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COSTA RICA
18 March - 1 April 2004
by Mike Mulligan
Informal birding trips can be so much fun. With no lodging
reservations, we're free to go where the birds are---and at times to
stay where we might not otherwise. It was that kind of adventure.
In addition to myself, we were Mary Nelson, a Calgary birding friend,
Mark Citsay and Doug Stucki of Minnesota (both good companions who had
visited the tropics with me before), and Kevin Easley, my old friend,
excellent guide and now owner of Costa Rica Gateway. Kevin and I have
spent many hours in the field together in CR and Kenya, and he indulges
my desire to add species to my Costa Rica list. Limiting the party to
five enabled us to fit (fairly) comfortably into a 4WD SUV and ensured
quality trail birding. My intent was to find new birding spots as well
as to visit a couple familiar locations.
Because of Kevin's knowledge and contacts throughout the country, we
were quite successful. Local, rare, ultra-rare and specialty birds
recorded included Highland Tinamou, Masked Duck, Pearl Kite, Bicolored
Hawk, Barred Forest-Falcon, Great Curassow, Marbled Wood-Quail, Uniform
Crake, Wattled Jacana, Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Brown-throated Parakeet,
Spot-fronted Swift, White-tipped Sicklebill, White-crested Coquette,
Keel-billed Motmot, Gray-throated Leaftosser, Black-banded Woodcreeper,
Black-headed Antthrush, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Turquoise and
Yellow-billed Cotingas, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Lance-tailed Manakin,
Masked Yellowthroat, Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, Red-breasted Blackbird,
Crested Oropendola, and---strangely enough---Warbling Vireo. Several of
these are not even shown in the Stiles and Skutch field guide, and
others are virtually never seen. I'm simply amazed that we did so well
on rarities, as well as finding many expected birds. And we had fun!
Please note: I'll ignore sightings of many common North American
species in the following daily log.
March 18
Kevin and I work through our proposed itinerary, noting potential
adjustments based on current sightings reports. We discuss tour
intensity, lodging possibilities, and participants' skills and physical
condition. (I arrived yesterday, stayed at Kevin's comfortable home in
Alajuela.) Following an airport run Mary, Mark and I find a few birds
near Kevin's house: migrating Broad-winged and Swainson's Hawks,
Red-billed Pigeon; White-winged, Inca and White-tipped Doves, Cinnamon
Hummingbird, Blue-crowned Motmot resting at Kevin's water dish,
Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird,
Blue-and-white Swallow, Rufous-naped Wren, Clay-colored Robin,
Blue-gray Tanager, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Grayish Saltator. We do a
bit of evening birding at Los Chorros Falls Road (White-collared and
Vaux's Swifts), then pick up Doug at airport and drive to Hotel Cacts
near downtown San Jose. We're in bed by 10pm after a seafood dinner at
nearby Restaurante Machu Picchu.
March 19
Promptly at 6am Kevin collects us and we drive east through the city,
out toward Cartago and up the slopes of Volcan Irazu. It's raining,
it's cold, and the expected breakfast place is closed. (Good-natured
grumbling breaks out.) We check a forest patch birded recently by
Kevin's brother Steve and note Band-tailed Pigeon, the small brown
subspecies of Hairy Woodpecker, Ruddy Treerunner, Mountain Elaenia,
Black-capped Flycatcher, Ochraceous Wren, Black-billed
Nightingale-Thrush, Sooty Robin, Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher,
Yellow-winged Vireo, Black-cheeked Warbler, Slaty Flowerpiercer and
Large-footed Finch. Dripping wet and desperate for coffee, we finally
locate an open restaurante.
Kevin takes us back to the Inter-American and up, up into the highlands
(no rain!), where we bird the famed Cerro de la Muerte Tower Road and
La Georgina's Roadhouse. Added are Green Violet-ear; Magnificent,
Fiery-throated and Volcano Hummingbirds, Mountain Robin, Sooty-capped
Bush-Tanager, Volcano Junco. We overnight downslope a bit at lovely
Cabinas Vista del Valle. Birds here are Swallow-tailed Kite, Violet
Sabrewing, Green-crowned Brilliant, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush;
Flame-colored, Cherrie's and Golden-hooded Tanagers. Somewhere today we
also add Gray Hawk, Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
(common), Mountain Robin and Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher (heard).
