JJP
Well-known member
That would be "Target Birding". Pardon the mistype in the title. Note: title now corrected.
Last week, I decided to visit Costa Rica with a target list.
My problem was that I had birded western Panama twice and was still missing several birds from there in Costa Rica (Silvery-throated Jay, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Barred Becard, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Flame-colored Tanager, etc)
I was also missing some lifer highland specialties that could be picked up in either the Talamanca range (Costa Rica Pygmy-Owl, Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Spotted Wood-Quail, Dusky Nightjar) or in the Tilaran Range (Black-eared Wood Quail, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Black-headed and Rufous-breasted Antthrush) or either range (Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, etc.).
So I concentrated on highland specialties and acquired the skill of Kevin Easley, bird guide and owner of Costa Rica Gateways bird guide service. Costa Rica Gateways is a very good company for this sort of thing. Their guides pretty much know where things like Bare-shanked Screech-Owl and Dusky Nightjar can be found since they do this sort of thing all year long and their guides talk among themselves constantly.
Make no mistake, I would rather be birding on my own. But this is a case where I really needed to be efficient. I could not really afford to go wandering into something that looked like reasonable habitat, fumble with my tapes, and cross my fingers. I truly needed a person who know where most of my target birds were being seen.
I was also missing a few uncommon nemesis birds that I hoped to pick up along the way - Brown-billed Sycythebill, Blue-and-Gold Tanager, Barred Hawk, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, etc...)
So a good friend and myself headed out on April 13.
My itinerary was ...
Savegre Lodge - Two nights
Monteverde - one night
San Gerardo - two nights
Irazu Volcano to Savegre -
Day - 1: On the way to Savegre, we pulled into the Irazu Volcano to pick up Buffy-crowned Wood-Partidge. Kevin knew a pretty good spot near a man's house and we actually saw them in his garden! Just for the record, these birds move really fast. I probably saw more of their butt than their head.
Kevin was also able to get us good views of a Costa Rica Pygmy-Owl being hounded by Flame-throated Warblers, Yellow-winged Vireos, and a variety of other songbirds. We also had both Acorn and Hairy woodpeckers, Resplendent Quetzal, Mountain Robin, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Black-capped Flycatcher, Mountain Elaenia, and Black-thighed Grosbeak.
Kevin knew of a better place for Timberline Wren and Wrenthrush, so we didn't drive to the top of the Volcano. On to Savegre.
We pulled into Savegre in beautiful 75 degree cloudless weather. I will not comment on the weather again. It was beautiful and dry my entire trip. I never saw a drop of rain while birding. This isn't entirely a good thing, but that's the way it was.
On the first afternoon, I picked up White-throated mountain-Gem at the hummingbird feeder (lifer) and Yellow-bellied Siskin in a tree (new for Costa Rica). Flame-colored Tanagers were also common.
We then drove higher up on the highway to a place where Kevin taped out Wrenthrush and Timberline Wren in about 10 minutes - both within about 25 feet of each other. A bonus bird was Volcano Junco walking around on the shoulder of the road. I had seen the bird before, but we got good pictures. We had terrific views of Dusky Nightjar that evening (a stake-out spot) and my friend got some exceptional pictures there as well.
Day 2. Very early we Did the trail going up to the higher ground from the lodge (beautiful trail). We had good views of Streak-breasted Treehunter and Black-cheeked Warbler (both new for Costa Rica). Finally saw Silvery-throated Jays at what is apparently one of the few areas you can see them. We also had Spotted Wood-Quail and Buffy Tuftedcheek - both new birds.
Around the lodge at breakfast we had Dark Pewee, Yellowish Flycatcher, and a few others. We never saw Ocheraceous Pewee - a bird I had seen in Panama.
We then decided to drive to San Isidro for a few birds that were slightly on the perimeter of my target list - Turquoise Cotinga, White-tailed Emerald, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Bran-colored Flycatcher, and Fork-tailed Flycatcher. The first two would be lifers, the last three would be new Costa Rican birds.
We got Snowy-bellied hummingbird at a hillside restaurant Kevin knew about near San Isidro. We missed the White-tailed Emerald though. Driving through San Isidro, we picked up Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Tropical Mockingbird - both new CR birds. At Tilaria Lodge, we had to wait out the cotinga but finally saw no fewer than 5 of them about 4 oclock in the afternoon (2 males and 3 females). I had been to Tilaria before but missed them. Great bird, that cotinga - as all cotingas are in my opinion. We tried but missed the Bran-colored Flycatcher.
We also had a Pearl Kite by the river, a Streaked Saltator, and no fewer than 12 Scarlet Tanagers around San Isidro - all new CR birds.
Back to Savegre for dinner and a collapse on my bed.
Day 3 - Morning along the river trail before breakfast.... quickly picked up several birds. Sulphur-winged Parakeet, and Barred Becard (nest building) were picked up quickly. Then we had good views of Slaty Flower-piercer, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Brown-capped Vireo, Torrent Tyrannulet, and Black-faced solitaire - all birds I was happy to see again.
We left Savegre after breakfast for Montevede. We got Rufous-browed Peppershrike on the way out and a Sedge Wren at Cartago (both CR birds). We also got chiggers looking for that last bird. Little Bastards.
That night at Monteverde, Kevin and I went out (Kevin's friend and my friend both being too tired) in order to pick up Bare-shanked Screech Owl. We picked that up quickly and had a Mottled Owl to boot. A lifer and a new CR bird. I loved the screech-owl. Very different from other screech-owls in my opinion.
