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COSTA RICA
March-April 2003
by Dave Klauber
Cotingas
& Quail-Doves (Tinamous & Wood-Quail too)
The
birds listed above, with the exception of Cotingas, had always been
difficult
birds for me, especially Wood-Quail. This trip was very successful in
that I
saw all my target Cotingas, one of my
favorite bird
families, as well as 4 species of Quail-Dove, 3 Tinamous, and 2
Wood-Quails.
Most
trip reports that I’ve seen for Costa Rica describe birds seen on
guided tours. I did a solo trip from March 24 through April 15.
Hopefully this
report will be of some use to independent birders getting around on
their own.
I had birded in Central
America before, and I
had also been to Costa Rica - 3 or 4 weekends during a
business assignment in 1997-98, and a few days in 2000 around a trip
that
Dennis and I took driving from San Jose to Oaxaca, Mexico and back. I had contacted
Dennis Rogers, who wrote a useful book on bird finding in Costa Rica and Panama, and who lives near San Jose with his wife and son.
Dennis graciously put me up for several days during my trip, which
helped in
reducing costs and provided some good company.
I
used both the Costa Rica & Panama field guides. I prefer the
artwork and similar species sections in the Panama guide, but Stiles &
Skutch has more specific information on Costa Rica.
Reference Material &
Contacts
Trip Reports taken
from
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/maybank/main.htm
Best
of the bunch was Patrick O’Donnell’s Nov 1999-Jan 2000 report, which
had
specifics including getting around by bus
Books
A
Guide to the Birds of Costa
Rica, 1989 – Stiles & Skutch
A
Guide to the Birds of Panama 2nd
edition, 1989 – Ridgely
&
Gwynne
Site Guides to Costa Rica and Panama, 1996 – Dennis Rogers
Where
to Watch Birds in Central America, Mexico, & the Caribbean, 2001 – Wheatley &
Brewer- read and copy the relevant CR sections & leave the book at
home.
Lonely
Planet Costa Rica, 5th Edition, Oct 2002 - accommodation, logistics
Maps
– I had an old International Travel Maps of Costa Rica from 1998 – not
that
detailed, but as good as any. Budget
Rent-A-Car gave
me a good map, useful particularly for San Jose. Good, detailed maps are
hard to find, if in fact they exist.
La
Selva - www.ots.ac.cr/en/laselva
Monteverde
Conservation League - www.acmonteverde.com,
phone 645-5200
MONEY & LOGISTICS
Costa Rican currency is the Colon,
trading at about 390 to the dollar while I was there. I had Visa
traveler’s
cheques, which the airport bank would not change (American Express
only). A
European traveler also was refused there when she wanted to change
Euros.
American dollars cash are accepted in many places; some larger places
will take
travelers' cheques.
When arriving at the airport, go to the small
tourist
information desk directly opposite where you leave customs. They have a
bus
schedule for most buses from San Jose,
with phone numbers and terminal addresses, a very useful thing to have.
I
generally stayed in moderate to low budget hotels. Room prices ranged
from
$3-$20, with the exception of Selva Verde, Rancho Naturalista, and
Savegre
Mountain Lodge.
Buy
a telephone card to use in Costa Rica. They are sold in many
shops in various multiples (1000 colones, 3000, etc). Some phones may
only
accept cards, even for toll-free calling card calls.
My
estimate is that the total cost was about $1300–1400 dollars. Biggest
expenses
were the car rental ($220), Rancho Naturalista ($120), La Selva ($185),
and
Savegre Lodge ($60). Free accommodation near San Jose with Dennis sure helped.
TRANSPORTATION
BUS
& TAXI
Public
buses are cheap and go to most places in the country. They are often
preferable
to having a car, especially in places like Monteverde. The most
expensive bus
trip I took, to Monteverde, was about 1500 colones – less than $4.
Taxis around
San Jose are inexpensive, and much preferred to
driving this
city without street signs and surprise one-way streets. Ask them to use
the
meter – the “maria”. Long trips like Braulio Carillo should be
negotiated
beforehand. It may also be better to take a taxi to Braulio Carillo
from San
Jose,
especially if split among
2 or more people. Taxis in Monteverde are relatively expensive – it’s 2000 colones to Monteverde reserve from
Santa Elena
(6km) – but still might be preferable to having a vehicle.
One
note about taxis. On
several occasions cab drivers dropped me off at
the wrong bus terminals. Always give them the street address as well as
the
title. Unlike taxis in many other parts of the world, some of these
guys don’t
really know that much about finding destinations or getting around,
which was a
big surprise to me.
CARS
I
rented from Budget for 1 week, arranged in the USA before arrival. Arranging
car rentals in your country of origin is recommended, as you can often
get
better deals and unlimited mileage. Sunday through Saturday for a small
automatic Toyota Yaris was $220. The highways vary in quality, often
with
potholes, but generally are manageable Gasoline is a bit more expensive
than
the USA. Some locations will need
high clearance, and in the rainy season 4 wheel drive. Usually these
places
will have 4 wheel drive taxis in the area as an option.
BIRDS
I
saw 392 species, and heard another 15, for a trip total of 407. 29 were
lifers,
and another 12 were new North American birds. I was primarily looking
for
target birds rather than a big trip list. Highlights were seeing the 2
white
cotingas and a male Turquiose, a great look at a male Umbrellabird, 4
species
of Quail-Dove, 3 Tinamous, and 2 Wood-Quails. Big misses were
Black-cheeked
Ant-Tanager and Silvery-throated Jay. Also missed was Ochraceous Pewee,
but I
knew it would be tough. Inquiries about specific species will gladly be
answered at:
davehawkowl@msn.com
THE TRIP
March
24, Monday
I
caught a direct flight from New York to San Jose, using the last of my
frequent flyer miles with American, while there still is an American
Airlines.
