February, '10
Professional wildlife photographers and tour guides Jim and Kathy Stamates visited us and sent us some
great pictures of wildlife taken on the property.  Scroll down the About Us page to see breeding red-eyed
tree frogs and a new (to us) Norops lizard species.
Pura vida,
Kevin
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January, '10
More releases!  Two more of our red-lored Amazon parrots joined wild flocks recently, continuing our
success re-integrating birds with the flocks that frequently visit the property.  Our great intern assistant
Inga Wolff has completed her stay at Tierra Hermosa.  We extend our most sincere gratitude to her for
braving the complications of living out at the property, caring for the animals and all of the other chores
she did during her stay with us.  We wish her all the best in her future endeavors!  Severe flooding has
been making life miserable for a lot of Sarapiqui and the rest of the Caribbean slope area the last few
weeks, but our property was unaffected--fortunately we are located on high ground with a creek draining
most of the property during the wet season.  I am heading back to the project next month and will have a lot
more news to share when I get back.    
Pura vida,
Kevin.
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December, '09
I recently published an essay on the events that led to the creation of Tierra Hermosa in the Journal of the
Asociación de Literatura Comparada en América Central y el Caribe (ALICAC).   Read the essay
here.  Also, check out the updated site of the Network of Costa Rican Nature Reserves here.
Pura vida,
Kevin
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October, '09
Fall is hinting at winter already here in Wisconsin, and most of our migratory birds have left for the Tropics.  
A lot of them appear to be flying directly over the Tierra Hermosa property!  I just got off of the phone with
Alex, and he is very exited to report that thousands of raptors--hawks and many other species (including
the ubiquitous Northwoods osprey)--have been seen flying over the property the last several weeks.  
Some migration was observed there last year, but this year the flyway is directly overhead, affording views
of thousands of birds on their way south.  I hope not to be far behind them myself.  More news coming soon
about new releases on the property and improvements to this website, including making it available in
Spanish.
Pura vida,
Kevin
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September, '09
I have brought a lot of exciting news back with me after visiting the project earlier this month.  A couple of
months ago, a rare tornado touched down on the property (as if last January's earthquake wasn't enough),
tipping over several large trees and snapping the tops out of several smaller ones.  Fortunately, nobody
was hurt and none of the buildings were damaged.  Parts of the larger trees were salvaged for lumber for
future use and the other debris was cleared only if it was blocking our trails.  The rest will remain on the
ground and become new habitat.  I have updated the species list above with 10 new animals, a few more
(amphibians) are still in the process of being keyed down based on images I brought back.  Our very
enthusiastic volunteer from Germany, Inga Wolff, visited the project while I was there this month.  She will
be starting in October after finishing some advanced Spanish studies in San Jose'.  Her days will be filled
with feeding our wildlife guests, enclosure cleaning and helping our caretaker family keep up the
plantation area.  We are starting to receive more animals now, so Inga has joined us at just the right
moment.  With her help over the next few months, we will continue to grow and benefit our small corner of
the world--bienvenido Inga!  All four of the white-crowned parrots we had taken in have successfully joined
wild flocks that frequently visit the property.  Three new red-lored Amazon parrots and a pair of baby
raccoons (mapaches) were brought to us by local wardens of the Costa Rican Environmental Ministry
(Ministerio de Ambiente y Energia--MINAE).  The animals were all severely neglected and one raccoon died
from complications of dehydration immediately after arrival.  One of the parrots had several toes missing
from one foot, and all of them had their flight feathers raggedly clipped.  The remaining raccoon is thriving
on bottle feeding of a special formula and is starting to eat solid foods.  The parrots all appear to be fine,
but the one with missing toes is highly socialized to humans and may take a long time to socially
re-integrate with wild flocks.  During my visit, MINAE wardens toured the project and discussed with us
which species would be best suited for bringing to our facility.  They were very pleased with our project
and will be using us as a primary destination for future confiscations.  In fact, a great green macaw will be
coming to us very shortly by way of a recent enforcement event.   While we have good cage space for now,
we will be urgently in need of a large flight cage in the near future, especially with birds the size of the
great green macaw in our care.  Soon, a list of those individuals and institutions that have generously
supported us so far will appear here.  We would not be where we are without this help, and it will be the
kindness and foresight of future donors and volunteers that will keep us growing.  Until I post the list, let
me extend a sincere "gracias!" to all of them.  The native tree plantation is thriving.  All of the seedlings
that were planted less than two years ago are between two and four meters tall.  The wild almond
(almendro) trees doubled in height from two to four meters since April!  Being a Temperate Zone native, this
rate of growth will always amaze me.  The students of nearby Puerto Viejo High School, who have been
coming out to the project to help with various tasks, planted a corn crop for us in the plantation clearing.  
Now, besides the great local fruits we have growing around here (see below), we will have even more
home-grown food for our caretakers, volunteer and of course our tireless egg-producing flock!  As I
mentioned in an earlier update, beyond being a wildlife sanctuary, it means a lot to be becoming a local
educational resource and opportunity for rewarding activities.  We finished installing a septic system and
added pressurizing and heating capabilities to our rainwater collection system.  In the last few months, Alex
and our interim caretaker Jose' have also been working incredibly hard, completing a beautiful
gate/archway at the end of the driveway and many other details, making this place a welcoming and livable
one for people as well as wildlife.    
Pura vida,
Kevin

















































































