Everyday photography in Costa Rica is a cornucopia of delights! And on many visits over the years, I have spent countless hours observing and photographing birds. The diversity of the bird life is astonishing and pervasive.
You wake to parrots squawking outside your bedroom, a house wren serenading the day, or a multitude of other small song birds greeting the dawn.
Deep in the rainforest, the birds are often hidden in the trees and hard to see, but you can always hear them. Imagine the thrill of discovering a family of spectacled owls peering at you through the leaves.
Along the rivers and in the mangroves, some of the larger water birds are more visible. They are so graceful in flight, and it is 
fascinating to see them preening their feathers or wings spread, drying off in the sunshine.
By the ocean, a skein of brown Pelicans frequently sweeps along the coastline, or a solitary hawk flies high looking for prey. Down at the water’s edge, a sandpiper forages for food.
So much to see. I have captured some of these experiences in a recently published book, Costa Rica: Bird Portraits. Published by Blurb, you can get a preview of the first fifteen pages at http://www.blurb.com/books/3954987. I invite you to visit and have a look at more bird portraits. Please note that all images are Felicity Somerset copyright.
