The habitat in lowland Northwestern Costa Rica is dominated by dry forest, which has distinct wet and dry seasons. During the wet season (roughly May thru October or November), insects are abundant. At the beginning of this period, one must get used to the simple fact that if in the forest at this time, caterpillar poo (known as frass) will rain on them. A sound similar to the “Snap, Crackle, Pop” of Rice Crispies, just after milk has been poured, resounds as frass falls from freshly chewed leaves to the ground below. Amphibians and reptiles are abundant, and mammals enjoy fruiting trees and plenty of prey to eat. And birds, well, they sing a lot, which is why we’re here. 
At this moment, we are right at the beginning of the wet season. The dry season (roughly November thru April) is a time for animals to lay low and wait it out until next May. The leaves of most trees drop and everything turns a golden brown. Insects are scarce, and one can enjoy a mosquito-less environment, a true luxury. Leaves crunch underfoot. Small skinks foraging on the ground make so much noise that I often expect to see a white-tailed deer or a tapir instead. But these conditions are quickly fading away as rains come more frequently, as they have been over the last week.
Although they have been nesting for nearly a month now, the recent rains have finally pushed our study species, the banded wren, to start singing at full force. Starting at dawn, they belt out impressively loud songs for a 20-gram bird, and do so for a few hours, when their singing tails off and they concentrate on foraging or building nests. Now we can really get to work, and especially in light of the recent happenings, it feels good that our birds are getting all riled up.
It is good to know that you are coping well-I can tell by your observations and how you write them. It is a great education for me and all of my nurse-type friends:)
Your writing is certainly preparing me for our upcoming visit….the Snap Crackle Pop sounds interesting! Do you suppose you could arrange for a rerun of the anteater sighting, pictured in a previous blog entry? Anxious to talk to you by phone this weekend, and get the latest on your fascinating life.
Could you please contact me at the email I listed about the possibility of using these two photos of the dry tropical forest in Costa Rica (dry season and wet season) in an ecology textbook? I am a freelance photo researcher working for Pearson Science and the author found your photos on the internet and would like to use them in the book, if possible. I can let you know the details via email. Thanks!