held like a shroud over their proportionally small bodies. This particular species has a patch of yellow skin on its throat that is expanded during courtship, giving it the name of bare-throated tiger heron. Mixed with an upward stretch and swaying motion, they produce a deep and resonating call from their expanded throat, making for a very interesting scene. 

Bare-throated tiger herons

Bare-throated tiger herons

Bare-throated tiger herons

The distinction between a “heron” and “egret” is fairly vague and relies mainly upon appearance rather then taxonomic relations. Indeed, the terms can often been used interchangeably. In general, egrets are a type of heron that are characterized by long plumes that are developed in the breeding season. These ornamental feathers were once prized by market hunters as decorations for women’s hats and the relentless hunting of breeding birds caused some species to become endangered. There are 64 species of herons worldwide, some are given the name of “bittern” but all are members of the family Ardeidae. This group is well represented here on the Panica river, with 9 species commonly seen stalking the margins of the river mouth.

There is the snowy egret in immaculate white plumage. He poses motionless over the small waves that lap up against the gravel, breaking stance only to jab wildly at a passing fish, or chase after a missed opportunity with long and erratic strides.

Snowy egret

Snowy egret strike

The little blue heron, a distinguished member of the Ardeids, with plumes that hang like coat tails behind an elegant frame. It prefers to search for crabs in calm backwaters and eddies.

Little blue heron

The tricolored heron, with subtle tones of red, blue and white...

Tricolored heron

Tricolored heron

The snowy egret is soon distracted by the arrival of a female. He extends his plumes and headdress and chases after her in elegant steps.  Despite his persistence, she wants nothing to do with him.

Their activity is watched by the night-herons, full from a night spent foraging, these nocturnal predators roost on shaded mangrove branches overhanging the river. Their large, red eyes are adapted for spotting crustaceans and fish in the blackness of night.

Yellow-crowned night heron

Just before dark, the river becomes a flyway for many birds that have spent the day further inland and are now coming to the coast to roost in the protective canopy of the mangroves. The image below was taken just after sunset, with a slow shutter speed in the low light causing the image to blur.

Cattle egrets

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Further efforts to photograph the mangrove hummingbird have yielded nothing. Yesterday I arrived to find the two tea mangrove trees occupied by a larger and more aggressive species, the scaly-breasted hummingbird. Even the name sounds intimidating. The female mangrove hummingbird that once defended these trees was nowhere to be found and with great dismay I watched as the scaly-breasted tyrant chased away all that encroached. Further research revealed that they too coveted the nectar from tea mangrove and perhaps I was witnessing an interesting aspect of the natural history of mangrove hummingbirds; competition with other species. This experience really pushed me too look for more trees, but a thorough search of the area has produced nothing but the more common red and black mangroves. Surely it could not be true that there were the only two tea mangrove trees left at the mouth of the Panica river. If so, the status of the mangrove hummingbird in this area is in a desperate state and may consist of only a handful of individuals, if that.

December 2nd

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The tree grew close to the steep riverbank, its buttressed roots surging up through the mud and branching into star-like clusters of waxy leaves. The sparse foliage in the uppermost limbs betrayed a somewhat unhealthy look and the tree itself was small for its kind; tea mangroves can reach heights over 20 meters.  Once common and widespread throughout the tropics of America, its range has been reduced drastically through changes in soil salinity and competition from more resilient mangrove species. It is now confined to a few select coastlines in Central America.

Tea mangrove, Pelliciera rhizophorae, with star shaped leaf clusters and flower

Fruit of tea mangrove, Pelliciera rhizophorae

It was on this diminutive tree that I found my first mangrove hummingbird, perched quietly on a bare branch shaded by the canopy of larger trees that crowded in from all sides. Her species, Amazilia manglar, could be described as an endangered range-restricted specialist, existing only within Costa Rica, where the entire population is but a few thousand birds inhabiting areas where significant stands of tea mangrove still grow. Her sex was made apparent by the mainly white under parts and although less colorful then the male with his deep blue throat, she was beautifully adorned in every shade of green. It was Audubon, the famous ornithologist himself who described hummingbirds as “glittering fragments of the rainbow” and she was no exception. 

Mangrove hummingbird, Amazilia manglar

Here she held a careful vigil over the small number of white flowers that adorned the tree. Exceptionally ornamental for a mangrove, these flowers would bloom for only a day or two before dropping off to cover the ground below with delicate white florets. I watched from a nearby position with my back pressed up against a tree and fiddler crabs digging burrows beneath my feet. An abrupt spring from her perch would begin her forage, a buoyant dance with each blossom that reciprocated through the extension of a curled leaf; a perch for the tiny bird. It was an eloquent example of “ornithophily” where a plant structure is modified to better facilitate pollination by a bird. In this case a steady platform from which to prod vigorously into the flower. The nectar she seeks is a bribe by the tree; flowering plants produce it to attract insects, birds, bats and other mammals, all of which can provide a method of transport. It is a sort of payment for pollination: the delicate task of transferring sticky pollen from one tree to the next. 

