Costa Rica Part 4

Day 7, Wednesday 20th

Another 5.30 breakfast, after which we checked out and then drove to Rio San Jose where we saw Fasciated Tiger-Heron and White-whiskered Puffbird amongst others. 

White Hawk

White-collared Manakin

Louisiana Waterthrush

We stopped next at Cope’s where the owner had turned his garden into a little nature reserve. It was a good set up and we had coffee while watching birds coming in to the feeders. 

Cope's garden

New hummingbirds here were Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Long-billed and Stripe-throated Hermits. Russet-naped Woodrails wandered around at point-blank range and American Pygmy Kingfisher visited the little stream.

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Pale-vented Pigeon

Russet-naped Woodrail

White-naped Jacobin

American Pygmy Kingfisher

Collared Aracari

Red-winged Blackbird

White-lipped Turtle

We changed into rubber boots from the plentiful supply and drove a short way to another patch of forest. A Neotropical River Otter was seen on the river and then we walked along a muddy trail to a roosting Crested Owl and then saw Honduran White Bat. Across the road we waded through a stream to a roosting Spectacled Owl. 

Crested Owl

Spectacled Owl

After a good boot washing we returned to the garden, changed footwear and spent a little longer watching the feeders before it was time to head off for lunch. We stopped along the way to view a nesting Long-billed Starthroat.

Wellie-washing

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Blue-grey Tanager

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Social Flycatcher

Chestnut-headed Oropendola ticking off White-necked Jacobin

Great-tailed Grackle

Long-billed Starthroat

We arrived at our next lodge mid-afternoon and walked down the steep entrance track to the bridge where there was a Fascist Tiger-heron. We then carried on to the lodge, dumped our bags and went birding on the trails. It was a little quiet but some of us had good views of an Ocellated Antbird. 

Buff-rumped Warbler

Fasciated Tiger-heron

Streak-crowned Antvireo

On the way down to dinner, a Baird’s Tapir was found so we dashed off to see it. We tried for another Black-and-White Owl before dinner but there was no sign of it, however we did hear it call after dinner.

Alex pointing out the Tapir

Day 8, Thursday 21st

We tried for Uniform Rail at first light, some people caught a glimpse as it crossed a stream. After coffee we hit the trails but the light was really poor when we came across a mixed flock so didn’t add much. 

A couple of moths attracted to the overnight lights

After breakfast we did the trails again, seeing another Tapir really well. 

Baird's Tapir

We had better views of a Checker-throated Antwren and also saw Lattice-tailed Trogon and Black-faced Grosbeak while overhead a flock of over 200 Turkey Vultures streamed north.

We checked out of our rooms and drove for a couple of minutes to a town park. We started scouring the trees but Alex, our driver quickly located the roosting Tropical Screech-Owl. We carried on driving to the next stop, a bridge over a river where a Sunbittern was patrolling. We watched it for a minute and then it walked upstream out of view.

Tropical Screech-Owl

Sunbittern

We continued on to our next lodge, up in the highlands where it was pleasantly cool. We walked up the track to the hummingbird feeders and were soon watching White-bellied Mountain-gem amongst various other hummers. 

White-bellied Mountain-gem

A feeding flock contained a mixed selection of tanagers and warblers. Our main quarry however had its own private feeding area and when it showed we were duly summoned up the track to a view a rufous-bellied, long-legged bird which was bounding along the track – a Scaled Antpitta. It remained in the shadows most of the time and then disappeared into the undergrowth. 

butterfly sp

Pair of Green Tree Anoles

Dinner was probably the best meal we had had so far and the rooms at Quelitales Lodge were also the best, making this a really nice place to stay.