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Costa Rica - 11 To 18 March (1 Viewer)

Bob Biggs

Well-known member
Well, where do I start! Action packed 7 days. It went something like this.

11 March - KLM flight from Newcastle to Amsterdam, then flew Martinair to San Jose with a 2 hour stop off at Miami. So far so good.

12 March. First night at Hotel Brilla Sol near the Airport. We were out quickly into the garden at first light, seeing the odd Woodpecker [Hoffmann's], Yellow Green Vireo, Rufous Naped Wren, Blue-Gray Tanager, Great Tailed Grackle, Swallow sp and others before breakfast.[ You'll realise how impressive my memory is later!].

Hire car arrived and we set off for Villa Lapas, near Carara. On the way, we stopped and looked over a large reservoir, full of Vultures! There were also Pied Billed Grebe. Least Grebe, Anhinga, Blue winged Teal and 2 Muscovy Duck in weird plumage. I don't know whether they were tickable - does anyone else? There were also a number of Heron sp and the odd Kiskadee and Tropical Kingbird, plus several hirundines. We stopped at Orotina to look for the Owls - no luck. We made our way to Villa Lapas. Nice place, not cheap.

We then birded the area on the track to Tarcoles. This was a good area and we saw a number of Orioles, plus Variable Seedeater, Striped Headed Sparrows, numerous Flycatchers, the occasional Parrot sp and a few Blue-Black Grassquits.
We then made our way to the Tarcoles bridge where the Alligators wait in hope that humans will fall into the River! Scarlet Macaws flew over and landed close enough to give good views through the scope. There were several waders and Herons on the River, plus Mangrove Swallow and a small number of Black Bellied Whistling Duck. The bridge was not my favourite place to watch birds - too many buses and lorries coming too close!

13 March. Up fairly early and first bird was a Fiery-Billed Aracari in the trees outside our room. Nice start. A few Flycatchers and one or two Tanagers added to the collection. We then made an early start to Carara. This is where the holiday took a turn for the worst! We went to the HQ. It wasn't open so we birded a track which was quiet but gave us great views of Spectacled Owl and White Whiskered Puffbird. After an hour or so, we arrived back at the Car Park and paid our 8 Dollars. We re-traced our steps but took the longer trail. This proved to be very quiet although we did see Yellow Crowned Euphonia and a few Scarlet Macaws. We then got lost [ not for the last time time on this holiday] and ended up walking the wrong way along the main road! We lost at least one hour through our stupidity.

We eventually got back to the car and drove to the next trail nearer to the bridge. I think we were shaken by our long walk in the sun - [ it was incredibly hot and steamy]. Anyway, we started to walk the trail, hoping to see Boat Billed Heron and others . However, the trail was so long that we gave up and made our way back, seeing very little. We later learned that we had walked past the Orange Collared Manakin lek without looking. It was proving to be that kind of day.

I'm not sure what we did then but we certainly birded the track from the main road to Tarcoles again, seeing some good birds along the way.

14 March. Another early start and again Fiery Billed Aracari was the first bird to show. We spent more time around the grounds and saw some excellent birds, including Painted Bunting, Slaty Tailed and Black Headed Trogons, Squirrel Cuckoo, several Flycatchers, Tityra [apologies for being vague], and lots of others.

We checked out and headed off for Selva Verde Lodge. We again stopped off at Orotina and this time got excellent views of Black and White Owls and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls. We then moved off, got lost and headed towards Poas Volcano before finding the right road to Selva Verde. The reason we got lost was that there were no signs to tell you where to go. We headed towards Virgin del Sorocco but it was raining heavily and visibility was poor. Although it got better, the rain kept falling so we decided to carry on. We stopped at the Mirador Cafe. What a place for hummers! Nice warm coffee too. The bonus was 7 Silver Throated Tanagers on the feeding table. This is not a place to miss.

An hour or so later, we arrived at Selva Verde Lodge. Nice place. We checked in and had a quick look around before the light disappeared. We then went back to out room, where I found that I'd left half of my clothes in a drawer at Villa Lapas!! Great.

15 March. Up at 5.30 and off on a walk around the grounds which produced very little. We then drove to La Selva and birded the approach road - brilliant place! Loads of species, including all 3 Saltators, Crimson-Collared, Scarlet Rumped, Golden Hooded and White Lined Tanagers, Red Legged Honeycreeper, Keel Billed Toucan ,distant views of a female Snowy Cotinga, a few Wren sp, Black Striped Sparrow,Yellow Tailed Oriole and Black Cowled Oriole plus several others. Great place. We decided we would return the following day. Heavy rain in the late afternoon meant no further birding was possible.