No birding. Dennis Rogers and his son Stephen met me at the airport and
after
some delay with finding a bank, took me to Heredia where we had lunch
and I
changed money. We went to their house in San Isidro de Heredia, about
20-30
minutes north of San Jose.
March 25 – La Selva
I had made arrangements in the USA
through the internet to stay at the biological station at La Selva,
near the
town of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
on the northern Caribbean slope. Their website
is www.ots.ac.cr/en/laselva
.The price
is usually $55 per night plus meals at $8 each, but I was given the
price of
$55 all inclusive. The rooms are overpriced, being bunk beds with
shared bath,
but the location is excellent. Dennis drove me to the highway where I
caught a
bus to Puerto Viejo, then took a taxi (1000 colones) to the station,
arriving
before noon. Weather was
warm with
sun and clouds. I had lunch then birded the
CES/CEN/STR trail from 12:45
to 3.
This goes through forested areas and was generally shady even in the
middle of
the day. La Selva has an extensive trail system and provides a map,
although
the photocopy can be hard to decipher. The biggest surprise was a
beautiful
Agami Heron under a bridge right next to the STR path, only about 10
minutes
from the reception area. He stayed there throughout my visit, allowing
many
repeat looks at close range, seemingly oblivious to the people who
walked past.
I saw White-ringed Flycatcher in the trees by the main bridge, and in
late
afternoon I saw Black-throated Wren in the bushes along the path by the
river,
before you cross the main bridge. At night I went out with a spotlight
and owl
tapes (Crested & Spectacled) with no response, but I did see a new
mammal,
the Kinkajou, in a tree near the river. I was surprised how many people
were at
La Selva. There were many researchers and a group of 35 American
students on a
4 month trip around Costa Rica.
There is a shop that sells beer and soft drinks that closes at 5, but
reception
will usually go in and get you a drink.
March 26 – La Selva
A
guided tour is included in the price, but I opted for a birding tour,
which
cost a little extra, rather than a generic eco-tour. Carlos was the
guide, and
I showed him my list of target birds. We took the SUR and SCH trails,
and he
found me Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, tough to see well, Red-footed
Plumeleteer,
and a roosting Great Potoo behind the research buildings. We checked
out a day
roost for Spectacled Owl, but with no luck. Overhead vultures included
the only
King Vulture of my trip. Overhead swifts included White-collared,
Gray-rumped,
and Chestnut-collared. In the afternoon I walked the SOR trail from
2-5,
finding an Olive-backed Quail-Dove by a dried marshy area with a
boardwalk. I
spent the last hour by reception, hoping for Snowy Cotinga or
Short-tailed
Nighthawk, with no luck. Mammals that day included Collared Peccaries,
Agouti,
Coati, 2-toed Sloth, and heard Howler monkeys.
March 27, Thursday – La Selva
This
was a long day. I set off at 5:30 AM and walked the perimeter
along the Sendero Holdridge (SHO) to the Lindero Sur to the LOC, or
Lindero
Occidental. As you get further down the SHO it has several steep ups
and downs
as it crosses creeks, mostly dry while I was there, although the trail
was
muddy in spots. This would be a real slippery mess in the wet. At 9:15 I found an antswarm at 1950
on the SHO trail, attended by many Ocellated Antbirds, 2 Spotted and 1
or 2
Bicolored Antbirds. Just past the swarm walked a male Great Curassow.
At about
2050 on the LOC trail I got a tape-assisted Uniform Crake, paying me
scant
attention as it dug in the mud. When I reached “civilization” on the
STR trail,
sometime around 4 PM, the Agami Heron was in its
usual spot, this time with a Gray-necked Wood-Rail and Pygmy
Kingfisher. Just after
four in the same area on the STR trail, I got a great look at a
Slaty-breasted
Tinamou calling about 40 feet in from the trail. Carlos had told me
this was a
good spot for it – thanks Carlos. I ran into both VENT and WINGS groups
there,
and Mimi Wolfe of VENT told me they had Great Tinamou and a good look
in the
morning at Snowy Cotinga near the guard station. Around dusk I met a
group
looking for the Short-tailed Nighthawk, and I got a brief look at one
flying
just above the trees away past the guard station. This bird does not
soar
overhead like most nighthawks, so the best strategy is to focus on a
section of
trees, maybe those opposite and towards the guard station from
reception. It
flies just above and close to the canopy. Another
unsuccessful owl quest on the STR trail.
March 28, Friday – Last day at La Selva
This
was a quest for Snowy Cotinga, a main target bird. It seemed the best
spot was
near the reception area, where people had seen them in the bare trees
behind
the reception and the bus parking area. I briefly checked out the river
for
Green Ibis, a target bird that I missed. I found out later that others
had seen
the Ibis from the bridge, and they soared overhead briefly, but I
didn’t see
them. At a private farm about 15 minutes away groups saw Pinnated
Bittern and
Pink-billed Seed-Finch, as well as more Ibis. I didn’t find out until
just
before my departure, so missed them. I walked down the main road just
past a
small bridge and found Olive-crowned Yellowthroat. I heard what sounded
like
Pheasant Cuckoo, unknown in this area, but later was informed that the
Striped
Cuckoo has alternate calls other than its usual 2 note whistle, so
maybe it was
a Striped. About 7 AM near the reception area I
saw a few Snowy Cotingas in a treetop in the distance across the river,
but
they flew away and I couldn’t relocate them. Returning to the reception
area I
was treated to 2 males which flew into a tree right above the dorm
opposite the
reception, giving great looks for about 10-15 minutes while they fed in
the
trees. They then flew across into the dead tree past reception briefly,
and
disappeared. This was my best look at a white Cotinga, and another trip
highlight. At 1 PM I took a taxi to Puerto
Viejo and caught the bus (920 colones) to San Isidro, arriving at 3 PM
and spending the night with Dennis & Elena.
