Good-bye Tirimbina (Brian Shipp)

Well, this is the last chance that I have to post a blog here in Costa Rica.  We head out of Tirmibina on Saturday and it will be a bitter sweet departure.  I’ll be sad to leave but excited for my next adventure to the rafting camp at Guayacan.  The past few days have been full of excitement.  My night time amphibian/reptile surveys have been very eventful with the finding of lots of different toads, frogs, snakes, etc.  The other night we came across a Cloudy Snail-eating snake which I had the opportunity to hold.  It was a really cool looking snake that gave off a funky odor, but it was still awesome to hold.  We also found a salamander which is a pretty rare find in these parts of Costa Rica.  During the day myself and some other students have had fun playing with David (pronounced Daveed) who is the resident chef Laura’s (pronounced Lowwra) son.  We have played a few games of soccer, large wood tower (which we know as Jenga) and swimming in the river.  He really seems to enjoy our company which is nice.  Today my team started our first day of Ficus research.  With the help of our guide Emmanuel, we identify which bird species are using the Ficus’ fruits as a food source.  There are so many beautiful birds here and a lot of them have vibrant colours.  The Tanangers in particular stick out in my mind with very bright colours of blues, yellows and reds.  Tomorrow is my last day of work here at Tirmibina.  We have a 10 mile hike ahead of us to Guayacan on Saturday that will be a welcome challenge.  It will be fun to push myself to get there in one piece.  I look forward to seeing all my friends and family but will be sad to leave.  Meghan, you’re awesome for picking me up at three in the morning in London on Thursday (I told you I’d give you a shout out haha).  Pura vida!

Surviving in the Dark (Andrea Follett)

Hola! I survived the PM reptile and amphibian surveys, which I’ll admit I was somewhat worried about. The highlight of the evening surveys was finding a salamander on a plant near the forest floor (very uncommon, this was the first salamander observed by Josh F. in Costa Rica!) Today, our group began identification of fruit-eating birds associated with different species of Ficus trees. Though I don’t find this as interactive as the reptile and amphibian surveys, I love watching and identifying tropical birds (including Canadian migrants!) We also saw two epic birds: the squirrel cuckoo and the slatey-tailed trogon (though not associated with the Ficus trees) and a two-toed sloth, a mammal I’ve always wanted to see in its natural habitat. I am sad to be leaving the Tirimbina biological reserve, but also curious and intrigued about the adventures that lie ahead in the upcoming week. I am prepared for the unexpected – bring it on. Pura vida!

Never a Dull Moment (Radek Odolczyk)

Buenas noches! There is never a dull moment here at Tirimbina. For example, earlier today we were sitting around reading and writing our journal, when who but a southern scorpion snake decided to join us on our patio. I assisted Josh in identifying my first snake, and was quite pleased with myself.

Speaking of snakes, we saw the most dazzling looking snake my eyes have ever witnessed. When we spotted it scurrying off the path with our flashlights it looked like it was glowing purple similar to a glow stick at a rave. Josh proceeded to catch the serpent and informed us that it was a Smokey snail-eating snake. Its beauty continued to impress me when I had the opportunity to handle my first wild snake. It is a dark coloured snake, mottled with grey and silver specks. It released a musk in self-defense but this did not bother me none as I’m quite used to foul odours by now.

We began our Ficus phenology surveys today, in which we observe the relationship between the Ficus tree and what birds feed off its fruits. The highlight of this day was spotting a Squirrel Cuckoo with has a very long tail in proportion to it’s body, which is beautifully striped black and white. Not to take anything away from the Canadian wilderness, but there is so much natural beauty here in thanks to the richness in diversity it is hard to take it all in. One thing at a time is the only way I can handle it.

Tomorrow is our last night here, and then of to Guayacan for further adventuring. See you all soon!

