Birding at Laguna Lagarto in Boca Tapada, Costa Rica

The plan for today was a short drive to our next lodge and some afternoon birding at Laguna Lagarto

We were at the Selva Verde feeders by 6 a.m., and no, we were not the first ones there. The highlight of the morning was a motmot, which felt like a good way to start the day before packing up and getting ready to move on.

The drive to our next destination was supposed to take just over an hour, but between stops for groceries, a pharmacy, fuel, and a detour around a washed-out bridge, it took a bit longer than planned. Eventually we arrived at Laguna Lagarto, located in Boca Tapada. Translated to English, the name means “lizard lagoon,” which I actually didn’t get any photos of.

Most of our group stayed in a two-level building across the parking lot from reception. Our room was on the upper level, where the rooms opened onto a large shared terrace with rocking chairs and hammocks overlooking the surrounding forest. The accommodation was a little more basic than Selva Verde, but perfectly comfortable for our stay.

Bird Photography at Laguna del Lagarto

Birding at Laguna Lagarto doesn’t require going very far. The lodge has two excellent feeder setups, both visible from the open-air restaurant.

There was plenty of space to spread out and photograph the birds from different angles. The staff also regularly rotated the perches, which meant we could stay in roughly the same place without ending up with hundreds of nearly identical photographs.

Our group had access to a private covered section of the restaurant overlooking both feeding areas. We didn’t strictly need it since there were only a few other groups staying at the lodge, but it was still nice to have our own space.

For birding at Laguna Lagarto, it was an extremely easy setup. Sit down, point the camera toward the feeders and wait to see what arrived next.

Other Animals at Laguna Lagarto

There’s more than birding at Laguna Lagarto. Apparently the birds weren’t the only ones who had figured out where the food was. We spotted several coati in the nearby forest, and it wasn’t long until they shimmied up the pole to the feeders.

We also were joined by an opossum during dinner each night. Fun fact: Opossums are native to the Americas, while possums are found in Australia and nearby regions. And having seen plenty of both, I have to say Australia’s brushtails and ringtails are much cuter.

A Rough First Night

By this point in the trip, the bug bites had become a serious problem.

I tend to react badly to bites at the best of times, but this was on another level. Our first night at Laguna del Lagarto was particularly rough. The itching became so intense that I ended up soaking towels in water and laying them across my arms just to get some relief.

Each bite was swollen and hard, and nothing seemed to help. Cortisone cream, antihistamines, all of it made very little difference.

Sleep was minimal.

The next morning, I didn’t make it to the feeders before breakfast. And yes, on this kind of bird photography trip, 7 a.m. apparently counts as a late start. But I didn’t want to miss the next activity.