16 March. We returned! Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan, Grey Catbird, Long Tailed Tyrant, Green Honeycreeper, Fasciated Antshrike, Rufous Mourner, Yellow Billed Cacique and others were added to the list. I got frustrating views of a bird flying at a distance which I believe was a Great Curassow but I didn't see it well enough. This road needs to be given a place on any birders itinerary . I don't know what the birding is like within the Station itself but the approach road is excellent.

We then checked out and made our way to Braulio Carrillo NP en route to the Savegre Lodge . We birded the trail by the Ranger Staion. I had put this down as one of the most likely places to see a large number of birds. We walked the trail for over an hour and arrived back at the car park. I can tell you easily how many birds we saw on this trail - one! White Breasted Wood Wren. Incredible. 2 Emerald Tanagers in the Car Park didn't make up for my disappointment.

We moved on and made the biggest mistake of the holiday. We got completely lost in San Jose , trying to find our way to the Pan American Highway. After over two hours of aimless driving, with hardly any signs, I stopped a taxi and gave the driver 20 Dollars to show us the way towards Cartago, We followed him and eventually we were on the right road. The delay meant that we had to drive the Cerro de la Muerte in the dark [with fog]. Take it from me - it's easier in the light!

17 March. Woke up early [ still driving through San Jose in my mind's eye!] and walked the trail along the river at the Savegre Lodge. What a lovely place. Resplendent Quetzal was our second bird, the first being Black Phoebe. We then got great views of several Collared Redstarts [ I think they take the prize for THE birds of the trip for me] and as we made our way along, we saw several new birds including Emerald Toucanet, Black Cheeked Warbler, Sooty Capped Bush-Tanager, Acorn and Hairy Woodpeckers, Yellow Thighed Finch, Black Capped Flycatcher and Blue and White Swallow. On our way back, I added Flame Throated Warbler and Yellow Bellied Flycatcher [ thank goodness for the white patch on the head!] plus Wilsons Warbler and Ruddy Capped Nightingale Thrush.

After breakfast, we watched the hummers at the feeders for a while and then moved off back towards the main road. Along the way, we picked up a few new birds, including Sooty Robin. When we arrived back on the main road, we made our way to Georginas Cafe at KM 95 and had a brief look at the area. We saw Large Footed Finch and Black Billed Nightingale Thrush but little else.

WE then drove to Orosi and stayed at the Orosi Lodge, which was excellent.

18 March. Our last day. We got up early and made our way to Tapanti. about 12 Km away. We drove the main track and saw several good birds. I think this is another birdy place if you have the time to do it justice. We only had 4 hours. We saw Collared Trogon, Slate Throated Redstart, Golden Winged and Blackburnian Warblers, boatloads of Common Bush Tanagers, Spangled Cheeked Tanagers, White Throated Robin and other nice birds. We left at 11am and after checking out , made our way early to the Airport in case we got lost again in San Jose, which, of course, we didn't! That gave us time to kill so we had a burger near to the Airport and looked out from the car park onto a field, where a yellow bird flitted from tree to ground and low bush. I still don't know what it was.

We left at 7.35pm. Stopped at Miami. I got the third degree at Immigation, taken away into a secure room, eventually asked whether I had ever broken the law of the land in the USA. My answer to the negative seemed to take the chap by surprise. Similarly, when he mentioned a particular name and asked me whether I knew her , he seemed surprised that I didn't! After 20 minutes [ and 30 minutes before the plane took off] they let me out, claiming my name was similar to someone on their "Wanted" list. An apology would have been nice.

19 March - Arrived back at a wet and windy Amsterdam. My birding pal, who had kept the combined bird list then hit me with the ultimate sickener - "I've lost my bird book".

So, lessons to be learned

1. Don't under-estimate the difficulty of driving in San Jose. Road signage is useless.

2. Don't leave your clothes in the Hotel after you check out as it's really silly

3. Do plenty of research before you go or you may walk past some of the most beautiful birds in the world

4. Always do your own list in case someone loses theirs!

We saw about 210 species [ lots of research and brain work needed to confirm where and when]. 250 species for normal people should be easy. From Europe, a week is not quite long enough. I'll be doing a full list in due course. I think I'll be going back..it's that kind of place.
 
