WildHeart Radio with Sarah Lutke Wild

Sarah Lutke Wild
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Short, real, wild stories from a wildlife photographer who traded New England coastal weddings for the beautifully raw Costa Rican jungle. Every short episode is one real wildlife photograph, one unfiltered moment (toucan breakfast clubs, baby sloths, birds and lizards, hummingbirds with meaning) and the truth they whisper. If you’ve ever wanted to escape to green parrots, secret waterfalls and remembering what alive feels like, come sit beside me. This new life is just as unknown to me and I’m so excited to share the adventure… New episodes direct from the deck in the Costa Rican rainforest.

  1. 3d ago

    Episode 22 - The Night Bird That Sings to the Stars in Costa Rica

    This episode is about the night bird… that incredible, unique sounding creature that I’ve come to think of as the jungle’s own lullaby singer. You almost always see them at night, hovering low over the ground or resting right on the path, their eyes catching the beam of your headlight like tiny glowing moons. A few nights ago I heard it. A soft, haunting call that cut through the darkness and made me stop mid step. Then I saw the flash of movement… A bird hovering just above the ground, wings beating in that silent, moth like way, before it settled back down on the path like it owned the night. I stood there for a long time, completely still, listening to that call repeat and watching the way it moved with such quiet confidence in the dark. Photographing night birds is its own kind of magic and challenge. The light is low, the bird can disappear in a second and you’re balancing on uneven ground trying to capture the silhouette against the black jungle backdrop. But when the moment lines up, the glow of its eyes, the soft shape of its wings, the way it hovers like it’s dancing with the dark, it feels like the jungle is sharing one of its most private performances. These night birds are masters of the after dark world here in Costa Rica. They rest on the ground during the day, perfectly camouflaged and come alive at night, flying low and calling out with that distinctive, almost mournful song that echoes through the trees. Their eyes reflect light like headlights and their silent flight makes them feel like ghosts of the jungle. Standing there in the dark, listening to that call and watching the bird hover, I feel a deep sense of peace. In a world that’s so loud during the day, the night bird reminds me that some of the most beautiful things happen when everything else goes quiet. It doesn’t need an audience or bright light, it just sings because that’s what it was made to do. One Frame, One Truth:
Sometimes the most powerful voices are the ones that only come out when the world is dark and still… Inviting us to slow down, listen and remember that beauty often waits for the quiet moments. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYcvuOYR3CF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min

  2. Jun 3

    Episode 21 - The Green Heron and the Perfect Breakfast Strike in Costa Rica

    Standing at the edge of my favorite “bird sanctuary” spot in Costa Rica where the ocean meets the muck after a fresh rain… This morning I watched something so perfectly wild and patient that I almost forgot to breathe. The rain had filled the shoreline with shallow pools, turning the black sand into a mirror that reflected the soft morning light. I was walking slowly, camera ready as always, when I spotted him. A beautiful green heron, creeping along the water’s edge with that deliberate, almost comical slowness herons are famous for. Every step was careful, every pause calculated. He knew exactly what he was doing. I tiptoed closer, trying to stay quiet, but he wasn’t bothered by me at all. He just kept moving, eyes locked on the shallow water, completely focused on his breakfast hunt. I crouched low, Nikon 180-600mm zoom lens adjusted all the way out, heart beating a little faster because these moments feel like such a privilege. Being “allowed” to watch a wild creature do what it was born to do, without it seeing me as a threat. Then it happened. In one lightning fast flash, the heron struck. His neck shot forward like a spear and he came up with a tiny silver fish impaled perfectly on his beak! He waited for a moment to appreciate his catch and then tossed his head back, swallowed it whole, and looked almost… satisfied. Like he’d just enjoyed the best meal of his life. As a photographer this was natural magic and pure challenge at the same time. The light was shifting fast after the sunrise, the heron moved in unpredictable bursts and I was squatting on wet sand both trying to fight off the bugs to frame him without scaring him off. But when the strike happened… that perfect moment of focus and speed. I managed to capture it. The heron mid motion, the silver flash of the fish, the quiet triumph of a hunter who knows exactly what he’s doing. Green herons are incredible. They’re patient, clever and use tools (sometimes dropping insects or feathers into the water to lure fish). Watching this one reminded me how much we can learn from their quiet focus. In a world that’s always rushing, he moved slowly, waited for the right moment, and struck with precision when it mattered. One Frame, One Strike:
Sometimes the best things in life come not from chasing, but from waiting with patience and striking when the moment is exactly right. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYiSzxrRmuS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min

