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COSTA RICA

29 October - 20 November 2000

By Markus Lagerqvist
 

INTRODUCTION

Although there are an overwhelming amount of trip reports on Costa Rica to be found on the Internet I hope there might be some new input, or at least inspiration, to be found in this one. Even though quite a few of the places visited are on the standard repertoire, others are seldom visited or commented upon.

Another aspect is that very few birders visit Costa Rica during October - November since these months coincide with the culmination of the rainy season. My reason for choosing this season is that I really didn't have any choice! My father had been working in Central America for a while and suggested to me that I should come down for a few weeks at the end of his contract.

The trip report consists of three parts; a diary, a summary of my impressions with a few recommendations and finally a trip list of all the birds recorded - all in all 426 species.
 

29/10 SWEDEN - CASA RÍO BLANCO

Arriving at Aeropuerto Juan Santamaría before schedule (18.15) gave us ample time to drive to Casa Río Blanco - just some 65 km away - so that we didn't have to spend the first valuable morning hours in the car.

However we soon learned not to depend upon everything turning out as planned. Driving north from San José into Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo we were pulled over by a police officer informing us that the road was closed due to a landslide (we later learned they are quite common on this road). Since we didn't want to spend the night in some hotel hoping for the road to be cleared by the morning our only other option was to take the 130-km detour over Turrialba in the middle of the night. This took some five extra hours and we just barely found the lodge arriving after midnight. What a start!
 

30/10 CASA RÍO BLANCO (EXCURSION TO QUEBRADA GONZALES)

After a few hours of sleep we woke up to the sound of pouring rain smattering on our roof. Venturing out into the rain I soon found my first Costa Rican record - an Orange-billed Sparrow.

Getting an early breakfast proved quite difficult and a little later than preferable we started out on the lodge's short trail system - by now the rain had seized and the forest was really beautiful with the rocky Río Blanco running through it. Unfortunately it was also very quiet and most birds were seen in the cultivated areas close to the lodge or in the lodge's garden, these included Keel-billed Toucan, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, White-necked Jacobin, Long-tailed Hermit, Buff-rumped Warbler and Olive-backed Euphonia.

Since the trails proved unproductive we decided to head over to the nearby Quebrada Gonzales in the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. Unfortunately the rain started pouring down quite heavily but we headed out on the well-signed loop-trail anyway and managed to see a few species like Yellow-crowned Euphonia, Black-faced Grosbeak, Collared Aracari and a pack of Central American Spider Monkeys. However, the forest was splendid and I'd really like to return here an early morning under better conditions.
 

31/10 CASA RÍO BLANCO - RANCHO NATURALISTA (EXCURSION TO COLONIA VIRGEN DEL SOCORRO/EL MIRADOR)

This morning we decided to head to Colonia Virgen del Socorro some 80 km away. Due to the late breakfast (07.30) and the driving distance we again missed out on the early morning birding and upon our arrival the forest was all but alive. Still a very pleasant forest and we did get Slate-coloured Grosbeak and Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant.

Finding the way is a bit tricky. If you're driving south from La Virgen you should pass Cariblanco and then look out for a small toll station in the middle of the road (!). Drive pass it and over a small bridge then turn to the left shortly after on to a very steep and un-signed dirt road. Keep on driving till you come to an old rusty bridge and park before it (you wouldn't like to pass, trust me) and the short dead-end trail is to the right just before the bridge.

After spending the morning at La Colonia we decided to have lunch at the Restaurante El Mirador in nearby Cinchona. Although the food was good the place owns its fame to the all but unpopular hummingbird feeders. During lunch we recorded no less than ten species (!) e.g. Brown Violet-ear, Green Thorntail and the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald. We later heard from our guide in Monteverde that many feeders are poorly maintained and transmit parasites to the hummingbirds that can prove fatal. I don't know if this is the case with El Mirador but it certainly makes you think twice about promoting the business.

Close to Cinchona you find the Cascada La Paz which is a reliable locale for the Torrent Tyrannulet.

Back at Casa Río Blanco we did a last scan of the gardens hoping to find the resident Keel-billed Motmot before heading to Rancho Naturalista. We still didn't have any luck with the species but did find a Rufous Motmot perched just outside the cabin.

The distance to Rancho Naturalista is only about 60 km but the last 20 km the road slowly winds itself through the mountains and again we had to find our way in the darkness. Arriving at Rancho we got a splendid reception with a family style dinner waiting for us.
 

1/11 RANCHO NATURALISTA

The routine at Rancho is to start the day at 06.00 birding from their balcony. This can be a very rewarding experience and we quickly recorded about thirty species e.g. Grey-headed Chachalaca, the beautiful Snowcap, the sought after Black-crested Coquette, Violet-headed Hummingbird, White-naped Brush-Finch and Melodious Blackbird.