Pura Vida

Deb's Diablos

The Night Shift (Debbie Yarnell)

Yesterday was our last day on the amphibian and reptile daytime survey and tonight we do our first night survey.  From the sounds of things, it will be a much more exciting time since we are in the rainforest at night to start with and there are a lot of different species to see in the night.  Yesterday our big find was a Golden-eyed Parrotsnake, which we were all able to hold and have a photograph with.  Very interesting watching Josh dive into the undergrowth to catch the snake.  Sort of like a tree falling in the forest with not a lot of noise.  We also had an interesting find in my bathroom when we got back of a species that we hadn’t seen yet either, a little tree frog called Scinax boulangeri .  Still pretty warm here, around 29 without the humidity, but because today is a little bit of a down/ rest day for us,  it is easier to stay a little cooler.  Looking forward to a hike this afternoon with Josh and Irwin (an experienced older man who now lives here) going on trails we’ve not been on before.  Sad that tomorrow is our last day here, but looking forward to another new adventure on Saturday to the rafting camp.  Missing home, but will be there soon enough.

A Growing List (Jesse Van Allen)

The last few days have involved a shift in the projects I’ve been involved in as my team has switched to doing the reptile and amphibian surveys as opposed to the ficus research.  This has been an exciting change as I’ve been able to add to the list of different species I’ve encountered here in the rainforest.  The largest adjustment has been trying to focus your eyes on the ground instead of all the rainforest that surrounds you, I think it must be a learned ability.  The most difficult part of the process is trying to spot the small individuals.  Everything seems to blend into its surrounds making them hard to spot, and once something is spotted it seems as though everything here looks like something else only adding to the confusion.  Despite these challenges its exciting and rewarding to be part of this research.  Unfortunately our time here at Tirimbina is nearing an end and I only have two more surveys to complete, I’ll have to make sure I make the most of them while I still have the opportunity and hope to see a few more new species as it looks like we’re finally starting to get some rain.

A Short Note (David Dunn)

There was a hard rain last night that left the forest fresh and vibrant with early morning rays of sun illuminating the mist amongst the trees. I have been pretty lazy so far today so I can save my energy for the amphibian survey our group is doing tonight. It’s nice to sit on the porch and look over the rainforest. Yesterday was another good day; we got to handle a parrot snake and later tubed down the river to the swimming spot. I miss everybody at home and wish they could be here to enjoy this with me.  

Team Bushmaster

Ficus Finish (Josh Cronmiller)

Only three full days are left of our stay here at the Tirimbina Rainforest Centre. My group and I have completed our contribution to the Ficus Phenology project which was a little different than expected. Data collected for this project included percentages of immature and mature fruit, estimated between our three group members and our guide. We then stayed at the particular tree for about 45 minutes, recording bird species which utilize the tree for nesting, habitat and food.  A total of 25 different species (approx.) were recorded over three days by our team. This data is then used by Tirimbina in future and ongoing forest restoration projects in instances where bird diversity is compromised. It is a useful tool in protecting and maintaining biodiversity in the forest as a whole.

My team and I begin morning reptile and amphibian surveys tomorrow with our instructor Josh. The nighttime surveys were a success and hopefully the mornings will be too. Just want to say hello to everyone back home who’s reading, and Dani too!

"Oh ficus!" (Carolyn Knapper)

Today marked our final outing for the Ficus survey. Bird watching in a tropical paradise is truly an experience! Oddly enough, however, there were many species similar to what we have back home; Clay colored Robin, Great crested flycatcher, Swainson’s thrush, Black cheeked woodpeckers and several different tanagers. The most visually appealing was the Golden hooded tanager, a bright blue bodied bird with a golden cap. The most interesting sound was produced by the Montezuma oropendula (oro=gold and pendula=swinging), a large bird that makes its call as it swings around a branch. The fruits of the Ficus colobrinae were much smaller than expected, approximately the size of a blueberry, and tasted quite bitter. Fortunately we later wiped our palettes of the taste with freshly roasted cacao beans that grow in the research centre garden. We have been spending our days leisurely walking through the rainforest, as to avoid “Wesley Vipes,” the somewhat elusive Hog-nosed viper that the Masters of the Bush can’t seem to spot. We hike about an hour to work in the morning, crossing waterfalls, rivers and two large hanging bridges. Yesterday we spotted a sloth and several iguanas in the trees before retreating from the heat in the cool, rushing waters of the large river near the centre. Yup, it’s a tough life out here. Slowly we are attempting to pick up Spanish phrases; our guide/coworker Emmanuel shared a familiar tune with us (which Katie keeps singing half in French), “La cucaracha (the cockroach)! La cucaracha! Yono puede cominar!” Im confident that I will be fluent by the time Im back in Ontario- NOT! But for now, Pura Vida! To all my friends, family, Charlie and Scotty, mi amos! Tirimbina esta buenissimo!

