Christmas catch-up

I have to catch up a little bit on the photographs… I know; I have several hundred pictures to pick through from Costa Rica.  Here’s a start – Christmas at my Aunt Lauraine’s and Uncle Mike’s.

Christmas tree - 12.24.2009 - 20.44.35

Our Christmas tree

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.01.19

Gary checks for the receipt.

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.00.05

Next.

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.02.02

Lenny seems to think Gary's gifts are more interesting.

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.07.57

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.16.24

A new gift for DJ

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.04.54

Already playing.

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.33.34

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.12.08

I have no idea what these are called - The new Japanese card game for children.

Lenny, Gary and Dakota - Christmas - 12.25.2009 - 13.20.18

Wow! They even have numbers!

Leandra and Joe - 12.25.2009 - 13.20.43

Lee just wants to play her new Wii.

Leandra and Joe - 12.25.2009 - 13.21.32

Dad must have said something incredibly hilarious... and not mean.

Cousins - 12.25.2009 - 13.30.57

Cousins - the Grand kids plus and incubating Juliette

Great grand kids - 12.25.2009 - 13.34.55

The Great Grand kids (- Juliette)

The Montemaranos - 12.25.2009 - 13.39.13

The Montemaranos

Pre-montane stream

Rio San Lorencito 4-6-2009 2-15-29 PM

Zygopterans

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  The one on the left approached about 6 inches in length… maybe a Pseudostigmatidae.

Rio Pargo

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Bryan catches dinner

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In the bottom left of the first picture, Bryan fishes for snapper.  Of course, like any real fisherman, after having caught two decently sized fish, he refused to leave until he caught the big one.  He never did catch it and we walked back to our tents in the dark.

Llorona

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   A 2.5 hour hike from the San Pedrillo field station through the most pristine, primary rainforest yields to Playa Llorona, a stunning, black-sand beach at the mouth of Rio Llorona. 

American Crocodile

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Crocodylus acutus

Coniophanes fissidens

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One of two snakes we saw, Coniophanes fissidens is a somewhat dull, rear-fanged, litter-dwelling snake.  Another species in the same genus, Coniophanes piceivittis, is common in Palo Verde and packs a mean bite.

Rio San Pedrillo Sampling Site

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This stretch was our second sampling site in the San Pedrillo sector of Parque Nacional Corcovado.  Ohio needs to rethink it’s streams.

Unknown Huevos

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Near the waterfall pictured yesterday, I discovered several eggs exposed in the stream bed.  They are no doubt reptilian, but I’m not positive which type.  Given the great abundance of Basilisca vittatum (Jesus Christ Lizard or basilisk) surrounding the stream, the size, and the general lack of turtles, I’d guess they are from a basilisk.  Further, given that the eggs are exposed, they are unlikely to be viable… que triste.