Chacara

On Saturday, we visited Chacara, a small hamlet on the shore of a large estuary south of Uvita. When we arrived, a local fisherman was discarding unwanted fish from his boat, and in attendance were 30+ Magnificent Frigatebirds, 40+ Black Vultures and 5+ Brown Pelican.

A walk along the shore of the estuary towards the mouth revealed 40+ Sanderling in flocks with a Least Sandpiper, and two Spotted Sandpipers. A large group of 60 Royal Terns were roosting on rocks in the estuary mouth along with seven Sandwich Tern, two Whimbrel, c.15 Ruddy Turnstone and one Surfbird.

An Anhinga was also drying its wings on a wooden perch in the middle of the estuary along with a Belted Kingfisher.

Magnificent Frigatebirds - before today, I'd never appreciated the shear size of frigatebirds, having only ever seen them soaring high overhead or out to sea.

Brown Pelican

Mangrove Swallow

Least Sandpiper (with Sanderling)

Royal Tern (left), Ruddy Turnstone (middle), Whimbrel (right)

Royal and Sandwich Tern

Ruddy Turnstone (left), Surfbird (right)

Belted Kingfisher (left), Snowy Egret (middle), Anhinga (right)