Morning Move (Katie Bigras)

Yesterday we finished up our Ficus bird surveys, and we’re on to our morning surveys. This morning was really cool. It rained REALLY hard last night so many species were out and about! We saw plenty of reptiles and amphibians, but the coolest thing we saw was when we gazed up at the trees and saw 2 Crested Guan’s mating. They stalked us for about 100 meters afterwards. They looked so awkward because they are such large birds balancing on fragile branches in the canopy. When we were on our way back to our cabins Josh spotted a vine snake from about 20 meters away. I have no idea how he saw it because it has probably got the best camouflage for any snake I have seen yet!  So other than all the cool little critters, life at Tirimbina is great. Yesterday I took the majority of the day to myself to enjoy watching the hummingbirds feed from the heleconia’s, listen to the chatter of the Montezuma’s oropendula’s, and listen to the Howler Monkeys claiming their territory. Days have been plentiful here at Tirimbina but it seems that everyday there is time that you can take to enjoy and appreciate all the amazing gifts mother nature has to offer. 

Deb's Diablos Reporting

Debbie's Blog

Well, another few days in the living National Geographic adventure series here at Tirimbina Rainforest Center.  We have changed jobs and are now on the morning reptile and amphibian survey.  This is our second day at that and it was a little slow for sightings but we did see and photograph a Hog-nosed viper of a fairly good size and that was the first one that we have seen on our survey.  The weather is quite warm around 28 – 29 by 9:30 in the morning and lots of humidity.  Water is truly a very important thing to have with you at all times.  Yesterday afternoon we walked down the road to a place that the Bush master crew is calling paradise.  I would have to agree that it was quite beautiful.  A waterfall, swimming hole and great scenery.  Another National Geographic moment.  Aside from missing my family, I feel like this is a wonderful adventure and am very thankful for the opportunity.

David's Blog

Hola. Another great day at the office. Today we got up with the sun had a delicious breakfast and headed off into the rainforest to do the morning reptile and amphibian survey. On the trip we found a large hog nose viper and got a perfect view of a toucan.  The rest of my day consisted of playing soccer, relaxing in the hammock and swimming in the picturesque river swimming hole. Pura Vida 

Jesse's Blog

It’s hard to believe but everyday here in beautiful Costa Rica seems to offer a little something new for me.  Besides from the work we’ve been doing on the reptile and amphibian surveys spotting new creatures everyday, our off time has proved to be equally exciting.  The other afternoon I was introduced to a new swimming hole and waterfall a relatively short walk from our field station, truly a piece of paradise that looked like an image from a tourism brochure.  This afternoon after we finished our work we spent the afternoon playing football (or soccer as some would call it) with a local kid and cooling off the river when the sun got a little too much.  The only way this day could have been better was if a young child hadn’t embarrassed the group of us with his far superior football skills.  

