Curu Wildlife Refuge
Curu Wildlife Refuge is home to endless amounts of trees fruiting with coconuts, mangrove estuaries, and rows upon rows of mango trees that have long since forgotten how to fruit. Amongst one of these patches of mango trees is our other banding station, and tucked along the trails that bisect a unique edge habitat of White Mangrove trees are our nets. We placed the 22 nets strategically so they would bisect the many attributes of this unique habitat. We catch a wide variety of resident species, whose unique attributes and colors blend them into the harsh environment of this unique tropical...
Read MoreRecaptured Northern Waterthrush
RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser discusses a recaptured Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) that has been spending multiple winters in Costa Rica’s Curu Wildlife Reserve. He talks about the importance of such a finding and the goals of this tropical research as well as why the birds of our backyards need our help. Video by RTPI President Twan Leenders in December 2013.
Read MoreProthonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) by Twan Leenders
This stunning Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) and its vivid yellow color stand out magnificently against the white Meet Your Neighbours style background. Twan took this photo while in Costa Rica last week after it was netted and banded by Sean. It is high on my list as one of the best I’ve ever seen. Coming from Connecticut the Prothonotary is a rare treat and seeing one like this…whoa. If you can find a banded male this spring and summer in your local wetlands, stream, swamp, bottomland forest or associated habitats it may just be this bird!
Read MoreYellow-bellied Flycatcher range
One of the many terrific photos Sean has sent us from Costa Rica was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) he netted and banded. The bird was captured at Finca Pura Vida. Take a look at this lively friend! That’s a great expression and a really great capture. This talkative bird made me think a bit about the species in general. You typically see them only scarcely or rarely in migration in most of the United States. I thought about the usual locations I would find them and some of the sightings I’ve had and knew that they nested in the boreal forest but…I...
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