2008. My Year in Review!

Northern Cardinal, Indiana... when all else failed, I was was always able to take a picture of a Cardinal. Since I have very limited photographing technology, I was always happy to see this species nearby.  I really like this picture since this particular female was looking at me as if I was the paparazzi!

My 2008 Summary

252 Life Birds (World) as of December 31, 08

224 Life Birds (World) added in 2008

250 Species seen in 2008

166 Species in Indiana, USA (2 uncountable)

90 Species in Costa Rica

Below are some pictures I took (remember, I am a novice) mostly in Costa Rica that I would consider highlights thus far in my journey as a birder.

Short-eared Owl, Indiana... this was one of my biggest highlights for 2008 in Indiana.  This particular day, 12/17, we saw at least 30!  They were everywhere, a sight to see.

White Throated Magpie Jay, Costa Rica... our first bird in Costa Rica, it came to visit us on our patio ledge and was very open to food donations... as you can see in the picture it really enjoyed pretzels.

Scarlet Macaws, Costa Rica... During our trip we came across this flock of about 13 Scarlet Macaws in Palo Verde National Park.  This was no doubt one of the top highlights for me during this trip.  They were absolutely beautiful!

Cinnamon Hummingbird, Costa Rica... This was the first of several hummingbirds that we would see during our trip.  This particular hummingbird kept us entertained every morning from our patio while we drank our morning Coffee.

Steely-vented Hummingbird... the most interesting thing about this hummingbird is that I did not realize what species I was taking a picture of until I zoomed in on some of the shots.  There were so many hummingbirds using this bush as a food source, all I could do is take pictures and hope to get a few good ones.  On this same shrub, there were also Black-crested Coquettes and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds.

Crested Caracara, Costa Rica... I didn't realize this bird spent most of its time on the ground until this trip.  We came across this one a few times on the trail.

Boat-billed Heron, Costa Rica... I took this picture from a boat and thankfully so since the river (in Palo Verde) we were travelling was full of Crocodiles!  The name speaks for itself.  Look at that bill!

Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Costa Rica... I have to admit that without our guide, Carlos, www.ecoexplorercr.com we would have missed alot of birds!  As with many birds, they blend well with their surroundings.