March 29 – Cerro de la Muerte
Dennis
and I set out for the Providencia Road on the Cerro de la Muerte,
off the Pan American highway that traverses the country, arriving 7:30-8. This is a dirt road at
about kilometer 78 that descends into good forest. The road is a bit
rough and
must be driven slowly, but is doable in a regular car. Promising, but
ultimately providing little of interest, was the flowering bamboo along
the
road. None of the bamboo specialists were seen on any of several visits
throughout my trip. I lured out a Timberline Wren along the first
kilometer,
but I could not find a Zeledonia, although one was heard. We drove down
as far
as about kilometer 9, where there was a clearing. One Peg-billed Finch
was seen
in one of the sections of tall forest, maybe about 3 km down. Other
mountain
specialities were seen, including many Black-capped Flycatchers, but
none were
new for me. Dennis had seen Ochraceous Pewee here on 2 occasions, but
this was
not to be for me.
March 30 – Braulio Carillo
I
took a taxi from San Isidro to the Quebrada Gonzalez
station in the Braulio Carillo Park for about 7000 colones.
There are frequent buses that pass the park starting at 5:30 from San Jose, arriving about 45 minutes
later. There were a number of my target birds that potentially could be
found
here, but I missed them all. 2 groups had seen the Black-crowned
Antpitta
within the past week, but I didn’t. I did find one or two flocks, and
the most
interesting birds were a Sharpbill, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, and several
White-throated Shrike-Tanagers. I returned by bus in the afternoon to
Dennis’
house.
March 31 – Pacific coast – Tivives
I had convinced Dennis to drive me to the
Pacific coast
for Mangrove Hummingbird. We left at 4:30,
arriving around 6:45 at the
mangrove
reserve at Tivives, near Caldera. There was a sign with a beach logo
for a dirt
road that turned off to the right which lead to Tivives, but it did not
say
Tivives. There is a guard who I guess is protecting the beach houses,
but there
was no problem passing. We parked along the road and searched for
Hummingbirds,
finding Cinnamon and Scaly-Breasted. Several Yellow-Naped Parrots were
in the
mangroves, and a couple of Northern Scrub-Flycatchers, as well as Panama
and Brown Crested Flycatchers. At the river mouth were distant
shorebirds and a
Whimbrel, and several herons, including Reddish Egret. We took a path
into the
mangroves next to a house at the first opening on the left past the
mangroves,
and quickly found a young male Mangrove Hummingbird just before 10 AM. A pair of Scarlet Macaws flew
by. We had
brunch at a nice restaurant in Caldera, just over the bridge, then drove to Tarcoles where we found a Pacific
Screech-Owl
out in the open on a branch in a tree to the right of the house
opposite the
Tarcoles Lodge. We returned past Carara, but only stopped at the
bridge, not
entering the reserve, as it was the middle of the day and hot. There is
an
active Orange-collared Manakin lek here, but I never saw it. I had
expected to
find it on my excursion to the southeast, and this was a major miss for
the
trip. We spent about 20 minutes in the town square
of Orotina looking for the
roosting
Black and White Owl(s), but only found 2 sloths.
April 1, Tuesday - Monteverde
During
my stay at La Selva I talked with 2 of the American students visiting,
who told
me about an Umbrellabird lek near Monteverde where they had seen 6 or 8
(!!)
birds a week earlier. This caused an abrupt change in my plans, and I
took the 6:30 bus to Monteverde, nearly
missing it as 2 consecutive cab drivers dropped me off at the wrong bus
terminal. Tell them the exact street address as well as the name of the
terminal, and don’t pay them until you get out and confirm you are in
the right
place. The previous night the weather was terrible in San Isidro, with strong wind and rain.
Most of the 5+ hour bus trip was in sunshine, but as we reached
Monteverde we
hit bad weather, with strong wind and rain. I had previously contacted
the
people in charge of the San Gerardo station, which is near the
Umbrellabird
site. It is administered by the Monteverde Conservation League (Asociacion
de Conservacion de
Monteverde in Spanish), based in Cerro Plano above Santa Elena in the
Monteverde area. The first phone number (645-5851) was always busy, and
didn’t
work, but the second , 645-5200 was
operational. The staff all speak English,
and in fact were all from the USA. Website is www. acmonteverde.com.
The San Gerardo station has a 2 story
building with bunk beds and linen, and cooking facilities. Prices vary
with
group size, from about $35 to $45 per person, sometimes including
meals. The
only caveat is that the manager has to be available to take you there;
they
will not let you stay by yourself. To get there is hike of about an
hour,
starting from the parking lot of the Santa Elena Reserve. There was a
small
group already there, so I was allowed to stay, but only for 1 night,
and
without the food they had previously said they would provide. I bought
a sandwich
at the bakery in town, and took a cab for 3000 colones (should be 2500)
to the
trailhead, not wanting to wait 2 hours for the bus ($2). I hiked in
quickly in
driving rain and wind, getting thoroughly soaked along the way,
arriving at the
San Gerardo station about an hour later at about 3:30. The altitude at the
station is 1200 meters, or 3936 feet. A bit later the other group
returned from
their excursion, led by Kevin Easley, organized by Mike Mulligan. They
were on
a quest for some difficult birds in Costa Rica, and had a high success
rate including Lanceolated Monklet, Scaled and Black-crowned Antpitta,
and
other goodies. We hoped for better weather, ate, and retired under
pouring wind
and rain. Bring matches and keep them dry, or a cigarette lighter, for
the
candles.
April 2 – Monteverde
The
original plan was to walk in during the dark to arrive at dawn,
supposedly when
the birds start displaying, but it was still raining hard at 4:30. About 5:45 we all set off anyway.
