Today was my first full day in the Osa, a small peninsula with incredible biodiversity. The compound is actually quite lovely and open with a dining hall similar to Kiuic in Mexico! Our mosquito nets are pink (stylish AND functional) and the houses we live in have their own bathrooms. It's a really nice setup. Not to mention the beach is but a 20 minute hike away (but more on that later - OH THE ANTICIPATION!)

Let's start chronologically. Well, for starters you should know that the internet has been slowest here. I am not sure how many pictures I will be able to upload (or rather, how long my patience will last while trying to upload photos). So sorry it looks like you all made need to tolerate some entries with more text than pictures. Nobody panic.

Alrighty so Day 1 in the Osa. We opened up our nets early and were rewarded for our efforts. Now briefly I should mention that this is another slow site for birding so we only put the nets up in the morning. But right off the bat we caught a common paraque and a long tailed hermit (hummingbird!) I don't have pictures because my camera was MIA at the time (*cough*Dawleystoleit*coughcough*) so I'll elaborate a bit more. The common paraque is a silly little bird with huge eyes, a little beak, and the biggest mouth EVER. It was actually startling. I got the bird out of the net and he just sat motionless in my grip with his wings out. I went to press his wings in with my other hand and he snaps at me, opening this enormous mouth, and naturally i whipped my hand back and yelled "OH WOW NEED SOME HELP!" He turned out to be an awkward fellow and my friend.

I had a good time taking out hummingbirds today (I'm getting better getting those little birds out now).


While we didn't catch many specimens, the morning went by quickly. We have instated a new schedule for the Osa that consists of bird nets down at 9, lunch at 12, siesta until 1:30, and then beach from 2-4. Dinner's at 6 and then I have the rest of the evening off!

The group happily trekked through the muddy hills of the Osa, to get to the beach (although we had been warned not to swim due to a riptide). And finally, mud-caked boots and all we emerged from the forest onto the beach.





More pictures later (sorry I was so excited to see water I focused on merry making instead of picture taking...

The waves were insane! Even just into to our ankles we were being knocked down. We played this game where we stood in a row and waited to see who could last longest. We would get hit and toppled over, falling over each other, and laughing like children. It was a glorious, youthful experience. Then a few of us wandered down to where a river meets the ocean and the lagoon that formed at this junction. The water was cool and calm and we sat in the pool skipping stones and relaxing for a while. But tragedy struck when we returned to our spot. As I was lying out, napping until the others returned and we could head back to camp, I heard startled screaming. I sit up and notice waves coming towards us. In my head all I could hear was my thoughts yelling "PICK UP YOUR SKETCH PAD!!!!" - I can't remember the last time I reacted so quickly. I snatched my sketch pad and noticing my bag (with my camera) next to it, I grabbed it too and hauled the items up just as the water reached my ankles and swept over my shorts and towel. The returning group was just getting close to us when the waves hit. I turned when I heard them yelling and saw a group of frantic students running towards the carnage. It was like a battlefield. Clothing, towels, and bags strewn everywhere. We picked among the wreckage searching for our valuables. I am still shocked by how fast I moved in order to save my drawings and camera. Many cameras were soaked in the fray - their status is still unknown.

With that said, I'll be going back there tomorrow from 2-4!!! It's the beach - of course I can't stay away : )