  3. May 27

    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

    4 min

  4. May 20

    Episode 19 - The Headlight Beetle That Lit Up the Costa Rican Night

    Tonight’s story is about the tiniest glow I’ve ever seen… and the little creature behind it that turned a simple night walk into pure wonder. I was on the path near the house, flashlight in hand, moving slowly because the jungle at night is full of surprises. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the faintest artificial looking glow coming from the woods beside the trail. It was on a long fallen log… Two tiny lights, moving in perfect sync, about the size of a matchbox car. I thought my eyes were playing tricks. It looked exactly like Yanouches glowing eyes in the hallway from Ghostbusters. I shut off my flashlight to see better… and the glow kept moving slowly along the log. When I turned the light back on, there it was! A small beetle with two bright “headlights” on its thorax, shining like tiny lanterns. As a photographer, this was pure magic and pure frustration at the same time. Night macro in the jungle is already tricky. Dew on the lens, unsteady hands, the beetle could disappear in a second. But this time, I didn’t capture the moment.Instead I watched those glowing spots cutting through the dark like the jungle had turned on its own little streetlights just for me. Headlight beetles are one of Costa Rica’s most enchanting night creatures. They use bioluminescence to attract mates and their lights can stay on for hours. Seeing one up close feels like the jungle is winking at you. A tiny reminder that even in the darkest moments, there’s light if you slow down and look. One Frame, One Truth: Sometimes the brightest things in life are the ones you almost walk right past. The jungle keeps teaching me to pause, breathe and let the small wonders reveal themselves. Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min

  5. May 13

    Episode 18 - The Little Costa Rican Anteater and the Breakfast Bark Scratch

    Just out on one of my favorite early morning hikes through the raw Costa Rican rainforest, where the light is still soft and everything feels like it’s just waking up. I was walking along a narrow trail, camera in hand, when a flash of white caught my eye just ahead. I stopped mid step. There, already halfway up a tree, was a beautiful little anteater, busy scratching at the bark with fierce focus, completely absorbed in its search for breakfast hidden inside. I stood completely still, barely breathing and just watched. The anteater didn’t notice me at all… or if it did, it didn’t care. It kept digging and licking with single minded determination, its long snout working the crevices like it had done this a thousand times before. The morning light filtered through the canopy in soft golden beams, catching the texture of its fur and his little snout. For those few quiet minutes, the whole forest seemed to hold its breath with me. As a photographer this was one of those perfect, fleeting gifts. I slowly raised my camera, Nikon zoom lens, trying to capture the way the light hit its fur, the focused tilt of its head, the way its body moved with such purpose against the rough bark. Anteaters are shy and fast, so I held my breath and hoped the light would hold just long enough for the shot. It felt like the jungle had handed me a private moment… One that most people never get to see. These little anteaters (tamanduas) are incredible survivors here in Costa Rica. They spend their days searching tree trunks and branches for ants and termites, using their long snouts and sticky tongues to reach deep into the bark. Watching this one reminded me how much we can learn from their quiet focus. They don’t rush, they don’t second guess, they just show up and do the work that feeds them. That flash of white on the trail and the way the anteater kept going without a care, left me thinking about my own life. How often do I get distracted by the noise around me instead of staying focused on what’s right in front of me? The anteater didn’t need an audience or perfect conditions. It just needed the bark, the ants and the morning light. One Frame, One Truth:
Sometimes the most beautiful things happen when we slow down enough to notice the small, determined creatures doing exactly what they were made to do. And it invites us to do the same. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXIGbHlkaLS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min

  6. May 6

    Episode 17 - The Kinkajou That Crashed Dinner in Costa Rica

    Tonight’s story is about my very first kinkajou! A creature I had only ever read about until it decided to drop by for a late night snack in complete darkness. I heard the rustling first, then a branch snapping and suddenly there it was… a long tailed, brown furred kinkajou perched in the palm tree just beyond the railing, happily munching on nuts and fruit. At first it looked like a cat lounging in the branches, but the moment it started moving, tail curling like a fifth limb, body gliding from branch to branch with effortless grace, I realized I was watching something truly wild and wonderful. Photographing it was a whole new kind of epic challenge. No flash, almost no light, just the faint glow from the house. I stood there holding my breath, macro lens pushed to its limit, trying to capture the little silhouette against the dark canopy while the kinkajou continued its midnight feast completely unbothere. Kinkajous are nocturnal fruit lovers, incredibly agile and rarely seen by humans. That night it felt like the jungle had handed me a private invitation to witness something most people never do. One Frame, One Truth:
Sometimes the most memorable visitors arrive when you least expect them… In the dark, with no warning, reminding us that the wild has its own perfect timing. Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    3 min

