A 4 day mini expedition in search of some tough species was quite successful. Just got back last night from birding sites in southwestern Costa Rica and in addition to picking up 4 lifers, I got several new birds for my country list, a bunch of year birds, and we got the chance to survey a few underbirded areas.
Results:
588. Ocellated Crake: Major lifer. A very little known bird in CR, it's actually common in native grassy habitats above Buenos Aires (obviously not the Paris of Latin America). We heard quite a few and glimpsed one. As is typical of many crakes, they were nearly impossible to actually see because they stayed beneath dense grass. The one I ghlimpsed was the most rodent-like bird I have ever seen!
589. Gray-breasted Crake: Heard at edge of a wet rice field near Ciudad Neily.
590. Paint-billed Crake: Yes, we were one a crake hunt and although it was frustrating at times, we got excellent looks at this one! After checking several rice fields and hearing one, we got 2 to respond well along with point blank looks. I had heard this species a couple of times before but had never seen it.
591. American Oystercatcher: We ate lunch near Dominical (a good site for this species) and one made an appearance.
592. Scaled Pigeon: Common near Buenos Aires.
593. Brown-throated Parakeet: The most common parakeet near Cuidad Neily at this time of the year. Lots of great looks!
594. Common Nighthawk: I forgot that this species occurred in grassy habitats near Buenos Aires.
595. Spot-fronted Swift: While waiting for Ocellated Crake to show, we also saw a number of swifts, including this species (which was identified by its call).
596. Garden Emerald: Got a quick view of a male near Buenos Aires. The trip was pretty bad for hummingbirds.
597. Pale-breasted Spinetail: Lots of this neat little bird!
598. Great Antshrike: Overdue for the year. Heard a few here and there.
599. Bran-colored Flycatcher: Nice looks at a couple of these smart looking flycatchers.
600. Fork-tailed Flycatcher: A quick look at a young bird near La Gamba.
601. Rusty-margined Flycatcher: Finally caught up with this bird for my CR list with a pair at La Gamba.
602. Rosy-thrush Tanager: Another species to finally add to my country list. Heard a few and had brief looks at one on the road to Durika.
603. Slate-colored Seedeater: Several near La Gamba.
604. Wedge-tailed Grass Finch: One of the other major targets for the trip. We thought we were going to dip on this lifer until we saw 5 or 6 on our final morning in the savannahs.
605. Costa Rican brush Finch: Brief but definitive looks at the fourth of my lifers.
606. Volcano Junco: We made a brief stop in paramo on Cerro de la Muerte to get this one.
607. Streaked Saltator: Lots of these!
608. Red-breasted Blackbird: Several in the rice fields.
609. Crested Oropendola: I was happy to get a few flybys near San Vito.
610. Tricolored Munia: Nice surprise in the rice fields.