After an excellent breakfast we headed out on the extensive trail system with the resident guide Matt Denton. The weather was fair with only some occasional light rain and the birding was great. Thanks to Matt we were also able to identify quite a few species we would probably have missed without his extraordinary skills. After lunch we took a new turn on the property's trail system - the weather was less co-operative but we still got some neat sightings including a rare perched Chuck-will's-widow and boosted the day-list to 112 species! Among the species recorded on the trails were Great Tinamou, Purplish-backed Quail-dove, Broad-billed Motmot, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Brown-billed Scythebill, Fulvous-breasted Antpitta, White-collared and White-crowned Manakin, Eastern Wood-pewee and Tawny-chested Flycatcher. In the evening we had another lavish dinner together with the owner Cathy Erb and her family - they really make you feel welcome!
 

2/11 RANCHO NATURALISTA (EXCURSION TO PARQUE NACIONAL TAPANTÍ)

Since Rancho Naturalista specialises in accommodating bird-watchers they can arrange breakfast at any time. This morning we started out with oatmeal and tropical fruits at 03.30 in order to get to Parque Nacional Tapantí at a decent hour. Matt accompanied us and showed us a good spot for Dark Pewee at a bridge crossing before entering the park.

Tapantí is a very wet high altitude forest and you mainly bird it going by car on a gravel road that passes through it, making stops to walk short trails. The forest is loaded with epiphytes, mosses and tree ferns and is perhaps the most beautiful we saw in Costa Rica - not to be missed!

The birding proved excellent and we could tick off both Red-headed and Prong-billed Barbets already at the entrance! The next stop was the Sendero Árboles Caídos that offered great views of the Streak-breasted Treehunter.

Next stop was the Sendero La Pava, and just at the beginning of the trail we found a perched Green-fronted Lancebill and further down White-throated Spadebill and Black-faced Solitaire.

Along the gravel road we suddenly heard a Yellow-eared Toucanet calling. It was too far away to be seen but while looking for it we discovered two radiant Golden-browed Cholorophonias and an Emerald Toucanet. A bit further on you pass an "authorised personnel only" sign but the park rangers didn't seem to mind us passing it. Just past an iron bridge (supposedly a good spot for Sooty-faced Finch although we missed it) you can park the car and walk up a trail to the right. As we had walked a few km it started to rain heavily (expect it in Tapantí) and we got really soaked. The trail was still very rewarding and we managed to see e.g. Red-faced Spinetail, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, the target Silvery-fronted Tapaculo and Eye-ringed Flatbill.

On the way back we had planned to stop at the Kiri Lodge just outside the park to look for the Black-bellied Hummingbird but the rain was too heavy. This was probably the worst setback of the trip since I really wanted that species! The rain also deterred us from seeing the Bat Falcons at the Cachí dam but we did get a lone Killdeer at the nearby Río Birris Reservoir.
 

3/11 RANCHO NATURALISTA - SAVEGRE MOUNTAIN LODGE

Coffee on the balcony and a couple of hours on the trails produced some new species like Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Dot-winged and Checker-throated Antwren and White-ruffed Manakin and as we were preparing to leave we heard a Black Hawk-eagle that was soaring over the tree tops.

In order to get to the Savegre Mountain Lodge in good time we left before lunch and ate a picnic style lunch from Rancho by the road. Since the lodge was marked on our road map we didn't bother to read any instructions on how to get there. From the map you got the impression that you should go to Providencia - which we did. This turned out to be a big mistake and the detour along the almost uninhabited never-ending and progressively deteriorating dirt road cost us many hours - again we arrived after dark! Make sure to fill up the tank at Cartago sine there are no gas stations in the mountains!
 

4/11 SAVEGRE MOUNTAIN LODGE (EXCURSION TO CERRO DE LA MUERTE)

There was no guide available for the morning so we decided to explore the immediate surroundings of the lodge and tick off some of the easier species like Grey-tailed Mountain-gem, Volcano and Scintillant Hummingbird but also found a Western Wood-Pewee and the rare Peg-billed Finch.

After a good lunch we met up with Marino Chacón, not only one of the owners but an avid and very enthusiastic birder! Before we headed up to Cerro de la Muerte he showed us a Fiery-throated Hummingbird just outside one of the cabins. Along the gravel road just a few km from the lodge we then stopped at some fruiting trees frequented by Resplendent Quetzals and found no less than seven females and two males - quite a treat! A bit further on we found a beautiful Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher.

When we reached Cerro de la Muerte at about 3 500 m it had started to rain and was quite chilly. We pulled the car over just a few hundred metres after the turnoff from the Interamericana and stumbled over our main target bird - the Volcano Junco. Before we headed back we also saw Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin and Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush.
 

5/11 SAVEGRE MOUNTAIN LODGE

Before breakfast we checked out the flowering and fruiting trees close to the diner and found a male Flame-throated Warbler and a Yellow-winged Vireo. We then decided to do some more birding by car along the gravel road up to the Interamericana. At one point a couple of Yellow-thighed Finches flew across the road just in front of the car and we pulled over to get a better look. This turned out to be a terrific spot and we could tick off species like Buffy Tuftedcheek, Brown-capped Vireo, Townsend's Warbler and Elegant Euphonia.

The afternoon we spent on the lodge's trail system going up through the majestic oak forests. Marino really proved his enthusiasm venturing straight through the thick vegetation trying to find a calling Spotted Wood-quail. We never saw the bird but did get a splendid view of the difficult Wrenthrush.

Back down at the lodge it started to rain again but I did find two Large-footed Finches just outside our cabin! This is a species that you normally find up at the páramo.
 

