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Costa Rica - advice (1 Viewer)

safariranger

Well-known member
I am visiting Costa Rica in February for two weeks an have already planned to go to Monteverde, Arenal Observatory Lodge and the La Selva Biological Station.

Besides these places I know a local bird guide has mentioned that he will take me to Carara NP.

Where else could I go to see new species, or even good recommendations for places where bird watching is really good and especially conducive to photography?

Any tips will be greatly appreciated. :t:
 
The hummingbird feeders at the entrance to monterverde cloud forest reserve are brilliant. You will get to photograph them at point bank range: green crowned brillant, green violet ear, violet sabrewing, magneta throated woodstar, coppery headed emerald. Check out for fruiting fig trees in the reserve best chance to see the Quetzal.

I stayed at the Lost Iguana hotel in Arenal. Great rainforest behind the hotel with trails. Visit the Arenal hanging bridges. Had a keeled billed motmot there:smoke:

Don't go to Manuel Antonio it's shite. Overly touristy and the park is degraded.
 
Take a look at this section of Birdforum: http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=561 where there are many more threads with discussion of Costa Rica. Remember that travel from one spot to the next takes time, so It may not be worth it to add extra areas, you may gain more from adding time to the ones you are going to already.

Niels
 
El Toucana

If you are at Arenal then El Toucano at Aguas Zarcas is worth a stop, great birding in the grounds and nearby. We had sunbittern on the little stream that run into the thermal, and Potoo and Owls in the trees near the pool.

If you want additional habitat then might be worth the trek over to Tortuguera on the pacific coast, as well as new birds great for turtles ann possibility of jaguar on the beach (we only saw paw prints but others saw them).
 
I think you've got the Caribbean side covered, plus some nice cloud forest birding in Monteverde and the transition to southern Pacific habitat at Carara. My suggestions would be to the add Cano Negro wetlands if you have time, and definitely Palo Verde for wetland and dry forest species. Savegre is fantastic, but may be a bit far away if you only have 2 weeks. Alternatively you could consider a few sites in the Central Valley that have good diversity and don't take long to visit (i.e. Tapanti, Irazu volcano). There's a great suggestion for a "Guanacaste itinerary" on the subforum that Niels suggested. Happy planning and hope you have a great trip!

N
 
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