Continued.
Last week, I decided to visit Costa Rica with a target list.
My problem was that I had birded western Panama twice and was still missing several birds from there in Costa Rica (Silvery-throated Jay, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Barred Becard, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Flame-colored Tanager, etc)
I was also missing some lifer highland specialties that could be picked up in either the Talamanca range (Costa Rica Pygmy-Owl, Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge, Spotted Wood-Quail, Dusky Nightjar) or in the Tilaran Range (Black-eared Wood Quail, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Black-headed and Rufous-breasted Antthrush) or either range (Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, etc.).
So I concentrated on highland specialties and acquired the skill of Kevin Easley, bird guide and owner of Costa Rica Gateways bird guide service. Costa Rica Gateways is a very good company for this sort of thing. Their guides pretty much know where things like Bare-shanked Screech-Owl and Dusky Nightjar can be found since they do this sort of thing all year long and their guides talk among themselves constantly.
Make no mistake, I would rather be birding on my own. But this is a case where I really needed to be efficient. I could not really afford to go wandering into something that looked like reasonable habitat, fumble with my tapes, and cross my fingers. I truly needed a person who know where most of my target birds were being seen.
I was also missing a few uncommon nemesis birds that I hoped to pick up along the way - Brown-billed Sycythebill, Blue-and-Gold Tanager, Barred Hawk, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, etc...)
So a good friend and myself headed out on April 13.
My itinerary was ...
Savegre Lodge - Two nights
Monteverde - one night
San Gerardo - two nights
Irazu Volcano to Savegre -
Day - 1: On the way to Savegre, we pulled into the Irazu Volcano to pick up Buffy-crowned Wood-Partidge. Kevin knew a pretty good spot near a man's house and we actually saw them in his garden! Just for the record, these birds move really fast. I probably saw more of their butt than their head.
Kevin was also able to get us good views of a Costa Rica Pygmy-Owl being hounded by Flame-throated Warblers, Yellow-winged Vireos, and a variety of other songbirds. We also had both Acorn and Hairy woodpeckers, Resplendent Quetzal, Mountain Robin, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Black-capped Flycatcher, Mountain Elaenia, and Black-thighed Grosbeak.
Kevin knew of a better place for Timberline Wren and Wrenthrush, so we didn't drive to the top of the Volcano. On to Savegre.
We pulled into Savegre in beautiful 75 degree cloudless weather. I will not comment on the weather again. It was beautiful and dry my entire trip. I never saw a drop of rain while birding. This isn't entirely a good thing, but that's the way it was.
On the first afternoon, I picked up White-throated mountain-Gem at the hummingbird feeder (lifer) and Yellow-bellied Siskin in a tree (new for Costa Rica). Flame-colored Tanagers were also common.
We then drove higher up on the highway to a place where Kevin taped out Wrenthrush and Timberline Wren in about 10 minutes - both within about 25 feet of each other. A bonus bird was Volcano Junco walking around on the shoulder of the road. I had seen the bird before, but we got good pictures. We had terrific views of Dusky Nightjar that evening (a stake-out spot) and my friend got some exceptional pictures there as well.
Day 2. Very early we Did the trail going up to the higher ground from the lodge (beautiful trail). We had good views of Streak-breasted Treehunter and Black-cheeked Warbler (both new for Costa Rica). Finally saw Silvery-throated Jays at what is apparently one of the few areas you can see them. We also had Spotted Wood-Quail and Buffy Tuftedcheek - both new birds.
Around the lodge at breakfast we had Dark Pewee, Yellowish Flycatcher, and a few others. We never saw Ocheraceous Pewee - a bird I had seen in Panama.
We then decided to drive to San Isidro for a few birds that were slightly on the perimeter of my target list - Turquoise Cotinga, White-tailed Emerald, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Bran-colored Flycatcher, and Fork-tailed Flycatcher. The first two would be lifers, the last three would be new Costa Rican birds.
We got Snowy-bellied hummingbird at a hillside restaurant Kevin knew about near San Isidro. We missed the White-tailed Emerald though. Driving through San Isidro, we picked up Fork-tailed Flycatcher and Tropical Mockingbird - both new CR birds. At Tilaria Lodge, we had to wait out the cotinga but finally saw no fewer than 5 of them about 4 oclock in the afternoon (2 males and 3 females). I had been to Tilaria before but missed them. Great bird, that cotinga - as all cotingas are in my opinion. We tried but missed the Bran-colored Flycatcher.
We also had a Pearl Kite by the river, a Streaked Saltator, and no fewer than 12 Scarlet Tanagers around San Isidro - all new CR birds.
Back to Savegre for dinner and a collapse on my bed.
Day 3 - Morning along the river trail before breakfast.... quickly picked up several birds. Sulphur-winged Parakeet, and Barred Becard (nest building) were picked up quickly. Then we had good views of Slaty Flower-piercer, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Brown-capped Vireo, Torrent Tyrannulet, and Black-faced solitaire - all birds I was happy to see again.
We left Savegre after breakfast for Montevede. We got Rufous-browed Peppershrike on the way out and a Sedge Wren at Cartago (both CR birds). We also got chiggers looking for that last bird. Little Bastards.
That night at Monteverde, Kevin and I went out (Kevin's friend and my friend both being too tired) in order to pick up Bare-shanked Screech Owl. We picked that up quickly and had a Mottled Owl to boot. A lifer and a new CR bird. I loved the screech-owl. Very different from other screech-owls in my opinion.
Continued.
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