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Sunday 4th March 2012, 13:29
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#1 |
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Registered User
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Talamanca, El Copal, Turrialba report 18-25 Feb, 2012
This was my first trip to Costa Rica and my first trip report posted here. Our trip was arranged through Selva Mar travel, which was extremely easy as everything was arranged and included (at some cost, of course). We were two travelers, one birder (me) and one photographer, with our guide, Esteban Mendez. He is based in Monteverde and is an excellent guide and driver for any region of Costa Rica (mendezguia@hotmail.com).
Itinerary: After arriving 17 Feb after dark and staying at a hotel in San Pedro, San Jose, Esteban met us as did the rental car, and we were off to Cerro de la Muerte on 18 Feb. We stayed two nights at Paraiso Quetzal 18-19 Feb. 20 Feb drove to El Copal Reserve by way of Cartago, Pacayas, Cervantes and Tucurrique, stayed two nights at El Copal 20-21 Feb. 22 Feb we drove to Guayabo Lodge in Santa Rosa, Turrialba with a stop at Rancho Naturalista, stayed two nights at Guayabo Lodge 22-23 Feb. 23 Feb we birded Guayabo National Monument and Turrialba Volcano. 24 Feb we drove to Alajuela with a stop at Irazu Volcano and stayed the last night at Hotel Buena Vista. I will add to this post with more detailed reports for each location. We saw 192 species of which 108 were new to me (I have some some neotropical birding in Mexico and Peru). Last edited by kenito799 : Sunday 4th March 2012 at 13:45. |
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Sunday 4th March 2012, 13:44
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#2 |
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El Copal Reserve 20-22 February 2012
I must mention that El Copal was the highlight of our trip and I hope more birders experience this wonderful place! Therefore I am describing it first.
El Copal is a private reserve started and run by local farmers from the town of El Humo, in Cartago province. They bought wooded acres in the Caribbean slope foothills of the Talamanca range, above an area largely devoted to sugar cane cultivation. They are affiliated with the agrotourism organization ACTUAR. About 10 years ago they got grant money to build a lodge that houses up to 20 people with a solar electricity system as well as two handicap-accessible rooms. Beto and his wife Patricia ran the place when we were there, the only guests. All meals were made by Patricia, who is an oustanding cook, and her home-cooked food was the best food we ate in Costa Rica. The birding was wonderful from the moment we arrived and saw Snowcaps at the cat-tail bushes. A White-collared Manakin snapped in the underbrush below the lodge. Much of the birding can be done from the terrace of the lodge and kitchen which puts you at eye level with some treetops, so a wheelchair-bound birder might actually see an enormous variety of birds. Tanagers were especially abundant when we were there. My list: Species list for El Copal Reserve, Costa Rica February 20-22, 2012 (76) Crested Guan Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Gray-headed Kite Broad-winged Hawk Short-billed Pigeon Ruddy Quail-Dove Crimson-fronted Parakeet White-collared Swift Green Hermit Stripe-throated Hermit Brown Violetear Purple-crowned Fairy Green Thorntail Snowcap Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Collared Trogon Rufous-tailed Jacamar Collared Araçari Keel-billed Toucan Slaty Spinetail Olivaceous Woodcreeper Spotted Woodcreeper Fasciated Antshrike Russet Antshrike Immaculate Antbird Rufous-browed Tyrannulet Rough-legged Tyrannulet Paltry Tyrannulet Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Least Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher White-collared Manakin Cinnamon Becard Black-and-white Becard Brown Jay Blue-and-white Swallow Band-backed Wren Stripe-breasted Wren Bay Wren House Wren Tropical Gnatcatcher Clay-colored Thrush Golden-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Tropical Parula Chestnut-sided Warbler Wilson's Warbler Bananaquit Black-and-yellow Tanager White-shouldered Tanager White-lined Tanager Passerini's Tanager Blue-gray Tanager Palm Tanager Emerald Tanager Silver-throated Tanager Speckled Tanager Bay-headed Tanager Golden-hooded Tanager Scarlet-thighed Dacnis Green Honeycreeper Variable Seedeater Thick-billed Seed-Finch Yellow-faced Grassquit Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager Hepatic Tanager Summer Tanager Black-faced Grosbeak Melodius Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Scarlet-rumped Cacique Chestnut-headed Oropendola Montezuma Oropendola White-vented Euphonia Tawny-capped Euphonia Last edited by kenito799 : Sunday 4th March 2012 at 13:48. |
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Monday 5th March 2012, 13:02
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#3 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Costa Rica
Posts: 3,599
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Nice to see a report from El Copal- always an exciting place to bird! Just one of the examples of the diversity demonstrated by that site is the presence of at least 3 quail-dove species. I have had Chiriqui and Purplish-backed there but now see that Ruddy Quail Dove has also made it onto their list!
