Costa Rica – Part 6

Day 12 (29th Jan) La Selva.

Selva Verde Lodge grounds – Dawn at the feeders found this Red-throated Ant-Tanager (video), and a 3-toed Sloth which had been rescued the evening before and released (video – watch as it sprints away !). On the river there was a Yellow-crowned Night Heron, a Great White Egret and a Snowy Egret.

On a walk from the lodge, this Scarlet-rumped Cacique was calling and a pair of Brown-headed Parrot.

La Selva Biological Station – We went to La Selva at 7am and found 2+ Black-faced Grosbeak and a log with white fungi.

A couple of Rufous-tailed Jacamar.

This Bird-eating Snake was waiting to pounce and a Spider Monkey mother and young.

A Short-tailed Hawk circled over the canopy and a nice Epidendrum Orchid.

Sue Dutton photo’d this Preying Mantis.

This Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker could be heard, but took a while to track down (video). This is Nutmeg, found on the forest floor, and eaten by Agoutis, Toucans, Aracaris and Capuchin Monkeys.

This pair of Fasciated Antshrikes were difficult to get. We also saw a Long-billed Hermit, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Cocoa Woodcreeper, 30 Grey-rumped Swift, 2 Southern Ruff-winged Swallow, a pair of Blue-black Grosbeak and 6 Pecaries.

Sunbittern ! “Shall we go and have another look from the bridge ?” Erick asked. Luckily we did, and Chris Jones got the photos.

Selva Verde Lodge – Back for lunch, we managed to miss the rain ! It stopped shortly And I found this Violet-banded Skipper in the gardens, and at the feeders, a Streak-headed Woodcreeper.

And Black-cowled Oriole.

Walk near Police Station – On way, we stopped at a weedy field, where we eventually found a male Thick-billed Seed Finch (photo by Matt Plenty) among 20 Variable Seedeater and a male Blue-black Grassquit.

A scan of trees on the walk found a 2-toed Sloth hanging upside down and carrying a young one - video, and 2+ Scaled Pigeon.

There were 10 Red-lored Parrot and this Cinnamon Woodpecker. Plus a Chestnut-collared Woodpecker and 2 Black-cheeked Woodpecker.

We also had 3 Red-thighed Dacnis (2m, 1f), this male White-lined Tanager, a Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, 4 Yellow-throated Toucan,

A male Blue-black Grosbeak, a Tropical Gnatcatcher, a Grey Hawk, 140 Chestnut-headed Oropendola flying over in 5 flocks, and a Long-tailed Tyrant, displaying by flicking its long tail - video.

Day 13 (30th Jan) La Selva, then transit to San Jose.

Selva Verde Lodge grounds – A walk to the river at dawn found this lovely Fasciated Tiger-Heron. And we also saw 3 Bare-throated Tiger-Herons in a tree, 3 Amazon Kingfishers, a Green Kingfisher, an Osprey carrying a stick (and apparently they have not been recorded nesting in the area) and heard a Great Tinamou calling soulfully from the forest on the far bank.

The Yellow-throated Toucan had a good breakfast, and a Yellow-crowned Euphonia.

A walk round the grounds and a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird was on a nest, and a male Variable Seedeater.

2 Green Ibis flew into an overhead tree.

Walk around local roads – A fantastic sight of 4 Swallow-tailed Kite flying past - video. Southern Rough-winged Swallow, and there was also a Mangrove Swallow.

White-crowned Parrot and fantastic Lineated Woodpecker - video.

These Green Ibis walked out of the vegetation ! A Ringed Kingfisher posed nicely.

Red-lored Parrots at nest-hole and a cracking Barred Antshrike.

Yellow-Olive Flatbill(/Flycatcher) and Rufous-winged Woodpecker. We also had Common Tody-flycatcher, 30 Grey-rumped Swift, Bright Rumped Attila, Great Green Macaw, Yellow Tyranulet, White-breasted Wood-Wren and heard a distant Laughing Falcon.

This Grey Hawk flew across the road and landed.

Male Orchard Oriole and this distant Bronzed Cowbird was the only one of the trip. And on a river there were some Muscovy Ducks.

A couple of roadside flowers, which appear to be introduced: Chinese Violet and Bicolour Bushclover.

And a real treat on the trip back, with a roadside stop for this King Vulture ! There was also a ‘kettle’ of 77 Turkey/Black Vultures circling. And a Shining Cowbird.

Plus a Ruddy Ground-Dove and this Coconut Palm.

Cope’s Garden and fields – Even I managed to get some good photos with the feeders so close ! Scarlet-rumped Tanager and Keel-billed Toucan.

Chestnut-headed and Montezuma Oropendolas.

Red-winged Blackbird and Pale-vented Pigeon.

The fantastically named Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer.

And lots of White-necked Jacobin - 5 Jacobins - video 2 (both this and previous species).

And a Long-billed Hermit - video. (There was also Green-breasted Mango.)

Smooth Helmeted Iguana.

We were then treated to a tour of the birds that Cope has found: Spectacled Owl . . .

and a pair of Crested Owls . . .

a Great Potoo ! And a Laughing Falcon.

Back at Cope’s garden at the back of his normal-looking house, more photo opportunities. 2 Grey-necked Wood-Rail.

Hummingbirds under artificial lights is not my cup-of-tea, but it certainly made the colours zing ! White-necked Jacobins and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer.

Day 14 (31st Jan) Hotel Bougainvillea, San Jose.

Hotel grounds – In the morning before departing, we scoured the hotel grounds. A Flasher species of butterfly and a Lineated Woodpecker.

A Cacao tree, with the pods that chocolate comes from and the native Coral Tree (Erythrina poeppigiana).

We did find a few new species for the list; the Mottled Owl that roosts in the huge bamboo clump, 2 Rufous-capped Warbler, Cabanis’s Wren (aka Plain Wren), White-eared Ground Sparrow (which I managed to miss) and Dave had a Grey Catbird.

It felt a bit odd not having Erick to tell us what all the birds were, but we found a decent list on our own: Red-billed Pigeon and Inca Dove;

This beautiful male Rose-breasted Grosbeak came down to a bird bath.

We also had: Lesson’s Motmot (below), White-winged Dove, 6 Brown Jay, Blue-vented and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, House & Rufous-naped Wren, Melodious Blackbird, 2 Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Crested and Yellow-headed Caracara, 3 Rufous-collared Sparrow, Broad-billed Flycatcher and I had a Spotted Wood-Quail run across the grass to cover.

A Monarch butterfly and a Zebra Longwing.

There were some lovely orchids flowering, like this incredibly coloured Jade Vine (not a native).

The I went off-piste and walked round to the back of the hotel, where I was hoping for a park area, but it was a plantation. The only bird I saw was a Broad-winged Hawk that I flushed, but there were lots of butterflies on a weedy area: Rusty-tipped Page and Banded-Peacock.

And Pale-banded Crescent

Sadly, back to civilisation – view from San Jose hotel. And the lovely gang that made it such an enjoyable trip - Thanks!

Total species seen/heard on the trip = 397 ! Including 33 endemics/near-endemics and 27 species of hummingbird.

One final photo - the classic birding shot – how good would that have been if it had just stayed for another split second ?!