Costa Rica.... (3 Viewers)

[johnraven]

YES that's the place!!! Just for the record we also had Violet-headed Hummer, Green-crowned Brilliant and Black-faced Grosbeak there. That was 2002. Well done Rich! (yes Tim the brain's addled and so is the note-book).

I went to there this morning (i'm in costa rica). There is a big sign saying "Hummingbird Hiking Trails, USD5 pp". I didnt pay, but scanned from the roadside as most of the flowering bushes seem to be in view any way. Nothing but Rufous-taileds unfortunately, but it was after 10am by that point.

Braullio C NP was strangely birdless, the ranger guy said it was odd as he thought the weather was perfect (sunny and still). Spent this afternoon on the approach road to La Selva (free) and the river by Puerto Viejo where there were far far more birds, inc hummingbirds.

 

[Edward woodwood]

Skool's out...

off in the morning

thanx to all who've offered help... Eduardo, Jamesy, Andy Aquila, John, Dipper, Tom, Andrew Walker, Spoony and Rich Bonser etc... apologies to anyone i've missed.

finally I know it's a bit late now but anyone recommend the best places for a beer in San Jose, Monteverde or Carara

you're all diamonds

will try to post a pic or two from over there, shouldn't be too tricky

Ciao amicos

Tim

 

[Edward woodwood]

watcha lads and lasses

quick update

having a whale of a time at the moment (apart from AOL ******** up my email address)

ended up in a hotel that seems to serve as a shagging pad for local students. They seem to like the crazy gringo though so i´ve been back a couple of times already

walked 37 km in a day on Monday (yes 37!!!) in order to get all the altitude specialities... awesome birding at La Georgina including Silvery-fronted tapaculo, Resplendant Quetzal, Peg-billed Finch, Zeledonia, Ochraceous Pewee etc. All in amazing scenery. The hummers are suberb... made an 18km detour on foot to ensure Scintillant and a couple of other species.

Snowcap y´day at Braulio Carillo and a couple of anteaters.

Up in Monteverde now, all rather civilsed. Hoping to make contact with Eduardo (motmot)´s mate later on...

oh and the beers alright too..

Ciao for now amigos

Tim

 

[Grousemore]

watcha lads and lasses

oh and the beers alright too..

Ciao for now amigos

Tim

Glad it's going well, have a great time!

 

[Chris D]

The Quetzal must have been something. Looking forward to more dispatches from the "Front".

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Nice one Tim. 37kms?? Good job I didn't come with you..... You saw Zeledonia??!! Ouch.

 

[CJW]

Just about to start booking our trip for next year, Tim. Looking forward to reading all about yours.

 

[Edward woodwood]

watcha folks

just finished four/five days in the monteverde area, had a few beers so typing may go awry...

met with Eduardo´s mate Robert and what a top bloke he is. Ex guitarist with Japan and a total music nut like myself (plus he loves Zep, Chris!!!) with a cracking little dog too. He gave me one of my best ever birding days... up well before the crack of dawn, quick cup of the local amphetamine like brew and off in San Gerado valley... picked up a few goodies like Immaculate Antbird and Nightingale Wren on the 11km way down to the Bare-necked Umbrellabird Lek... got there a bit late and no sign of any activity...aarrghhhh!!!!

so we mooched around adding Black-chested Hawk, the brilliant Ochre-breasted Antpitta and numerous dudey birds for me courtesy of Robert´s amazing knowledge of calls (he´s painting plates for a new field gude and knows his stuff!!!). ERventually we dug out a Three-wattled Bellbird honking away, a bird i´ve wanted to see for about 16 years! so i was a happy boy indeed. Went back to the lek at about 1:30 amnd after 20 mins we herd an Umbrellabird call its deep booom. After a few seconds it piled in and showed for about 15 minutes as it inflated its red wattled and kept booming away. I was blown away for several minutes and only managed expletives and wonderment...

slow walk back up the hill after a 27 km day (the legs are holding out at the moment...) a big marlin steak and a beer and rum or two, plus.. all added up to a great celebration of an awesome day that i´ll remember for ever. I even digibinned the umbrellabird display...usual Allwood quality though...

mopped up most of the remaining stuff today finally including a full bird view of Lesser Ground Cuckoo in Robert´s back yard.

Eduardo... cheers mate i owe you big time
and Robert... what can i say... you´re a star!

off to Carara reserve on early morning bus for a few pacific dry forest specialites

Ciao amigos

Tim

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Awesome stuff Timmy. And you'll be amazed to learn that Mr Poll refused a blatant penalty for Man U.