Team Bushmaster Reporting

Katie's Blog

Everyday, just keeps getting better. Yesterday was the Bushmasters last shift on night surveys. So we took full advantage of having the morning off, and it was seriously one of the best mornings of my life. Josh, Carolyn and I walked up the gravel road we came in on. Located in the middle of farms and houses was a sweet little store that we thought was quite neat because it was just so random. After we purchased some Fanta and pear juice, we continued on our way and ended up stumbling on the most beautiful stretch of stream I have ever seen. You could go down and swim in the calm water right before the waterfalls, or walk down the side of the falls on the large boulders and jump into the natural pool created by the flowing water. It was simply amazing, swimming in this natural pool right beside the rumbling falls, and even being able to sit in a perfect rock seat in the falls. It was such a perfect morning, and such a perfect place that we decided to name it “Paradisio”. We came back excited to bring the others this special spot so they could enjoy it too!

Now that we are done the night shift we are working on the Ficus tree portion of our field placement. It’s a nice relaxing day, we get to sit under large beautiful Ficus trees identifying central American birds with a field guide and a nice man named Emanuel. What I enjoy best about the Ficus surveys is the 4km hike in the rainforest there and back to arrive at the center. I hope you enjoy the picture of Paradisio!

Bushmaster Paradise (Josh Cronmiller)

This field placement is slowly becoming one of the most fun, exciting and beneficial experiences of my life. As we were finishing our last night survey yesterday, I realized how much of a thrill the placement has been thus far. I could honestly say to myself that I could be a part of this type of work for the rest of my life, and be ultimately content. That, underlines the experience I am having in this wonderful line of work so far… enough said.

As I’m sure others have blogged about, yesterday Ms. Knapper, Ms. Bigras and myself came across something worth noting. “Paradisio” as we have dubbed it, is a waterfall/pool/bridge/ol’ fashion swimmin’ hole that we came across yesterday during the day on one of our bushmaster excursions. It is a surreal place, something you’d expect to find in a national geographic magazine. Anyways, I’m going to leave my blog at that, as I’m needed by my peers for a late night coffee on our balcony. Pura Vida!

Carolyn's Blog

Sensory overload, yet so little room to write about it in! The rainforest is always alive; the seemingly simple leaf litter of the forest floor, full of tiny, determined leaf cutter ants, marching with ten times their weight overhead and the angry wolf spiders lurking in every dark crevasse, waiting to attack; the vegetation camouflaging the forest floor inhabitants and providing a perch to wide eyed amphibians; the lush overhanging canopy that seems to soak up every ray of available sunlight streaming onto the land; the meandering rivers that flow over rocks creating beautiful waterfalls and holding schools of tiny fish, unafraid of my presence and swimming around my legs. It truly is paradise!

The last few nights the Bushmasters have been completing the reptile and amphibian surveys with Josh. The forest comes alive with reptiles, amphibians and even birds making their calls into the cool dark air, some sounding like something out of a horror film. The second night brought on a few nasty “jungle bees” that wanted to eat our flesh, and unluckily I was struck! To make matters even better, the immense amount of sweat pouring off my body found its way to the bite, stinging even more. Good thing Im a tree planter and am thoroughly used to being eaten alive by bugs! On the flip side, the days are relatively bugless, and full of sunshine. I spent the afternoon floating down a river in the foothills below our lodgings, allowing the current to carry me along beneath the bamboo and mossy trees. Each day we are exploring new territory, and yesterday we came upon “Paradisio,” named by us because of its breathtaking beauty and serenity. We pass several local farms to get to it, which consist of quaint, bright colored homes, chickens and cattle. The water is cool and refreshing, and Ive been snorkeling after the fish, taking pictures underwater. If there is one thing Ive learned about what I want to do in life, its that I want to travel the world to explore more of the beautiful hidden wonders Mother nature provides, just like the one’s here in Costa Rica.  

Team Chimichanga Reporting

Andrea’s Blog

The past three days Radek, Brian, Josh F. and I have been collecting data on reptiles and amphibians between 08:00 and 11:30 on three different trails at Tirimbina. Our group has learned a lot about the species observed and their habitat preferences (among other things). The first two days we saw many amphibians, but it wasn’t until day three (today) that we first saw venomous snakes during our survey. Today we saw three hog-nosed vipers and one ferre-de-lance, all venomous (and dangerous) snakes. The most intense moment was when we observed an injured ‘Central American whiptail’, a lizard species that is common at Tirimbina, which we stopped to investigate. While observing the species, a hog-nosed viper (likely searching for its prey) passed between Radek and I, nearly touching my legs. I nearly croaked! I must mention, however, that snakes are misunderstood – their intention is not to hurt humans, but to protect and feed themselves.

