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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 1597949" data-attributes="member: 12449">29 August. Golfito.A former banana port, Golfito is strung along the shores of an enclosed lagoon and, for the birder, offers the idyllic base for exploring the steep forested slopes rising from the town. A gravel track winding up some seven kilometres to radio towers allows easy access, albeit a long steep walk. Out at 5.15 a.m., I had but two targets on this day - Fiery-billed Aracari, an endemic toucan, very localised and hard to find, plus Central American Squirrel Monkey, an endearing monkey now with a global population of perhaps 3000 individuals, all in this small south-western corner of Costa Rica. Had considered taking a taxi to the top of the track and walking down, but dawn taxi drivers seemed to require very large incentives to get their cars going, so opted for another day of punishing my feet. Walked south of the town for a couple of kilometres and there started the track upwards. Had yet to enter the forest, but already birds were out and about - dozens of Social Flycatchers and Great Kiskadee,  Bananaquits and Cherrie's Tanagers in abundance, two Palm Tanagers too. As the town faded into forest, a Ringed Kingfisher sat upon a washing line (!) and then, right as the trees began, I encountered a mother of all flocks - dozens and dozens of birds flitting between two massive trees and neighbouring secondary growth. With the slope in my favour, perfect viewing with most at eye level or near. A Yellow-green Vireo appeared just above my head, two Golden-hooded Tanagers too, but what was most incredible was the sheer number of flycatchers of assorted type and variety! Off I ticked them all: amongst the masses, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Black-capped Flycatcher, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, plus Tropical Kingbirds and an Alder Flycatcher type-thing, though it may have been a Willow Flycatcher! Also in the flock, Northern Barred Woodcreeper. Long-tailed Woodcreeper and Plain Xenops, plus Red-rumped Woodpecker. A good half hour I enjoyed this spectacle, then wandered on. A period of total silence then followed, punctuated only by a small flock of Chestnut-backed Antbirds and, right stunners, several Riverside Wrens sneaking about in the low trackside vegetation. Upward, upward, Orange-billed Sparrows appeared, then a Black-striped Woodcreeper, followed by two Black-headed Antshrikes, nice birds. At a sunny clearing where the track did a hairpin climb, a Squirrel Cuckoo sunned in the low canopy and both Green and Shining Honeycreepers flitted about. A hundred metres or so further, a very civilised little picnic area was perched just perfect to give grand panoramic views across Golfito down below and the blue waters of Golfo Dulce beyond. A very suitable place for a rest - I sat and admired, a spiral of vultures was climbing over yonder. One scan and a mighty white splash was amongst them - about 200 Black Vultures and one fantastic adult King Vulture just above them. 'Super', thought I for the umpteenth time on this trip! I had now been in the forest for half the morning, however, and a certain two targets were still proving elusive. Peeling myself off the bench, resuming the sweat-drenching walk, I continued up. Red-crowned Woodpeckers appeared, a Pale-billed Woodpecker not long after. And then success, a tell-tale crashing in the canopy suggested monkeys - could be any of the species, but my luck was in, a troop of inquisitive Squirrel Monkeys was prancing around, jumping and chasing, even allowing a photo or two. About 15 in all, these really were fantastic little creatures, certainly the best mammal of the trip to date. And, just when I was getting spell-binding views, the incredible happened - six Fiery-billed Aracari swooped in! How lucky was that, both my main targets in the same tree! A few minutes more and off they went.With that I continued my climb - Red-capped Manakins, Tropical Gnatcatcher and White-shouldered Tanager all in short succession, then a weird calling noise which I eventually tracked down to a Chestnut-mandibled Toucan. Sat and admired this one, as much to catch my breath as anything else, then heard a tap-tap-tap. Off I went again, the result a pair of  Golden-naped Woodpeckers at the nest. T'was now approaching midday. Mindful of the 2.30 p.m. rains, I decided to quit whilst ahead - almost jogged back down the mountain, Violet-crowned Woodnymph in my wake, Costa Rican Swifts and a Short-tailed Hawk at another viewpoint, then a Spot-crowned Euphonia further down.Back in town, now seriously hot and the humidity climbing, I had a quick poke around by the shoreline - Willet, Semi-palmated Plover and Amazon Kingfisher along a creek, numerous Black Vultures lazing, one Panama Flycatcher in a mangrove tree and a Green Heron in a palm. I decided it was time to leave town - I headed for the bus station and discovered a bus was headed for the capital San Jose at 2.30 p.m., how perfect, leave just as the rains should arrive. I lay in a park for an hour - over my head, Magnificent Frigatebirds, three Swallow-tailed Kites, one White Hawk and several squawking Orange-chinned Parakeets.2.30 p.m. arrived, the rain started and I bid the southern Pacific goodbye. The bus was headed for San Jose maybe, but I had no intention of staying on board quite so far. Near five hours later, well after dark, I disembarked into a cold misty world. Jeepers it was a shock to the system, in my shorts and tee-shirt I now shivered as the thermometer logged just nine degrees ...I was at the Cerro de la Muerte, the Mountain of Death. And stay out there, it would be the death of me, into wonderful roadside lodgings I dived. La Georginas cabinas would be home for a couple of nights.</blockquote>

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