Kevin spooked up a Highland Tinamou, which I only heard. We arrived at
the lek
site around 6:30, and waited. The rain was lighter, but it
was still
windy and foggy. We saw Black Guan, but nothing else. The others left
about 8,
and I stayed another hour, with no success. I did see a Tayra on the
way back
to the station. We all hiked out in the rain, a rather grueling uphill
haul
which we did in about 80 wet minutes. I took the 2:30 bus back to San Jose, vowing a rematch. The
others had to leave Costa Rica the next day.
April 3 – San Isidro de Heredia, little birding
Dennis took me out to the highway, as I was
going to try
another day at Braulio Carillo. Unfortunately the heavy rains had
affected this
part of the country, causing landslides that closed the highway, and
there was
a huge line of trucks waiting for the road to open. We returned to
Dennis” house, and I did a little scrub
birding near his house,
seeing a few warblers and White-eared Ground-Sparrow. Night
with the Rogers.
.
April 4 – Rancho Naturalista
I
had been in touch with Frederic Vanhove, a Belgian birder now working
as a
guide at Rancho. We had met 2 years earlier when he was a volunteer
guide in
Alta Floresta, Brazil, at the Rio Cristalino
Lodge. I took the 6:30 bus to Turrialba (650
colones, 2 hours), then a cab to Rancho for 3000 colones, arriving
about 9:30. Try and get the direct bus
to or from Turrialba, because the local bus stops everywhere, taking at
least
30-40 minutes longer. Fred met me and we went out and quickly got the
resident
Tawny-chested Flycatcher. Their was a good assortment of hummingbirds
at the
feeders, including Snowcap, Brown Violet-ear, Green Thorntail,
Green-breasted
Mango, Garden Emerald, Green Crowned Brilliant, and White-necked
Jacobin. Fred
taped in a Dull-mantled Antbird near a gully by a stream. After lunch
we walked
the trails from 2:15 to 5:15. I had one of my best ever
looks at a quail-dove, seeing a pair of Purplish-backed Quail-Doves on
a log,
one preening the other at about 30 feet. Rancho is very nice place, but
in my
opinion drastically overpriced. I was given a discount thanks to Fred,
but the
regular price was $135 a night including meals, with a shared bathroom.
Meals
are good, and the hummingbird feeders are good, but my advice is to
minimize
your stay here unless you have the money. They actually served Tang
(!?!!) for
breakfast with the fresh fruit, an unpardonable sin in this part of the
world.
Kevin Easley’s brother Steve also works here,
and they
both told me about a place called Silent Mountain nearby that apparently is
very difficult to find if you don’t know the exact route. There are
some very
good birds here like Lovely Cotinga and many others that are difficult
in Costa
Rica, like Black-banded and Strong-billed Woodcreepers.
April 5 – Rio Tuis trail near Rancho
Naturalista
This
trail could be accessed independently. It is a dirt road off to the
right only
a kilometer or so from the Rancho entrance. A 4-wheel drive is
necessary to
drive to the end of this road, about 2 or 3 km, I think. A 4-wheel
drive taxi
had been arranged through Rancho, for $15. This trail crosses a river
and
climbs into good forest with birds different from RN, in spite of its
close
proximity. My main target was Lanceolated Monklet, which had been seen
here on
several occasions, once near the beginning before the bridge, and also
about an
hour’s walk up the mountain. We missed it, and I found out later that
Steve saw
it the very next day. Oh well. Fred saw the Scythebill, and we both had
Sulphur-winged Parakeets, Barred and Great Black-Hawk, Rufous Mourner,
and
Ashy-throated Bush-Tanagers along the first stretch. We returned for
lunch, I
watched the feeders for the immature male Black-crested Coquette that I
didn’t
see, caught the 4 PM direct bus to San Jose, and spent the night at the
Rogers’ again.
April 6, Sunday – Drive to San Vito
Dennis
and I spent an hour in the fields by his house, where he found me a
Spot-bellied Bobwhite, which I only saw in flight, and the only
Steely-vented
Hummingbird of the trip. I caught a cab to the Budget Car Rental office
in San Jose, picked up my car, an
automatic Toyota Yaris, and drove up the Cerro de la Muerte to the Providencia Road, spending an hour here. I
quickly discovered a plastic guard under the front end of my car was
broken,
hitting bottom at every high point in the road. I managed to
push it into a position where it didn’t drag the ground. I didn’t see
anything
new of note, and continued my drive east, delayed about 90 minutes by
tow
trucks removing truck wreckage from a nasty accident. Wheatley mentions
a dirt
road past El Brujo for Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch. I spent an hour there
seeing
nothing of interest, but it was 3 PM on a fairly hot day. I
finally got to the San Vito area, near the Panama border, about 5:15, and tried a small pond
next to the airport for the Yellowthroat, but with no luck. I returned
after
dark to try for Striped Owl, but there were several lone individuals
hanging
out in the airport area, so after 20 minutes decided to quit. I found a
cheap
hotel in town, the Hotel Rino, for 3500 colones with hot water and fan.
April 7 – San Vito and Golfito
I
returned to the same airport pond, trying again for the Yellowthroat. I
caught
a glimpse of a White-throated Crake, and had Common & Purple
Gallinule, but
no warblers. I then found a large marshy area at the far end of the
airport.
Where the main road veers right there is a dirt road to the left that
goes
around the grassy field known as the airport. At the far end you can
park and
there is a trail into a large marshy area. Someone had trimmed the
vegetation
along a canal, and I was able to walk in for several hundred meters. At the end of a canal I pished up a Masked/Chiriqui
Yellowthroat.
