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Costa Rica Trip, April 7-17, 2006

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Black-and-white Owls	Elegant Euphonia

The TAS-sponsored Costa Rica Highlights birding tour, a ten-day, nine-night tour arranged through Exotic Birding LLC and held April 7-16, provided participants with a sensational introduction to Costa Rican birdlife. Joining me were Dan Zuckerman, Susana Barciela and Annemarie and Lester Brockmann, all from Miami, Douglas and Lillian Wassmer from Tampa and Raissa Trend and Andrew Waltman, both chemistry postgraduates currently studying in Switzerland. Our guide was Marcos Soto, a native of Costa Rica who has been a master birding guide for twenty years. Not only can Marcos identify hundreds of birds by sight and voice, he is also able to imitate many of their calls, a skill which proved invaluable when attempting to spot skulking species such as tinamous, antbirds and wrens. He also shared with us his extensive knowledge of Costa Rica's other fauna and flora and its fascinating history and culture.

Gray-tailed Mountain-Gem	Green Violet-ear

The itinerary allowed us to sample a variety of habitats in and around the country's midsection, including montane cloud forest, high elevation paramo, Caribbean lowland rainforest, Pacific lowland transitional forest and coastal mangrove forest. Transportation to all locations was by air-conditioned bus, professionally driven by the infectiously cheerful Guillermo “Bigotes” Hernandez-Quesado. Our first destination was the beautiful Savegre Mountain Hotel in the Talamanca Mountains, where we spent the first two nights. Located in a steep-walled valley through which flows the Savegre River and surrounded by montane cloud forest, this eco-lodge is one of the most reliable locations in Central America to find the spectacular Resplendant Quetzal. We were able to view and photograph a number of these remarkable trogons, including a male near (and in) its nest and several individuals directly behind the lodge! Other species seen along trails above and below the hotel included Black Guan, Spotted Wood-Quail, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Dark Pewee, Torrent and Paltry Tyrannulet, Black-capped Flycatcher, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Ochraceous Wren, Black-faced Solitaire, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush, Mountain Robin, Yellow-winged and Brown-capped Vireo, Flame-throated and Black-cheeked Warbler, Collared Redstart, Flame-colored, Golden-hooded and Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Black-thighed Grosbeak and Yellow-thighed Finch. Hummingbird feeders around the hotel's restaurant attracted Green Violet-ear, Gray-tailed Mountain-gem and Magnificent, Scintillant and Volcano Hummingbird.

Group Photo

Our third night was spent at Vista del Valle, a quaint lodge overlooking El General Valley. Hummingbird feeders on the restaurant balcony attracted Violet Sabrewing, Purple-crowned Fairy and Green-crowned Brilliant. That afternoon we visited Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary, home of the late Alexander Skutch, co-author of A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Among the many birds seen in this area were Double-toothed Kite, Gray-headed Chachalaca, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, White-necked Jacobin, Charming Hummingbird, Lineated Woodpecker, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Fiery-billed Aricari, Turquoise Cotinga, Red-capped Manakin, Sulphur-bellied and Streaked Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, White-breasted Wood-Wren, Cherrie's and Speckled Tanager, Green, Shining and Red-legged Honeycreeper and Streaked and Buff-throated Saltator. The next day we visited paramo habitat at Cerro de la Muerte (meaning “Mountain of Death”), an 11,500-foot peak where many early settlers lost their lives, due to the area's occasionally frigid temperatures. Specialties found here included Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin, Black-billed Nightingale-thrush and Volcano Junco. During a brief stop to view feeders at a roadside restaurant, we were able to carefully scrutinize the dazzling swarms of hummingbirds, including the stunning Fiery-throated Hummingbird. A Large-footed Finch was found in a forested area near the restaurant. At another roadside stop, as we were watching White-collared Swifts circling overhead, we spotted a pair of Elegant Euphonias.

Laughing Falcon	Volcano Junco

Our next three days were spent at Selva Verde Lodge, an extraordinarily beautiful eco-lodge on the Sarapiqui River, surrounded by Caribbean slope lowland rainforest. At a wet pasture we passed on our way to the lodge, we found a Pinnated Bittern, a rare life bird for our guide! Also seen here were Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Green Ibis, White-tailed Kite, Northern Jacana, Passerini's Tanager and Nicaraguan Seed-Finch. White-throated Crakes were heard at sunset. The next morning was spent at Braulio Carrillo National Park, where we learned first-hand why a rain forest is called a rain forest! Collared Aricari, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan and Black-faced Grosbeak were among the many species spotted while waiting for the rain to abate. Once the rains ended, we were able to hike the trail at Quebrada Ranger Station, where we added Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Dull-mantled Antbird, Plain Antvireo, White-throated Shrike-Tanager and Tawny-capped Euphonia. Near an army ant bivouac we found Laughing Falcon, Collared Forest-Falcon, Lattice-tailed Trogon, Chestnut-backed and Bicolored Antbird and Slate-colored Grosbeak. An Ocellated Antbird was heard but not seen. Before and after our visit to the national park, we stopped outside El Tapir Nature Reserve, where we saw several hummingbirds feeding at the entrance, including Snowcap, Blue-throated Goldentail, and Black-crested Coquette.