6/11 SAVEGRE - SAN ISIDRO - EL BRUJO - ESQUINAS RIVER LODGE

Since we had a rather long drive (app. 220 km) to the Esquinas River Lodge we decided to leave right after breakfast and maybe do some stops on the way.

We had lunch at the Hotel del Sur in San Isidro de El General - supposedly one of the best sites in the country for the Snowy-bellied Hummingbird. We didn't have any luck but did find a Charming Hummingbird. We also made a short stop at El Brujo in search of the Wedge-tailed Grass-finch but still didn't have any luck.

When we arrived at Esquinas later in the afternoon it was raining heavily. We thought it was just the usual afternoon shower but were informed that it had rained almost without a break for the last week. Not what we wanted to hear!
 

7/11 ESQUINAS RIVER LODGE / PARQUE NACIONAL PIEDRAS BLANCAS

When we woke up in the morning it had seized to rain the sun was shining! We decided to walk the Sendero los Pájaros before breakfast. Since it was the rainy season the nearby biological station was closed and the only guide available turned out to be more into plants than birds. When he misidentified a Rose-throated Becard as a Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher (!) we decided not to trust his "birding skills". Still it was nice to have a guide who knew his way through the somewhat badly signed trail.

The Sendero los Pájaros goes through secondary forest and orchards and is pretty easy to bird. Among the birds sighted were Spectacled Owl, Fiery-billed Aracari, Black-throated Trogon, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Orange-collared Manakin and White-vented and Spot-crowned Euphonia.

After breakfast we decided to head into the primary forest on the trails leading into Parque Nacional Piedras Blancas in search of the endemic Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager. The trails were steep and muddy and the sun kept shining relentlessly. The forest was very quiet and in the first hour we hardly saw any birds at all and soon started to despair. However the day was to be saved as we heard an Ant-tanager up ahead. We soon located the bird - a much-appreciated Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager showing itself off just a few metres from the trail in clear sight! The only other new species we saw on the trail, apart from a lethally venomous Eyelash Viper, was a Black-striped Woodcreeper!

After lunch we decided to try out the shortcut dirt road leading to Golfito. This turned out to be quite a bad choice as the road was terribly muddy and almost too much even for our jeep. When we were finally approaching Golfito the road just disappeared due to a landslide and we had to go back the same way. As to the birding it wasn't that good but we did get e.g. Laughing Falcon, Yellow-headed Caracara and Southern Beardless Tyrannulet.
 

8/11 ESQUINAS RIVER LODGE (EXCURSION TO WILSON BOTANICAL GARDEN / GOLFITO)

Since the trails at Esquinas didn't prove that productive we decided to head up to the Wilson Botanical Garden in San Vito for some of the regional specialities. We were especially hoping for some good hummingbirds. However most of the Heliconias weren't flowering and the result was pretty meagre.

After a good lunch at Pizzería Lilliana in San Vito we went down to Golfito (by the main road) where we had both Ringed, Belted and Amazon Kingfisher in the mangroves. We also took a short drive up into Reserva Forestal Golfito that surrounds the entire town but didn't find any new species.

On the way back we were pulled over by a bunch of heavily armed police officers that insisted on searching through our jeep - including our bags - not very pleasant.
 

9/11 ESQUINAS RIVER LODGE - TARCOL LODGE

This night I got some sort of stomach disease and felt quite nauseous in the morning. Therefore we decided not to do any early morning excursions but instead head for Tárcoles right away. We had read that parts the coastal road was in quite bad condition but we decided to take it anyway since it is much shorter. This turned out to be a good choice - most of the road was excellent and the only bad part was the 40 km between Dominical and Quepos. En route we made a short stop on the bridge over Río Barú to stretch our legs and scan the riverbed, little expecting to find what might be the rarest bird of the trip - a Hudsonian Godwit!

Tarcol Lodge wasn't signed and we had to ask our way through Tárcoles in order to find the place. Upon arrival we were received by Cathy from Rancho Naturalista and had a light lunch with her and the resident guide Andrew Wheelan. Scanning the mudflats from the lodge's balcony turned out quite productive and we could add e.g. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, American Golden, Semipalmated, Wilson's and Collared Plover, Greater Yellowlegs and Caspian Tern to the growing trip list.
 

10/11 TARCOL LODGE / RESERVA BIOLÓGICA CARARA

Before breakfast we took a walk on the lodge's short trail looking for some of the mangrove specialities. We didn't find the target Mangrove Hummingbird but did see Scaly-breasted Hummingbird and Yellow-throated Vireo. Another, less desired acquaintance were the chiggers that frequent the grassy areas along the trail. Chiggers are mites that won't do you any real harm but whose "bites" will itch for weeks.

After breakfast we drove to Reserva Biológica Carara to walk the HQ Trail. The trail is pretty difficult to bird and since Andrew had arrived from the US only a week ago it was quite a test for him as well. We found the birding pretty slow but did see a few nice species like Royal Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Spadebill, a lek of Orange-collared Manakins plus a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth. Back at the lodge we had a Panama Flycatcher almost at the doorstep.

