Costa Rica - Tropical Biology course 2006 (1 Viewer)

Hi everybody!
I just returned from Costa Rica where I was the TA on an upper division college course through Prescott College. We arrived on June 17th, and first went to the lowland rainforest on the caribbean slope. We visited La Selva, took a boat trip on the Sarapiqui river, and stayed at Selva Verde lodge (where they have a 6:00 am guided bird walk) and Hotel Bambu in Puerto Viejo Sarapiqui (where I saw Great Green Macaws and several honeycreepers).

Our next stop was Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific shore. I was not able to do much seabird watching, and saw no gulls or terns, and only one lonely plover on a tidal flat. We did see White Ibis among the mangroves, and saw a Magnificent Frigatebird soaring over the beach.

Next we took a trip north to Carrara National Park, where we saw Scarlet Macaws and a male Pale-billed Woodpecker, also a King Vulture soaring with a kettle of Turkey Vultures. This is a transitional wet/dry forest, so there is a nice mix of birds.

Then we got high (so to speak), a day trip to Volcan Poas with smoking fumaroles and an elfin forest, followed by the climax of the trip - 8 days at the Monteverde cloud forest reserve.

Monteverde - close to heaven on earth even with the wind and rain we had to endure. Saw a pair of Resplendent Quetzals almost everyday, along with Euphonias, Tanagers, and dozens of Hummingbirds. I just got back on the fifth, and already want to find a way to go back. With my graduation approaching I will need to find a job good enough to finance this (as well as paying off my loans)|=)| I am what they call a "non-traditional" (readld) student.

Anyway here is my list for the trip, and I will post some photos in my gallery

Bird List 2006

Tropical Biology – Costa Rica

187 seen, 2 heard

Great Tinamou
Highland Tinamou – heard
Magnificent Frigatebird
Brown Pelican
Neotropical Cormorant
Anhinga
Fasciated Tiger-Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
King Vulture
American Swallow-tailed Kite
Crane Hawk
Semiplumbeous Hawk
Gray Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Crested Caracara
Laughing Falcon
Black Guan
Sunbittern
Wilson’s Plover
Northern Jacana
Red-billed Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Inca Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Chiriqui Quail-Dove
Olive-throated Parakeet
Great Green Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Brown-hooded Parrot
White-crowned Parrot
White-fronted Parrot
Red-lored Parrot
Mealy Parrot
Squirrel Cuckoo
Groove-billed Ani
White-collared Swift
Band-rumped Swift
Bronzy Hermit
Green Hermit
Long-billed Hermit
Violet Sabrewing
Brown Violet-ear
Green Violet-ear
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Black-crested Coquette
Crowned Woodnymph
Blue-throated Goldentail
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
Steely-vented Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
Coppery-headed Emerald
Red-footed Plumeleteer
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Green-crowned Brilliant
Magnificent Hummingbird
Purple-crowned Fairy
Long-billed Starthroat
Magenta-throated Woodstar
Black-headed Trogon
Violaceous Trogon
Orange-bellied Trogon
Resplendent Quetzal
Blue-crowned Motmot
Broad-billed Motmot
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Prong-billed Barbet
Emerald Toucanet
Collared Aracari
Fiery-billed Aracari
Keel-billed Toucan
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Hoffman’s Woodpecker
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Red-faced Spinetail
Spotted Barbtail
Ruddy Treerunner
Olivaceous Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Barred Woodcreeper
Spotted Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Slaty Antwren
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Rufous-backed Antthrush
Mountain Elaenia
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellowish Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Long-tailed Tyrant
Bright-rumped Attila
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Grey-capped Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Cinnamon Becard
Masked Tityra
Snowy Cotinga
Three-wattled Bellbird
White-collared Manakin
Long-tailed Manakin
Mangrove Swallow
Blue-and-White Swallow
White-throated Magpie Jay
Brown Jay
Rufous-naped Wren
Bay Wren
Rufous-and-White Wren
Plain Wren
House Wren
Ochraceous Wren
White-breasted Wood-Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Black-faced Solitaire
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush
Clay-colored Robin
White-throated Robin
Red-eyed Vireo – Heard
Worm-eating Warbler
Slate-throated Redstart
Collared Redstart
Rufous-capped Warbler
Three-striped Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
Bananaquit
Golden-browed Chlorophonia
Yellow-crowned Euphonia
Thick-billed Euphonia
Yellow-throated Euphonia
Olive-backed Euphonia
Tawny-capped Euphonia
Silver-throated Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Spangled-cheeked Tanager
Blue Dacnis
Green Honeycreeper
Shining Honeycreeper
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
White-lined Tanager
Red-throated Ant-Tanager
Atlantic Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Pacific Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Common Bush-Tanager
Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-faced Grosbeak
Yellow-thighed Finch
Large-footed Finch
Yellow-throated Brush-Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
Orange-billed Sparrow
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
Blue-black Grassquit
Thick-billed Seed-Finch
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Slaty Finch
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Great-tailed Grackle
Black-cowled Oriole
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Montezuma Oropendola

bineshii,
Great list. I hope to visit CR again soon (its been a dozen years since last visit) and your list reminds me why. Fantastic place. Good luck with your career planning and I hope it allows you lots of Neotropical Birding adventures.