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Boat Tour, Rio Chiquito, León Nicaragua

The Boat Left The Village
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A small village with only a few stores and a large tourist restaurant was the starting point of the cruise.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:01:02 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1013
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Royal Terns On Sand Bar
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A flock of royal terns were hanging out together on a sand bar as the boat motored past.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:01:15 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0263
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River Met Ocean
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The river ended where it met the Pacific Ocean.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:01:31 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1015
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Lone Man On Beach
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A lone man rested on the beach where he could watch the river slowly exit into the ocean.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:01:41 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1016
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End Of Village
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A black vulture on the beach in the foreground and a man on the beach in the background gave counterpoint to the end of the village as it dissolved into a field of sticks.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:02:08 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1017
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Volcanos Beyond
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Beyond the village could be seen one of the several volcanos in Nicaragua. This one was active.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:03:45 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1019
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A Turkey Vulture Saw Us Off
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A turkey vulture on the beach saw us off as we turned inland to follow the river.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:03:57 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0284
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Tow Guides and Madeleine
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One guide with a bird book discussed birds with Madeleine Lemire as the boat began its inward voyage.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:06:54 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1023
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A Tangled Shore
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The shore was a tangle of trees and bushes, with only the occasional clearing.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:08:44 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1024
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A Tricolored Heron
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A tricolored heron was spotted on a limb just a short way inland from the river.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:16:08 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0304
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Two Boats
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Two colorful boats were found tied up on shore near what looked like a large clearing.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:18:59 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1034
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Huge Roots
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The huge roots of a mangrove tree bordered the river and over time were creating more land.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:29:20 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1042
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Old Canoe
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An old dugout canoe was found pulled up on shore near what might have been a path.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:33:07 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1046
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A Freshwater Crab
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The guide found a freshwater crab on one of the mangrove roots.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:40:34 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1050
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A Big Spider
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A huge spider on a huge web alongside the river. The guide couldn't identify this spider but its body was at least 2 to 3 cm long, excluding its legs.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:44:12 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1057
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A Termite Nest
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A large termite nest on this mangrove was actually beneficial. Termites will not eat the wood of their own tree and will guard it from outsider termites.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:46:04 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1063
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A Great Kiskadee On A Branch
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A great kiskadee on a branch was a remarkable shot to get. The motor on the boat (a two-stroke outboard) was so loud, it more often than not frightened birds away.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 08:59:22 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0329
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The Bird That Got Away
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Here is one of the birds frightened away by the boat's motor.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 09:02:47 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0335
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A Mangrove Swallow On A Distant Twig
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A mangrove swallow was spotted on a distant twig and photographed before the boat got too close.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 09:10:34 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0342
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A Video Of The Trip
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A video of the trip showing the river and revealing the kinds of sounds and dialog that were present.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 09:25:00 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #092500_VID00005
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Placid Water
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Far up the river the water was becoming clogged with mangroves and the water itself was becoming more placid.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 09:27:05 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1070
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Dramatic Roots
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Dramatic roots lined the river as we moved deeper into the surrounding jungle.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:13:57 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1115
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Tarzan-like Root
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A single root grew down from a tree toward the center of the river. These roots growing down, in a taller, larger jungle would be capable of creating a Tarzan-like swing.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:22:37 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1118
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A Whimbrel On Shore
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A whimbrel was spotted on shore as the boat sped back toward the village.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:36:43 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Terry Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #TC1_0389
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Inglorious Return
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All tours in Nicaragua were slow and leisurely going out, but fast to return. It was almost as if a tour was booked one way, and the return not part of the tour.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 10:39:43 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1130
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Back To Departure Beach
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As the tour boat returned back to the town, we passed other boats getting ready to depart.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:15:22 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1164
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On The Departure Beach Again
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Back on the departure beach again we were able to watch the next tour getting ready to depart.


Bird Watching Boat Trip   •  Rio Chiquito, León, Nicaragua   •  (Photo posted Thursday 29 December 2011)   •  (Photo taken 11:20:55 Thursday 17 November 2011)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #B12_1174
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