After a good lunch we once again headed to Carara - this time to try out the Sendero Natural Laguna Meandrica (River Trail). When we arrived at Carara it had started to rain quite heavily but we decided to try it out anyway. Here you really needed rubber boots since parts of the trail were hard to distinguish from a river! In spite of the bad weather we did see quite a few good birds including Boat-billed Heron, Crane Hawk and Least Flycatcher.
 

11/11 TARCOL LODGE / RESERVA BIOLÓGICA CARARA

Since the River Trail was that promising the day before in spite of the rain we decided to try it out once more. This time the weather was co-operating and we had a really good morning with species such as Little Tinamou, Least Grebe, the rare Lesser Scaup, Double-toothed Kite, Purple-crowned Fairy, Blue-throated Goldentail, Long-tailed Manakin and Northern Bentbill.

In the afternoon we tried out the road up by the Hotel Villa Lapas where they were constructing a system of canopy walks. We were allowed to try the only completed one without charge and it might be pretty neat when it's completed. As for the birding it was pretty bad, the only new species being a White-tailed Hawk and a two Canada Warblers. We also made a short stop at the bridge over Río Tárcoles where you can sometimes see Yellow-billed Cotingas - we didn't.
 

12/11 TARCOL LODGE - PLAYA GRANDE

Before leaving Tárcoles we made a last scan from the balcony and once again walked the mangrove trail. We still couldn't find the Mangrove Hummingbird but did see Lesser Yellowlegs, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Black-headed Trogon, Northern Scrub Flycatcher and "Mangrove Warbler".

Our next stop was Playa Grande on the Península de Nicoya - famous as a nesting ground for the gigantic Leatherback Turtles. Although we had to wait until 02.00 for them to show up it was definitely worth it!
 

13/11 PLAYA GRANDE - HACIENDA SOLIMAR

After a few extra hours of sleep we had breakfast and then left for Hacienda Solimar since the birding at Playa Grande didn't seem worth the effort. We decided to head south over Santa Cruz and the Tempisque Ferry and the road turned out to be quite good.

We arrived at Hacienda Solimar after lunch and had time to take a short walk in the vicinities where we found e.g. Cinnamon Hummingbird, Canivet's Emerald and Acadian Flycatcher. In the garden we had an odd-looking, roosting Pacific Screech-Owl, Plain-capped Starthroat and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
 

14/11 HACIENDA SOLIMAR

After breakfast we headed out into the tropical dry forest with the resident guide Demitrio Peralta. He turned out to be terrific at imitating birdcalls. Every once in a while he stopped and started calling like a Pygmy-owl and within minutes the trees around us were full of angry birds looking for the owl! This way he attracted Guanacaste specialities like Scrub Euphonia, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet and Spot-breasted Oriole. Along the road we also found two Double-striped Thick-knees and a whole family of Crested Bobwhite.

After lunch we put on our rubber boots (a loan from Tarcol Lodge) and drove to the nearby Laguna. Here Demitrio led us strait through a swamp full of thorny vegetation. You had to watch every step not to get stuck in the mud or get your boots over-flooded! On one occasion I nearly stepped on a Crocodile only exposing itself by a few water bubbles from its breathing! Quite an adventure but lots of fun! The birds sighted included Purple Gallinule, Snail Kite, Pale-billed Woodpecker and Red-winged Blackbird.
 

15/11 HACIENDA SOLIMAR

This morning we headed to the mangroves bordering the Parque Nacional Palo Verde for our last shot at the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird. Demitrio started his usual Pygmy-Owl routine and soon we had a somewhat bewildered Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl staring down at us accompanied by a couple of angry Mangrove Hummingbirds!

The afternoon we spent relaxing by the swimming pool at the Hacienda waiting for the tide to come in so that we would catch as many shorebirds as possible at the salt pans at the nearby Finca Conchal. The tide was quite late but in the last hour of daylight we saw lots of shorebirds, gulls and terns like e.g. Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher, Least, Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Gull-billed and Royal Terns and Black Skimmers. We also saw at least fifty (!) Lesser Nighthawks hunting at dusk.
 

16/11 HACIENDA SOLIMAR - MONTEVERDE

Before leaving Hacienda Solimar we had time for a last excursion through the dry forest looking for the few target birds we were still missing. Demitrio promised to find at least one of them and did find the sought after Lesser Ground-Cuckoo!

After an early lunch we left for Monteverde tackling the notoriously bad road. It didn't take as long as feared and we arrived at Hotel El Bosque in good time and decided to head up to the famous Hummingbird Gallery. Here we saw two new hummingbird species - Stripe-tailed Hummingbird and Magenta-throated Woodstar. We later learned that the feeders at the gallery are badly maintained and some of the guides don't want to bring people there!

Back at the hotel we tried to arrange a guide for the reserve for the next day but all the good ones were already booked so we decided to wait another day and go by ourselves to the Reserva Santa Elena instead.
 

17/11 MONTEVERDE (RESERVA SANTA ELENA / FINCA ECOLÓGICA)

This morning the weather was bad with quite heavy rain - we headed up to Santa Elena anyway but didn't see anything special (partly because we did so well with the high altitude species at Tapantí and Savegre).