The rest of my experience at Tirimbina has been equally spectacular, yesterday Radek, Brian and I ventured to the other research centre (~4 km hike) and crossed two suspension bridges, saw a family of howler monkeys only ~15 ft away and Radek nearly was attacked by two venomous snakes (see Radek’s entry). Overall, I’ve learned not to mess around in the rainforest and that visitors must be attentive at all times. It’s good to be alive – Pura Vida!

Rad’s Blog

Holy crow folks! What an adventurous couple of days team Chimichongas which consists of: Brian, Andi and myself, have experienced. The AM reptile and amphibian surveys have been a very enjoyable way to start the day, especially the early morning light penetrating the canopy of the rainforest. We have had the opportunity to learn a great deal about the microclimates of the rainforest, and how these relate to the types of species that can be found within. Things just keep getting better and better here in Costa Rica! Yesturday after lunch, the team decided that we’d hike through the “jungle” over to the main center to check things out “on the other side”.

We managed to observe a Montezumas oropendula high in a tree, performing it’s courtship dance and song. The song of this bird sounds more like something a special effects program on a computer would produce, not a tropical bird. On our way back to our more remote center, we witnessed one of the most joyous moments I can recall: a troop of howler monkeys rolled over us in the canopy and decided to feed a stones throw away. The young were incredibly cute and inquisitive, and watched us while they munched on leaves. We were so close we could almost see too much (ask me about this in person). We had to be back for dinner so we decided to carry on before it got too late. About halfway through the walk, which I was leading something jumped in front of me and freaked me out… it was just a frog. Phew! I remained quite vigilant throughout, impressed with my observation skills thanks to the morning surveys, up until I took a step right beside a hog-nosed pit viper and it lunged the opposite way of my ankle. My heart must have skipped a beat, and we were all a bit freaked out. We calmed down and decided to keep going, thinking “that was a close call”… until about 500m from there, where I noticed a fer-de-lance right before I stepped on it. Luckily I managed to notice it early enough that this was not deemed a close call, after the last encounter. This was an eye opening experience for me, and I understood the fact that we are out of our element and must be EXTRA cautious. All I can say is that the Chimichongas learned a lesson, and now have a story to tell about it. I am absolutely smitten by this place and never want to leave, as there is hardly a dull moment. Not to rub it in, but I hope ya’ll are having as much fun as we are!

Pura Vida

Brian’s Blog

Hey everyone.  Well, the past three days have been something else.  I really can’t stress enough how amazing this place is.  On a hike yesterday, my research team (Team Chimichongas: Radek, Andi and myself) saw a family of 6-8 Howler Monkeys.  We were only about 20 feet away from them; it was an experience I will never forget.  There were 2 juveniles in the group and they seemed to be as interested in us as we were of them.  It was really interesting to just stand there and watch them eat and swing around in the treetops.  My research team has been out with our professor, Josh Feltham, conducting morning amphibian/reptile surveys.  I’m normally not a morning person but while I’ve been here I’ve turned into one.  Waking up every morning at 6 a.m. and going on 3 hour hikes hasn’t been a problem.  Getting out of bed and seeing the rainforest not even 100 feet away and mountains in the distance is amazing.  I even woke up this morning around 5:45 a.m. to see the sunrise.  Everyone heads down for breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and is treated to a delicious meal of fresh water melon, papaya, pineapple, rice and beans, and something new every day.  The food here is awesome and gives you lots of energy for the long day ahead.  The morning surveys have been challenging but a lot of fun and we get to see something new every day.  This morning we saw 4 venomous snakes, a few different frogs and toads, and 2 courting lizards.  This afternoon we headed down with some other students to a beautiful spot along the river.  There were some rapids on the right side of the river but a deep pool of still water to the right.  We were able to jump off the rocks into the water which was a lot of fun.  J-Cron and I jumped off the bridge into the river that was about 20 feet high.  This spot is just beautiful and we dubbed it ‘paradisio’, the Spanish word for paradise.  Some of the locals were taking pictures of all of us sitting in the rapids and having fun, I guess they don’t see a lot of people that aren’t from Costa Rica.  There is so much more that I could write about but it would take forever to type out.  Tirimbina is a beautiful place and if you ever have the chance to come to Costa Rica I highly recommend a visit.  I hope all my friends and family are doing well and having at least a quarter of the fun that I’m having here.  Everyone back home should live a little more like Costa Ricans; take it easy and enjoy life. 