On the way back were about 4 or 5 Mourning Warblers, a Gray-Crowned
Yellowthroat, and Pale-breasted Spinetails. I drove down the steep road
to
Golfito, arriving about 8:30. Golfito is a rather
run-down town that stretches for several kilometers along the
waterfront. I
took a wrong turn and went around the far side of the small airport,
arriving
at a small reserve with a trail into the forest. I walked in and spent
an hour,
hearing possible Wood-Quail scurrying off and “peeping” and finding a
Charming/Beryl-Crowned Hummingbird and Eye-ringed Flatbill. It was hot
and
humid, and I left, finally finding the forest road on the far side of
the
duty-free zone, described in Dennis’ bird finding guide. I hit a bad
patch
after less than 2 km, and decided to reverse, park and bird by foot for
about
30 minutes. It was nearly noon, and I returned to town,
looking for a hotel. Someone in a trip report mentioned seeing
Spectacled Owl
outside the Hotel Gran Ceibo on the outskirts of town, so I stayed
there for
6000 colones with a fan (10,000 for A/C), but no hot water, not really
needed
in this climate. I tried the Sendero Lecheria road. This is reached by
driving
around the fenced duty-free zone, and going past the forest road turn
off to
the police station, and going right across a bridge. This goes into
second
growth flanked by a large marshy area on the left. It was supposed to
be a spot
where the Orange-Collared Manakin was “common” according to Patrick
O’Connell.
Not one was seen or heard on my 2 visits there, but I had a great look
at
White-throated Crake, and I whistled in a Little Tinamou, also giving
me a
great look. I ate at the hotel restaurant and tried for the owl several
times
at night, but no luck. I reached 310 species.
April 8 – Golfito and drive to Osa
I
drove up the Tower Road, not that far from the
hotel. It’s a dirt road to the right, just past a football field and a
small
creek called Quebrada 3 km. It reaches the towers after 8 km. Patrick’s
trip
report said he had the Ant-Tanager near the top. Not me. I spent an
hour or two
along the road, trying a tape, but didn’t see much, other than a
spectacular view
of the gulf. However, 1 or 2 km from the top there is a large open area
on the
right with a gate. It looked like construction was going on, with some
square
pits that could be potential foundations. There was a large flowering
tree with
long pod-like yellow flowers with hummingbirds. I had a female, then a
male
White-crested Coquette, somewhat backlit. When I moved for better light
I could
not relocate either, but there were many of these yellow flowering
trees in the
area. About half a km down the main road I found another female
Coquette. There
were also Charming and Snowy-bellied Hummingbirds. I left the Tower Road at 11 and made a second
attempt on the Sendero Lecheria, seeing little of note – no manakin! I
drove
out of Golfito to the main highway, then west, and went left on the
road that
said Golfito 12 km, which is the other side of the forest road I gave
up on the
previous day. This was rough but passable, and I drove in 8 km. It was
getting
cloudy and started raining around 4 PM, cutting short my birding
there. This has good forest habitat, and I heard the manakins
“clicking” but
couldn’t see them. Interesting was the rufous-naped race of the
Gray-chested
Dove. I drove to Rincon de Osa on the Osa
peninsula,
about halfway to Puerto Jimenez. Be careful on this road. It is in good
condition for about 10 km, then when you’ve been lulled into security
and a high driving speed very nasty potholes
appear. I arrived
at the Cabanas Golfo Dulce around dusk, where there was a group of
kayakers
staying and fishing. Wood-rails could be heard calling from the
mangroves. The
cabanas were 5000 colones for a basic room with shared cold shower;
they also
have rooms with private bath. Showers are a pipe from the ceiling.
There is a
restaurant at the beginning of the “town”, such as it is, but the
cabanas
people cooked me a chicken dinner for 1500 colones.
April 9 – Rincon de Osa & drive to San
Jose
I was meeting a girlfriend in San Jose that evening, so I only had the morning
in the
area, unfortunately. I spent 30 minutes in the mangroves and dock
behind the
cabins – they are right next to the gulf - then drove slowly towards
Puerto
Jimenez. After a few kilometers the road reaches an open area with a
restaurant
and a metal bridge to the left. I later met Chris Jones who told me the
day
after I left he took the right fork 5.6 km and walked into the forest,
where he
found an antswarm with the Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager. I drove down this
road a
few km, but turned around and drove over the bridge and through the
open area for
2 or 3 km. A flock of seedeaters contained White-collared, Variable,
Yellow-bellied, and Ruddy-breasted. I drove back to the bridge and saw
a pair
of Ringed Kingfishers mating. About 100 or 200 meters back towards
Rincon there
was a fruiting tree high up, near where the telephone wires cross the
road.
There was a male and female Turquoise Cotinga and female Yellow-billed
Cotinga,
White-vented Euphonia, and many parakeets. A male Yellow-billed flew
out and
away. When I met Chris a few days later he said he had found the same
tree with
the cotingas. The Turquoise did not seem to be feeding, and mostly
perched
nearly motionless for long periods of time. This tree was almost
straight up,
and I laid down in the road for some neck relief. I also saw another
rufous-naped
Gray-chested Dove along the road. In the clearing of Rincon were
several
Scarlet Macaws. I left about 10:15, with an hour stop on the Providencia Road in the Cerro de la Muerte on the way
back. I got
lost in San
Jose,
my friend’s hotel reservations had changed, and I
should have stayed longer on the Osa
peninsula.
April 10, Thursday – Tapanti & Cerro de la Muerte
I
left my friend’s hotel near the airport at 7 AM and reached Tapanti around 9:15. There were signs
advertising several places to stay in Orosi, only 15-20 minutes from
Tapanti,
so this might be a good place to stay.
Note that Tapanti does not open until 7 AM, although birding by the
road near the gates can be good. Paul Koopman was there with a
Birdquest group.
I took the Oropendula trail, where Kevin Easley and Fred Vanhove told
me they
had seen the Monklet and Scaled Antpitta. I didn’t, and only added a
few trip
birds like Black-bellied Hummingbird and White-throated Thrush.