After a rather overpriced pizza at Pizza Johnny we went to the Finca Ecológica - supposedly a good spot for Orange-bellied Trogon. By now the weather was sunny but our bad luck continued and we had to end the day without a single new species recorded! Quite a new experience that made us decide to leave Monteverde the next day - one day earlier than planned - and head down to the Caribbean lowlands instead.
 

18/11 MONTEVERDE (RESERVA BOSQUE NUBOSO MONTEVERDE) - EL GAVILÁN LODGE

We met up with our guide Samuel Arquedas outside our hotel and headed up to Reserva Monteverde. Since the reserve doesn't officially open until 07.00 we did some birding in the area close to the entrance and did find a Black Guan in a fruiting tree - one of the species we dipped in Savegre - and heard a Grey Leaftosser. We then had a quick breakfast and paid the entrance fee before we headed up towards the Continental Divide - a good place to find our main target bird - the Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher. There are several trails to chose from but we decided to take the Camino since it is more open and easier to bird than the other ones. The weather wasn't great - the light rain didn't bother us as much as the strong wind did. Up at the continental divide we were fascinated by the windswept dwarf forest. We heard several Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatchers calling but they wouldn't come out from their hiding. We did see two North American migrants - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a young female Yellow-rumped Warbler. Samuel proved to be a good birder but I think he was a bit disappointed that he didn't manage to find us more than five new species.

At 11.00 we checked out from our hotel and headed towards the Caribbean lowlands. We decided to go to the El Gavilán lodge at Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí since it had been recommended to us. The 220 km drive was pretty tiresome - especially the heavily trafficked Carretera 1 between Barranca and Naranjo. At Aguas Zarcas we had to wait for an hour due to a traffic accident and we once again arrived after dark - but this time unannounced. However we were the only guests so getting a room wasn't a problem.
 

19/11 EL GAVILÁN LODGE - INBIOPARQUE - SWEDEN

Our last day in Costa Rica and we had hoped to get some of the Caribbean lowland species we didn't see at Casa Río Blanco. Unfortunately the weather gods had other plans for us! At one point the rain actually seemed to recede and we headed out on the property - consisting of orchards and other man-made habitats bordering the Río Sarapiquí. During the short break we managed to see the lodge's main attraction - the Green Ibis and our last hummingbird - the Band-tailed Barbthroat - bringing our hummingbird count to 39 species - not too bad!

However the rain soon started pouring down again and we got totally soaked and decided to have some breakfast - consisting of oranges with orange juice and some old bread with orange marmalade! Well I guess we couldn't ask for more just turning up like this! As we were preparing to leave we discovered that one of the jeep's tyres was flat and we had no choice but to change it in the rain - once again getting totally soaked!

Leaving Puerto Viejo our bad luck continued as we were pulled over by two armed police officers wanting to inspect our car. As we were heading to the airport we had all our equipment in the car and as the officers searched through our luggage they got mighty interested in our cameras, binoculars and spotting scope. One of them even suggested that I should donate my binoculars to him! Quite an unpleasant experience but after 15 minutes of questioning they let us drive on - with all our equipment!

Since we had ample time to get to the airport we stopped for lunch at the nearby INBioparque in Santo Domingo de Heredia - a botanical garden showing the different habitats of the country and also a good place to see the Costa Rican subspecies of Prevost's Ground Sparrow. Although we didn't find the Ground-sparrow it's definitely a good place if you have a few hours to kill and they also serve a really good buffet-style lunch. Before we left we noted our last Costa Rican record - a Red-eyed Vireo.
 

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Thus the time has come to summarise my impressions and try to deliver some discerning words of advice!

My major worry before departure was to what extent we would be inhibited by the weather. Well, I have to say that most of my concern came to nought. Sure, we had our share of tropical rain but most days only for one or two hours in the afternoon and I would definitely not hesitate to return any time of the year.

Another concern was that mosquitoes and other nasty bugs would thrive this time of the year. My conclusion from this trip is that if you really want to see mosquitoes you should go to the northern parts of Sweden instead! The only place in Costa Rica where they really thrived was in the dry tropical forest at Solimar.

A third concern was that the trails would be impassable, or at least would demand rubber boots, which I didn't want to bring. In retrospect that was the right choice. On 95 % of the trails your best choice would be a pair of Gore-Tex boots. They will keep you dry both from the outside and the inside and are much more comfortable to walk in. The only trails you really needed rubber boots on were the River Trail at Carara and Sendero los Pájaros at Esquinas and, of course, when venturing out into swamps or mangroves at Tarcol and Solimar.

Since I've raised the issue of what to bring I might as well make some remarks on the literature used. All you really need to bring is Stile's and Skutch's classic A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. However the book has some drawbacks. The most obvious one is that some of the information is out-dated, both when it comes to the status of the species in Costa Rica and to the taxonomic information. Another drawback is that some of the plates aren't really up to standards - the worst case is probably the Greenish Elaenia - but also the shorebirds should be improved and you really wish that all the Birds of Prey were depicted in flight.

As for site guides I brought Taylor's A Birders & Ecotourists Guide to Costa Rica which can be ordered on CD from http://members.home.net/birdersguide. I found it to be a nice companion although we often saw a very different set of birds than the ones listed in the guide.