Pura Vida 

Fun With Ficus (Dave Dunn)

I feel happy healthy and full of energy. I am not usually a morning person but here I am to excited to waste time sleeping. There have been so many new things that I have seen, and yet somehow I feel completely comfortable here as though a small part of me has always been here. For the last two days I have been working with a great group of people observing the interactions of birds species with several different Ficus trees. I was surprised by the variety of bird characteristics, from large to small, dull to colorful, herbivores and carnivores. If I were doing research like this for a career I would live a very happy life.  I am looking forward to every day here and what I might experience next.

It’s Been a Howl (Debbie Yarnell)

This is a very incredible place, even more than I was imagining.  We are in cabin rooms in a very civilized arrangement and steps away the trail into the rainforest takes us to a whole different world.  I am in a group that have been doing Ficus surveys for 2 days and it is a little deceiving regarding what we are doing.  It is actually a bird survey in numbered Ficus trees.  The ripe and unripe fruit estimate is done by the guide that we have, Emanuel, for the sake of consistency but we are responsible to spot and help identify the birds using those trees.  I have a total of 22 new species of birds just in a short 8 hours.  And today was a slow day because of the overcast weather.  Jesse, Dave and I were discussing today how very small we feel in comparison to the trees and plants here.  Everything seems to be giant size and so many colours of green that it is really hard to get any sort of a photo that gives a feeling of the magnitude of it all.  We all went on a night hike our first night here and that was a bit unnerving.  Got some really interesting camera shots and unbelievable sightings of things you would never see unless you were out at night.  One of the very coolest parts of the sound here are the Howling Monkeys which we think would be a good name for a rock band.  The sound they make is really unique and the guys are trying to imitate it so they can answer the calls.  Really neat stuff!!!

Can’t See the Forest for the Trees (Jesse Van Allen)

It’s safe to say that I came into this experience with an expectation of what the rainforest would be like, although I’ve never actually been to the rainforest.  I’ve since realized that after only a few short days the expectations I thought were lofty were actually conservative.  Walking through the rainforest it’s pretty easy to forget about the world existing outside of it.  The sights and sounds have an initial effect of a sensory overload while at the same time offering a sense of tranquility.  Since I’ve been here I’ve constantly tried to capture the perfect picture to convey the grandness and density that surrounds you while in the forest, but all the pictures have failed to do it justice.  My work thus far has been identifying different bird species using the Ficus tress in Tirimbina and I’ve been not only amazed at the wide variety of species present, but also their similarity to species commonly found in Ontario.  The work has been incredibly interesting and although I’ll miss the Ficus project when we switch in the next few days, I’m also looking forward to seeing some of the other surprises the rainforest has in store for me.

