Our first stop was Casa Turire, a resort we’ve never stayed at but birding the grounds and adjacent lake usually netted us some good birds. On the road into the ground passing an agricultural field we encountered several Southern Lapwing up close and personal.
Orange-chinned Parakeet and Crimson-fronted Parakeet flyovers plus Giant Cowbird were also roadside looks. Parking at the hotel we wandered down to the water scoping looks at Snail Kite, Purple Gallinule, Limpkin, Northern Jacana and Ringed and Green Kingfishers.
A quick stop at a private park preserve was our one and only chance at a Boat-billed Heron which we found nesting in pond along with Cattle Egret and Purple Gallinule.
 |
| Boat-billed Heron (photo: John Bruder) |
 |
| Purple Gallinule |
 |
| Cattle Egret |
More roadside birding netted us Mistletoe Tyrannulet and Yellow-throated Euphonia before we arrived at our next overnight (and another new lodge for us), Rainforest Adventures Braulio Carrillo. By then it was raining as we moved our bags up an incline to small cabins above the parking lot. Unfortunately, another victim of COVID was that the large gift shop and restaurant were closed. Instead a very much lighter meal was served in a nearby shelter. Too bad as we had been extolling the wonders of the now shuttered gift shop.
 |
| Cabins located above the parking lot |
One option for some was to take a nighttime guided tour. We had elected instead to get some sleep but the three who did the walk were full of high praise for the guide. Perhaps our second night I might try the walk?
Up at 5:30 the next morning we had a full schedule beginning by birding the grounds. Heard Great Tinamou, saw Short-bileld Pigeon, a soaring King Vulture, Scarlet-rumped Cicique and Bright-rumped Attila. However the star of the morning was a few Bare-necked Umbrella birds hanging around the parking lot.
During our first Costa Rica tour in 2008 we purchased a piece of art of an antbird drawn on a leaf. The artist was Cope who years later we finally met during a stop at Cope’s home which is now a must-see stop which is where we headed next.
 |
| Cope |
His yard encompasses a small stream where he’s set up a number of feeders. Aside from great looks at Green-breasted mango and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Cope takes the time to walk guests through forested lowlands near his property. On such walks we’ve been treated to roosting owls and potoos and this was no exception.
 |
| Collared Aracari |
 |
| Great Potoo |
 |
| Bronze-tailed Plumleteer |
Stunning looks at a Great Potoo, Slaty-tailed Trogon, a Yellow-throated Toucan in the act of eating a Casque-headed Lizard, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, a nesting White-collared Manakin, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, and Piractic Flycatcher. A non-bird experience was Cope sharing a banana leaf with roosting tent bats. Unfortunately no roosting owls this time as the neighbor who’s property Cope has access too, had been logging recently and the owls were no where to be found.
 |
| Honduran White Tent Bats |
 |
| Casque-headed Lizard |
 |
| latest Cope acquisition |
 |
| the gang posing with Cope |
Back to Cope’s for some coffee and refreshments and fantastic looks at Collared Aracari and Long-billed Hermit. A Lineated Woodpecker and a Casque-headed Lizard basking on a tree limb…plus some of us bought Cope’s artwork he was offering for sale.
Still on the road we made a short stop at the entrance to La Selva OTS Reserve where we birded the road up to the entrance. Gartered Trogon, Little Tinamou, Cocoa Woodcreeper and another King Vulture flyover.
More roadside birding along a track near La Selva good for Great-green McCaws - we were not disappointed. Red-lored Parrots, a Laughing Falcon and a brief encounter with a White-throated Crake which was taking advantage of a puddle on the road. Usually heard but not seen. Black-striped Sparrow, Crimson-fronted Parakeet and Gray-capped Flycatcher added to the list.
During our second night at Rainforest Adventures late in the afternoon two of us decided to take the night walk tour offered by the local guide. This turned out to be one of the trip highlights. The amount of activity at night was amazing - amphibians, insects, and nocturnal mammals. Glass frogs, an entire ant colony surviving on a leaf, and a beautiful male fer de lance which we never see during the day.
The morning we were slated for our aerial tour, the local tapir along with an offspring emerged from the forest. First time we can recall ever seeing a tapir!
 |
| Baird's tapir (photo: John Bruder) |
We were scheduled to do two rides on the canopy tour gondolas but owing to rain conditions we were lucky to get just one. It was a bonus having park guides on the tour as they would stop and start the gondolas whenever they wished allowing us better looks.
2021 was the first year following the outbreak of COVID that we experienced having to take a COVID test prior to returning-to the United Stets as dictated by the CDC. Richard had already scoped out a clinic near the hotel where we would spend out last night. Returning to San Jose for our COVID test, we arrived at the clinic which advertised no waiting for afternoon tests but alas, discovered that in fact a reservation was required. Richard spoke with staff who guaranteed we would get tested first thing the next morning. Suddenly we found ourselves with a whole afternoon of free time…so what better way to spend it than to keep birding!
Driving to higher elevations we stopped for lunch Poasito for lunch at Freddo Fresas, a restaurant we have stopped at on prior trips as the road it is on is also the road to Poas Volcano. Locally owned and operated, they specialize in all manner of deserts involving strawberries.
Continuing further we stopped at another favorite roadside cafe “Galeria de Colibri y Soda Chinchona. But not to eat - this spot features loads of feeding stations attracting a wide variety of birds. Great looks at Coppery-headed Emerald, Black-bellied Hummingbird, Violet Sabrewing as they zoomed to and fro, often within inches of our heads. Also more good looks at Crimson-collared Tanager and Cinnamon-bellied Saltator.
 |
| Crimson-collared Tanager (photo: John Bruder) |
 |
| Black-bellied Hummingbird |
 |
| Speckled Hummingbird |
 |
| Green-crowned Brilliant |
By late afternoon, the last official day of the tour, we had returned to the Hotel Buena Vista where we bid Didier farewell, enjoyed several rounds of adult and enjoyed our next to last dinner before retiring.
Up early the next morning we shuttled to the nearby clinic (conveniently located in a shopping mall) our COVID tests. Within a few hours our results returned - everyone tested negative which is what we had all anticipated.
 |
| there are times when being negative is a good thing |
Well before the trip everyone had elected to stay an extra day so this extra day worked out to our advantage given we needed our COVID tests. The rest of the day was spent birding the hotel grounds, packing, and enjoying more poolside drinks before our farewell dinner.
All in all another successful tour. Many happy memories as we returned to the U.S. and anticipating our next tour which would take place in 2022 - a return to Colombia.
No comments:
Post a Comment