Another CD that might come in handy is the Costa Rican Bird Song Sampler which contains 184 of the most often heard Costa Rican birds as well as some speciality birds - like Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Wrenthrush and Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager. It can be ordered from www.wildsounds.co.uk.

As for the itinerary as a whole I'm quite satisfied but if I were to give some recommendations to a first time visitor I'd do a few minor changes. The major alteration would be not to include Monteverde but instead spend some more time in the Caribbean lowlands or in the Pacific Southwest. Most of the species of Monteverde you'll find at the more easily accessible and less overcrowded sites of Tapantí and Savegre.

As for the Caribbean lowlands I'm not sure what to recommend. Casa Río Blanco (http://compusource.net/rioblanco) was pleasant enough but the birding was a bit disappointing. The short time spent at El Gavilán (www.gavilanlodge.com) was rained in so I really can't rate the place but you won't get any primary forest there. However it's pretty strategically located close to many well-known sites such as Quebrada Gonzales and La Selva.

Another place I'm not really sure about is Esquinas River Lodge (www.regenwald.at). The lack of guides during the rainy season is a drawback and the trails were very steep and not that pleasurable but we did find what we came for - the Black-cheeked Ant-tanager - so I'm really glad we went there!

As for the other places I have nothing but praise. Rancho Naturalista (www.ranchonaturalista.com) was possibly the best lodge I've stayed at and their trails are great. It's also close enough to Tapantí. I'd stay at least three nights here - although the price is a bit hefty.

Savegre Mountain Lodge (www.ecotourism.co.cr or www.ranchonaturalista.com) was also great with good trails, great birding along the gravel road up to the Interamericana and close to the páramo at Cerro de la Muerte.

Tarcol Lodge (www.ranchonaturalista.com) has a low-key profile and feels more like a bed-and-breakfast than the other lodges. Although it's more expensive than the nearby Hotel Villas Lapas it has the added bonus of shore bird watching from the balcony and neighbouring mangroves.

As for the Guanacaste our first intention was to stay at Hacienda La Pacífica which would give you access to Palo Verde but since they've recently closed down we opted for Hacienda Solimar (book through Costa Rica Expeditions www.crexped.co.cr) instead. In retrospect this turned out very well and I have nothing but good things to say about the place.

Finally a note on transportation - you'll definitely feel a lot better with a 4WD with good road clearance. We rented a Jeep Cherokee from Economy Rent A Car for USD900 for three weeks. This turned out to be the perfect car and really saved us a few times - especially once in Savegre when we drove into a ditch but managed to reverse it without calling for assistance!

Anyone interested in going to Costa Rica who has any queries about the contents of this report or need telephone numbers or other details are welcome to write me at markus.lagerqvist@usa.net and I'll do my best to assist you!
 
 
 
TRIP LIST 

Species follow Clements, families according to Sibley-Monroe. Records outside main destinations only noted when of special interest. Heard-only species indicated by *.

Tinamous
Tinamidae
Great Tinamou 
Tinamus major
Naturalista


Little Tinamou*
Crypturellus soui
Carara










Guans Cracidae
Grey-headed Chachalaca Ortalis cinereiceps
Naturalista

Black Guan
Chamaepetes unicolor
Monteverde










New World Quails Odontophoridae
Crested Bobwhite Colinus cristatus
Solimar
Spotted Wood-Quail* Odontophorus guttatus
Savegre










Whistling-Ducks
Dendrocygnidae
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Tarcol, Solimar









Ducks and Allies
Anatidae

Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors
Tarcol


Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Carara










Woodpeckers
Picidae

Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Savegre

Black-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes pucherani
Naturalista
Red-crowned Woodpecker Melanerpes rubricapillus
Boca Río Barú
Hoffmann's Woodpecker  Melanerpes hoffmannii
Naturalista, Tarcol, Solimar

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Monteverde


Hairy Woodpecker
Picoides villosus
Savegre

Smoky-brown Woodpecker Veniliornis fumigatus
Naturalista

Golden-olive Woodpecker  Piculus rubiginosus
Carara

Lineated Woodpecker  Dryocopus lineatus
Tarcol
Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis
Solimar










New World Barbets and Allies Ramphastidae
Red-headed Barbet 
Eubucco bourcierii
Tapantí


Prong-billed Barbet 
Semnornis frantzii
Tapantí, Monteverde

Emerald Toucanet
Aulacorhynchus prasinus
Tapantí, Savegre, Monteverde
Collared Aracari
Pteroglossus torquatus
Naturalista


Fiery-billed Aracari
Pteroglossus frantzii
Esquinas, Golfito, Carara

Yellow-eared Toucanet*  Selenidera spectabilis
Tapantí

Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Río Blanco, Naturalista
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan  Ramphastos swainsonii
Río Blanco, Esquinas, Carara









Jacamars

Galbulidae

Rufous-tailed Jacamar  Galbula ruficauda
Naturalista, Carara, El Gavilán








Trogons

Trogonidae

Black-headed Trogon 
Trogon melanocephalus
Tarcol, Solimar


Violaceous Trogon 
Trogon violaceus
Río Blanco, Carara


Collared Trogon 
Trogon collaris
Naturalista, Tapantí, Savegre

Black-throated Trogon  Trogon rufus
Esquinas


Slaty-tailed Trogon 
Trogon massena
Carara

Resplendent Quetzal 
Pharomachrus mocinno
Savegre









Motmots

Momotidae

Blue-crowned Motmot  Momotus momota
Esquinas, Wilson, Monteverde, INBioparque
Rufous Motmot 
Baryphthengus martii
Río Blanco