Everyone says
to avoid this place on weekends. Even though it was Thursday, a school
bus full
of kids and a noisy family showed up to picnic at the benches by the
river. I
gave up and drove out to Cerro de la Muerte again with yet another
attempt for
the Jay, Pewee, & Zeledonia on the Providencia Road, again with no luck. I
stayed until dusk to try for the Dusky Nightjar, which Fred had seen in
the
clearing at the top of the road. Unfortunately fog and light to
moderate rain
started, and I saw and heard nothing. I drove to km 95 to the La
Georgina
restaurant, getting a very basic room with shared bath for 1000 colones
– the
best deal of the trip. They also have cabins for 3700 colones. There
was
supposedly hot water in the shower, but actually there was no water at
all that
night due to some problem that was fixed in the morning. It’s cold up
there,
but there were blankets
April 11 – Cerro de la Muerte
There
are 3 trails below La Georgina, and they will provide you with a basic
trail
map. The only thing is the trails go down, so the return is uphill at
high
altitude. I took the trail to the left, the Descanso trail, and within
5-10
minutes I heard Zeledonias. I got a great look at one at close range. I
tried
the Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl tape and heard one calling. I walked down a
bit
further and got a brief look at one before the thrushes chased it away.
Also in
these forests were Quetzal, Ruddy Treerunner, and some other mountain
specialties. The restaurant has hummingbird feeders at the windows,
allowing
close looks at Fiery-throated, Volcano and Magnificent. On the ground
by the
restaurant was the only Volcano Junco of the trip. I drove west to the
San
Gerardo road, which goes down to the Savegre Mountain Lodge, and other
lodges.
This road is in much better condition than the Providencia Road, being paved for over half
its length, but there were more open areas and buildings. Not far from
Savegre
I ran into Chris Jones, who had also just returned from the Golfito
area. He
was still looking for Ochraceous Pewee, and showed me a Dark Pewee in a
nearby
field. Chris had been at Savegre a few days earlier and had seen 3
flocks of
Silvery-throated Jays on the Los Robles trail, so I was encouraged. I
checked
into the Savegre Lodge, where they charged me $40 for a very nice large
room
and dinner – full board is $75, I believe. I had them drive me the 2 km
uphill
to Los Robles trail, where I spent 4 hours slowly walking and looking
for the
jays and ground birds. No jays, in spite of several tries with the
tape, but I
had a good look at a Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, one of the prettiest of
the
genus. I got to the lodge about 5, and ran into Glenn Crawford of Belize, who was leading a group.
Glenn and I went out at dusk to the orchards a few minutes from the
lodge to
try for Dusky Nightjar. We heard one call intermittently, and got a
glimpse of
a silhouette and a brief flash in the spotlight. We spotlit in once in
the
distance, and it took off – this bird does not like lights. I highly
recommend
the Savegre Lodge. It’s modest in price for a lodge, has very nice
rooms, good
food, knowledgeable guides, and good birds.
April 12 – Savegre
Chris
Jones had returned to Savegre to try for the Pewee. One of the guides
had given
us specific locations on both the Quebrada Sendero and Los Robles.
There were
also supposed to be nesting Jays on the Los Robles Trail. I ran into
Chris
about 5:20 AM as we trudged uphill. Chris had a distant
response to the Pygmy-Owl tape, and we heard the Nightjar again. We
took the
Quebrada trail, going left where it branches off from Los Robles about
200
yards. I gave up after 90 minutes, and set off for Los Robles and the
Jay spot
– no jay for me, despite hours of wandering around. I did hear one call
briefly
once, but could not find it, and it didn’t respond to a tape. At the
trailhead
was a beautiful pair of Golden-browed Chlorophonias only 4 feet off the
ground.
I returned to the Quebrada trail, but didn’t see anything. I then
walked
further up the Los Robles trail from the Quebrada, and was surprised
with a
good look at a family of Spotted Wood-Quail. I walked back up to Los
Robles,
but never saw or heard the Jay. I hiked down to the lodge and found out
Chris
had finally seen the Ochraceous Pewee on the Quebrada trail about 11:30. I decided to dump my car
and drove to San
Jose,
returning the car to
Budget. I checked into the Hotel Bulevar about 5. They had no towels,
saying
they were on the way. I went out for an hour, returned, and still no
towels. A
group of football students had arrived, and when I finally tried the
shower,
there was no hot water. I was told the students probably used it all
up. For
the only time in my life I demanded my money back and checked out,
going to the
rather dingy Hotel Diplomat in the center for $18. I returned there a
few days
later. Check out the rooms first. All are dark, but some have mirrors
in the
bathroom, some have sinks with hot water, and some have fans,
irrespective of
the price. The clerk, Laura, was very helpful, and booked me a taxi for
the
next morning. I packed a small bag to take to Monteverde and left some
laundry
and most of my luggage at the hotel for 2 days.
April 13 – Monteverde
I
took the 6:30 AM bus to Monteverde, arriving before noon and checking into the
Pension Colibri around the corner from the bus stop. I splurged on a
private
room with bath for $20, but they have cheaper rooms. In the afternoon I
took a
cab for 2000 colones to the Monteverde preserve entrance to check out
their
hummingbird feeders. I did not enter the reserve, which charges an
exorbitant
$12 for daily admission. I had been there in 2001 and there were no
target
birds there for me. There was nothing at their feeders, so I walked
down to the
Hummingbird gallery and watched their feeders for an hour, seeing Green
Hermit,
Violet Sabrewing, Green-crowned Brilliant, Purple-throated
Mountain-Gem, Magenta-throated
Woodstar, and a female Scintillant. 3 Wattled Bellbird could be heard
calling
in the distance. I walked down the hill a few hundred yards to where
you could
see a panoramic view of the forested hillside. I located a distant male
Bellbird on a Cecropia tree. I walked down to the Cerro Plano area,
where 2
Belgian birders named Jan asked about the Bellbird. They drove me back
to the
site, and one Jan located a male near where I had found it earlier. We
then
briefly checked out the Pension Mannikin in Cerro Plano, mentioned in a
trip
report as a spot for Chiriqui Quail-Dove. The caretaker let us look at
the
forest, which is separated by barbed wire, with no trails, only a view
from the
balcony. Nobody was feeding birds here, and it was a waste of time.
