As I awoke early in the morning of our tenth and final day in Costa Rica, I had nothing but monkeys on my mind. It had been such a wonderful getaway with too many blessings to count…excluding the number of new species photographed.

Even though I was wiped out from all the excursion, in the panic of not wanting it to ever end, I signed up for one more. I had run my bride and friends so hard that they just wanted a pool day…when I suggested one last forest adventure…they laughed in unison! For me, I could not stand to waist the opportunity…a last chance to photograph monkeys!

As I waited out in front of our hotel for the excursion van to arrive, something caught my eyes in the trees across the small parking area. The branches high in the canopy were bouncing up and down indicating activity and weight…could it be…

With a new-found pep in my step, I traversed the 25 yards to get a glimpse of a small hand, covered in black hair reaching out for a branch…it was a baby howler, hanging upside down! There were so many branches and leaves between us that I struggled to get a face shot. To anyone watching, I am confident that I looked as if I was mocking MC Hammer (without the pants) as I shuffled between the rocks, plants, curb and trees to get a shot.

Frustration set in as my ride was pulling in and the small troop of two adults and baby were moving fast and perfectly keeping the leaves and limbs between them and my lens. I looked back at the nearly full van waiting for me and decided that I had two options…tell them I wasn’t going thus losing a ton of money and one last adventure, or buy more time by creating a mutiny. I ran back to the van and said excitingly “Hey guys, there are monkeys over here!” When the lady from Iowa squeaked loudly and started climbing over her family to get out, I knew my planned mutiny had succeeded! The next thing I knew I was pointing out our furry friends to 6-8 fellow monkey enthusiasts…the van was empty and I now had the time needed to capture my dream.

Finally, the troop moved lower and into an area of perfect light where some 10-15 keeper shots were obtained. For the final few minutes of our time together I lowered my lens and just enjoyed the eye-to-eye contact with my genetic cousins, thanking God for granting me this desire.

Then something hysterical happened, as I climbed into the van, I was greeted with near hero status as no one had yet seen a monkey on their Costa Rican adventure either! On my final day, within two minutes of climbing into a van and spending the next ten hours hiking (and not seeing any monkeys) they appeared in the forest right in front of me…what a blessing!!

I may never see monkeys in the wild again, but having this shot of one of the adults, the one that we just sat and stared into each other’s hearts, will always be treasured.

Still in pursuit of a life well lived!

Tags:   1.4x 7D Animals canon Dattilo EF100-400mm EOS MarkII MotherNature nature Outdoors Outside Wild Wildlife WOW Mammals NGC Monkeys Howler Adult Secrets Resort Costa Rica Feeding Eye-contact January Trees Mature Habitat

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Bronte Creek Provincial Park

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I swear he's smiling!

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Noticed this Song Sparrow moving around the wet underbrush of a creek that drains into the Fruit Growers Reservoir.
Western Slope, Colorado.

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Such a sweet singer!

Tags:   warbler orange-crowned warbler birdsong

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