Birds, Snakes and Ants in Puriscal

I have taken more photos of birds and critters on the property. One of the workers brought back a non-venomous snake for us to see. We looked at it for a while before releasing into a patch of overgrown grass. Today, during a walk that I did not go on with the workers, Roxy spotted a Fer-de Lance snake, which is very venomous. Roxy is good at freezing and “pointing” at things she thinks are a threat, such as ticks and certain bugs. Luckily John recognized the motion she made at the snake in the trail and all were cautious as they approached. The snake fled and Roxy gave a brief chase before continuing on their journey.

An adorable ground dove made a nest at eye level next to the carport. She has been sitting on it for several days and we are eagerly awaiting the newborn to appear. The colorings of the bird and nest blend in exceptionally well with the landscape.

This parakeet showed up the other day. He was completely absorbed in eating whatever could be found on the sidewalk and was unafraid of me as I got this picture. I did a quick internet search and learned this type of bird is not native here. I am pretty sure this was an escaped pet. None the less, it was fun to see.

I noticed this ant during one of my walks. He stuck out because he was the only ant in the procession that was proudly carrying a red seed of a Poro tree. I hope the queen and nest mates are as impressed with the seed as I was with his ability to carry it across the forest floor.