Eyes on Costa Rica and Weather Records - April 2024

Click on images to enlarge.

During April, visits to this blog were received from the following 15 countries:

Each country is followed in brackets by the total number of visits received since records first started to be kept in November 2012.

From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 136. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States from which 13 visits have been received.

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The following is a summary of weather for April in the area where we live:

The temperatures are shade temperatures. The average daytime high in April this year was slightly higher than April last year. At the same time, total rainfall during April this year was about 1 inch (25 mm) higher than April last. There were 10 days with measurable rain in April this year. There were only 3 such days last year.

Information on current and recent weather conditions, climate change and more in various parts of Costa Rica can be obtained from the website of IMN: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional de Costa Rica (Spanish) or National Institute of Meteorology (English). IMN also has a Facebook page which may be of interest.

El Yigüirro and White Wing Wasps

(Click on images to enlarge).

The national bird of Costa Rica is the yigüirro (Turdus grayi), also known as the clay-colored robin. This bird is widespread and common up to 2,400 m. although uncommon in the northwest pacific.

We have them around our house and their singing heralds the start of the rainy season. You can read more about them here. Their song is very similar to the red-breasted robin (aka American robin) found in Canada and the USA.

Recently some small wasps with white wing tips decided to take up residence on one of our outdoor wall ornaments. They built a small structure (about 3” high) and are busy going in and out of the cells - laying eggs I guess.

The nest has not increased in size and they don’t bother us. They just go about their waspy business.

I’m guessing that they are white wing wasps. If anyone has an accurate ID, I would like to have it.

I made a video of the yigüirros singing one morning and also included some footage of the wasps.