Northern Barred Woodcreeper

Most of the next day was spent at La Selva Biological Station, a research facility operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies. Early morning was spent in secondary forest along the road outside the entrance gate, an area teeming with birds. Species seen here included Gray Hawk, Pied Puffbird, Black-cheeked, Smoky-brown and Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Fasciated, Great and Barred Antshrike, Bright-rumped Attila, Piratic Flycatcher, Cinnamon Becard, Band-backed Wren, Long-billed Gnatwren, Crimson-collared Tanager, Olive-backed Euphonia, Black-striped Sparrow, Black-headed Saltator, Black-cowled Oriole and Chestnut-headed and Montezuma Oropendola. We also found a lek of beautiful and highly entertaining White-collared Manakins. On the grounds of the research facility we added Semiplumbous Hawk, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and White-ringed Flycatcher. Along trails through surrounding primary forest we spotted Great Tinamou, Agami Heron, Crested Guan, Little Hermit, Keel-billed Toucan, Pale-billed Woodpecker and Rufous Piha. We searched for but could not locate the much sought-after Bare-necked Umbrellabird. An afternoon downpour left us soaked to the skin.

Passerini's Tanager	Ringed Kingfisher

During our last morning at Selva Verde, the pair of resident Sunbitterns was found feeding on rocks along the river. Fasciated Tiger-Heron, another rocky-river specialty, was seen only by Lester Brockmann. Other species seen around the lodge included Mealy Parrot, Squirrel Cuckoo, Violaceous Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Chestnut-backed Antbird, White-collared Manakin, Buff-rumped Warbler, Red-throated Ant-Tanager and Orange-billed Sparrow. Most memorable was a flyover, well-seen by all participants, of a pair of endangered Great Green Macaws! We bid goodbye to the Caribbean lowlands and headed west over the mountains to the Pacific slope, making several stops along the way. Along a canyon road near Colonia Vergen de Socorro, we found Scale-crested Pigmy-Tyrant, Bay Wren, Slate-throated Redstart, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Bay-headed Tanager and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis. Several Swallow-tailed Kites swooped over our heads; these magnificent raptors were the most common bird-of-prey seen on the trip. At a roadside restaurant, hummingbird feeders attracted Coppery-headed Emeralds, Brown and Green Violet-ears, Violet Sabrewings, White-bellied Mountain-gems and Green Thorntails. While taking in the hummingbird action, a Green Hermit almost landed on my nose! Near the beautiful Lower La Paz Waterfall, a pair of Buff-fronted Quail Dove flew into the road beside the bus. A pair of resident Black-and-white Owls was easily found at a small park in the town of Orotina. Farther down the road, a stunning pair of Turquoise-browed Motmots was seen perched along the roadside.

Sooty Robin	Sunbittern

Our last three days were spent at Hotel Villa Lapas, a picturesque eco-lodge adjacent to Carara National Park. Before arriving at the lodge, we stopped at a bridge over the Tarcoles River, where we spotted several pairs of Scarlet Macaws flying to their night roosts. Numerous American Crocodiles were seen lounging along the river bank. The next two mornings were spent exploring transitional forest along the Laguna Meandrica Trail in the national park. Among the many species seen here were Ruddy Quail-Dove, Long-billed Hermit, Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Violaceous, Black-headed and Black-throated Trogon, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-whiskered Puffbird, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Plain Zenops, Black-hooded Antshrike, Dusky Antbird, Dot-winged Antren, Orange-collared and Long-tailed Manakin, Northern Bentbill, Royal and Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, White-winged and Rose-throated Becard, Black-bellied, Rufous-naped and Rufous and White Wren and Lesser Greenlet. Scarlet Macaws were seen and heard throughout each day. Boat-billed Herons roosted along Laguna Meandrica; during our visit to this area the second morning, we observed four Bare-throated Tiger-Herons displaying along the banks.

Timberline Wren	Turquoise-browed Motmot

During our first afternoon in the area, we hiked through mature dry forest on the national park's Headquarters Trail, where species found included Great Tinamou, Scarlet Macaw, Mealy Parrot, Striped Cuckoo, Bronzy Hermit, Streak-chested Antpitta and Riverside Wren. Prior to leaving for that hike, Annemarie and Lester Brockmann spotted a pair of King Vultures soaring over the lodge. Our last afternoon was spent cruising down the Tarcoles River and through coastal mangrove habitat, where we found Mangrove Black-Hawk, Mangrove Swallow and Mangrove Warbler. We also saw numerous waders and shorebirds including Roseate Spoonbill and Whimbrel. Our cruise ended with a spectacular sunset over the Pacific, a fitting end to an incredible trip.

In addition to the amazing 355 species of birds seen or heard by participants, we also saw a number of mammals, including Northern Tamandua (a type of anteater), Central American Agouti, Collared Peccary, two species of sloth, three species of monkeys (Howler, Spider and Capuchin), Crab-eating Raccoon and Red-tailed and Variegated Squirrel. We also saw numerous lizards, snakes (none venomous), turtles and frogs, (including several colorful species of poison arrow frogs), plus untold numbers of butterflies and other insects.

Many thanks to Laura Fellows and Jim Wittenberger of Exotic Birding LLC, both of whom accompanied us on this trip and seamlessly handled all logistical details, including lodging, meals, transportation and entrance arrangements. I look forward to working with them again to provide TAS members with other opportunities to explore and bird the remarkable American tropics.

—Brian Rapoza
TAS Field Trip Coordinator

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