March 20
It's hard to leave the birding deck at Vista del Valle, where this
morning we tally Silver-throated Tanager and Buff-throated Saltator. We
head down to San Isidro and find Yellow-headed Caracara, Ruddy
Ground-Dove, Orange-chinned Parakeet, White-crowned Parrot,
Smooth-billed Ani, Red-crowned and Lineated Woodpeckers, a Barred
Antshrike pair, Greenish and Lesser Elaenias, Common Tody-Flycatcher,
Social and Gray-capped Flycatchers, several performing Fork-tailed
Flycatchers, Masked Tityra, Scrub Greenlet, Rufous-browed Peppershrike,
Bananaquit, Blue-black Grassquit, Variable Seedeater and Bronzed
Cowbird.
We continue on down into the lowlands, noting Roadside Hawk, Crested
Caracara, Brown-hooded Parrot, Band-rumped Swift, Yellow-olive
Flycatcher, Gray-breasted Martin, and the very local Red-breasted
Blackbird. On the Osa Peninsula are Magnificent Frigatebird, a
White-necked Puffbird pair perched over our van, Mangrove and Southern
Rough-winged Swallows, Palm Tanager and White-collared Seedeater.
The last mile to Bosque del Rio Tigre Lodge is poorly marked, but Kevin
persists. Approaching the lodge we find Gray-necked Wood-Rail and
Northern Jacana. We arrive late afternoon and owner Liz Jones
immediately walks us down a trail to a fruiting tree. Right on schedule
a male White-crested Coquette flies in; a White-necked Jacobin hovers
nearby for size comparison. A pair of Scarlet Macaws sails overhead as
we admire the tiny coquette. We also see Stripe-throated Hermit,
Blue-throated Goldentail, Long-billed Starthroat, Cocoa Woodcreeper,
Dusky-capped and Piratic Flycatchers, White-winged Becard, Blue Dacnis,
Shining and Red-legged Honeycreepers and Black-striped Sparrow. We meet
two Swedish birders, Jesper and Kale, nice guys and excellent birders.
Liz and her crew prepare a fine dinner, we do the checklist and fall
into bed. It's a long, bird-filled day.
March 21
Bosque del Rio Tigre Lodge is remotely located on the Golfo Dulce side
of the Osa Peninsula, down a long and dusty road. Liz and her husband
Abraham Gallo like it that way. It's truly a charming place, with but
four rooms and solar-powered electricity. Liz keeps the premises
spotless and the showers are wonderful. It's warm, humid---but what
would you expect here, arguably the hottest part of the country? Very
early today, before breakfast, Liz and Abraham take us on a quick hike
through the village and up a riverbed for another special sight: a
White-tipped Sicklebill. This big hummingbird perches about six meters
from us and we enjoy a leisurely eye-level view. A White Hawk glides
overhead as we make our way back down the riverbed, and we note
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Purple Gallinule, White-throated Crake, both
Squirrel and Striped Cuckoos, Chestnut-backed Antbird, male and female
Turquoise Cotingas, Yellow-green Vireo, Blue-black Grosbeak and a fine
look at male Thick-billed Seed-Finch. Breakfast is especially tasty
after this early "walk."
We spend the day on the trails near the lodge and record Least Grebe,
Anhinga, Boat-billed Heron on nest with young, Double-toothed Kite,
some see a Tiny Hawk, Pale-vented Pigeon, a fly-by male Blue
Ground-Dove, Gray-chested Dove, Ruddy Quail-Dove (difficult look), Mark
and Kevin find a probable Chuck-will's-widow by the shower, and a
Long-tailed Hermit hangs out near the lodge. It's a four-trogon day:
Baird's, Violaceous (heard), Black-throated and Slaty-tailed. Also
Amazon and Green Kingfishers, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Chestnut-mandibled
Toucan in the scope, Mary spots a Golden-naped Woodpecker, Slaty
Spinetail, Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Long-tailed and Black-striped
Woodcreepers, Great Antshrike found by Doug, Black-hooded Antshrike,
Dot-winged Antwren, Black-faced Antthrush, Yellow and Paltry
Tyrannulets; Ochre-bellied, Sulphur-rumped and Boat-billed Flycatchers,
Northern Bentbill, Bright-rumped Attila, Rose-throated Becard,
Black-crowned Tityra, a wing-snapping Orange-collared Manakin, female
Red-capped Manakin; Black-bellied, Riverside, Plain and Whistling
Wrens, Doug notes a Mourning Warbler, Buff-rumped Warbler,
Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager (a true Osa Peninsula endemic), Orange-billed
Sparrow and Scarlet-rumped Cacique.
