Gull Worshippers: The Cult of Larophilia

Thayer's Gull, generally a west coast specialty, is a species many birders struggle with. Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.

It all starts simply and innocently enough. When you are a nonbirder, they are all seagulls. Case closed. But as you fall deeper and deeper in love with birding, you realize there are many gull species. They are similar, but should be easy enough to tell apart, right? But after that overly optimistic assessment, other, more experienced birders inevitably correct the IDs you are attempting. Gulls are not what they seem. You eavesdrop on gull conversations that include unfamiliar words like webs, mirrors, gonydeal angles, bleaching, backcrosses. You look at photos of strange birds online that appear telling to some, but mean absolutely nothing to you. You might as well be trying to read Egyptian hieroglyphs. Suddenly, you have the horrible realization that gull identification is extremely messy and complex. You become daunted, weak in the knees...how will you ever master this perplexing group of birds?

From here, birders go one one of two ways. Either they become extremely intimidated by gulls and refuse to master identifying them, or they obsessively begin gobbling information about them and spend long, cold hours in the field staring at gull flocks intently (although rarely contentedly). The majority of birders go the former route, at least temporarily. There are a lot of other birds out there that need to be seen that are more interesting, more unique, more attractive, don't hybridize and at the very least can be identified by the sounds they make. The fact that many great gull-watching sites happen to be dumps and landfills is nott very appealing either.

In California's bay area, gull-watchers often convene at the sites where herring spawn, in mid to late winter. Spectacular concentrations of gulls that gather to feed on herring roe hold a few rarities more often than not. Photographed near Fort Baker, CA.

Even the smaller, "hooded" gulls regularly cause complications for people. Franklin's Gull (above) vs. Laughing Gull is a regular struggle for many birders. Photographed at Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, CA.

In fact, some birders find "gulling" to be such a difficult and unappealing activity that they fail to see the attraction of it at all. This post is for them. There are, in fact, a number of reasons to get into gull mode, for good or ill.

1) Rarities. There are a large number of gull species out there, they readily form mixed flocks, and they often migrate long distances. This means that they frequently turn up outside of their normal range and are highly prone to wandering...this includes everything from the diminutive Ross's Gull to the hulking Great Black-backed Gull. Birders love a rarity, and in the sometimes dull winter months (depending on where you live), if you want to find a rare bird, looking at gull flocks is a good idea. In fact, aside from a few species that occur across the continent (i.e. "American" Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Bonaparte's Gull), the majority of gull species common in one part of the country are likely to occur as a vagrant somewhere else. Add species from other continents in to the mix (i.e. Kelp Gull, Black-tailed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Slaty-backed Gull), and the possibilities of what you can find are almost endless...provided you know an uncommon bird when you see one.

If you are one of the people who want to begin (correctly) putting names to the gulls they see, this is a good "starter gull" for you west coasters. Adult Mew Gull is a very easy bird to ID and doesn't readily hybridize...they are also cute. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.

Two "Olympic" Gulls (Glausous-winged X Western hybrids) and a Western Gull loiter next to a dump in San Leandro, CA. Olympic Gull is not only a common hybrid, its a common bird in general on the coast from central California north into British Columbia. A good "starter hybrid", I guess.

2) For birders who have been around for a long time, gulls often remain the most challenging group of birds to master. The amount to learn about their appearance, molt cycles, habits, variation and hybrids is practically limitless. If you love learning about bird identification, then dipping into gulls will keep you on your toes for the rest of your life.

3) The fact that large gulls are so prone to hybridizing raises a number of issues regarding taxonomy and species limits, which some find fascinating. Case in point is the Kumlien's Gull...the (almost) definitive gull book by Howell and Dunn treat it as its own species, but most high-ranking birders either consider it a subspecies of Iceland Gull or part of a massive hybrid swarm between Iceland Gull (glaucoides) and Thayer's Gull. The word on the street is that significant doubt has been cast on the study that proclaims Kumlien's to be a definitive species, but there has apparently been absolutely no followup on the genetic relationships of the Thayer's/Kumlien's/Iceland complex. Crazy shit, I'll leave it at that.

Speaking of funky taxonomy, this bird used to be lumped with Western Gull. Now you may think that all gulls are prone to vagrancy and grinding cloacas with different species...well, not this one! Yellow-footed Gulls are endemic to Mexico's Sea of Cortez, but wander in sizable numbers to California's Salton Sea. In the U.S., they have been recorded remarkably few times away from this lake, so if you want to see one in the ABA Area, there is only one place to go...more on the Salton Sea's special gulls in this post. Oh, they have never been documented hybridizing either.

