Bolita- Day Seven

Morning View From Bolita

After being on the Pacific coast for 7 days now we're starting to get the rhythm of the days. It is nice and sunny every morning and then there is a random rain around mid-day which can last anywhere from 30 minutes of downpour to 6 hours later lightening up.

This morning was GORGEOUS. The view from Bolita which I had apparently been to tired yesterday to fully appreciate looked stunning in the morning mist and sunlight. It was the perfect day and after a nice warm oatmeal breakfast we set out on a hike.

A small trail took us to a stream us to a small waterfall and then back down. But don't judge a hike by how long it is. This small walk had many new species for us and a lot of beautiful wildlife. The mud and rock bank of the trail had many ferns, mosses and small flowering plants growing on it.

Small flowering plant

Along the trail Chris suddenly stopped in-front of me, a red frog hopping along the banks of the trail had caught his eye and quickly we grabbed some nice photos of our first Granular Dart Frog in Costa Rica.

Granular Dart Frog (Dendrobates granulosa)

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

 Further along the trail a larger frog catches our eye. A brightly coloured Black and Green Dart Frog quickly hopped out of the view of our lenses. A few minutes later and with many frustrated words, another of the same species disappeared on us.  This frog quickly became one of the species we were determined to get pictures of before we left and they were quite common around Bolita so hopefully we will get lucky enough to have one sit still!

Like clockwork the scarlet macaws and chestnut-mandibled toucan were back for lunch and true to the owners word the Gulfo Dulce Dart Frog showed up in the shower!

Golfo Dulce Dart Frog (Phyllobates vittatus) is endemic to Costa Ricas south pacific coast

Rains kept us inside for a bit of the afternoon and we relaxed in the hammocks under the raised house at Bolita. It was a lovely place to be even in the pouring rain. As night approached the rain started to fade and we started out on a night walk. We chose the entrance trail since there was a decent sized stream that looked good for some cool wildlife.  We were not disappointed! I found a Common Rustyhead Snake as we got closer to the stream.

Common Rustyhead (Amastridium veliferum)

Common Rustyhead (Amastridium veliferum)

It was very nice to see another snake species other than a Northern Cat-eyed snake (nothing against cat-eyed snakes but we're hoping for a diversity on the trip haha). But... we moved along quickly since the frogs were calling us!

Following calls in the tropics has in my experience only ever been half successful because half the time I end up finding an insect or something else since I am not very familiar with the Costa Rican frog calls. This night on the vegetation hanging from a rocky cliff over the stream I was very lucky. One of my goals for the trip was completed as a tiny green frog called loudly for a mate and lead me straight to a Reticulated Glass Frog! Being as ecstatic as I was about this one frog I almost didn't notice the egg masses and pairs already mating under the leaves! OR the sleeping bird a foot above my head!

Reticulated Glass Frogs(Hyalinobatrachium valerioi)

Stages of a frogs life in a Reticulated Glass Frog

There were many other critters out that night including tons of invertebrates. Many species of cockroaches, spiders, centipedes. I was most fascinated with the fishing spiders. They are stuck to rocks by a single thread and can jump onto the water to catch prey like a bungee jump or can actually submerge themselves under water. Although there was a lot out that night we said goodnight to the critters and the bats and the sleeping birds to get ready for a another early morning the next day.

Large Fishing Spider