__________________
Patrick O'Donnell my blog about living and birding in Costa Rica: http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress |
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Tuesday 6th March 2012, 01:16
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#4 |
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Registered User
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Ruddy Quail-Dove
Yes the RQ-D was an exciting spot. It flew across the path and down into a gorge...we heard its low cooing, looked down on it, the all-ruddy head and back with white on the sides of its face were unmistakeable. This was a life-bird for our guide Esteban (and of course for me).
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Tuesday 6th March 2012, 01:37
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#5 |
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Registered User
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Talamanca 19-21 February
Back to the start of the trip. We drove out of San Jose after breakfast with a few stops in the foothills as we climbed Cerro de la Muerte towards Paraiso Quetzal. On more than one stop we saw lovely Long-tailed Silky-Flycatchers, Mountain Elaenia, and Flame-colored Tanager.
The highland species are abundant and easy to see at Paraiso Quetzal: Magnificent, Volcano, Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, Green Violetears chirping incessantly; Black-billed Nightingale-Thrushes, Sooty and Mountain Thrushes everywhere. Back-and-yellow Silky-Flycatchers, Large-footed, Yellow-thighed and Peg-billed Finches all commonly seen around the cabins. An afternoon walk revealed our first of five Resplendent Quetzals we saw in three days, an immature male. The following morning we saw a female and a beautiful male with fully-grown tail feathers, close enough to photograph. The endemic highland birds were wonderful to see, Flame-throated and Black-cheeked Warblers, Collared Redstart, and we even got great looks at a Wrenthrush by a stream on the Zeledonia trail. The owner took us to the known Quetzal nest, where a male was peeking out, and taught us all about the nesting habits of these spectacular birds. We went to the extensive oak woodland on their property to search for Buffy Tuftedcheek (I never saw one but Esteban did), Black Guan (seen well) and we were treated to an Ochraceous Pewee working a wasp nest. We went to the paramo at the towers on the top of Cerro de la Muerte one afternoon, and saw lots of Volcano Juncos. We searched for Timberline Wren there and saw one furtive wren--but then unexpectedly found another in the underbrush of the oak forest back at Paraiso Quetzal. Species list for Cerro de la Muerte and Paraiso Quetzal, 19-21 February 2012 Black Guan Cattle Egret Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Swallow-tailed Kite White-tailed Kite Red-tailed Hawk Band-tailed Pigeon White-winged Dove Crimson-fronted Parakeet Green Violetear Magnificent Hummingbird Fiery-throated Hummingbird White-throated Mountain-Gem Volcano Hummingbird Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Resplendent Quetzal Collared Trogon Emerald Toucanet Acorn Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Ruddy Treerunner Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Mountain Elaenia Ochraceous Pewee Black-capped Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Tropical Kingbird Yellow-winged Vireo Blue-and-white Swallow Ochraceous Wren Timberline Wren Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush Sooty Thrush Mountain Thrush Clay-colored Thrush Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher Golden-winged Warbler Flame-throated Warbler Townsend's Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Black-cheeked Warbler Wilson's Warbler Collared Redstart Wrenthrush Grayish Saltator Peg-billed Finch Slaty Flowerpiercer Yellow-thighed Finch Large-footed Finch Rufous-collared Sparrow Volcano Junco Common Bush-Tanager Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager Flame-colored Tanager Great-tailed Grackle Golden-browed Chlorophonia Last edited by kenito799 : Tuesday 6th March 2012 at 03:34. |
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Tuesday 6th March 2012, 01:48
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#6 |
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Registered User
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Rancho Naturalista 22 Feb 2012
Leaving El Copal, we drove to Rancho Naturalista and arrived at the lull of the birding late morning. We paid for lunch and use of their trails and had a wonderful time. Their feeders were mobbed with hummingbirds, including an abundance of White-necked Jacobins and Green-breasted Mangos. Snowcaps, Black-crested Coquette, and a glittering Garden Emerald were seen at the cat-tails at the owner's house below the main lodge.
