The title of this article is also a multiple choice question.

WHY DO BIRDS SUDDENLY APPEAR?

a. Just like me, they long to be close to you.

b . They get sucked into a mini-black hole and are deposited at random locations.

c. They just get lost sometimes.

It is possible any of the three answers above is the correct answer but the MOST likely answer is ‘c’. They just get lost sometime.

An American Flamingo got lost out over the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea recently and showed up on a beach in Costa Rica.

This American Flamingo showed up on a Caribbean beach, near Cahuita, about two and a half weeks ago. Since that time almost every birder in Costa Rica has made the trek out to see it. (A Cahuita entrepreneur has become Costa Rica’s latest millionaire, selling hot dogs, soda, those little camera batteries and sunscreen to the throng.)

Any ‘first time ever’ bird showing up in Costa Rica becomes a big event; but when that bird is massive and bright PINK!!!! Well, you can imagine the excitement.

Why did this American Flamingo get lost? Maybe it just made a wrong turn somewhere but most likely those massive tropical storms and hurricanes out in the Gulf had a lot to do with it.

The Flamingo has been with us for over two weeks and seems quite content feeding along our Caribbean mudflat beaches. If you want to give it a look, I suggest you drive to the Cahuita area and look for a pod of people all carrying binoculars and cameras…eating hot dogs and drinking soda. Tell them hi.

American Flamingo, photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Author John Boorman’s great book ‘Deliverance’ gives us some wonderful advice:

“Sometimes you’ve got to lose yourself before you find anything.

Well, I didn’t get lost this morning, exactly–but I did take a walk along a stretch of road that I’ve zipped past in my car no doubt hundreds of times before…and so have you, I’ll bet. On that stretch of road grows an epic Ceiba tree. This tree lives in a small patch of greenery near a jolly little stream with a burbling cascade. Fruiting trees grows there, as do Cecropia trees, ferns, vines and epiphytes. As you’re heading down to Sabalito, you’ll see this spot (see below) on the left side of the road about 40 meters past the Pali and Frio Sur..

Photos courtesy of Greg Homer. Oct. 2, 2024

There are no signs announcing this place; no benches…no trails. But the hour I spent birding there this morning proved to be one of the better birding experiences I’ve had.

My point? We have great birding spots ALL OVER Coto Brus; and not limited to the well known National Parks, Gardens and Reserves. These diamond-in-the-rough spots can be most enjoyable and may give you some never-to-forget natural history moments.

If you have the time, check out the spot I have just described. You know what? We should get some benches put out there and give it a name.

Please share with me any Diamond in the Rough spots you enjoy.

Greg Homer

eltangaral@gmail.com.

A sizable wire cage containing 206 white doves, with each of the doves representing a country competing in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, was prepared for the Opening Ceremonies. At a given signal all 206 of the white doves were to burst out of the cage and majestically fly around.

‘Hey,’ said one of the doves to the other 205 of his colleagues. ‘My father-in-law had this gig four years ago at the Olympics in Tokyo.’

‘What did he have to say?’ queried another white dove.

‘He said, it’s horrible! Apparently, Peregrin Falcons, Merlins and other birds of prey have figured out that the opening ceremony of the Olympics is like a full-course buffet.’

‘A what?’

‘Us, don’t you get it! We fly out of this cage and they just pick us off.’

The thought of this sent shivers down the snow-white spines of the doves.

And so, when it came time for the doves to burst out of the cage and majestically fly around, they all just..sat still.

The world viewed this as an omen of great import; and collectively decided to stop all aggression, fighting, meanness and even harsh language…which was good. (unlike this joke which doesn’t even have a punchline)