Thanks so much for bring this up Jim. It's been frustrating to see some birding sites in the Sarapiqui area evolve into places that sort of make it tough to watch birds on your own. There are sites here and there on back roads that are good but those are still in fragmented forest, are on pretty bad roads, and lack trails that penetrate the forest interior.
More sites that would actually make it easy to bird would certainly be welcome! When I visited Tirimbina in late March, we were told about the hours for the trails. It's their place so they can make the rules but it's an absolute shame and ridiculous. Probably too worried about guests getting bit by a snake and lawsuits when you are far, far more likely to get in an accident while driving to and from Tirimbina.
Shame to hear that the food was bad too. Such problems sound like problems typically associated with management and indeed, we heard rumors about new management. This may have also been why even though the website states that one can stay in the field station, when we called, we were told that no, we had to have a larger group for them to open it and they wouldn't budge. There was no attempt to do us (paying guests) any favors along those lines.
As for the trails, they are pretty good in my experience and can turn up several species that have become uncommon at La Selva. I got the impression that Tirimbina was mostly used by student groups as well. I don't mind that as long as people are quiet on the trails.
At La Selva, if you actually stay there (which is over priced in my opinion), you can spend all of your time looking for targets. However, a bigger problem may be not being in the right place to find them. Depends on what your targets are but it's not a good place to find many of the understory species that used to occur (various flycatchers, antbirds, nunbirds, etc.). It's still easier to see the following targets at La Selva than some other sites, though, in part because guides often know where to find them:
Great Curassow- although these are also fairly easy at Arenal, Esquinas Lodge, and Laguna del Lagarto (and other sites too).
Semiplumbeous Hawk- La Selva still seems to be one of the best sites for this bird in the country.
Bare-necked Umbrellabird- a few birds are around from maybe Oct.(or earlier) to February and guides often know where they are.
Vermiculated Screech Owl- Roosting birds are sometimes found and shown to birders.
Great Potoo- Same as for the screech owl.
The info. above is why I have been recommending this:
If you want to support research being carried out in a neotropical rainforest and have more free time on the trails, then stay at La Selva. But, keep in mind that many species on the checklist have become rare or even gone from the area. With that in mind, it seems better to stay in any one of several hotels in the area that are more geared for tourism and cost less, and then signing up for the early morning birding tour (although sadly, more than one person has told me that they were disappointed with that or were shifted over to the standard rainforest tour).
This way, one still has a fair chance of seeing the targets mentioned above without having to stay there. The species that have become rare at La Selva can be more easily seen at such sites as Tirimbina (although maybe not with the trail restrictions), Laguna del Lagarto and other sites in the north, Braulio Carillo, Carara, Heliconias, the Osa, etc. One other site around there with pretty good forest is Sueno Azul (not cheap but nunbirds occur and probably much more).
As far as Sarapiqui goes, unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that much of the forests in that area are also quite fragmented and thus not as good for seeing many of the uncommon forest birds. Until we find and implement a way to reforest much of the area and establish better corridors, I am afraid that the situation isn't going to get much better.
Sarapiqui seems to have become better perhaps for bird photography than seeing many of the rarer forest birds, especially with the new
Nature Pavilion- don't have extensive forest but the bird photography is outstanding ($20 for every hour and a half), they use part of the proceeds to reforest, have a nice covered deck that overlooks some forest canopy, and a trail down to the river that is good for a fair number of species and can turn up Sunbittern, etc. They also now rent out a fairly spacious house there with two big bathrooms for something like $65 per person per night.
Bird photography is also fairly good at some of the hotels in the area (El Gavilan and Posada Andrea Cristina come to mind), there are still lots of common birds around and a number of uncommon species can of course show up.
However, if you hope to see rarities like Great Jacamar, more raptors, nunbirds, fruitcrows, more antbirds, etc., here my go to places:
1. Hitoy Cerere- best Caribbean lowland forest I have seen in the country but a bit tough to access and may or may not be dormitory accommodation on site. Nearest hotels might be near Cahuita.
2. Veragua- Excellent but mostly geared for package tours. Near Limon.
3. Laguna del Lagarto, Maquenque, and little known sites shown on the
Costa Rican Bird Route. At Laguna, I have always been treated to excellent service and no restrictions for trails. The birding can be very good there and it's a place where Harpy could even turn up. Near Nicaraguan border, northeast of La Fortuna.
4. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo- Easy, great birding right around most hotels although might not be as good for understory species in some areas. Still, in my opinion, the general area is as good as La Selva and more easily accessible (if a longer drive). Near southeastern border with Panama.
5. Pocosol Research Station- Excellent forest in foothills but still good for a variety of lowland birds and of course foothill specialties. Between San Ramon and La Fortuna.
6. Lands in Love hotel- Foothills but still good for lowland species, quality of forest is demonstrated by sightings of R V Ground Cuckoo, Great Curassow, Keel-billed Motmot, lots of tanagers, antbirds, etc. Near La Fortuna. Between San Ramon and La Fortuna.