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July, '09

Some success:  the red-lored Amazon parrot we received over the Semana Santa holiday in April has joined
a wild flock and left.  Fortunately, this bird was well on the its way to re-growing its flight feathers before we
took it in, so it was able to fly away.  If a bird is healthy, the two factors that influence how long it stays with
us are how recently its feathers have been clipped, and how "socialized" it is with humans.  The presence
of wild flocks nearby greatly increases our chances for early success in releasing these tamed birds, so we
are very fortunate that our property regularly attracts many flocks.  However, another parrot of the same
species has been turned over to us, so our roster still stands at five birds.  

We have been asked to help a nearby nature reserve design and build "monkey bridges" to reduce
fatalities of monkeys crossing roads or coming too close to power lines.  Recently, a couple of animals
were electrocuted on power lines, presumably in an attempt to cross over a road.  There have been a
number of successful installations of these safety features elsewhere in Costa Rica, so we are eager to get
started on some locally.

I am also very happy to report that our property is now enrolled in the Costa Rican Network of Natural
Reserves (Red Costarricense de Reservas Naturales).  This group of landowners and ecologists are busily
filling the gaps in Costa Rica's national park and reserve system, protecting valuable natural features and
biodiversity that might otherwise be lost to development.  The long-standing vision of a biological corridor
between the Indio-Maiz Biosphere Reserve in southern Nicaragua and the central volcanic mountain range
of Costa Rica is coming closer to reality with every property that is protected here, and we are very proud
to be a small part of that initiative.  Other member properties in the area include the Organization for
Tropical Studies' La Selva Tropical Research Station, La Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve, Selva Verde Lodge
and may other smaller properties.

Pura vida,
Kevin

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June, '09

As reported last time, with confiscated wildlife now rehabilitating at the Center, we have our first objective
well underway.  We are now realizing our second goal--that of providing an educational resource.  For
almost two years, numerous tour guests have been brought out to see the abundant wild bird fauna, enjoy
the view and hike around the forested property.  Now local high school students are routinely visiting the
Center.  They help out with some of the tasks that keep the place running and get an opportunity to learn
about conservation first hand.  By meeting our current avian guests close-up, they are able to put a "face"
on the consequences of wildlife poaching.  Seeing what was once an agricultural clearing springing up with
wildlife-friendly native trees helps drive the message home as well.  

Other excitement:  We keep a small flock of chickens at the Center to provide fresh eggs for the caretakers
that stay on the property.  Recently, we were noticing that we had fewer chickens.  Early one morning, our
caretaker heard a disturbance outside, and went out to discover a very large boa constrictor marauding
through the chicken enclosure.  It was over two meters long and quite massive. It was relocated (With
considerable effort!) back in the forest near the edge of the property, but obviously we need to increase
security measures for the fowl, as there is no shortage of predators here.  We wouldn't want it any other
way.  

Pura vida,
Kevin

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April, '09

We are up and running!  The electrical work is complete in the volunteer cabin; all that remains to be done
is some paneling and installing bathroom fixtures.  We moved four parrots from the B&B and released them
into our mid-size introduction enclosure (see image in the "About Us" section).  One large flight cage is
almost ready, needing a final coat of paint before birds are released into it.  This was a good time to get the
facility going because the Semana Santa (Holy Week) holiday period is traditionally when a lot of birds and
other wildlife are illegally collected, and Alex usually sees an influx of confiscated animals in the days
following the holiday.  During my recent visit during the holiday period, a Red-lored Amazon parrot had
already been brought to Alex by local police.  This fortunate bird did not have to wait long to go out to the
Center.  

We have a great full-time caretaker living at the Center now to look after the animals, the place in general
and to discourage poachers.  He is retired and likes staying there so much that we have to remind him to
go when he has days off, then he returns early, claiming that staying there is the real vacation!  He was a
big help to me while I was working on the wiring, always appearing with a cup of coffee, fresh fruit juice or a
full meal.  We have a number of people interested in volunteering and they will probably start working here
in the late spring.  Another person is interested in starting work in September.  By then we may be near our
capacity with wildlife, so there will be much to do.