Broad-billed Motmot 
Electron platyrhynchum
Naturalista
Turquoise-browed Motmot  Eumomota superciliosa
Tarcol, Solimar








Cerylid Kingfishers
Cerylidae

Belted Kingfisher 
Ceryle alcyon
Esquinas, Golfito, Tarcol


Ringed Kingfisher 
Ceryle torquata
Golfito

Amazon Kingfisher 
Chloroceryle amazona
Esquinas, Golfito, Solimar

Green Kingfisher
Chloroceryle americana
Tarcol, Solimar








American Cuckoos
Coccyzidae
Squirrel Cuckoo 
Piaya cayana
Río Blanco, Naturalista, Tarcol, Solimar 






Anis and Allies
Crotophagidae
Smooth-billed Ani 
Crotophaga ani
Esquinas
Groove-billed Ani 
Crotophaga sulcirostris
Río Blanco, Naturalista, Tarcol, Solimar, Monteverde







Roadrunners
Neomorphidae
Lesser Ground-Cuckoo Morococcyx erythropygus
Solimar








Parrots

Psittacidae
Scarlet Macaw 
Ara macao

Tarcol, Carara



Crimson-fronted Parakeet Aratinga finschi
Naturalista, Carara
Orange-fronted Parakeet  Aratinga canicularis
Tarcol, Solimar

Sulphur-winged Parakeet*  Pyrrhura hoffmanni
Naturalista

Orange-chinned Parakeet  Brotogeris jugularis
Golfito

Brown-hooded Parrot 
Pionopsitta haematotis
Naturalista, Tarcol, Carara


White-crowned Parrot
Pionus senilis
Naturalista


White-fronted Parrot
Amazona albifrons
Monteverde


Red-lored Parrot
Amazona autumnalis
Carara


Yellow-naped Parrot 
Amazona auropalliata
Solimar


Mealy Parrot
Amazona farinosa
Carara






Typical Swifts
Apodidae

White-collared Swift
Streptoprocne zonaris
Río Blanco, Tapantí, Solimar


Band-rumped Swift 
Chaetura spinicauda
Carara






Hummingbirds
Trochilidae

Bronzy Hermit 
Glaucis aenea
Esquinas

Band-tailed Barbthroat  Threnetes ruckeri
El Gavilán


Green Hermit 
Phaethornis guy
El Mirador, Naturalista, Wilson, Monteverde
Western Long-tailed Hermit Phaethornis longirostris
Río Blanco, Esquinas, Carara

Stripe-throated Hermit
Phaethornis striigularis
Río Blanco, Naturalista

Green-fronted Lancebill  Doryfera ludovicae
Tapantí

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird Phaeochroa cuvierii
Tarcol

Violet Sabrewing
Campylopterus hemileucurus
El Mirador, Monteverde

White-necked Jacobin Florisuga mellivora
Río Blanco, Naturalista


Brown Violet-ear
Colibri delphinae
El Mirador


Green Violet-ear
Colibri thalassinus
El Mirador, Savegre, Monteverde
Green-breasted Mango Anthracothorax prevostii
Naturalista, Tarcol, Carara, Solimar

Violet-headed Hummingbird  Klais guimeti
Naturalista

Black-crested Coquette Lophornis helenae
Naturalista


Green Thorntail 
Discosura conversii
El Mirador, Naturalista


Canivet's Emerald 
Chlorostilbon canivetii
Solimar

Fiery-throated Hummingbird Panterpe insignis
Savegre

Coppery-headed Emerald Elvira cupreiceps
El Mirador, Monteverde

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird  Eupherusa eximia
Monteverde

Violet-crowned Woodnymph Thalurania colombica
Naturalista, Tapantí

Blue-throated Goldentail Hylocharis eliciae
Carara

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird  Amazilia tzacatl
Very common species

Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila
Solimar

Charming Hummingbird Polyerata decora
San Isidro, Esquinas

Mangrove Hummingbird Polyerata boucardi
Solimar
Steely-vented Hummingbird  Saucerottia saucerrottei
Solimar


Snowcap 

Microchera albocoronata
Naturalista

Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer  Chalybura urochrysia
Río Blanco
White-bellied Mountain-gem Lampornis hemileucus
El Mirador, Tapantí

Purple-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis calolaema
Tapantí, Monteverde
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem Lampornis cinereicauda
Solimar

Green-crowned Brilliant  Heliodoxa jacula
El Mirador, Naturalista, Monteverde

Magnificent Hummingbird  Eugenes fulgens
El Mirador, Savegre


Purple-crowned Fairy
Heliothryx barroti
Carara
Plain-capped Starthroat  Heliomaster constantii
Solimar

Magenta-throated Woodstar  Calliphlox bryantae
Monteverde

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Naturalista, Solimar

Scintillant Hummingbird  Selasphorus scintilla
Savegre
Volcano Hummingbird  Selasphorus flammula
Savegre