Weather was
windy at times but mostly sunny.
April 14 – Monteverde
Rematch
with the Umbrellabird. I
couldn’t stay at the research station
since the manager was away, but they said I could hike in. I had to
wake up the
cab driver (Hugo, arranged by the Pension Kolibri) who overslept,
delaying me
about 15 minutes, and I arrived at 5:10 AM . The trail is a wide trail
that starts at the far end of the parking lot for the Santa Elena
Reserve,
about 6 km from Santa Elena. The trail descends through forest, and at
a sharp
turn right there is a fallen sign for either Mirador or San Gerardo to
the
left. It took me about 55 minutes to get here, and another 35 minutes
to get to
the Umbrellabird lek site. Along the trail to the station I saw a
Highland
Tinamou. Bellbirds were calling along the way. After arriving at the
station,
called Bosque Eterno de los Ninos, take the trail to the left, Sendero Congo. In 5 or 10 minutes it goes
through a clearing, and just as the path enters the forest is a path to
the
left, which takes you to the site. It crosses a bridge and stream, goes
uphill,
curves right along a ridge, and there are bare barked trees along the
path,
where someone has carved Arturo in one next to the trail. A huge fig
tree is on
the right. This is the spot where I waited. I heard the Umbrellabird
call –
only one call, at intervals of about 5 – 10 minutes. It sounds like
someone
blowing over an empty bottle, and is very hard to locate. I decided to
walk off
the trail into the forest a few hundred feet. I heard something large
in the
trees overhead behind me, and a beautiful male Umbrellabird appeared in
the
open on a branch. I watched him for 10 minutes, hoping he would call,
which he
didn’t, but the long extended wattles were prominent, and its bizarre
crest was
striking when it turned sideways. He flew a short distance into another
tree,
which I could see, then after 5 minutes moved out of sight. It was a
bit after 7 AM.
I hiked slowly back the way I had come, going left at the first fork
after the
stream crossings. This went through some open areas and then looped
back to the
lek site. About 100 feet down the trail I saw another (the same?) Umbrellabird high up in a tree. Several
White-throated
Spadebills were seen on the way out, and I heard a Nightingale Wren,
but it did
not respond to a tape. A probable Chiriqui Quail-Dove spooked up along
the
trail, but I didn’t get a good look. This was maybe the highlight of a
trip
full of highlights. I hiked out slowly, seeing a Bellbird at fairly
close range
between the station and the main trail. Around 1 it got cloudy and
started to
rain lightly a little later. I arrived at the Santa Elena Reserve about
2, and
had a drink and snack at the restaurant until the bus arrived at 3 PM.
Kevin Easley’s group had seen the Chiriqui Quail-Dove at the Santa
Elena
Reserve when I met them earlier, so this was tomorrow’s plan. Another good meal at Morpho’s restaurant to celebrate,
with a good
half bottle of Chilean cabernet.
April 15 – Santa Elena Reserve & Finca Ecologica
I
had spent quite a bit of time patiently arguing my case to enter the
reserve at
5:30 without a guide, before the usual opening
time of 7 AM,
and they finally agreed the day before. This cab was early, and I got
there
about 5:45. I walked the Cano Negro and Encantado
loops, but
didn’t see much new. Best was a good look at a Barred Hawk in a tree –
I had
only seen it in flight previously. Bellbirds were heard here in several
places.
I met a guide who suggested Finca Ecologica for Chiriqui Quail-Dove, my
last
target bird in the area. I got to the restaurant about 11AM & lucked out as the bus
arrived just as I returned to the restaurant area, although it took
several
detours on the way back to Santa Elena, arriving about 11:45. I got a cab for 1000
colones to the Finca Ecologica in Cerro Plano, arriving about noon on a hot day. It was very
dry, and anything that moved could be heard. Mammals were active, and I
saw
Coatis, Armadillo (9 banded?), and White-faced Capuchins, including one
digging
a hole in a dead tree. There were several Orange-billed
Nightingale-Thrushes,
giving me a sweep of all 5 in Costa Rica. I was surprised to find an
antswarm attended by White-eared Ground-Sparrow, a Ruddy Woodcreeper,
Kentucky
Warbler, Emerald Toucanets, and no antbirds.
I made one last short loop and got a brief look at the
Quail-Dove. It
was nearly 2 and I had to get to the bus for 2:30. The reception guy showed
me a shortcut through the woods just by the entrance, going to the
Monteverde Lodge. About 50 feet
along the trail was a very close and cooperative Chiriqui Quail-Dove,
making 4
species for the trip, 3 of which were lifers.
I caught the bus and returned to San Jose and the Hotel Diplomat,
this time to a better room for $21. They accept credit cards, which was
good as
I was running low on colones
April 16 – Last day, Braulio Carillo
I
caught a cab to the Caribenos bus station, arriving at 4:50. Unfortunately the first
bus at 5 to Puerto Limon does not pass Braulio, so I caught the 5:30 to Guapiles, about 650
colones, arriving at Quebrada Gonzalez at 6:15. I was disappointed to see
many students there on a research project, walking around taking GPS
positions
and “looking for birds” in an aimless manner. Not good for skulkers,
antthrushes, or antpittas. I tried the Black-headed Antthrush tape, and
heard
one call back 2 or 3 times, but not very close. I finally found the
Lattice-tailed Trogon between markers 5 and 6, which I nearly blew off
because
it sounded different from my tape. Fred Vanhove had told me Central
American Pygmy-Owl
was near the end of the loop, and I tried the tape around 9. Actually
the first
thing I did when I arrived was to walk the trail in reverse for a while
trying
the tape with no response. This time I had a response, fairly close,
but I
could not find the owl in the dense foliage, last hearing it at the 8
marker.
