Costa Rica Part 7

Day 13, Tuesday 26th

The earliest start of the trip with bags ready for loading up at 4.30. We had coffee and drove off to ensure we were in place on the bridge by 6.00. 

Sunrise

Scanning for Cotingas

Our target was Yellow-billed Cotinga and we were under strict instructions not to be distracted by other birds. After a while a cotinga landed on the tall trees we were watching but it was another Turquoise! Not long afterwards, an all white bird was seen in a distant tree – our quarry, Yellow-billed Cotinga. Over the next half an hour we saw at least two birds before it was time to head north up the Pacific Coast.

Yellow-billed Cotinga

Yellow-headed Caracara

We stopped for breakfast at a diner where a pair of Streaked Flycatchers ha a nest in a telegraph pole just outside. It was then another three hour drive to the next hotel where we went straight to lunch before our rooms were available. This required getting another wristband fitted as all the meals and drinks were inclusive.

We went out again mid-afternoon and checked a roost site for Black-and-White Owl with success as both birds were present and easily seen. 

Black-and-White Owl

It was then time for our third boat trip, this time along a main river. As it was high tide a flock of waders including Whimbrel and Willet were waiting it out on exposed branches.

roosting waders and terns

Royal Tern and Brown Pelicans were also seen but our main targets were up a side stream in the mangroves. It didn’t take long to connect with all three Mangroves – Warbler, Vireo and Hummingbird.

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Royal Tern & Hudsonian Whimbrel

Northern Roughwing

Brown Pelican

Common Black-Hawk

Mangrove Vireo

Mangrove Warbler

Roseate Spoonbill

Brown Pelican

Magnificent Frigatebird

Panama Flycatcher

Plumbeous Kite

Tricoloured Heron

We went ashore a couple of times and on the way back saw a fourth Mangrove, this time a Cuckoo along with Yellow-naped Parrot and more flycatchers including the only Scissor-tailed Flycatcher of the trip. As we neared the end of the boat ride a few Lesser Nighthawks emerged and a Belted Kingfisher made it five of the six New World kingfishers.

Yellow-naped Parrot

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

Roseate Spoonbill

Sun setting over a local fisherman

After dinner we had a leisurely evening, taking advantage of the free drinks!

Day 14, Wednesday 27th

We met up for coffee at 5.30 and then walked the trails for a couple of hours. Black-headed and Slaty-tailed Trogons were seen along with a selection of tanagers and antbirds amongst others; the best of these being a Black-faced Antthrush that we watched plodding along the forest floor.

After breakfast we drove a short distance up the road to Carara Park where we spent the rest of the morning on the trails. It was hot but not as humid as previous days. We started out with a rather smart Pale-billed Woodpecker and saw quite a few ‘ant-things’, in particular several showy Chestnut-backed Antbirds. Rufous Piha was added to the list of cotingas seen and we eventually tracked down a confiding Streak-chested Antpitta. White-throated Capuchin was our fourth monkey of the trip and also added to the mammal list was a roosting Ghost Bat.

Scarlet Macaw

Pale-billed Woodpecker

buttress roots

White-throated Capuchin lounging around

Ghost Bat

We returned to the hotel late morning and had lunch and a siesta before driving back to the park. 

Hotel Villa Lapas

Scarlet Macaw

Three Marbled Woodquail were seen scratching through the leaflitter while up in the trees there was Chiriqui Foliage-Gleaner and Long-tailed Woodcreeper. Another Great Tinamou was seen slowly walking through the forest.

Marbled Woodquail

Cocoa Woodcreeper

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

We stopped by a stream to wait for birds to come in and bathe. It wasn’t long before a Red-capped Manakin duly obliged. As it was still hot we headed back to the lodge and had time for a cool drink before walking the trails again. It was a bit quiet but we did see the hammer-headed Royal Flycatcher and sticking with hand tools, a Stub-tailed Spadebill. We met up for our last dinner in the lowlands as were due to ascend back into the hills tomorrow.

Red-capped Manakin

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Chestnut-backed Antbird