Day One at Tirimbina (Josh Cronmiller),

Our first day at Tirimbina was an eventful one to say the least. Carolyn, Katie and myself, the mighty “Bushmasters” as we call ourselves, were fortunate enough to have the day off, with us being the first evening reptile and amphibian survey. Our first excursion into the rainforest was last night as we were taken into a forest rich with life and teeming with diverse creatures flying, crawling and slithering about. It’s amazing to see the variety of species, even as I type this a large catydid crawls across the monitor. Our day consisted of a long hike (2.5 hours) to the main building where most of the tourists stay at Tirimbina. During this hike we found ourselves surrounded by wild boars, followed by leaf cutter ants and exposed to even more species of insects and amphibians. Our first contact with the internet and some other essentials was a nice way to start our stay as the main building has a few of these luxuries. We then hiked back to the research station sighting several snakes, one being the infamous hog-nosed viper. This has been the third highly venomous snake I’ve seen in the last 24 hours, I don’t think many others can say this… and be proud of it. Tonight we are out for yet another evening survey, I hope the beasts are as excited as I am.

An Excursion (Carolyn Knapper)

Its our second day now here at the Tirimbina centre, and it is beautiful to say the very least. It took a little while for the girls (Katie, Andi and myself) to get over our fear of being eaten alive by cockroaches in the night that were creeping around our beds, but we slept soundly. Last night we went for an amazing night hike that revealed so many new things. Josh climbed a tree to retrieve a small red-eyed tree frog, and ever so gently coaxed a tarantula from another tree for pictures. There were soooo many spiders! But luckily I am still alive and well. Today we (team “Bushmaster” consisting of Katie, myself and Josh C.) ventured out to the main centre, and what should have been an hour hike took more than twice as long. We traveled alongside a river and found an amazing little waterfall, and at one point found ourselves surrounded by Peccaries- wild boars. First we spotted their tracks, and later stared them in the eye from about 20m away. Katie and I went for a swim in a large nearby river, which was a great feeling after such a long sweaty hike. After scoring a free meal at the centre we ventured back, coming across a Hog nosed viper on the side of the trail. Definitely thought it was a Cat-eyed snake, something a lot less harmful, but after showing Josh our pics we realized how easily it is to come across dangerous creatures without even realizing it! Tonight we head out for our first Amphibian and Reptile survey, at 8pm with Josh. Im super excited to see what we find lurking in the dark…

Encounters of All Kinds (Katie Bigras)

Wow, so much already, where do I start!? Ok, the beginning: When we landed we got a cab to our hotel (Hotel Cacts). We were all SOO pumped and so very VERY excited to be in COSTA RICA. The second we got into the room Andrea said ‘check everything guys’… what a bad idea, I saw the biggest cockroach in the world and the three of us lost it, half due to adrenaline, half due to creepy bugs. But let me tell you, we sure had to get over that quickly. Here at Tirimbina they are quite abundant, throughout the night hike, no matter where you look in the forest, chances are: roaches…. Everywhere. BUT that’s not as cool as the Red eyed tree frog that Josh climbed the tree to get, or the Strawberry dart frog, or the Tarantula, the Fer-de-lance snake, the stick bugs, or the Great Owl butterfly to name a small few. But today was by FARRRR the coolest thing yet. As many readers may be aware, we are split into groups, Josh Cronmiller, Carolyn Knapper and myself are the Bushmasters…, we are on night surveys tonight through until the 18^th, on the Ficus tree the 19^th through until the 21^st, and on AM reptile survey the 22^nd and 23^rd. So today we went exploring, went for an 8 km hike to the other side of Tirimbina, and on our way…. Ready for it??... Pigs… surrounded by them, known as Peccary, it was AWESOME, and we were in the midst of looking at the leaf cutter ants when we heard the bushes ahead of us rustle. And as we walked up quietly we saw the first one, then the second… third… etc. It was absolutely amazing. When we arrive to the other side of Tirimbina, Carolyn and I went swimming in the rapids, it was so refreshing, considering we had just sweat about a litre of water each! On the trip home we tried to go a bit faster in order to beat the rain, as we were walking Josh saw a Hognose viper and pointed it out! We were literally inches away before it was spotted! So there it is, the first couple days folks… I cannot wait to fill you in on what’s next! STAY TUNED!!

