A radiant fungus is among us

Following up yesterday's ferns, here is a photo of translucent mushrooms climbing and clinging to the side of a tree in Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Rincon de la Vieja is a volcano, with geyser activity of bubbling, steaming vents. It is higher in elevation and is a transitional area from the seasonal, dry forest of the coastal plains and the cloud forest vegetation of higher elevations, such as these mushrooms. The park has hiking trails through the lush forest and viewing areas of the gurgling geysers and waterfalls. On a recent hike there, we also saw toucans and other birds (there are 300 bird species in the park)and an agouti, which is similar to a capybara.

Rincon de la Vieja is located a little northeast of Liberia, which is the capital of the Guanacaste province. There are tour operators who will pick up tourists in Tamarindo in vans and take them on guided walks through the park to make sure that they see the best parts and do not get lost. The park reaches 1,916 meters (approximately 6,000 feet) in elevation and has 32 rivers and 16 seasonal creeks.