More trekking photos.. more sunrises and sunsets

A boa constrictor found at cerro negro

Momotombo

Telica full moon

Telica full moon

Turquoise Browed Mot Mot National Bird of Nicaragua

Turquoise browed mot mot

woodpecker

Guis

View from Volcan Casitas

San Cristobal

blue crowned mot mot

wasp nest

El Hoyo, telica, cerro negro oh my

El Hoyo Las Pilas Trek

A beautiful trek.  We saw monkeys and got to finish in a lake.

Malachite butterfly 

El Hoyo - literally a big hole

cows at the top 

View of momotombo Volcano and lake managua

night photo overlooking the lake

Flowers at Telica

More lava at Telica and it is making a popping sound

Foggy Telica Trek

The flowers are starting to bloom around Telica

Across from Sonati

strangler fig on way to Cosiguina

Fruit eating pygmie bat at cerro negro

crater lagoon at cosiguina

Turtles hatching on Isla Juan Venado, Nicaragua Island of John Deer

On Sunday night 10th of September where it was the first day of nesting seaon.  We took a launch to the reserve of the Island of the John Deer at night to watch the turtles nesting and laying eggs. There are 4 types of turtles that go to to the beach on this island and the different types have slightly different seasons.  The turtles hatching starts in September and ends in Deccember.  We saw blaslama turtles nesting.  The turtles come from the water and look for a good place to nest.  You can see their tracks going to and from the water.  1 out of 100-1000 turtles will survive which is why they have a turtle hatchery to help increase the rate of survival.  There is also an organization that tags the turtles.  The eggs have many preditors such as snake and racoons as well as humans. Turtles eggs are sold and eaten in Nicaragua.  There are campaigns to educate people so they do not eat turtle eggs.  Once they hatch it takes 5 days for them to crawl from their nest buried in the sand at a depth of 45 cm to the top. They are born with enough nutrition to live for about 8 days.  When they surface many birds such as pelicans and prey on them.  Then when they make it to the water they also have more predators in the water. 

The reserve changes the site of the nursery every year to prevent infection.

When observing turtles we need to not use white lights so not to disturb the turtles but red lights can be used.  

Juan Venado has salt water on both side but has fresh water in the middle.

  

Holding a turtle egg

The turtle comes out of the water and goes to almost the bushes of the beach and dug a hole and layed the eggs into the nest. 

We collected the eggs to take back to the egg hatchery to be protected from predators

Observing the turtle laying eggs

Turtle on the way back to the water after laying eggs

Turtle in the process of laying eggs

Esteli recycling trash

Well I have been volunteering in Esteli for about 2 months now and I have had some time to do some construction work.  and fun project.  I made a rum bottle edge for the walkway, it looks better in person and is a great way to reuse bottle that would go in the trash. 

I painted some shelves and put some fun lighter blue lines on it to make it more fun.  We had some left over wood from from the blue shelves we did so I decided to make a checker board and use a bottle for the side support.  I wanted to use Pepsi and coke caps for the checkers so it could be a Pepsi challenge  but I didnt have enough Pepsi tops, so it Tona vs Victoria which are the local beers here. 

Rum Bottle edging

Rum Bottles lining the step

Checker board I pained with other shelves I painted to hang on the wall

Book shelves I painted lines on

Flower bottle caps to hold a candle

Purse I made out of an old magazine from the trash

Another purse I made from the same magazine

There is lots of fresh limes and cilantro in the yard so I added fresh  Cilantro Pesto to my bread. So good hot out of the oven.  

Focaccia I thought was good until I started baking cilantro pesto rolls.