It sounded different than the tape, but like a Pygmy-Owl. I did the
Palmas loop
a couple of times until it was nearly 11. The 2 Belgians had told me
they saw a
male Black-crested Coquette at a site near Braulio. I took a bus to the
Hummingbird/frog garden on the right, only about 2 m from Braulio. It
used to
be a butterfly garden, but the butterfly liberation front must have
struck,
because the back door of the enclosed structure was open. The facility
was
closed, but you could walk in to the area where there were many flowers
along
the side of the building. There were many hummingbirds here, including
Red-footed Plumeleteer, 2 male Snowcaps, Black-bellied in a variety of
molts,
and Blue-throated Goldentail, but no coquette. I spent nearly 2 hours
watching
hummers and taking a siesta. I made one last attempt at Braulio, taking
a bus
back about 3 PM. Finally I hit a flock which contained
Streak-crowned Antvireo and an Antwren with some other birds. I took a
bus back
at 4:45, arriving at an extremely busy bus station.
The
buses do not run on Easter Thursday, so everybody was heading to the
beach. End
of trip
April 17, Easter Thursday – Flight home
Fortunately
the taxis were working, and I caught an early (4:45AM) cab to the airport.
TRIP LIST
BC
= Braulio Carillo
CM
= Cerro de la Muerte
LS
= La Selva
MV
= Monteverde area
PC
= Pacific Coast
RN
= Rancho Naturalista
|
English Name
|
Genus
|
Species
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Tinamou
|
Tinamus
|
major
|
Heard only, RN and
Golfito area
|
|
Highland
Tinamou
|
Nothocercus
|
bonapartei
|
San Gerardo trail
near MV
|
|
Little Tinamou
|
Crypturellus
|
soui
|
Sendero Lecheria
near Golfito
|
|
Slaty-breasted
Tinamou
|
Crypturellus
|
boucardi
|
LS
|
|
Brown Pelican
|
Pelecanus
|
occidentalis
|
PC
|
|
Neotropic Cormorant
|
Phalacrocorax
|
brasilianus
|
LS
|
|
Magnificent
Frigatebird
|
Fregata
|
magnificens
|
PC
|
|
Fasciated
Tiger-Heron
|
Tigrisoma
|
fasciatum
|
San Gerardo trail
near MV
|
|
Bare-throated
Tiger-Heron
|
Tigrisoma
|
mexicanum
|
1 flyby LS
|
|
Great Blue Heron
|
Ardea
|
herodias
|
PC
|
|
Great Egret
|
Ardea
|
alba
|
|
|
Snowy Egret
|
Egretta
|
thula
|
Golfito
|
|
Little Blue Heron
|
Egretta
|
caerulea
|
|
|
Tricolored Heron
|
Egretta
|
tricolor
|
|
|
Reddish Egret
|
Egretta
|
rufescens
|
Tivives river mouth
|
|
Cattle Egret
|
Bubulcus
|
ibis
|
Widespread
|
|
Green Heron
|
Butorides
|
virescens
|
San Vito
|
|
Agami Heron
|
Agamia
|
agami
|
LS
|
|
White Ibis
|
Eudocimus
|
albus
|
|
|
Roseate Spoonbill
|
Ajaia
|
ajaja
|
Golfito
|
|
Black Vulture
|
Coragyps
|
atratus
|
Widespread
|
|
Turkey Vulture
|
Cathartes
|
aura
|
Widespread
|
|
King Vulture
|
Sarcoramphus
|
papa
|
LS
|
|
Black-bellied
Whistling-Duck
|
Dendrocygna
|
autumnalis
|
Flyby lower MV road
|
|
Osprey
|
Pandion
|
haliaetus
|
|
|
Gray-headed Kite
|
Leptodon
|
cayanensis
|
|
|
Swallow-tailed Kite
|
Elanoides
|
forficatus
|
|
|
White-tailed Kite
|
Elanus
|
leucurus
|
Along CA2 highway
|
|
Double-toothed Kite
|
Harpagus
|
bidentatus
|
LS
|
|
Plumbeous Kite
|
Ictinia
|
plumbea
|
PC
|
|
Barred Hawk
|
Leucopternis
|
princeps
|
RN, MV
|
|
Semiplumbeous Hawk
|
Leucopternis
|
semiplumbea
|
LS
|
|
Gray Hawk
|
Asturina
|
nitida
|
PC
|
|
Common Black-Hawk
|
Buteogallus
|
anthracinus
|
LS
|
|
Mangrove Black-Hawk
|
Buteogallus
|
subtilis
|
|
|
Great Black-Hawk
|
Buteogallus
|
urubitinga
|
RN,BC
|
|
Broad-winged Hawk
|
Buteo
|
platypterus
|
|
|
Red-tailed Hawk
|
Buteo
|
jamaicensis
|
|
|
Black Hawk-Eagle
|
Spizaetus
|
tyrannus
|
LS
|
|
Yellow-headed
Caracara
|
Milvago
|
chimachima
|
Along CA2 highway
|
|
Laughing Falcon
|
Herpetotheres
|
cachinnans
|
Golfito
|
|
Bat Falcon
|
Falco
|
rufigularis
|
LS
|
|
Gray-headed
Chachalaca
|
Ortalis
|
cinereiceps
|
|
|
Crested Guan
|
Penelope
|
purpurascens
|
LS, MV
|
|
Black Guan
|
Chamaepetes
|
unicolor
|
CM, MV
|
|
Great Curassow
|
Crax
|
rubra
|
LS
|
|
Crested Bobwhite
|
Colinus
|
cristatus
|
Fields near Dennis'
|
|
Black-breasted
Wood-Quail
|
Odontophorus
|
leucolaemus
|
MV
|