March 22
Early we're on the trail behind the lodge, and finally find our elusive
bird. Two adult Marbled Wood-Quail with four chicks move slowly past
us, affording all superb views. It's a rewarding morning---we also spot
Little Tinamou, Bronzy Hermit, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Violaceous
Trogon (heard-only yesterday), Ringed Kingfisher, Fiery-billed Aracari
in scope, Golden-naped Woodpecker seen by all, Short-billed Pigeon
("drab" says Doug), and we enjoy great looks at a Scaly-throated
Leaftosser. Completely unexpected is a skittish Uniform Crake at a
small pond behind the lodge, only the second one I've seen and per Liz
new for the property. Also several White-shouldered Tanager females at
a bathing pool. We're a happy crew at breakfast.
Quickly we pack up, say our good-byes and head out. Our search for
Mangrove Hummingbird is unsuccessful. We pause at the Rincon bridge for
sandwiches and Doug and Kevin hunt for cotingas. They find both
Yellow-billed and Turquoise, and we admire the stunning Yellow-billed
male in the scope. A low-flying King Vulture is spotted along the dusty
road. This magnificent creature circles close overhead, affording best
possible views of a flying King. From the highway we detour onto
Esquinas Road and mark Snowy Egret, White Ibis, a close and laughing
Laughing Falcon, Brown-throated Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot,
Yellow-bellied and Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters and Yellow-faced
Grassquit. Remarkably, we scope a Great Egret attempting to swallow a
Plain Wren. The egret finally chokes down its feathered lunch. Back on
the highway Kevin shows us several Crested Oropendolas and their
elaborate hanging nests---this bird is a very recent migrant from
Panama. The comfortable Hotel El Impala in Rio Claro (AC, no hot water)
puts us up for the night. Kevin leads us a couple hundred meters down
the road to a delicious pizza dinner.
March 23
We're back on Esquinas Road---which doesn't look like much but
consistently produces great birds. Amazingly, a Pearl Kite pair poses
(per Stiles and Skutch "not yet recorded in Costa Rica"), and Kevin
nails a couple photos. Whirring Gray-breasted Crakes remain concealed.
We add a singing Pale-breasted Spinetail (super view), Streak-headed
Woodcreeper and more Brown-throated Parakeets, another species not
shown in Stiles and Skutch. We drive on and up to San Vito and settle
into our Hotel El Ceibo. Following lunch and a short break, our search
for Lance-tailed Manakin near the tiny village of Rio Negro is
unsuccessful. (I don't get lost very many places in CR but I sure am
here, back on these primitive trails.) On our return to San Vito we
stop at the San Joachin Marshes near the old airstrip. Here we run into
Jesper and Kale and find three Masked Ducks, Common Moorhen, Wattled
Jacana and a Masked Yellowthroat pair. Mark spots a Speckled Tanager
from the hotel balcony and we add Bay-headed Tanager and Streaked
Saltator.
March 24
At 5:15 sharp a little guy wearing a big smile and a bathrobe over his
skivvies serves us excellent coffee on our balcony. Kevin then leads us
to a tomato farm near Canas Gordas where a Rosy Thrush-Tanager had been
reported. Instead we find Bran-colored Flycatcher, White-lined Tanager
and Yellow-breasted Cacique. At Las Cruces Field Station the River
Trail is a real winner: Crested Guan seen by all high in a tree, more
Marbled Wood-Quail(!), Mark locates a Ruddy Woodcreeper for us all,
Plain Antvireo, Slaty-capped Flycatcher seen by some, fine view of a
diminutive Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (which
I'm still looking for in Alberta), Rufous Piha (loud!); side view,
front view and throat stripes on a foraging White-throated Robin,
Common Bush-Tanager, Gray-headed Tanager at the top of the trail,
Spot-crowned Euphonia, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, and it's Doug's turn to
get us on a Speckled Tanager.