First Impressions

Greetings from Costa Rica (Brian Shipp),

Well, here I am sitting in the dining room at Tarimbina Research Station.  What a trip it’s been so far.  Since leaving London, Ontario yesterday, it’s been a non-stop trek to get here.  The thirteen hour trip to get to Costa Rica was well worth it.  We stayed at Hotel Cacts last night and it was beautiful.  The view from the rooftop was just amazing and kind of surreal.  When we left the hotel this morning we had a very scenic drive to the research centre.  Everything I have seen so far has been new and exciting.  We hiked down to the river today and went for a swim to cool off from the heat and humidity.  I’ve already seen some cool lizards, birds, fish, insects, and we haven’t even explored that much yet!  Tonight we are heading out for a night hike to see what kind of creatures we can find; I expect to see some pretty awesome stuff.  Tomorrow my research team and I are heading out at 7:30am to conduct reptile/amphibian surveys for the research centre.  I can’t even describe how amazing this place is.  The natural beauty hear is just indescribable and our accommodations here at the came have far exceeded my expectations.  I am having the time of my life and I haven’t even been here more than a day!  I am not going to want to leave.  That’s it for now, puar vida!

Buenas Noches (Radek Odolczyk),

So we have just finished another fabulously delicious meal courtesy our lovely and friendly chef Laura. I got to say that I love rice and beans, served with a side of fresh salad. Oh, I forgot to mention that we are here in Tirimbina Rainforest Center in La Virgen, Costa Rica, N, NE of the capital San Jose. We arrived in San Jose last night around 9 pm after a long but rewarding day of travel. The realization that I was coming here had not sunk in until I stepped out of the airport and was hit by the warm air of the tropics. We then ventured to Hotel Cacts via taxi (glad I sat in the back and could not see the road) where we spent our first night and got some well-deserved rest. There is nothing in the world that tastes as sweet as tropical fruits that have been ripened in their natural conditions as opposed to a shipping crate, and this is how today began. After breaking the fast with the fruit of the gods, we continued the adventure to get here on a little bus that took us through a beautiful national park where we took in views of rainforested mountains, beautiful rivers and streams and overall breathtaking views. We also got to see some of the agricultural region where I discovered how pineapples are grown, in the ground. Once we got here at last I was blown away by our accomodations. This place is paradise and I began to regret that I had not forked over a few hundrew dollars to get a camera for this trip. Oh well, the memories will live on in my mind I guess, until I begin losing it. We have had a great time here since, going swimming in the river near-by and checking out some neat critters such as: 2 types of praying mantis’, some sort of camouflaged leaf grasshpper type thing (don’’t remember the name), and too many types of plants to keep track of. The highlight so far has been the amount of flowers I have seen varying in colours from gold, greenish yellow, purple and orange and the list goes on. I gotta run so make it in time for our reptile and amphibian night hike!  As they say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida!

HOT DIGGITY (Andrea Follett),

I’m in Costa Rica! And emphasize the hot, but I love it. There is a large and mysterious bug flying around my head as I’m writing this. . . I must confess I have a great fear of a tropical bug laying its eggs in my dreads *quivers* - but it’s worth the adventure! We arrived in Costa Rica yesterday evening and a few of us (myself included) hadn’t slept in 48 hours - today I am still recovering. We arrived in at the Tirimbina biological research centre today in the late morning and it has blown my mind – the sights, smells and sounds are indescribable! Following lunch, an introduction was given to us by Melki, who described the goal of Tirimbina: to promote scientific research and conservation, while educating the local and broader global community (that’s us!). FACT: Tirimbina hosts 25% of amphibians, 24% of reptiles, 40% of mammals, 35% of birds and 13% of plants native to Costa Rica. This is impressive for an area of 345 hectares (ya, it’s big – but that’s A LOT of biodiversity). Tomorrow, I begin research on reptiles and amphibians in the region with my fab team – Radek and Brian. We will be collecting data regarding the habitat preferences of reptiles and amphibians at three separate locations over the next three days. It’s a big job but I am SO ready for it! Must get back to the huge bugs and the wide unknown. Pura Vida!!!