So I'm finally getting the time and cooperation from technology needed to upload pictures. Here are a few choice favorites from my time here in Osa!

Like I've said, birding here is very slow but today we caught a paraque and an immature red capped manakin! I figured, since I'm on the bird team, I should include at least a few pictures of birds!

Believe it or not it's my last day in Osa! It's been a trying time here. There's been homesickness, injuries, and technology meltdowns. But it really is a gorgeous site with an amazing setting. Allow me to set the scene...

We are standing in a clearing in a tropical rainforest. In the clearing there are small planted trees and a garden. Buildings line the perimeter of of the clearing. The dining hall is at the closest end with no walls and a cone shaped roof. The rest of the buildings only have half walls with large, curtained windows. I think I already told you all about the awesome pink mosquito nets and yesterday we got groovy colorful sheets! There's a large fruit tree that pairs of scarlet macaws visit every evening. The macaw couples frequently visit the clearing, in fact you almost always here their calls and see them flying overhead. Toucans can be seen often and monkeys are frequent visitors. The monkeys climb all over the trees that line surround the clearing. We are woken each morning by the loud moans of the howler monkeys, and we often see spider monkeys, white faced capuchins, and SQUIRREL MONKEYS!! They're so gosh darn cute.

Unfortunately birding is slow here, but afternoons are relaxing with daily trips to the beach. We've found a lovely lagoon away from the rough waves and perfect for relaxing. The beach is deserted so we have all the space, coconuts, hermit crabs, and pretty shells we want (though the most coveted item is a smooth, skipping stone). For most people anyways, I can't skip stones so I typically just make drizzle castles...

Our last site of the trip is La Selva and is the roughest stop of the trip. But it should be great for birding and I could really go for some exciting birding right about now. Internet permitting I'll continue to post! Now on to La Selva!

So I'll be limiting my blog posts FOR SURE from now on but Michelle is letting me do mini posts from time to time. Internet permitting I'll include photos as well!

But here's an update about my decrepit computer. After drying out the hard drive it still didn't work in my computer. BUT it worked fine in someone else's computer meaning that my hard drive is FINE! The humidity damage was all to my computer itself and not to the precious hard drive. So while my computer is officially down for the count, my data is fine so I'm calling this a win.

So here are some snap shots from the past few days! It's pretty chill at Osa. We bird in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon with rigorous hiking and siesta-ing in between. So here are just some quick memories in no particular order from the past two days!

Nevermind the site I typically used is being blocked for some reason and I feel bad for being on this computer for so long - maybe I'll try again some other time... So don't expect many pictures any more I'd say.

Here are some shots of the sunset tonight from the front stoop of my house. It was like a live action painting in the sky.

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 : )