Here in coastal California, young gulls can become exceptionally whitish by late winter. By summer, some young Herring Gulls that stay in the state essentially turn white, where they are inevitably misidentified as Glaucous Gulls. This eyecatching second-cycle Herring Gull is a very pale bird, no doubt colored in part by the California sun. Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline, Richmond, CA.

4) Prestige and Elitism. No explanation needed. If you know your gulls well, you will be worshipped as a birding Jedi. Become a gull warrior and you will start getting messages from gull wizards that youve never spoken to before, looking for your highly-valued gull opinions. Other birders will seek your consul and bombard you with gull pictures for you to identify. You will experience Raw Power like you have never felt before.

5) Variability. As mentioned above, there are so many factors that could cause a gull's appearance to be "abnormal" that it is really hard to get bored with gulls if you are trying to correctly age them and identify them to a species or particular hybrid combination. Put 100 gulls of the same age and species next to each other and you will be amazed at the differences between them...field guides don't get this point across, just time in the field.

This is what I call a first-cycle-late-winter-really-worn-and-or-bleached-bird-that-I-am-pretty-certain-is-a-Thayer's Gull-but-in-the-east-I-bet-they-would-call-it a Kumlien's Iceland Gull. I've seen a few of these birds in the bay area the last two winters. Photographed at Lake Merced, San Francisco, CA.

What the hell is this thing? I don't know. I can tell you some things it is definitely not, I can tell you some things it is probably not, and that is about it. I believe that's a Herring Gull (somewhere between 2nd and 3rd cycle) sitting behind it. San Leandro, CA.

6) Community. Top gullers are well known to other folks who are into gulling, and there are multiple gull-based listservs (and a pretty active Facebook group) out there so people can reach out for help and bounce prospective ID's off each other. Its nice because everyone is pretty open to learning and somewhat at the same level of ID skill. Having this network available is a great tool...and who doesn't like being part of a community? Aren't we all birders because normal communities shunned us anyway?

And that's it, straight from the source, one Seagull Steve. Hopefully you now have an understanding, and can sympathize with, the sickness they call Larophilia.

My favorite Larid! Red-legged Kittiwakes are one of the most lovable birds I've gotten to work with...if you have gotten to see this declining and charismatic seabird, consider yourself lucky. Buldir Island, Alaska.

Why Hello Lesser Black-backed Gull Its Nice To Meet You

While birding this afternoon with admitted nerd Cass Grattan (and celebrated author of Ode To The Drag Bray Birds of the Pacific Northwest), I decided to swing by the San Leandro Marina, where Noah Arthur reported a Lesser Black-backed Gull (LBBG) from a parking lot next to El Torito over the weekend. You easterners may find this a perfectly reasonable place to see a LBBG, but here in California they are substantially rarer, especially away from the Salton Sea. Although not a MEGA, it's still a damn good bird in the state.

Although no one had reported the bird since Noah's report from last weekend, I was surprised to find it within a few minutes. Conveniently, it was located in the gull flock I happened to be standing next to. It allowed repeated crushings and very close approach...I'm sure it's been taking handouts from people in this lot for quite a while. At any rate, by far the most cooperative member of its species I've seen.

This was a life bird for Cass. A birdgasm may or may not have occurred.

I had forgotten how small these birds can be for a four-year gull...there were California Gulls in this flock that made this bird look puny in comparison.

If this gull post turned you on or completely bummed you out, be sure to check BB&B tomorrow for the complete, and possibly vulgar, explanation on Larophilia....things may never be the same.

Big News: Lake Merritt, Storm-Petrels and Seagull Steve

Oakland's most popular vagrant has come a long way since his arrival at the lake last fall, when he was heavily molting. He is now crisply colored and has a big, shiny tuft. Last year he stayed well in to March, so we should have him for a little while longer. All photos today from Lake Merritt.

Well Bay Area folks, until recently I was completely unaware of the tremendous amount of effort being put in to restoring the connectivity of Lake Merritt with the Oakland Estuary/San Francisco Bay. This should provide both a healthier tidal ecosystem (including some new salt marsh) and more access points, which should result in better birding and photo opportunities. I guess I should go check out this newly restored area while the Perpetual Weekend is still rolling along...winter is almost over but I have a feeling the channel will be good for diving ducks like Barrow's Goldeneye. Much more work seems to be planned as well...the Chronicle has a good article about current and future restoration work right here. It's nice to share good news once in a while, you know?

