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.
WildHeart Radio with Sarah Lutke Wild
Claim This Podcastby Sarah Lutke Wild
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25 episodes
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Podcast Overview
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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Publishing Since
12/5/2025
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Recent Episodes
July 1, 2026
Episode 25 - The Last Hurrah of the Aracaris at Dusk in Costa Rica
<p>As the sun slips behind the mountains and the jungle begins its slow, beautiful handover from day to night…</p><p><br></p><p>This episode is about that magical window at dusk. When the toucans and aracaris are saying their loud, raspy goodnights and the night creatures are just starting to wake up.</p><p><br></p><p>A few evenings ago I was sitting on the deck when I heard a sudden commotion in the tallest tree right behind the house. I stepped outside and looked up. At first I saw just a few collared aracaris hopping along a giant branch, chattering away, interacting like they were catching up after a long day. Then more arrived. Then more. Within minutes there were maybe fifteen or twenty of them. A whole lively flock silhouetted against the fading sky.</p><p><br></p><p>It was one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever watched. </p><p><br></p><p>One aracari seemed to be telling the whole group a story with exaggerated head bobs and loud calls, while a few others had clearly started their own side conversations, hopping to different parts of the branch and ignoring the “main speaker.” </p><p><br></p><p>Some were preening and a couple were just lounging like they were exhausted from the day’s adventures. It felt like a family reunion where everyone was talking at once, laughing, teasing, and soaking up the last bit of daylight together.</p><p><br></p><p>This was pure photographer magic. The light was dropping fast, everything was in silhouette and they were constantly moving. I grabbed my camera, zoomed in and tried to capture the energy. The way their beaks caught the last rays of sun, the constant motion of the flock, the feeling of a lively gathering happening right above my “backyard.” I knew I wouldn’t get perfectly lit portraits in that low light, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to capture the pure joy of that moment.</p><p><br></p><p>Then, as quickly as they arrived, the whole group lifted off in a burst of wings and disappeared into the reserve to their sleeping spots deep in the jungle. The tree went quiet. The night insects started their chorus and the transition was complete.</p><p><br></p><p>Dusk here is this beautiful in between time. The day birds are wrapping up their stories, the night creatures are just beginning theirs and for a few minutes the jungle feels like it’s holding its breath before the next act. Watching those aracaris have their last hurrah reminded me how important it is to savor the endings… To gather, to chatter, to connect and then to let go and trust that tomorrow will bring its own unique and truly special magic.</p><p><br></p><p>One Frame, One Goodbye: Sometimes the most beautiful moments happen right before everything changes. When a group comes together for one last loud, joyful gathering before flying off into the night.</p><p><br></p><p>Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild </p><p>Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com </p><p><br></p><p>#WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida</p>
June 24, 2026
Episode 24 - The Hidden Orchids of a Costa Rican Mountain River
<p>Hiking up a mountain river in Costa Rica where the water tumbles over boulders and every bend feels like a secret waiting to be discovered…</p><p><br></p><p>Today’s story is about the wild orchids. Those delicate, resilient jewels that grow on trees and rocks all over the jungle if you’re willing to slow down and really look.</p><p><br></p><p>A few mornings ago I decided to skip the main trail and walk the river instead. Most people don’t bother. The rocks are slippery, the water is cold and it’s easier to stay on the wide path. </p><p><br></p><p>But I love it. </p><p><br></p><p>The river is filled with pools, boulders and pockets of green that most hikers never see. I was picking my way over wet stones, camera in one hand, when I looked up and there it was… A tiny orchid blooming right out of a tree trunk, its petals glowing like they’d been painted by the jungle itself.</p><p><br></p><p>I stopped, crouched low on a rock and just stared. The orchid was growing straight out of the bark, no soil, no fuss. Just pure determination. </p><p><br></p><p>These wild orchids are incredible survivors. They don’t need rich dirt. They pull what they need from the air, the rain and the tiny bits of debris that collect in the crevices of trees. Some are so small you could miss them with every step, yet they bloom with colors that stop you cold.</p><p><br></p><p>The longer I stayed, the more I noticed. Another orchid tucked behind a waterfall mist. A Jesus lizard sunbathing on a sun warmed boulder, looking like a tiny dinosaur that decided to take a nap. Iridescent bugs flashing blue and green as they darted between rocks. Every few feet the river rewarded me with something new. Flash of color, a tiny movement, a moment that felt like the jungle was saying, “You looked. Good for you.”</p><p><br></p><p>As a photographer these river walks are both a challenge and a gift. The light bounces off the water in unpredictable ways, the rocks are slippery and you’re balancing while trying to frame something delicate that could disappear with one breeze. But when you get the shot… the orchid glowing against dark wet bark, the lizard perfectly still… t feels like the jungle handed you a private postcard.</p><p><br></p><p>These wild orchids have become my favorite symbol of resilience here. They don’t ask for perfect conditions. They don’t wait for someone to plant them. They just show up, attach themselves to whatever is available and bloom anyway. Watching them reminded me how much we can learn from that quiet strength. How to root ourselves in whatever ground we’re given and still find a way to open up and shine.</p><p><br></p><p>Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOObtNfEWOi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==</p><p><br></p><p>Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild </p><p>Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com </p><p><br></p><p>#WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida</p>
June 17, 2026
Episode 23 - The Night the Costa Rican Jungle Turned Off My Flashlight
<p>This episode is about the night I turned off my flashlight and let the dark show me what it wanted me to see.</p><p><br></p><p>It started with the headlight beetle glowing in complete darkness, two tiny lights moving in sync like miniature headlights on a fallen log. Then came the kinkajou crashing through the palm tree right after dinner, long tail curling through the branches while it ate fruit under the stars. The night bird hovering low over the path, its eyes catching the beam like tiny glowing moons. And all the unseen things crashing through the leaves just beyond the railing… branches snapping, leaves rustling, the jungle alive in ways I could only hear.</p><p><br></p><p>For the first few nights I kept my flashlight on high alert, trying to control what I saw. But the more I did that, the more I missed. The moment I finally turned it off, everything changed. </p><p><br></p><p>The headlight beetle’s glow became brighter. The kinkajou’s silhouette appeared against the dark canopy. The night bird’s call felt closer. The jungle wasn’t hiding anymore. It was revealing itself on its own terms.</p><p><br></p><p>As a photographer this has been one of the hardest and most rewarding shifts. Night macro in the jungle is already tricky. Unsteady hands, creatures that disappear in a second. But learning to trust the dark, to wait for the natural glow instead of forcing the light, has changed how I see everything.</p><p><br></p><p>The jungle keeps teaching me that some of the most beautiful things only appear when we stop trying to illuminate them ourselves.</p><p><br></p><p>One Frame, One Truth: Sometimes the brightest light comes when we finally turn off our own… When we trust the wild to show us what it wants us to see.</p><p><br></p><p>Episode Wild Photograph: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRYX-X6kaSs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==</p><p><br></p><p>Follow the wild on Instagram, X + TikTok: @sarahlutkewild </p><p>Prints & more: sarahlutkewild.com </p><p><br></p><p>#WildlifePhotography #CostaRica #PuraVida</p>
25 total episodes available
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