 

[Motmot]

watcha folks

just finished four/five days in the monteverde area, had a few beers so typing may go awry...

met with Eduardo´s mate Robert and what a top bloke he is. Ex guitarist with Japan and a total music nut like myself (plus he loves Zep, Chris!!!) with a cracking little dog too. He gave me one of my best ever birding days... up well before the crack of dawn, quick cup of the local amphetamine like brew and off in San Gerado valley... picked up a few goodies like Immaculate Antbird and Nightingale Wren on the 11km way down to the Bare-necked Umbrellabird Lek... got there a bit late and no sign of any activity...aarrghhhh!!!!

so we mooched around adding Black-chested Hawk, the brilliant Ochre-breasted Antpitta and numerous dudey birds for me courtesy of Robert´s amazing knowledge of calls (he´s painting plates for a new field gude and knows his stuff!!!). ERventually we dug out a Three-wattled Bellbird honking away, a bird i´ve wanted to see for about 16 years! so i was a happy boy indeed. Went back to the lek at about 1:30 amnd after 20 mins we herd an Umbrellabird call its deep booom. After a few seconds it piled in and showed for about 15 minutes as it inflated its red wattled and kept booming away. I was blown away for several minutes and only managed expletives and wonderment...

slow walk back up the hill after a 27 km day (the legs are holding out at the moment...) a big marlin steak and a beer and rum or two, plus.. all added up to a great celebration of an awesome day that i´ll remember for ever. I even digibinned the umbrellabird display...usual Allwood quality though...

mopped up most of the remaining stuff today finally including a full bird view of Lesser Ground Cuckoo in Robert´s back yard.

Eduardo... cheers mate i owe you big time
and Robert... what can i say... you´re a star!

off to Carara reserve on early morning bus for a few pacific dry forest specialites

Ciao amigos

Tim

Glad to hear all that Tim, have fun!
Eduardo

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hola amigos

back in UK this morning. Plenty of screaming brats and whinging English people on the flight from Amsterdam...nice to be home....not.

Carara was top birding. Spectacled Antpitta down to a few feet, even got a photo!!! Loved it. Dawn to dusk each day produced the goods. Birds everywhere. The 'hotel' aint as bad as everyone says either. Crocodile restaurant's a great place to kick back with a few beers after a hard day in forest

Finished off with another day at Braulio Carillo, the folks at the hummingbird garden took me in and fed me up and their kids took me for a walk in the forest... only problem that the buses stopped running due to easter hols (no mention in the bloody rough guide) so stuck with not much traffic needing to get to airport... bit hairy but finally managed to hitch a lift off a nice Costa Rican guy into San Jose, mad dash to find a working ATM etc but it all worked out. Last birds in Costa Rica?.... male Snowcap and Black-crested Coquettes!!! MEGA!

Almost missed the plane in Orlando y'day... found an airport bar with this strong English type dark beer and had too much too quickly, confusing boarding time with departure time... led to a high speed dash thru the airport to my gate and a few apologies... there's always one!

Massive thanks to everyone who helped out in any way. Was a hard trip. I walked miles and miles and had little rest but the gen was great and made the trip one to remember. Will post proper details in due course and write a report for anyone thinking of going out there soonish...

forgot to say... my Nikons seized up totally on the end of first day... absolutely fckd. Had to break the focussing mechansim, do some engineering jiggery-pokery to end up with one focussable half of the bins. Bloody useless. Never gonna touch em again. Back to the old 7 x 42 dialyts, glad i've still got em. Knew i should never have changed... they were better than the Niks anyway!

Tim

 

[edenwatcher]

Welcome back Tim. Sounds like a good trip. Envious of the umbrellabird and zeledonia.

Rob

 

[Edward woodwood]

oh yeah...

i didn't get robbed either

which if you read some trip reports sounds like a certainty

I walked all the 'dodgy' trails alone, early and late had no bother at all and found the people to be some of the friendliest i've met. Plenty of free food and lifts came my way. Wonderful

Don't listen to the rumours. I don't actually know of anyone who's been 'done' since pre 1990?

 

[Chris D]

Great stuff. Glad you were treated well. It must be magic to see hummingbirds (when you come from an area where they don't exist) especially tropical ones. Where you anywhere near Arenal volcano? Friends visiting Costa Rica always marvel at the sight of it at night.

 

[Chris D]

Did you get to hear the Nightingale Wren's song?

 

[Edward woodwood]

Hi Chris

yes, that's how we knew it was there...

didn't take much to get it in though

an easily imitated bird

lovely views of Arenal on the walk down to the Umbrellabird, quite noisy when it erupts too!

 

[Edward woodwood]

some pics

kissing lips flower

very poisonous frog

the beautiful elfin forest at Cerro de la muerte, moss dripping from everything

Spectacled Antpitta - my digibinned pic is shameful and does this wonderful bird no justice. Not sure why it's so light either as it was rather gloomy n the forest at the time. It puffs its belly out and flicks its wings as it calls

a rather big lizard who wouldn't give way on the trail

more later but birds digibinned and sh*te. scenery pix passable

 

[Andrew]

Cool flower.

Did you kiss it 'just to see what it was like'?

 

[Edward woodwood]

Cool flower.

Did you kiss it 'just to see what it was like'?

ha ha
actually thought about it for a moment - then thought i might end up with some horrible chemical melting me mouth away...

i guess this is the male plant Andrew!...

Tim

 

[Andrew]

Looks like Jagger!