Cane toad!

All AP environmental science teachers and students are familiar with the cane toad. The cane toad is native to Central and South America. It was introduced to Australia to control the cane beetle grub that was destroying the sugar cane crop. The cane toad didn't control the grub; instead it became a classic example of an invasive species.

Birding Hike




Birding with Kenneth and Albert

13 of us got up early for a guided bird walk with Kenneth and Albert. The trip was from 5:45 to 7:45. Since we weren't back in time for breakfast, Kenneth make arrangements at the dining hall for us to get food a little later than usual. We spent some time near the buildings and then walked back up the road out of La Selva. Then we went into the forest on a trail and made a loop that brought us out to where we hiked the first day. The guides were fantastic, and we saw lots of birds! Here is the list:


Gray-necked wood-rail





Gray-necked wood-rail

Olive-throated parakeet

White-crowned parrot

Squirrel cuckoo

Lesser swallow-tailed swift

Band-tailed barbthroat

Violet-crowned woodnymph

Rufous-tailed hummingbird

Violaceous trogon

Black-cheeked woodpecker

Cinnamon woodpecker

Cocoa woodpecker

Great antshrike

Common tody flycatcher

Great kiskadee

Social flycatcher

Gray-capped flycatcher

Tropical kingbird

Cinnamon becard

White-collared manakin
Plain wren
Melodious blackbird
Black-cowled oriole
Montezuma oropendola

Howler Monkey

I was up almost every morning by 5 am.  I was anxious to get out to go birding and it was difficult to sleep through all the noise!  Toucans, parrots and howler monkeys were active and loud!  The suspension bridge was a great place to go see all the activity.  One morning while watching the birds, I turned to see this howler monkey pretty close by.  He was not happy with me or the other people passing by on the bridge.