This attractive but terrible creature has been lurking at the lake for the past several weeks. I think it's one of those mysteriously pale and faded Thayer's Gulls that some people would be tempted to call a Kumlien's.

If you haven't caught the recent storm-petrel news (inexplicably, also good), a new species was just officially described off the coast of Chile...Alvaro Jamarillo has a summary of the discovery right here. What is particularly exciting about this bird is that its just something birders and ornithologists have simply missed over the years; it is not a result of genetic work done in a lab. Also, the until-recently-thought-extinct New Zealand Storm-Petrel just had it's first breeding site discovered. Birdlife International has the details.

And since we are on a seabird kick, I think its worth mentioning my new field job for this spring and summer...monitoring breeding and foraging seabirds on Santa Cruz Island for PRBO (Point Reyes Bird Observatory). Santa Cruz is one of the Channel Islands that lie off the coast of Santa Barbara County in California...it is famous for the endemic Island Scrub-Jay and adorable Island Foxes, but it is a major seabird nesting site as well. Totally stoked for that, although my blog output will undoubtedly suffer.

Last but not least, The Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive (truly, the Caligula of ornithologists) wonders how certain individuals can put their money to work for birds over at 10,000 Birds. Check it out, and please comment if you know anything we don't.

Clark's Grebes are common at Lake Merritt; it's a great place to compare them with Western Grebes at close range.

El Tigre Fields

Green Ibis. Superficially similar to Glossy Ibis, but sporting a short bill with a thick base, and a slightly shorter, fatter neck. The difference in structure is obvious even from great distance.

After spending much of the day at La Selva, we decided to try out a random spot in the birdfinding guide I hadn't paid much attention to before...the El Tigre fields. This area was recommended for its marsh and grassland birds, neither of which we had really come across at this early point in the trip. The birdfinding guide warns that the site might not exist anymore, due to the high probability it might be turned into pineapple fields (a sad and common fate of much good habitat in the country), so we arrived with low expectations. Thankfully, this doomy prophecy was not at all true, and as of December 2012 the place was in good condition.

They also have what appears to be incredibly broad wings.

Green Ibis don't really get too colorful, but it was great to see them nonetheless. We had them as a heard-only bird at La Selva (thanks to Hainer of course) so it was immensely gratifying to add another Threskiornid to the ol' life list. 

We were given permission to walk out into the fields, and trip birds and life birds alike began appearing at a rapid pace. Among others, we were treated to crakes (heard only unfortunately), Sora, Purple Gallinules, Jacanas, Southern Lapwings, Harris' Hawk, Merlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Gray-crowned Yellowthroats, Giant Cowbird, Blue-black Grassquits, Olive-throated Parakeets, and the birds you see pictured today. What was probably a Sedge Wren got away without giving good looks (argh). Is this isolated population really the same species as our Lower 48 birds? Seems unlikely.

Anyways, no real crushes today, but the birds are of high quality...truly top shelf ticks. El Tigre was a great bonus spot, Dipper Dan later claimed he was in the throes of ecstasy while birding there. Check it out if you are birding the Sarapiqui area.

Red-breasted Blackbird was Bird Of The Site for me, although the seed Ffnch (see below) was a close second. Red-breasted Blackbirds are fond of grasslands, have a cool display flight and sing like a Savannah Sparrow...not much in common with the blackbirds of the north.

It was a crippler.

Nicaraguan Seed Finch was one of the species that we found here and no where else on the trip. I could not get over the size of their bills, they don't seem necessary. Gargantuan bill aside, these birds were quite a bit larger than the variety of other black finch/grassquit/seedeater type things that are found in the country.

Wild Muscovy Ducks!

Amazon Kingfisher is superficially similar to Green Kingfisher but is much, much larger and has a bill that could be used as a murder weapon.

I had seen this species before in Mexico but it was great to be reunited. Again, look at the size of that bill!

A haggard young Gray Hawk is just starting to acquire it's adult plumage. I'm sure it was grateful to be molting, because it really looked like shit.

Stilt was fiending for birds...at El Tigre, she frothed at the mouth. With every lifer her eyes would roll back into her head and she would begin speaking in tongues. Here she is recklessly diving into a canal and doing something weird with her hands.

New Binocular Blues

#firstworldbirderproblems

Best Friends and Unstable Freaks: Photography, Birding and Field Work With Jill Wussow

Those of us who have toiled in the mines of the Birdosphere for many years know that you start to build some key alliances over time. I have known Jill (without actually meeting her, how 2013) for longer than any other of my blogger friends, so she is a perfect choice for bringing back The Human Birdwatcher Project's interview series. As HBP reminds us, "birders are people too!", and I think Jill proves that...but as I've said, I've never met Jill, although I would be surprised if this developed into another Manti Te'o situation.

Jill's work and questionable deeds can be seen on her blog, Count Your Chicken! We're Taking Over!, and on her website, Jill Wussow Photography. You may also harass her on Facebook right here. All of today's photos were taken by photographer, blogger, sometimes-birder and Golden-cheeked Warbler servant, Jill Wussow.

Jill. Back when I started BB&B in 2008, you were the first blog I found which featured someone who did the same kind of work, yet took really good photos, and even started a blog at practically the same time. I was weirded out, but intrigued. When did you start taking seasonal field jobs? What were your first couple of jobs?

Oh, I'll tell you everything. A lot of it. Some of it.  2005 is when the magic happened (and when all hell broke loose). I took a Student Conservation Association gig playing with sea turtles, Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. I met some pretty spectacular people and made some of my worst enemies. You know how it goes. The end of the season ended with a love a shorebirds and a restraining order (uh, not against me). I was obviously hooked. 

You've been in the blogging game for days and have won worldwide acclaim throughout the internet. You are a true maven of the birdosphere, perhaps even a Bloggess. What is your secret? Why did you start blogging?

Oh yes, worldwide acclaim. It does get rather tiring. Yawn. I felt the need to spread the good word, and being nomadic, it was a good way to keep friends and family in the know of my whereabouts. And well, frankly, nature, bird, wildlife photography is kind of what I love doing. That passion thing, you know what I mean? It pumps me up when others get it and appreciate it. 

You clearly like birds a lot. Whats wrong with you? What drove you to them?

Yeah, they're okay. You're right. I kinda like 'em.  But here's the thing: they came to me and I couldn't stop them. It took me a little while to get into the whole birding thing. I can't lie about it. But once I did (thanks to a certain warbler), well, sweet baby Jesus, Tucker! I am not a lister and unless someone else is paying for gas and grub, I'm not about to travel hundreds of miles from Mississippi to Big Bend to see a Tufted Flycatcher....Oh. Hold up. This actually did happen. And my photo of it got on the front of the Western Birds Journal. Shhh....so obnoxious of me. 

But seriously, like you said, there's a lot wrong with me. 

How did you start birding?

I can't lie, it was thanks to an ex. He was/is a rabid birder and it took some time but I realized that as painfully dorky as birding is, it can be sort of...what's the word I'm looking for..."cool?"  It took a little while though and I still am easily distracted ( I may or may not have ADHD or something similar) by shiny shit or bright colors. Even though I started studying birds in 2005, it wasn't until the end 2007 when I realized what was up. The Golden-cheeked Warblers sucked me in. They became my new best friends and they all have wicked personalities. I love them, and I know they love me too.

What did you think about birdwatchers before you knew any? What do you think about them now?

I thought they were f'ing obnoxious and painfully nerdy.  I stand by this statement.  I mean, not all, but a good percentage. I stopped [whitewater] paddling because of elitist egotistical dicky-bags, and birders can be awfully similar. There's really no need to be a pretentious birder, so this confuses me. I'm a very competitive person, but seriously, with birding? It's irritating and it makes them (the people, not the birds, come on) even less cool, so get a grip, really. I prefer birding with just one or two other people; those group things bum me out...maybe I'm anti-social, and maybe birds don't love huge groups of humans. That being said, when I lived in Humboldt County, I got extra competitive and loved seeing my name above certain Humboldters on eBird. Ahem. Now, eBird pretty much bores me. 

Being a seasoned field biologist, you are an expert on field biologists. What do they think? What do they look like? What do they talk about?

Oh boy. If we're going with average, I'd say use keywords such as:  dirty, dorky, backpacks, gearheads. What? I dunno. I used to think there was a common theme but I've done more than 10 field seasons now and I'm not really sure. In my ideal field biology world, there is a lot of not-bathing going on, backpacking/hiking, field guides, good beer, frisbee, barefoot running shoes, vegetarianism/veganism, piece of shit cars, hummus, Dr. Bronners, "hey, check out this bug!," mountain bikes, weird incestuous relationships. Things like that. Of course the list goes on. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of Jack Johnson type music and recent graduates who like to talk the (scientific) talk rather than walk the walk. So. It's a little weird because I know who the true average field biologist is. And I wonder, Tucker, who are we being replaced with? Who?