Mangrove hummingbird and tea mangrove with ornithophilous perch

It was only after all flowers were carefully inspected that she would return to her perch, waiting patiently to harvest the next drops of nectar, and glaring menacingly at any passerby regardless of their size or intent. Many hummingbird species are fiercely territorial of their food supply, and for good reason; their metabolism is the highest of any animal and they must drink continually to meet the energy demands of a heart that pumps one thousand times a minute and wings that can beat one hundred times a second. It was upon these amazing wings that she would speed off into the tangled growth and I would not see her for a half hour or more. Maybe she was visiting other tea mangroves on a habitual foraging route, or perhaps she was collecting insects, an important source of vitamins and protein. In her absence I would wonder of the conditions that turned the cogs and wheels of evolution, driving her species to depend so wholly upon another. Such relationships are common in nature, as species have co-evolved for millions of years to form unique and complex relationships, perhaps none as beautifully exemplified as a colorful clownfish in the tentacles of its host anemone. I wonder if this dependence may ultimately lead to the demise of this species; restricted to a dwindling habitat in a very small region. Mangrove forests have been depleted severely in Costa Rica, with pressure from industry and tourism related development all along the pacific coast. Large tracts of land are cleared to make room for salt extraction ponds and shrimp farms, with the harvested wood being used to make charcoal.

My thoughts would be interrupted by a gentle hum overhead signaling her return and more chances to observe, take notes and photograph. 

Mangrove hummingbird feeding on flower on tea mangrove

If I hope to find other mangrove hummingbirds I must find other tea mangroves. I am still unsure to what extent this tiny patch of forest supports both species. In the next couple weeks I will cut my trail deeper into the mangroves, in hope of finding other tea mangroves and their tiny guardians.

Mangrove hummingbird feeding on flower of tea mangrove

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It has been a very busy week and I havn't had much time to spend in the mangroves since I spent 5 days getting the images you saw above. We spent many days getting ready for a visit by 30 national and international journalists. The purpose of their visit, an initiative by the Costa Rican tourism institute, was too showcase Tambor as an eco-tourism destination, and to create some positive press for the area in wake of the 7.6 earthquake that rocked the ground in September. It was a very scary event, but despite the power of the quake, the area escaped major damages. The journalists arrived on the 30^th of November and stayed overnight at Tambor Tropical where we gave a powerpoint presentation to introduce them to the area. The idea was to use photography to show the beauty and potential of Tambor as an eco-tourism destination and I was given the job in putting it all together. The few days leading up to the presentation found me racing around the area collecting the many images that were needed and then working long hours to organize it into a comprehensive presentation. I photographed the trail systems, iconic wildlife, scenic vistas, and local people of Tambor. I got lost in the jungle on my way to photograph a waterfall and had to follow the river to get out, wading through deep rock pools in the blackness the jungle night. For a history aspect, I visited local families, going through black and white photo albums with the elders of the town and looking for images of the first colonizers to the area. I ended up in the mayors office in the local town of Cobano, trying to find a projector to use and a compatible computer. I also met with local business owners to make sure the presentation spoke for them and that everyone was happy with the chosen direction. In the end it all went off without a hitch and the presentation, which was given by the hotel manager Juan Carlos, was a beautiful display of the areas attractions, wildlife and people. 

Juan Carlos giving presentation to the press

Welcome cocktails - Coco Locos!

Press eating supper at Tambor Tropical

Press eating supper at Tambor Tropical

The next morning we brought everyone to HyB, the restaurant and cabinas of my good friends Jeimy and Carlos where they had a buffet style breakfast prepared for the press.

Buffet style HyB breakfast, Mora and Fernando

Breakfast at HyB

Addressing the press at HyB

Then it was off to show the journalists some of the areas, including the scenic walk along the coast out to the solitary tree, which some of you may remember from blog posts last year.  They were transported part way with buses, which weren't exactly made for the jungle.

Trying to back the buses through barbed wire fence

As for us, we got to travel in style; land cruisers!

Jose in the land cruider

The walk out to the solitary tree brings you through some pretty awesome tropical forest, with lots of wildlife to see along the way...

Trail to solitary tree

Howler monkey feeding on leaves

Trail to solitary tree

Lush coastal forest

The solitary tree

Roots of solitary tree

Journalists with solitary tree

Interview with solitary tree

Journalists with solitary tree

The major Costa Rican television channels, magazines and radio stations were well represented, as well as a few international press. We are all hoping for a flood of positive media and a bright future for Tambor.

Now that all that craziness is over I am looking forward to spending some more time in the mangroves, documenting the life of the mangrove hummingbird and exploring other areas in hopes of finding more birds and more tea mangrove.  Also on the go is a proposal to the municipality to have the area designated “Parque Tambor” a protected area that tourists and locals alike can enjoy. So far the idea has been well received and it is now time to work together to make it happen.

I big hello to everyone back home! Hopefully posts will be more frequent now that I have more time to myself.

Cheers!
-Nick