  7. Apr 29

    Episode 16 - The White Faced Monkey Family and the Young Monkey’s Giant Leap

    On one of my favorite beach walks in Costa Rica, where the ocean meets the muck and every turn can change the whole day… I was strolling along the shoreline, camera ready as always, when I took a little detour just off the spot I call the bird sanctuary. A slight rustling in the trees above caught my ear. I looked up and there they were! An entire troop of white faced monkeys, babies and all, hanging, sleeping, grooming and playing right overhead. I stood there for a long time, completely still, just watching as a guest in their world. They knew I was there. A few gave me the classic side eye but mostly they carried on with their day, unbothered. Eventually the group started moving down the tree line, swinging branch to branch, munching on fruits and nuts along the way. The moment that still makes me smile is the little silhouette of one young monkey caught mid swing between two giant palm leaves. He looked momentarily stuck! Tail wrapped around one leaf, hands gripping another… figuring out the path to the next branch. Then, with all his might, he swung himself forward and made it safely across. As a photographer this was pure magic and pure challenge at the same time. The monkeys were high up, the light was filtered through the palms and I was shooting from the ground with my zoom lens, trying to capture not just the animals but the whole lively scene. Babies clinging to moms, adults grooming, the whole troop in motion. It took patience and a steady hand, but that’s the adventure of it! Turning a casual beach walk into a front row seat for their everyday life. White faced monkeys are incredibly social and playful, living in troops that move through the trees with ease. Watching them that day reminded me how graceful they are in their own world. And how much we can learn from their fearlessness. In a jungle full of giants, this little one didn’t wait for an easier path. He assessed, reached and swung with everything he had until he made it. One Lens, One Swing: Sometimes the path ahead looks impossible but a little determination and the right kind of reach gets you exactly where you need to go. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXFGnc0kd4v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min

  8. Apr 22

    Episode 15 - The Golden Orb Weaver’s Morning Surprise in Costa Rica

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked straight into a spider web and felt that unmistakable sticky silk across my face. It happens almost every time I’m out looking for something special — the light catches the web just right, and suddenly I’m tangled in it. But those moments have taught me to slow down and really look, because there’s almost always a surprise waiting in the middle. A few mornings ago I was out on a trail near the house after a light rain. The air was still heavy with moisture, and the sunlight was slicing through the canopy in soft golden beams. That’s when I saw it: a massive, perfectly symmetrical web stretched between two trees, sparkling like a piece of jewelry someone had hung in the forest. And right in the center sat a Golden Orb Weaver — one of the most stunning spiders in the jungle. At first glance they’re intimidating. Their bodies can be as big as a small coin, with long, spindly legs and that bold yellow-and-black pattern that screams “stay away.” But once you get comfortable and really look, they’re absolutely beautiful. The web itself is a masterpiece — strong, intricate, and engineered to catch whatever flies through the understory. I spent a long time there, macro lens out, crouching low in the wet leaves, trying to capture the way the dew clung to every strand and how the light made the whole thing glow. Photographing spiders in the jungle is its own kind of adventure — you’re balancing on uneven ground, fighting the urge to brush away invisible silk, and hoping the spider stays put long enough for the shot. But when the light hits just right and you see the spider calmly waiting in the center of its creation, it feels like the jungle is showing you one of its quiet masterpieces. Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG3ZfifRzxa/?igsh=MWR2eW9mdnJlbGEzMA== Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com #WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida

    4 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Short, real, wild stories from a wildlife photographer who traded New England coastal weddings for the beautifully raw Costa Rican jungle. Every short episode is one real wildlife photograph, one unfiltered moment (toucan breakfast clubs, baby sloths, birds and lizards, hummingbirds with meaning) and the truth they whisper. If you’ve ever wanted to escape to green parrots, secret waterfalls and remembering what alive feels like, come sit beside me. This new life is just as unknown to me and I’m so excited to share the adventure… New episodes direct from the deck in the Costa Rican rainforest.

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