Costa Rica...La Tarde and the Caribbean Coast

Before heading north to Pacuare Reserve on the Caribbean coast, we made an overnight stop at Ecoturistico La Tarde, a lodge around 40 minutes from Puerto Jiminez. The lodge is surrounded by pristine rainforest close to Corcovado National Park and is known for for its birds and reptiles.

Grey-capped Flycatcher - very common around the Lodge

Golden-hooded Tanager

King Vulture

Swallow-tailed Kite

Before nightfall we set about herping and filming in the jungle close to the lodge near a 600 year-old strangler fig, one of the most amazing trees I've ever seen. This would later be the location of our night scenes.

La Tardes

Strangler Fig - the backdrop for our night filming

Strangler Fig

Our herping guide, Cesar 'Dr Frog' Barrio Amorós

Cesar photographing a Golfo Dulce Poison Frog

Golfo Dulce Poison Frog - endemic to Costa Rica

The strangler fig at night, illuminated by our
filming lights, it was an incredible sight

The night's herping produced several good species, including this lovely Southern Bromeliad Boa Ungaliophis panamensis, a rare canopy dweller that is only occasionally found lower down and rarely observed.

Southern Bromeliad Boa

Southern Bromeliad Boa

Also a very large Eyelash Palm Pitviper. You can just about see the eye scales, which give this distinctive pitviper its name.

Me with a Eyelash Palm Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii.
They come in a wide variety of colours, this one known 
as the 'Christmas tree'.

Eyelash Palm Pitviper  Bothriechis schlegelii 

Eyelash Palm Pitviper - 'Christmas tree' colour morph

Eyelash Palm Pitviper on the hook.

Cesar also found a nice Allen's Coral Snake Micrurus alleni on the lawn by the restaurant, a new one for all of us but, like most coral snakes, far too active to photograph.

The following morning we say our goodbye's and travel north on a long, hot, 8-hour drive which takes us over Costa Rica's central volcanic mountain range towards Pacuare Reserve on the Caribbean coast just north of Limon. Our staple for the journey...lychees. They are sold on street stands everywhere and make the perfect, refreshing snack, yum!

Road trip food - fresh lychees