The Jack Johnsonites are to be feared and loathed, there is no question.  It sounds like you have worked with as many horrible people as me. Any embarrassing/aggravating stories you want to share?

I have worked with many more horrible people than you have. I guarantee it. The aforementioned restraining order incident (which was heaps of fun), the alcoholic cactus poacher, the previously-jailed heroin addict, the 300 pound guy who wanted to kill anyone with a vagina, the crazy Mormon who I'm pretty sure was hiding bodies in her spare time, the gun-wielding slut grad student...I don't want to write a book here, Tucker, but I easily could. I'd like to say the drama thing escapes me but that's just not the case. I often feel like I'm in the middle of some twisted Real World Field Biologists nonsense...which, by the way, is a really good idea. Also, I do have a pretty horribly embarrassing story that involves a field dump, but I'll save that one for a rainy day. And one more side note: I've met some of my best friends doing field work, they're not all unstable freaks!

Is it possible to be a hardcore birder or biologist without being a nerd?

Yes, just look at Elias Elias!! I love him, and I hope this doesn't embarrass him because I mean it in a flattering way. 

I'm pretty sure Elias is a nerd (no offense Elias). Moving on...you take facemelting pictures. What gear do you work with? Anything not in your optical arsenal that you'd really like to have?

Oh. Why thank you, kind sir. I use a Canon 7D as the body. Wildlife and birds are taken with an OS Sigma 50-500 mm. I dunno if everyone wants to get gear giddy right here, so here is the link to my goods.

Of course I'd love new and improved goods, but honestly, what I've got right now gets the job done and I'm not going to complain...I do have to send a lens back to Canon to get fixed though, which sort of blows. 

What's it like being one of the dominant wildlife photographers in the Birdosphere? If you dropped this "biology" bullshit you would be huge!

Sell me. Sell me! Yea, I wouldn't complain if I could make some bucks off photos, at least enough to buy groceries. I wouldn't complain at all. That'd be pretty badass.  But at the same time, I love. I LOVE field biology. But it sucks because I'm all old and stuff now and I feel like maybe I'm the old weirdo who the rest of the crew talks about. Not that I'm paranoid, but you know what I mean. I'm 32, dude. Gross. Gives me a huge complex. However, full time gigs are not for me. And I get my kicks studying birds. I love and value what I do for money but I also love and value my play time (and sanity). Some may call me a slacker. 

It is well known that you have been cruelly persecuted by the Catholic Church and repeatedly denied help by the health insurance industry for chronic debilitating pain. Right-wing America is out to get you. Yet you continue to thrive in the midst of it all. Surely your drive to go on is based on a strong desire to see a certain bird....what is it????

True statements, my friend.  My willpower actually stems from (shade-grown) coffee, yerba mate, and IPA. That, and a need for justice and revenge. I dunno. I have dreams about Fork-tailed Flycatchers on a fairly regular basis. And sadly, there was one just a couple hours from me recently. I failed to acknowledge it for various reasons. I need/crave another Central America trip in the near future (so your CR blogs aren't really helping with that, mmkay?). I see what I see, and I'm always pumped to see it. Because in the end, I'm not picky. I love birds (and all wildlife), and it all puts a big dorky smile on small dorky face. I'm so embarrassed right now.

Taking a Gull Siesta With Bay Area Warblers

Ah, the crispy Black-throated Blue Warbler. Rare but regular during fall migration, this is the first bird I've seen that is actually wintering in the state. Pescadero, CA.

Birding for the last few weeks in the bay area has largely been dominated by gulls and waterfowl. That's fine and everything, but there are other birds worthy of our attention as well, particularly ones that aren't gull-like in any way, shape or form. Today I've posted a few of the warblers currently wintering in the area, rare and otherwise...they provide a more than welcome reprieve from the birds that wield nothing but whites, browns, grays and blacks.

BB&B is excited to be making several other announcements today as well...the much-maligned BB&B interns have been hard at work churning out high-quality content since the return from Costa Rica, and we are bringing you, the nerd, some good stuff in the near future.

- The Human Birdwatcher Project is finally bringing you the next installment in its scandalous birder interview series soon, featuring Johnny "in the middle of some twisted Real World Field Biologists nonsense" Nutcase, whose blog is here. Check the Human Birdwatcher Project tab above for previous coverage.