The trails were pretty productive even at the worst time of the day (our third White-collared Manakin, Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher). It would be great to bird these trails in the early morning... Rancho Naturalista 22 Feb 2012 Gray-headed Chachalaca Short-billed Pigeon White-tipped Dove Brown-hooded Parrot White-necked Jacobin Stripe-throated Hermit Brown Violetear Black-crested Coquette Green-crowned Brilliant Garden Emerald Violet Sabrewing Violet-crowned Woodnymph Snowcap Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Black-cheeked Woodpecker Golden-olive Woodpecker Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher White-collared Manakin Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stripe-breasted Wren White-breasted Wood-wren Black-and-white Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Golden-crowned Warbler White-lined Tanager Passerini's Tanager Crimson-collared Tanager Blue-gray Tanager Green Honeycreeper Buff-throated Saltator Last edited by kenito799 : Tuesday 6th March 2012 at 03:40. |
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Tuesday 6th March 2012, 02:29
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#7 |
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Registered User
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Guayabo and Turrialba 22-24 Feb 2012
We drove from Rancho Naturalista through the city of Turrialba, up the slope of the volcano to Santa Rosa and the Guayabo Lodge. This is a nice place, surrounded by dairy farms, with spectacular views of the valley bellow, but not very birdy. However, we were pleasantly surpised by what productive stops we had on the way to Guayabo National Monument the next morning. Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Black-headed Saltator, Plain Wren, Sooty-faced Finch, Slaty Antwren, and Eye-ringed Flatbill were all seen at roadside stops. Guayabo NM had great lowland birding, even at midday we had big mixed species flocks with very tame Stripe-breasted Wrens, Plain Xenops, Plain Antviero, Spotted Barbtail, yet another White-collared Manakin, and lots of warblers. A quail ran across the path but we couldn't be sure which.
In the afternoon we drove up to the top of Turrialba where our highland friends from Talamanca reappeared. The trees killed by poisonous gas emissions in the past year made a very creepy environment, as the volcano continues to smoke. Species List for Guayabo and Turrialba, 22-24 February 2012 (85) Gray-headed Chachalaca Cattle Egret Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Broad-winged Hawk Gray Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Squirrel Cuckoo Common Pauraque Vaux's Swift Stripe-throated Hermit Green Violetear Green-crowned Brilliant Fiery-throated Hummingbird Purple-throated Mountain-Gem Violet-crowned Woodnymph Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Gartered Trogon Collared Trogon Collared Araçari Keel-billed Toucan Hairy Woodpecker Spotted Barbtail Ruddy Treerunner Plain Xenops Plain Antvireo Slaty Antwren Yellow-bellied Elaenia Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Slaty-capped Flycatcher Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Common Tody-Flycatcher Eye-ringed Flatbill Black-capped Flycatcher Bright-rumped Attila Dusky-capped Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird White-collared Manakin Cinnamon Becard White-winged Becard Yellow-throated Vireo Lesser Greenlet Brown Jay Blue-and-white Swallow Stripe-breasted Wren Plain Wren House Wren Long-billed Gnatwren Tropical Gnatcatcher Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush Sooty Thrush Mountain Thrush Clay-colored Thrush Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher Golden-winged Warbler Flame-throated Warbler Tennessee Warbler American Redstart Tropical Parula Blackburnian Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Golden-crowned Warbler Three-striped Warbler Buff-rumped Warbler Wilson's Warbler Collared Redstart Bananaquit White-shouldered Tanager Passerini's Tanager Silver-throated Tanager Bay-headed Tanager Grayish Saltator Buff-throated Saltator Black-headed Saltator Yellow-faced Grassquit Slaty Flowerpiercer Sooty-faced Finch Rufous-collared Sparrow Common Bush-Tanager Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager Great-tailed Grackle Montezuma Oropendola Tawny-capped Euphonia |
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Tuesday 6th March 2012, 02:39
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#8 |
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Registered User
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Irazu and Alajuela 24-25 Feb
We drove to Alajuela via Irazu Volcano. Few new birds, but we did see Mourning Dove and the Purple-throated subspecies of Volcano Hummingbird (vs Heliotope-throated in Talamanca). Hotel Buena Vista above Alajuela is surrounded by trees and coffee plants, and had a nice variety of orioles, warblers, and Steely-vented Hummingbirds. Also new for the trip were Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Euphonia and Rufous-capped Warbler.