Typical Owls
Strigidae

Pacific Screech-Owl 
Otus cooperi
Solimar


Spectacled Owl
Pulsatrix perspicillata
Esquinas, El Gavilán
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl  Glaucidium brasilianum
Tarcol, Solimar






Nightjars and Allies
Caprimulgidae
Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
Finca Conchal



Pauraque

Nyctidromus albicollis
Naturalista, Esquinas, Solimar
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
Naturalista






Pigeons and Doves
Columbidae
Rock Dove 
Columba livia
San Isidro


Red-billed Pigeon 
Columba flavirostris
Naturalista, Carara, Monteverde

Short-billed Pigeon 
Columba nigrirostris
Carara


Ruddy Pigeon
Columba subvinacea
Tapantí, Savegre


White-winged Dove* 
Zenaida asiatica
Solimar

Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina
Solimar

Plain-breasted Ground-Dove Columbina minuta
Esquinas


Ruddy Ground-Dove 
Columbina talpacoti
Esquinas, Tarcol, Carara, Solimar

Inca Dove 

Columbina inca
Tarcol, Solimar


Blue Ground-Dove
Claravis pretiosa
Solimar


White-tipped Dove 
Leptotila verreauxi
Carara, Solimar


Grey-chested Dove 
Leptotila cassini
Naturalista, Esquinas, Carara

Purplish-backed Quail-Dove Geotrygon lawrencii
Naturalista






Limpkin 

Aramidae

Limpkin* 

Aramus guarauna
Solimar






Rails

Rallidae

Grey-necked Wood-Rail*  Aramides cajanea
Carara


Purple Gallinule
Porphyrula martinica
Solimar






Snipe and Allies
Scolopacidae
Long-billed Dowitcher 
Limnodromus scolopaceus
Finca Conchal


Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemastica
Boca Río Barú


Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
Finca Conchal



Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus
Tarcol


Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Tarcol


Lesser Yellowlegs 
Tringa flavipes
Tarcol, Finca Conchal


Spotted Sandpiper 
Actitis macularia
Savegre, Tarcol, Finca Conchal
Willet

Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
Tarcol, Finca Conchal


Ruddy Turnstone 
Arenaria interpres
Tarcol, Finca Conchal


Sanderling

Calidris alba
Tarcol

Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
Finca Conchal


Western Sandpiper 
Calidris mauri
Finca Conchal


Least Sandpiper 
Calidris minutilla
Tarcol, Finca Conchal


Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Río Tárcoles Bridge






Jacanas

Jacanidae

Northern Jacana 
Jacana spinosa
Carara, Solimar









Thick-knees
Burhinidae

Double-striped Thick-knee  Burhinus bistriatus
Solimar






Plovers and Allies
Charadriidae
Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
Tarcol, Finca Conchal

American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
Tarcol


Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
Tarcol, Finca Conchal

Semipalmated Plover 
Charadrius semipalmatus
Tarcol, Finca Conchal


Wilson's Plover 
Charadrius wilsonia
Tarcol



Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus
Río Berris Reservoir


Collared Plover 
Charadrius collaris
Tarcol






Gulls and Allies
Laridae

Black Skimmer 
Rynchops niger
Finca Conchal


Laughing Gull 
Larus atricilla
Finca Conchal


Gull-billed Tern
Sterna nilotica
Finca Conchal


Caspian Tern
Sterna caspia
Tarcol


Sandwich Tern 
Sterna sandvicensis
Finca Conchal



Royal Tern

Sterna maxima
Tempisque Ferry, Finca Conchal






Hawks and Allies
Accipitridae
Osprey

Pandion haliaetus
Tarcol, Solimar


White-tailed Kite 
Elanus leucurus
Tapantí, Esquinas, Finca Conchal
Snail Kite

Rostrhamus sociabilis
Solimar


Double-toothed Kite 
Harpagus bidentatus
Carara

Crane Hawk
Geranospiza caerulescens
Carara

Mangrove Black-Hawk  Buteogallus subtilis
Boca Río Barú, Solimar


Harris' Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus
Solimar


Grey Hawk 
Asturina nitida
Tárcoles, Solimar


Roadside Hawk 
Buteo magnirostris
Carretera 34 close to Parrita

Broad-winged Hawk 
Buteo platypterus
Tapantí, Carara


Short-tailed Hawk 
Buteo brachyurus
Solimar


White-tailed Hawk 
Buteo albicaudatus
Hotel Villa Lapas


Red-tailed Hawk 
Buteo jamaicensis
Savegre


Black Hawk-Eagle*
Spizaetus tyrannus
Naturalista








Falcons

Falconidae

Crested Caracara
Caracara cheriway
Tárcoles, Carara, Solimar

Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima
Esquinas
Laughing Falcon 
Herpetotheres cachinnans
Esquinas, Carara, Solimar
Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus
Solimar


American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Solimar


Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Río Tárcoles Bridge






Grebes 

Podicipedidae
Least Grebe 
Tachybaptus dominicus
Carara, Solimar






Anhingas

Anhingidae

Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga
Carara, Solimar






Cormorants
Phalacrocoracidae
Neotropic Cormorant