- It's gull season. You are painfully aware of this, despite the emotions you may or may not have for them. If you are wondering why people even bother looking at gulls, you will soon find it all explained in grisly and dorky detail.

- Have you noticed that vagrants who cross international lines are frequently being considered escaped pets by unwitting birders? Its been nagging at me, and I think there is something we can do to clear this up. Expect TOTAL COVERAGE on this subject in the next week or two.

- If you haven't found it yet, BB&B has a Facebook page that ridicules birders even more than we do here. Some exclusive bird porn is provided as well...come join us!

The bird is largely dependent on a particular tree that is owned and operated by a Red-breasted Sapsucker. The sapsucker drills wells in the bark, the warbler steals the sap. The sapsucker knows what the warbler is up to and will chase it off if it sees that the warbler is up to its tricks. Thanks go out to the property owner who has not tried to stop all the visiting birders from staring into his front yard.

As Black-throated Blue Warblers are prone to be, this bird has been pretty cooperative and confiding.

It's not a warbler, but BB&B would like to finally welcome Red-breasted Sapsucker to its hallowed halls. This is the bird that is making the Black-throated Blue's winter visit possible. Thank you Red-breasted Sapsucker, thank you.

Easterners who yawn at the sight of a Black-throated Blue Warbler may better appreciate this Towsend's Warbler instead. Despite their abundance here this time of year, they never wear out their welcome. Cascade Ranch, Santa Cruz County, CA.

Cape May Warbler is a very good bird in California (I believe it's still a state review species), especially in winter...please excuse the photo quality and instead wallow in the warbler's greatness. This bird's winter territory ostensibly consists of a single eucalyptus tree in Palo Alto, CA.

It's nice to see an adult male, rather than one of those staggeringly drab hatch year birds. If you are wondering what the black shit on this bird's face is, its gunk from Eucalyptus flowers. Just to see what was so amazing about this tree that could attract (and keep) a vagrant warbler that belongs thousands of miles away, I drank some nectar from one of the flowers...it was delicious! If I could live in that tree and drink its succulent nectar all day, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Common Yellowthroat. They don't make it onto this blog often, so here is a reminder that they are out there and you should love them. Cascade Ranch, Santa Cruz County, CA.

Palm Warblers occur regularly on the West Coast in fall and winter. I found this bird amongst rocks lining a sidewalk...they are not too picky about habitat. Sausalito, CA.

Birding La Selva III: Meeting The King, A Sweaty Jacamar Experience, and A Delicous Egg Sack Thing

After taking a break from Hainer showing us life birds, we decided to bird the entrance road all the way back to the main road, as directed by "The Dude" in his top knotch blog, Costa Rica Living and Birding. Although this is not really the deep forest that much of La Selva offers, it was very birdy nonetheless, even mid-afternoon. After we birded the road and had our second round of puttering around the cafeteria and drinking coffee, a vulture kettle appeared low over the treetops that contained a couple of birds I was dying to see on the trip...King Vultures.

King Vulture is one of those birds I've always known about, but are so exotic and blatantly facemelting that it was hard to reconcile that I was finally seeing them. They threw out the traditional, semi-shitty way I view vultures and made me have to completely rethink the entire family.

The birds made multiple low passes over us, leaving us with the cliche "soul-satisfying" views that birders are always going on and on about. Look at that face!

While we would go on to see King Vultures at several other locations, none of those looks approached anything like what these La Selva birds gave us.

We identified this as a Rufous Mourner at the time, which I still think it is...

...although the larger Rufous Piha looks almost identical. Still a very cool and cooperative bird, with hilariously small feet.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar, another amazing tropical bird. I really had a chance to crush this species better but it was so damn humid that I literally could not see through my glasses for quite a while (let alone my camera), no matter how many times I tried to wipe them down. There were 3 jacamars all hanging out next to the road, calling and flycatching, and I just could not get my shit together. Sigh. I like this picture at least.

Chestnut-sided Warblers are everywhere in Costa Rica, including puddles in roads.

A Crested Guan impresses the tourists next to the cafeteria. I did not expect them to be so tame...I may or may not have sharted with glee at this point.

Paltry Tyrannulet is another ultra-abundant Costa Rican bird. They are ubiquitous, and superficially similar to an astounding number of other birds. Note the cicada on the left, and the white egg sack thing on the branch.

Mmmmmm....delicous egg sack thing.

And life goes on for the Paltry Tyrannulet.

We saw plenty of Ruddy Ground-Doves. Their abundance does not hide their good looks. All photos today were from La Selva Biological Station.