We snack on ice cream and macadamia nuts and head for some open scrub
habitat near Agua Buena, and note Garden Emerald found by Mary, Lesser
Goldfinch and a lovely Blue-crowned Motmot perched near an
ever-bleating goat. A Pauraque flies in front of the van on our way
"home." Also today: a fly-away Barred Forest-Falcon, Charming
(Beryl-crowned) Hummingbird, super eye-level look at Olivaceous Piculet
(tiniest New World woodpecker, I believe), male White-ruffed Manakin,
Blue-crowned Manakin, Lesser Greenlet, Rufous-browed Peppershrike (also
seen at San Isidro but one of my favorites) and Rufous-capped
Warbler---plus two more balcony birds, Rufous-breasted Wren and a
Slate-throated Redstart found by Mark.
March 25
Early we're back to Rio Negro. Mark's knee is troubling him, but the
rest of us follow Kevin up the trail. We hear, and finally see, a
lovely male Lance-tailed Manakin. Clever Mary waits on the trail for
the bird to come to her. Also seen are Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Plain
Xenops, Yellowish Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Yellow-throated Vireo,
Long-billed Gnatwren, Tropical Gnatcatcher and Green Honeycreeper. Back
to the hotel, breakfast, pack up, and we're off to Quepos. After we
drop down to the coast road it's dusty, rough, and warm. (In my notes I
wrote BAD ROAD.) But a break at a river mouth near Dominical gives us
some shorebirds, Royal Terns and a Tri-colored Heron. Distant Brown
Boobies fly offshore, plus White-tailed Kite and Short-tailed Hawk are
spotted along the road.
Eventually we make it to Villa Tica, a quite nice beach resort near
Quepos, site of recently-reported Spot-fronted Swifts. We inquire about
prices, but mostly just hang out by the pool trying to look
inconspicuous as the paying guests check us out (we don't quite fit in
here). Lesser Swallow-tailed Swifts rocket overhead and we note our
first Groove-billed Ani lurking at poolside. Tired, we give up on the
Spot-fronteds and look for a place to stay. And just down the road we
find Vista Serena Hostel and Café, possibly our most unusual
lodging. The young man who rents the bungalow to us kicks out his
buddies as we move in. We do enjoy a pleasant fish dinner at the
"café" before retiring.
March 26
We're up about 5am and it's 28C/82F humid degrees in our cozy bungalow.
Back at Villa Tica we search the skies and finally locate several
Spot-fronteds and a Black Swift. Near the resort's parking lot we note
a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl harassed by a tiny Yellow-crowned Euphonia. Our
breakfast at Vista Serena is total confusion, as Conrad is recovering
from his eighteenth birthday celebration and possibly a touch of
illegal drugs. But we're treated to a fly-by of more swifts as we wait.
A "Southern" House Wren feeding young entertains us, and three male
Scarlet Tanagers---uncommon in Costa Rica---wing through as we savor
our early-morning coffee. A perched Red-lored Parrot observes us.
We drive to nearby Quepos, finding a closer view of a Brown Booby plus
a couple Wandering Tattlers on the beach rocks, and head north up the
coast to Rio Tarcoles near Carara National Park. The beach at the river
mouth yields Laughing Gulls and several Sandwich Terns. At Tarcol Lodge
we enjoy refreshments on the deck while examining a dozen species of
tidal-flats shorebirds. Close by we find Neotropic Cormorant,
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Mangrove Black-Hawk, Hoffman's Woodpecker
and a pair of Inca Doves. Then it's a longish drive on good roads to
Bosque de Paz. We spot Brown Jays and a Red-billed Pigeon on the way.
Bosque, on the Pacific slope at about 4500 feet altitude, is gently
carved out of primary rainforest and has to be one of the most
beautiful lodges in Costa Rica.
After settling into our rooms---mine is so delightful I really didn't
want to leave it---we bird the trails near the lodge and stream.
Although it's mid-afternoon we find several Black Guans at the feeder
tray (super view of the bright blue facial skin), many Violet
Sabrewings at feeders flashing their white tail feathers, Spotted
Barbtail, Red-faced Spinetail, Olive-striped Flycatcher seen well,
Tufted Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher in the scope,
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush, a bright
Prothonotary Warbler at a hummingbird feeder, Three-striped Warbler,
Yellow-thighed Finch and Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch. Gracious
host-owner Federico Gonzalez-Pinto welcomes us to a fine dinner. A paca
grazes in the yard in falling darkness. It's a life sighting for me of
this large, nocturnal member of the agouti family. I'm thinking I could
live here.
