There's a reason they are called RAIN forests!

Spoiler alert ......... I'm not David Attenborough so some of the names may be made up!

In the sunny intervals we continue to marvel at all sorts of flora and fauna.  The birds, reptiles, and flowers are in abundance.

Orchid

Furry balls plant- seeds are used for colouring

Big toucan - looking for a Guinness 

Montezuma Oripodula

A very social bird that wakes us up at 5am

Now we’ve been lucky so far with the weather but this isn’t called a rain forest for nothing.  With little or no warning the rain can arrive in a torrential downpour that soaks the unwary to the skin in seconds – and when you’re out on a boat trip there is nowhere to shelter as we can attest

Entrance to the National Park

On the water

The boat trip through the rivers of the National Park is spectacular although sadly our pictures don’t do justice to the sights and sounds.

A heron stands guard

Herons sit and stare into the dark clear water

Brown heron

Gray Heron

Little Blue Heron

Another Heron

There's hundreds of 'em

Iguanas sit high in the trees,  

Green Iguana

You're not an iguana

An orange iguana

A sloth hangs out

SSSShhhhh sloth asleep

Birds warm in the sun or bob on the river

Giant turkey - endangered - reason?  Rubbish at hiding

and the sun flashes into the interior revealing some magical views.  Everyone in the boat is looking out for wildlife when I spot what I think is a snake.  We turn the boat around and cautiously approach ……. a seed pod.

Arty shot

Almond tree - they don't float

Root cause

Bathed in glorious sunshine a female yellow throated Heron booms out alerting us to the onrushing rain.   

Within seconds we’re scrambling to get on waterproofs on before the mother of all storms hits out of nowhere.  No photos of this as cameras were hastily confined to plastic bags as we raced to beat the worst of the storm.  Within 15 minutes of getting back the rain has stopped and the sun is shining - this is a crazy place – and at least the rain is warm.

Meanwhile, back at the pool the local iguanas sun bathe

Pottering about

You can see me now....

but where's Iggy?

and the frogs do their own thing..

Strawberry Poison Arrow frog has enough toxin to kill 5 people

Top trump - the Turquoise Poison Arrow frog has enough toxin to kill 12!

Sleepy tree frog hides its colours from view

Colourful character 

We're moving on tomorrow so the next blog might not be available for a few days - Cheers