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Erin

Coddiwompling through life, guided by my love of nature and insatiable curiosity.

Muchas Lluvias!

Thought I’d share a bit of the recent downpour, taken from my front porch. They aren’t kidding around about this being the rainy season. The pattern this week out here on the Nicoya Peninsula has been sunny mornings followed by wet evenings.

The rain does cool things down a bit which is much appreciated. The temperature only hits the low 80s (with humidity in the 90s) but somehow the sun down here feels hotter. And this is coming from a girl who grew up in Tucson and just spent the past summer living on the Texas Gulf Coast.

The rainy season may not be a tourist’s delight but the locals love it, especially the plants. This is a dry tropical forest, meaning that when the dry season starts in December plants will respond by dropping their leaves to conserve water. The lush greenery that surrounds me will soon turn brown and be coated in dust. Hard to fathom right now.
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My Lucky Day!

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Flotsam Colones, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

Wow – what a great day! Not only was the weather absolutely perfect for a long beach stroll but the ocean gifted me with a bunch of colones. Up until now, I’ve mostly been finding small coins (roughly equivalent to our US penny). I’ve been using the change to buy my daily banana from the market on my way to the playa (about ten cents).

Today I headed north for a longer than normal jaunt, eager to explore new territory. Rounding a bend I noticed a bunch of colorful rectangles mixed in with bits of plastic debris. The odd shape warranted a closer look and I’m so very glad I did!

At the current exchange rate, 57,000 colones equals $100 USD – that’s a lot of bananas! Thanks, ocean.

On another note: Aren’t colones pretty? They are mostly made of plastic and each denomination features an iconic native animal.

 
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Berry Nice

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Ornamental Banana Bloom, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

True banana plants grow well here but this ornamental variety (Musa ornata) serves as a fast-growing privacy fence lining many yards. Plus, as you can see, they really are quite stunning. Though they do produce fruit, it is largely inedible due to the size of the seeds.

Last thought on bananas for now, did you know the fruit is actually, botanically speaking, a berry? Go ahead, look it up, I’ll wait. Oh, and once you have the weird world of berries all figured out, could you explain it to the rest of us?
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Yard Birds 1

Black-headed Trogon – F
Black-headed Trogon – M

I have a small gnatcatcher to thank for pointing out this stunning couple in my yard. As a birder, my eyes catch and follow movement among the trees, while my ears listen for cheeps, chirps, and whistles.

So even though these Black-headed Trogons (Trogon melanocephalus) are vibrantly colored, and by no means tiny, I almost overlooked this pair since they were so still and quiet. And no, I never did get a good shot of that gnatcatcher, it zipped away while I was photographing these two.

Though the genus name trogon is Greek for nibbling (since they chew on wood to make their nests), this species is a bit of a standout as they nest in active termitaria (technical term for termite nests). I think they’re pretty smart, why do all that extra work if you don’t have to?

 

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Water Dwellers

So, this is what might happen if you own three cameras. You “might” forget to import the media from one of them because you forgot which ones you had with you at the time. Because, honestly, who would take all three cameras with them at once? I mean, obviously, two is plenty…cough.

The following short videos are from my boat ride to Isla Tortuga a couple weeks ago. It was a treat to spend a bit of time with these charismatic creatures!

 

Note: As you can hear in the video, I was fascinated by their white bellies (and yes, I’m aware that I sound like I’m 12). The white belly is actually a pretty unique feature, as humpback whales in the southern hemisphere sport white bellies (unlike their northern counterparts who have black bellies).

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Slow Learner?

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Toy House on Beach, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

Just about a month ago, I shared a little post where I mentioned my need to be more specific when I put a request out to the universe. Apparently, I am still wide of the mark. The ocean gifted me this toy house this week.

A house on the beach would fit me perfectly, even if it was a purple one. Though obviously, I need to include more parameters: like large enough for me to actually live in, for starters. But what a great view, yeah?

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Sea Urchin Tests

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Dead Sea Urchins, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica October 2019

These are my favorite kind of sea urchins, dead ones.* I know that sounds harsh coming from a self-professed nature lover but there is a personal reason for my animus.

Years ago (no, I won’t tell you how many, suffice it say it was quite awhile ago), my husband of one whole month and I traveled to Grand Cayman to attend my sister’s beach wedding. It was a special event that I almost missed thanks to a damn sea urchin.

While wading in a tranquil, turquoise-colored tide pool I had the serious misfortune of stepping on one. I have a really high pain threshold but this was excruciating! It not only stung but it spasmed as if being stabbed by dozens of tiny, electrified skewers. In other words, I don’t recommend touching a live one.

As I limped back to the hotel we passed our housekeeper who empathized with my predicament and said as a child she would just pee on any sea urchin stings. At that point I was willing to try anything! Only one small problem, as a woman, it is a considerable challenge to pee on the underside of my own foot.

So, I turned to my spouse (who had that manly ability to aim) and ordered him to pee on me. His answer? “But, I don’t have to pee!” I could’ve murdered him (justifiably so). Thankfully, a couple bottles of water later the curative pee was dosed to my instantaneous relief. So, yes, I still hold a grudge against sea urchins.

*Note: I found these tests during a recent beach walk, I did not have anything to do with their demise.
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Negative Ions Rock!

Thought I’d share a few seconds of Montezuma Falls with you. My new friend Ricardo led me up the slippery trail to these falls last week. It was a wonderful way to spend a hot and muggy afternoon.

In case you didn’t know, crashing/splashing water releases negative ions into the nearby air. Which, according to studies, are really good for you (in spite of their adverse name). That mood boost you feel from walking on a beach or hiking to a waterfall? It isn’t just from the beautiful scenery, as negative ions are known to increase people’s levels of serotonin.

Sorry, watching this video won’t give you the same effect, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
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Muchos Perros

Dogs with Friend
Me Petting a Friendly One

In my Costa Rica adventuring I’ve encountered a lot of dogs. While they are free ranging, they aren’t strays. Most of them sport collars or bandannas of some sort and I have yet to see any that look unhealthy. Many Ticos (the term locals call themselves) have at least one. I was told that the country recently increased the penalty for anyone caught intentionally harming or abusing animals. Sounds like a good policy to me!

The dogs roam the streets and beaches, often coming over for quick pet, game of fetch, or sometimes even accompanying me on my long beach strolls. They will also join you at the soda (local term for small diner), in hopes of scoring a few yummy morsels.

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Dog, Wishing the Soda Would Open

 

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