March 27
After early coffee we enjoy the dawn chorus. Then an excellent and
hearty breakfast. Then more trail birding, never far from the lodge. A
Bicolored Hawk pair perches for us, one consuming a small bird. More
super eye-level looks at Black Guans (this species is usually high in a
tree, and you look up at its belly). Also Purple-throated Mountain-gem,
a Scintillant Hummingbird spotted from our dining table, a female
Resplendent Quetzal, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Streak-breasted
Treehunter, Mountain Elaenia, Torrent Tyrannulet seen by Mark only near
the stream, Dark Pewee Doug only (hmmm---I'm going to have to start
asking for documentation), Barred Becard, a couple Azure-hooded Jays
display their brilliant blue napes, American Dipper, Black-faced
Solitaire (heard); Blue-winged, Golden-winged and Blackburnian
Warblers, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis,
Yellow-thighed Finch, White-naped Brush-Finch, Black-thighed Grosbeak,
and we hear a single Melodious Blackbird.
After lunch we're away to La Fortuna, with a detour to Los Lagos. The
recently-reported Southern Lapwing is absent. A small tourist town, La
Fortuna is where you go to see the spectacular Volcan Arenal---unless
it's too foggy, and it often is. Mary is startled by a baby wren in her
bathroom at our so-so motel. I release the bird and it flutters onto
Doug's back. We crash after a decent Mexican dinner across the street.
March 28
Musmani bakery opens early and supplies us with coffee and various
breakfast pastries. A House Sparrow pecks at crumbs on the patio. We
head west toward Lago Arenal and luck onto a close-up view of a trio of
Long-tailed Tyrants along the way. On a secondary road that leads to
Arenal National Park we do well: Gray-headed Chachalaca, Crested Guan,
Broad-billed Motmot, a staked-out but ultra-rare Keel-billed Motmot
(hey, a lifer and my 700th Costa Rica bird), Collared Aracari,
Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Fasciated Antshrike seen by all except me,
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Tropical Pewee, Cinnamon Becard, Warbling
Vireo (rare here), our only White-throated Magpie-Jay, everyone gets a
Tropical Parula, Golden-crowned Warbler, Variable Seedeater (Caribbean
race), Black-headed Saltator, and Mary and I spot three male
Black-cowled Orioles while the boys chase something else.
We enter the national park and find more: a Great Curassow pair both
seen and heard (ultra-low hoots), Dusky Antbird (heard), three Spotted
Antbirds seen well, Bicolored Antbird (heard), White-collared Manakin
heard wing-snapping, Black-throated and Bay Wrens, all get a fine view
of the strange-looking Song Wren, and Kentucky Warbler. A Thicket
Antpitta calls; Kevin, Doug and Mark crawl into the bush but are
unsuccessful. We leave the park and drive around the top of the
lake---in places a poor road. From the deck of our lunch stop we pick
up Green-breasted Mango, Keel-billed Toucan, Montezuma Oropendola and
Passerini's Tanager, the Caribbean counterpart of Cherrie's Tanager.
Somewhere today we hear an Olive Tanager. Kevin drives over a
"short-cut" to Santa Elena, the small town near Monteverde Reserve.
It's a good bird day, but we're all tired and are happy to find our
beds at the clean, cool and comfortable Quetzal Inn.
March 29
It's another bakery breakfast, then a quick trip to Finca Ecologica, a
small private reserve on the Monteverde road. No tourists here yet, and
the resident Chiriqui Quail-Dove walks about in front of us for ten
minutes or so. It's the only place in the country I've seen this
reclusive bird. We also find White-fronted Parrot, Golden-Olive
Woodpecker, hear the incessant double-rap of a Pale-billed Woodpecker
(and finally scope one), watch maybe 20 Long-tailed Manakins and
several White-eared Ground-Sparrows. Returning to the Quetzal Inn to
pack, we see an Emerald Toucanet perched above the building. Packing
means separating what we need for a couple nights at the field station
and storing the rest with the nice folks at the inn.
Then we drive to Santa Elena Reserve, park carefully (because of the
van's broken window), load gear onto a waiting ATV. Someone---I'm not
sure who---drives the ATV to the field station, also carrying our food.