Bob,
Quite a different type of trip report! Glad you saw some great birds (and managed to remember which ones). I know what you mean about driving in San Jose (or anywhere in C. Rica). Road signs are pretty much non existent anywhere! Glad you navigated Cerro de la Muerte without mishap.

Your Muscovy Duck should be tickable if he was a wild bird. They are resident there. Should have had a dark blackish color (with green irridescence maybe) and white wing patches (not always visible when in swimming).

Your Scarlet-rumped Tanager has been split into Passerini's or Cherie's depending which coast he's on. I believe yours at La Selva would be Passerini's (Caribbean slope specie).

And thanks for reminding us that all trips aren't perfect. But judging from all the birds you saw, even less than perfect trips can be great!
 
Yes, a real report. Tell it like it is, Bob! You got some good birds in spite of it all, congratulations. You can tick Muscovies anywhere south of the Rio Grande, I think, unless they`re in a pen...
 
Costa Rica

Charles Harper said:
Yes, a real report. Tell it like it is, Bob! You got some good birds in spite of it all, congratulations. You can tick Muscovies anywhere south of the Rio Grande, I think, unless they`re in a pen...


Hi Dave/Charles

Thanks for your replies. The reason I had problems with the Muscovy Ducks was because the first one we saw, in particular, was virtually all white, with a bit of green and black thrown in. It had a clear patch of red above the bill, whereas the other one, some distance away, was a black bird, slightly greenish in places, with no red above the bill but a white patch on the wing as in the book -presumably an immature. I'll tick them!

I'm slightly less grumpy now but still to see the funny side - unlike everyone else who has heard about our "senior moments". I feel that I should have done better. It was a long way to go to make such basic mistakes but you live and learn.

It's hard to place everything without records but it looks like 212 for sure, with a few more on the "perhaps" list. Must try harder next time I go.

For the purists, if anyone else has read the report, I meant to say Yellow Bellied Elaenia, not Flycatcher, in case you were wondering where the white patch on the head came from!

Dave. I have the west coast of Mexico on my "must do" list so may be picking your brains some time about Puerto Vallarta and area if that's OK with you.

Cheers Bob.
 
Bob,
212 without your notes? Now that's incredible!

Around Puerta Vallarta is GREAT! Jalisco and San Blas. PM me and I'll send you some info. Spring time would be best.
 
Wow! Costa Rica sounds so great! I can't believe I get to go there and earn credits for it. I just hope I have enough time to get some birding in with all the other components of the ecosystem we will be going through. All I know so far about the itinerary is that we will be covering everything from lowland rainforest to volcanoes to cloud forest. I will post if I can while there, and if not when I get back. Does anyone know what kind of weather I should expect in June?

Thanks,

Stu
 
Question for Dave...

Hi Dave,

I see you are in Mexico. I am taking a course in coastal biology at Kino Bay in May, do you know the area? any info would be helpful.

Thanks,

Stu
 
Stu,
Sorry, but I can't help much with info on Kino Bay. It's in Sonora and I haven't made it up there yet. I can recommend the best field guide for Mexico though. Its Steve Howell's 'A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America'.

Kino Bay is not that far South of the Border and basically has two types of birding, sea /shorebirds and some desert species. Both of these are probably covered sufficiently in a good Western US Field Guide so you could certainly get by with just that.

Good luck and please do post a trip report to let us know how it was.
 
Thanks Dave!

Thanks, I need all the help I can get. I am not going to have much time to post over the next few weeks because I have two research papers due before the end of the quarter, and then I'm off to Mexico in May and Costa Rica in June. I LOVE this school! I just hope I don't get eaten by a crocodile! :eek!:
 
Trips abroad

Glad u enjoyed your holiday Bob, but still the lure of home grabbed u how was your Firecrest at St Marys?

C u at the next YB warbler and How are Derby County doing mate>

Kind regards Cuddy.

PS nice report. B :) B :) B :) B :) B :)
 
Costa Rica

cuddy said:
Glad u enjoyed your holiday Bob, but still the lure of home grabbed u how was your Firecrest at St Marys?

C u at the next YB warbler and How are Derby County doing mate>

Kind regards Cuddy.

PS nice report. B :) B :) B :) B :) B :)


Hi Brian

What a life! First of all, Trying to remember what I saw in Costa Rica causes me all kinds of stress... Then watching a splendid Firecrest takes it all away... Then I get home and see Derby have blown it again... Then I see my first UK Chiffchaff of the year...Then I 'm back to wondering what I saw in Costa Rica.

Thank goodness I don't work in Local Government... Oh No, I do work in Local Government!!
 
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