[ebwilderae]

We will be staying in Liberia for 1 or 2 nights, part of my dilemma, and drive what is said to be the 25 minutes to SRNP. Getting to Liberia from Cd Colon and my concern is it will be way hot up there in Feb. If we only reach the area by noon is it going to be worth going to the NP? Any other options, not only us melting but little bird activity as well is my thought. If we do 2 nights then we at least have an honest morning to bird while the next day we need to drive to Las Heliconias. Any thoughts welcome.

[JJP]

Originally Posted by ebwilderae

We will be staying in Liberia for 1 or 2 nights, part of my dilemma, and drive what is said to be the 25 minutes to SRNP. Getting to Liberia from Cd Colon and my concern is it will be way hot up there in Feb. If we only reach the area by noon is it going to be worth going to the NP? Any other options, not only us melting but little bird activity as well is my thought. If we do 2 nights then we at least have an honest morning to bird while the next day we need to drive to Las Heliconias. Any thoughts welcome.

I'm a little confused. Why can't you make it to SRNP in the morning?

SR is nice, but there is a limit to the birds you can pick up that you couldn't pick up elsewhere.

It's a good place for Western Slaty-Antshrike and Long-tailed Manakin, but you might get the manakin at Heliconias. It's also a good place for Rufous-capped Warbler, but that too could be had several places.

Are you doing Palo Verde? If I had to pick between the two, I'd pick Palo Verde.

[ebwilderae]

Guess I was a little vague, my bad. I was concerned about the time to drive up there from Cd Colon but I now see I was perhaps being pessimistic. So we might get to Liberia by 9, SRNP by 9:30 and hopefully that is not too hot to do some birding. Although Palo verde sounds very nice the group is mostly from Florida and less interested in shorebirds than in upland species (where also we figure to sweat less). Appreciate your input very much. BTW I wonder if anyone here has tried the road between Liberia>Guayabal>Brisas where it gets paved again per my map, then south to Bijagua and Las Helicones. Should be some interesting upland country passing by Miravalles. Know anyone who might know road conditions that time of year?

[tomjenner]

The kind of dry tropical forest found at Santa Rosa is best birded in the early morning. I have found that there is very little to see after about 10am. If you cannot get there for early morning birding, you might be better going somewhere else.

Tom

[JJP]

Originally Posted by ebwilderae

Guess I was a little vague, my bad. I was concerned about the time to drive up there from Cd Colon but I now see I was perhaps being pessimistic. So we might get to Liberia by 9, SRNP by 9:30 and hopefully that is not too hot to do some birding. Although Palo verde sounds very nice the group is mostly from Florida and less interested in shorebirds than in upland species (where also we figure to sweat less). Appreciate your input very much. BTW I wonder if anyone here has tried the road between Liberia>Guayabal>Brisas where it gets paved again per my map, then south to Bijagua and Las Helicones. Should be some interesting upland country passing by Miravalles. Know anyone who might know road conditions that time of year?

You probably won't see much in the way of shorebirds at Palo Verde. It's has woodlands and a large marsh. The total number of species would be larger than at SR, and it's probably the best place in CR for Jabiru.

Santa Rosa has one particularly good trail - old road really - that goes down into an evergreen-type woodland. If you only had a short amount of morning time at SR, I'd spend it on this trail.

Another way to look at it... if you got into Liberia later than expected, say at noon-ish, your better option then would be at Palo Verde because the marsh habitat can still produce birds like Snail Kite, Jabiru, etc. in the afternoon. On the other hand, if you got to Liberia around 9, you could make to SR in a half hour and get some decent time in

I think I agree with the above poster... if all you had was an afternoon, I probably wouldn't drive from Liberia to SR to bird.

[Birdingcraft]

Palo Verde also came to mind as a good alternative. The park has some good dry forest and as JJP mentioned, you might get Jabiru there. Overall though, most waterbirds are also found in Florida.

As others have mentioned, no, you dont see many birds in the heat of the day!

Santa Rosa is surely worth doing early in the morning and you can see everything while birding from the main road.

As for conditions of that other route mentioned, I have no idea but suspect that it would be a challenge. The road from Canas to Bijagua is pretty quick and super scenic but watch out for potholes!

Roads in CR should be alright at that time of the year.

[JJP]

Originally Posted by ebwilderae

We will be staying in Liberia for 1 or 2 nights, part of my dilemma, and drive what is said to be the 25 minutes to SRNP. Getting to Liberia from Cd Colon and my concern is it will be way hot up there in Feb. If we only reach the area by noon is it going to be worth going to the NP? Any other options, not only us melting but little bird activity as well is my thought. If we do 2 nights then we at least have an honest morning to bird while the next day we need to drive to Las Heliconias. Any thoughts welcome.

Do you have a list of birds you want to see?

You might consider approaching it that way.

[Harold Stiver]

I agree with the other comments, if you can't get to Santa Rosa as early as possible, then you are losing the best of it. I always try to get there at dawn and by mid morning it is much quieter.

[ebwilderae]

Very helpful, many thanks. Also for the better understanding of what might be seen at Palo Verde. I am hardly a power birder (duh) as I think most/all of you are but the other couple with us are in fact quite good birders. We can plan better with your input, saludos y gracias.