It takes us about three hours to hike down to the San Gerardo Field
Station, including birding time. The field station, complete with
decent beds, kitchen facilities and cold showers, is located in the
Children's Eternal Rain Forest at about1200m/3900ft altitude. Kevin has
arranged for a cook to be present, and Roberto serves us a tasty lunch
when we arrive. On the way down we spot a modest antswarm; attending it
are a half-dozen Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrushes and an Immaculate
Antbird. A White-throated Spadebill is seen nearby and we spot several
Three-wattled Bellbirds and hear others (BONG!). Later we check around
the field station grounds, finding a close-perched Orange-bellied
Trogon, Coppery-headed Emerald female, Prong-billed Barbet, a handsome
Spotted Woodcreeper, Rufous-breasted Antthrush and Rufous-and-white
Wren. The peculiar-looking Eye-ringed Flatbill is seen by all.
On our hike to the umbrellabird-display site we find Chestnut-headed
Oropendolas at a nest colony, with a couple Giant Cowbirds nearby. Once
at the site we listen intently, and finally hear the low moan of a
Bare-necked Umbrellabird from the treetops. None appears however. We're
losing our light in this dense primary forest and start our return
hike. Without warning an umbrellabird flies low across our path and
perches about 30 feet away. Wow. There it is. (I have to say I've been
studying this strange cotinga in the field guide for almost 15 years,
listening to rumors of occasional sightings. It's an exciting moment
for me---I can't help it!) We laugh and chatter on the way back, no
doubt missing a bird or two. Our final bird of the day is a Pauraque
which Kevin catches in his light from the upper deck. We sleep well
tonight.
March 30
We're back early at the umbrellabird site, hoping for a better view (of
course). Humidity hangs heavy in this cloudforest, but the temp is
ideal---about 20C/68F, great for birding, hiking and sleeping. The
forest is silent but eventually we catch sight of a male umbrellabird.
Kevin gets the scope on it and we're able to note the scarlet
inflatable throat sac and the weird "hair-do" crest. This is a big,
chunky bird. A female shows up and we nail her too. After lunch and a
really nice nap we walk back up the entry trail and get quick but
definitive looks at a Gray-throated Leaftosser at its nest cavity.
Other new birds today include a low-flying Black Hawk-Eagle, Green
Hermit in the scope (lovely), Red-headed Barbet, Golden-olive
Woodpecker, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner (heard), Doug spots a
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Russet Antshrike, Slaty Antwren, Black-headed
Antthrush (rare), a wolf-whistling pair of Rufous Mourners,
Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Ochraceous Wren
(heard) and Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush. We hear a Highland Tinamou
once more, but never see it.
We're enjoying an incredible 24+ hours of rain-free weather here. Our
vista of Volcan Arenal from the field station's upper deck is crystal
clear. A year ago we endured two days incessant driving rain; we were
continuously cold and dripping wet. Needless to say we saw no
umbrellabird.
March 31
Early birding nets a Barred Hawk, Olivaceous and Black-banded
Woodcreepers, a Silvery-fronted Tapaculo is heard, Rufous-browed
Tyrannulet ( poor look) and Nightingale Wren. Roberto creates a final
excellent breakfast. The ATV appears. We load our gear, Mary hitches a
ride, and the "boys" walk the trail in two hours. We drive to Michael
Fogden's gift shop at the Monteverde Reserve entrance, always an
interesting stop. Feeders here provide wonderful views of Steely-vented
and Stripe-tailed Hummingbirds, White-bellied Mountain-gem and
Magenta-throated Woodstar. Even a Bananaquit feeds here. After
reclaiming our stored gear we make the long drive back to Alajuela and
enjoy our celebratory last meal at Restaurante Rostipollo. Mary,
Mark and Doug overnight at Hotel Mango.
April 1
We fly home, savoring memories of a unique tropical experience.
Other life-forms noted: Central American pygmy squirrel, dung beetle,
rock iguana, Central American spider monkey, mantled howler,
white-faced capuchin, a really ugly millipede, baselisk lizard,
spectacled cayman, snake, green-and-black poison dart frog (a Golfo
Dulce endemic), luminescent click beetle, long-tailed weasel,
red-tailed squirrel, brown-throated three-toed sloth, Hoffman's
two-toed sloth, agouti, Central American crocodile, coati, variegated
squirrel. morpho butterfly, various butterflies and other insects
Birds seen daily:
Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Clay-colored Robin, Great-tailed Grackle
Almost daily: Cattle
Egret, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, "Southern" House Wren,
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Bananaquit, Blue-gray Tanager, Bronzed Cowbird
Mike Mulligan
Calgary Alberta Canada
potoo@shaw.ca