Trip List 18-25 February 2012 (193) Blue-winged Teal Gray-headed Chachalaca Crested Guan Black Guan Cattle Egret Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Gray-headed Kite Swallow-tailed Kite White-tailed Kite Roadside Hawk Broad-winged Hawk Gray Hawk Swainson's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Peregrine Falcon Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Red-billed Pigeon Band-tailed Pigeon Short-billed Pigeon White-winged Dove Mourning Dove White-tipped Dove Ruddy Quail-Dove Crimson-fronted Parakeet Brown-hooded Parrot Squirrel Cuckoo Common Pauraque White-collared Swift Vaux's Swift White-necked Jacobin Green Hermit Stripe-throated Hermit Brown Violetear Green Violetear Purple-crowned Fairy Green-breasted Mango Green Thorntail Black-crested Coquette Green-crowned Brilliant Magnificent Hummingbird Fiery-throated Hummingbird Purple-throated Mountain-Gem White-throated Mountain-Gem Volcano Hummingbird Garden Emerald Violet Sabrewing Violet-crowned Woodnymph Snowcap Steely-vented Hummingbird Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Resplendent Quetzal Gartered Trogon Collared Trogon Rufous-tailed Jacamar Emerald Toucanet Collared Araçari Keel-billed Toucan Acorn Woodpecker Black-cheeked Woodpecker Hoffmann's Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Golden-olive Woodpecker Slaty Spinetail Spotted Barbtail Ruddy Treerunner Plain Xenops Olivaceous Woodcreeper Spotted Woodcreeper Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Fasciated Antshrike Russet Antshrike Plain Antvireo Slaty Antwren Immaculate Antbird Yellow-bellied Elaenia Mountain Elaenia Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Slaty-capped Flycatcher Rufous-browed Tyrannulet Rough-legged Tyrannulet Paltry Tyrannulet Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant Common Tody-Flycatcher Eye-ringed Flatbill Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher Ochraceous Pewee Least Flycatcher Black-capped Flycatcher Black Phoebe Bright-rumped Attila Dusky-capped Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Boat-billed Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird Rufous Piha White-collared Manakin Cinnamon Becard White-winged Becard Black-and-white Becard Yellow-throated Vireo Yellow-winged Vireo Yellow-green Vireo Lesser Greenlet Brown Jay Blue-and-white Swallow Southern Rough-winged Swallow Gray-breasted Martin Band-backed Wren Stripe-breasted Wren Plain Wren Bay Wren House Wren Ochraceous Wren Timberline Wren White-breasted Wood-wren Long-billed Gnatwren Tropical Gnatcatcher Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush Sooty Thrush Mountain Thrush Clay-colored Thrush Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher Golden-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Flame-throated Warbler Tennessee Warbler American Redstart Tropical Parula Blackburnian Warbler Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Townsend's Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Rufous-capped Warbler Black-cheeked Warbler Golden-crowned Warbler Three-striped Warbler Buff-rumped Warbler Wilson's Warbler Collared Redstart Wrenthrush Bananaquit Black-and-yellow Tanager White-shouldered Tanager White-lined Tanager Crimson-collared Tanager Passerini's Tanager Blue-gray Tanager Palm Tanager Emerald Tanager Silver-throated Tanager Speckled Tanager Bay-headed Tanager Golden-hooded Tanager Scarlet-thighed Dacnis Green Honeycreeper Grayish Saltator Buff-throated Saltator Variable Seedeater Thick-billed Seed-Finch Yellow-faced Grassquit Peg-billed Finch Slaty Flowerpiercer Yellow-thighed Finch Large-footed Finch Sooty-faced Finch Rufous-collared Sparrow Volcano Junco Common Bush-Tanager Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager Hepatic Tanager Summer Tanager Flame-colored Tanager Black-faced Grosbeak Rose-breasted Grosbeak Eastern Meadowlark Melodius Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Bronzed Cowbird Baltimore Oriole Scarlet-rumped Cacique Chestnut-headed Oropendola Montezuma Oropendola Yellow-throated Euphonia White-vented Euphonia Tawny-capped Euphonia Golden-browed Chlorophonia Last edited by kenito799 : Tuesday 6th March 2012 at 02:51. |
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Wednesday 7th March 2012, 00:49
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#9 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Posts: 570
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We almost crossed paths, Kenito799. Returned Saturday from 12 days in CR; the last four at Poas Lodge, "upstream" from Hotel Buena Vista. Haven't had time to compile my own list but yours looks pretty good, especially the highland species.
Steve |
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