Episode 20 - The Aracaris and Toucans Who Bookend My Days in Costa Rica

Waking up on my mountain deck in Costa Rica to the same joyful racket every single morning is the best kind of way to start the day.The aracaris and toucans have quietly become the soundtrack of my days here. They start the show at sunrise with their loud, raspy calls, like they’re personally responsible for waking the whole valley. Throughout the day they swing by… collared aracaris landing on the tall trees right off the deck, cracking open whatever fruit is in season and tossing pieces around like kids at a picnic, or a yellow throated toucan perched higher up, that rainbow beak glowing in the light while they give everything that signature judgy head sway from left to right, as if sizing up the world before deciding it’s worth their time.And just before the sun dips behind the trees, they fly to the jungle line behind the house, settle in for the night and give one last round of goodnight chatter. It’s become this beautiful, reliable rhythm I look forward to. Morning alarm, midday visitors, evening lullaby.As a photographer I’ve spent so many hours trying to capture them. They’re fast and social and never sit still for long, so I’m constantly adjusting my zoom, waiting for the light to hit their feathers just right or trying to catch that comical head sway before they fly off again. But when the moment lines up… the bright beak against green leaves, the way they move together as a little family or as a solo traveler, it feels like the jungle is putting on a private show just for me.These birds aren’t just colorful entertainment. They’re vital to the rainforest, spreading seeds as they travel in small family groups and reminding anyone who listens that the wild has its own perfect schedule. Watching them bookend my days has quietly shifted something in me. They show up, do their thing with joy and zero apology and move on when it’s time. No drama, no overthinking.One Frame, One Truth:
In a world that often feels chaotic, the aracaris and toucans remind me that the simplest rhythms… Showing up, sharing what you have and saying goodnight when the day is done, can bring the most steady kind of joy.Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYdLt--xTj6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida