Always looking up -- the Raptors of Costa Rica

It's a bird, it's a plane, its a bird -- probably a Raptor in Costa Rica!

Vultures & Hawk Eagles - Only saw two of these and got photos of one - missed the Ornate Hawk-Eagle.

King Vulture - Saw this species twice. First time on the coast but too far away (and raining) for a photo, second time on the last full day on the boat trip.

No Portrait

Black Vulture - amazing that I saw the species on the beach. We have Black Vultures in Rhode Island and we have lots of beaches -- but I have never seen a Black Vulture on the beach before.

Kites - Saw a number of Kites, but photos were tough - was lucky to get a few.

Hook-billed Kite - saw the species on the coast, but also at La Selva where I took these photos.

White-tailed Kite - On the first road we birded on the way to the coast.

Falcons - Although I often heard the Falcons days earlier than I got a photo, I managed to get a photo of every species we saw. Considering that they are typically stealthy I feel extremely blessed and know I was exercising every bit of bird karma I have to get these shots.

Laughing Falcon - the species vocalized every morning and evening at the Cerro Lodge, but I finally got the shot near the rice fields in Jaco. Note the snake (breakfast) hanging below the branch (we could not identify it).

Collared Forest-Falcon - Again we heard this species regularly around the Cerro Lodge, but saw it on Telefrico road near Jaco. Pat noted in all his years birding he had never seen a Collared Forest-Falcon out in the open drying off its wings.

Yellow-headed Caracara - saw this beautiful creature in almost every habitat and it was always a pleasure. Even had one of the last morning flying across the valley.

Bat Falcon - A pair of this tiny falcon landed ahead of us in a tree on the first birding road of the trip. We stopped and got a few back lit shots -- our only encounter, but a pretty good one.

No Portrait

Crested Caracara - the "red-headed" cousin to the Yellow-headed, equally beautiful but not a life bird.

Hawks - Lots of raptor activity in Costa Rica -- it always pays to look up. Saw new ones and some photo upgrades for others.

White Hawk - Seen from the ride down on the tram.

Common Black Hawk - One of the stars (although it's hard to beat the Sandhill Crane) of the Tarcoles Boat trip.

Crane Hawk - On the road to Cerro Lodge and near the Tarcoles Dock

More Hawks...

Roadside Hawk - Near the rice fields -- only saw once.

No Portrait

Gray Hawk - Often perched on the roadside

Harris Hawk - on that first birding road on the way to the coast.

Red-tailed Hawk - a regular back home, love the swallow next to the hawk.

Owls & Nightjars - No Portrait

Mottled Owl - At the garden of the first Tour hotel

Spectacled Owl - at the Butterfly Farm

Common Pauraque - Photo by David Ascanio - ironically I heard (first) & saw this on the coast