The weather in March and April has been very dry--the creek has disappeared until the rains return in May.  
The trees in the plantation are doing well in spite of the conditions, with the wild almond (almendro) trees
already over two meters tall (see image of Alex and almendro in the "About Us" section).

I added three birds to our species list:  The Little Tinamou and Large Tinamou, grouse-like ground birds
with hauntingly beautiful calls heard in the afternoon, and the Cinnamon Becard, known for building its
nests near wasp nests to deter predators.

Pura vida,
Kevin

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January, '09

We have nearly finished wiring the cabin and have several large cages on site, some of which were
generously donated by La Tirimbina Rainforest Center.  A shower and bathroom building is up and running,
using water from our rain collection system.  Our resident spectacled owl will soon be joined by two mealy
parrots and a pair of white crowned parrots, all confiscated birds that are regrowing their flight feathers
and gradually learning to live in the wild again.  The native trees planted last year in the clearing are now
over a meter tall and thriving.   

Great green macaws and scarlet macaws are being seen regularly now, usually in the late afternoon.  
Montezuma's oropendolas and keel-billed toucans are nesting in great numbers nearby and can easily be
seen from the road approaching the property.  We have observed three species of monkeys here:  
White-faced, spider and mantled howler.  Also, red-eyed tree frogs are breeding and laying eggs on the
vegetation near the creek that flows past our buildings.

More news to come!

Pura vida,
Kevin
Updates
One of the new red-lored Amazon parrots.
Volunteer Inga Wolff and a student friend watch Alex feed the mealy parrots.
Discussing the future of the project with MINAE officials.
Native hardwoods in plantation at 21 months.
Real running water--what a luxury!
Our former caretaker Jose',
harvesting pejibaye palm fruit with
the help of a ladder, a 20 m pole and
lots of spectator advice.
The fruits of our labors:  Pejibaye
provides a great source of nutrition for
people and many species of wildlife.
A white-crowned parrot, possibly
one of our releases, shows us
the easy way to harvest palm fruit.
February, '10
I have just returned from a visit to the project with lots of news.  We have started the process of becoming
a designated non-profit association, making possible tax-deductible funding from individuals and
institutions.  Much interest has been shown by potential donors both large and small, so this is a very
important step in our ongoing growth.  We have now enjoyed the generous and energetic assistance of
three volunteer interns:  Inga Wolff and Kerstin Walczok from Germany, and Larjan van Oijen from Holland.  
We are excited to be receiving increasing numbers of requests to volunteer here, and I want to extend our
gratitude to everyone who is showing interest and offering support for this project.  It is really hard to
believe how far we've come in a little over two years!  Due to releases, our roster of animals is quite low at
the moment.  Only two mealy parrots remain; one is becoming a strong flier again and may soon be
released, the other is still busy regrowing its flight feathers.  The baby raccoon we took in in September is
now nearly full grown and will soon be returned to the wild.  Our resident spectacled owl, who lost a wing
to a gunshot, is doing well as our "ambassador"--educating visitors about the threats wildlife faces in
today's world.   Alex is in the process of building a guest cabin next to the volunteer cabin, which will serve
as quarters for visiting researchers, serious bird enthusiasts and other nature lovers that wish to spend
overnight or extended stays.  Some of the best birding and scenic photography opportunities come early in
the morning or in the early evening here.  Greeting dawn from the porch with a cup of coffee, spotting
scope and camera will soon be a possibility!                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                         


The time when the most wildlife confiscations occur, the Semana Santa or Easter holiday period, is
approaching, so our "wish list" for the near future includes materials for a large flight cage to house larger
birds and birds recovering flight capability after injury.  The day before I returned to the US, an oropendola
was brought to us with a broken wing, apparently the result of a collision with a vehicle.  It was treated for
shock and the wing set and bandaged.  For now the bird is being kept in a confined area until it regains its
strength, and when ready will be taken to the Center to continue its recovery.  Other news:  The native tree
plantation is doing very well.  The almendro (wild almond) trees are now six meters tall at just over two
years of age.  The plantation is starting to lose the uniform look of a plantation, as the various species are
really exhibiting their unique growth patterns now.  Look for a massively updated species list page and
donor/volunteer page here in the very near future.
Pura vida,
Kevin                                           
Morning mist at Tierra Hermosa.
Image by Kerstin Walczok.
New guest cabin under construction.  Yes,
the tree is going to continue to grow through
the roof at the right!
Two-toed sloth enjoying a treetop feast,
recently photgraphed through binoculars.