Costa Rica ...and scratched an itch!

[Dave Williams]

10 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

Excellent photos from the two boat trips @Dave Williams.

They sound really good and well worth doing 

 

Thanks Tony and everyone else for comments etc.

Just reading an article in the Daily Mail's travel section which mentions Costa Rica as the world worst value place as a holiday destination.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-13218281/Vietnam-best-value-destination-world-2024.html

In fairness they mention just one place Tamarindo which curiously was not far from where Claire and I stayed in 2008. The hotel we were in was very close the the extremely upmarket Four Seasons Resort Papagayo where the likes of Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie honeymooned. The cheapest rooms are nearly £3k for B&B. Our hotel had access to a beach with the extensive grounds of the Four Seasons. Access was by boat and you were not allowed to leave the beach either. The Four Seasons resented your presence but it seems they might have solved the problem. The hotel we stayed in( £800 for both of us all inclusive for 2 weeks, well it was a last minute deal) has now vanished. I presume a buy out and demolition solved the irritation problem.

On a value for money side South Africa is second, and that I agree with as a country over all but Kenya overall ..no way that should be 3rd best value , not with National Park entry up to $200pp  per day. Ok, they refer to Mombassa but I wouldn't want to stay there.

[Dave Williams]

After our final boat trip our continuing journey north to La Ensenada Lodge was uneventful, our intrepid navigator only missed one turn which was easily remedied with a U turn and an extra 10km on the clock but not a disaster by any means. Arrival was in time for lunch so we decided that was a good idea as we'd had no breakfast and been up since the early hours. The Lodge itself is a great example of a ranch farm diversifying and they have created quite a business it seems. I have. feeling there are 35 cabins in all and they a nicely equipped. Nothing too fancy but perfectly functional with two single beds in each it seems.

 

The dining area suggests they can cater for large numbers and the long table was set up for a bird tour group of 16 which were from the USA.

 

I really don't understand why people pay large amounts of money to be in a party of 16 to bird watch but there again it appeared that someone them were too old or weary to go out on the guided walk both that evening and the next morning too before they left.

Other than the big group there were probably no more than 10 others staying at the lodge including an British couple who were on a tour but without a guide, just transport that dropped them off at the various places they stayed then left them. In the cast of this place they had three days to wander the vast acreage that the farm has to offer. I'm not sure I'd like that idea much either!

Anyway, after lunch and a couple of beers we had time to settle in to our cabin before heading out to see what we could find.

It was pretty obvious there were Howler Monkeys about, the roar they make carries considerable distance but in this case they were very close to the row of cabins, no more than 50m at most. One by one they came down from the tree they were in and followed the ranch fence to the next tree they decided to investigate.

They were led by a big male, big in many senses. I felt sorry for him, particularly when I saw the trees they were climbing.

Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The big fellow spotted a fallen fruit and dropped down to retrieve and it it. They might be vegetarian but look at those teeth!

Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The rest of the troop followed, there were at least a dozen in total

Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Just look at the bark on the tree and you can see why I feel sorry for the male!

Howler Monkey by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Anyway , they gave us some nice photo opportunities before we moved on in search for something else. 

A few Parrots were flying over and when a pair landed in a tree we had a chance for a better look. Although not obvious because of the branch these were Yellow-naped Parrots.

Yellow-naped Parrot by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Other than those two the only other photo opportunity was a distant Lineated Woodpecker that flew before we could get any closer. I was disappointed and hoped we'd get another chance tomorrow.

Lineated Woodpecker. by Dave Williams, on Flickr

With little else around we went to watch the sun go down but we were facing the wrong direction, still the view was stunning and by the looks of it the Lodge run boat trips from their jetty but having just been on two we didn't bother enquiring about them either.

It had been a long day so after an acceptable but largely unexciting dinner which is served buffet style to everyone at a set time, 7.30pm, we were off to bed wondering what tomorrow might bring.

TBC

 

TBC

Edited March 28 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

As you can see from the map on the last entry, the ranch we were staying on covers a fairly huge area and there is a network of trails you can follow which are quite well marked with numbered posts.

Having been tucked up in bed and fast asleep by 10pm I was up early the next morning woken by the roar of the Howler Monkeys which started at around 3.30am  and the content call of the Ferruginous Owl which went on all night and well in to the morning. I searched but couldn't find the Owl. By now Phil and Christian were up and around so we went to the spot we'd seen the Lineated Woodpecker the night before but no luck there. There were lots of Parrots flying over but most carried on going but this White-fronted one stopped briefly in a distant tree.

White-fronted Parrot by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A Social Flycatcher was more accommodating

Social Flycatcher by Dave Williams, on Flickr

As was a Stripe-headed Sparrow, one of the more common birds we'd seen in Costa Rica to date.

Stripe-headed Sparrow-topaz-sharpen by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Overall it was disappointing but we were undaunted and hoped better was to come. Breakfast is served , again a served buffet for all the guests , at 7.30. The offering is nice enough but it's strictly portion controlled! 

After breakfast we set off to explore the trails leading through fields taking us to the to the Salt Pans. There wasn't a lot to see, on arrival at the Pans what few waders were there took off and we were still 100m away. Obviously not keen on human presence it seemed.

By 9.30am it was hot and by 10.00am unbearably so and we made the decision to retreat back to our cabins.

We managed a couple of birds on the way back though including White-necked Puffbird

White-necked Puffbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and Cinnamon Becard

Cinnamon Becard by Dave Williams, on Flickr

but that was about all.

Later that morning I went over to the restaurant area where lunch was being served and the British couple showed me were to find the Owl. I assumed it would be the Ferruginous one but no, it was a different one altogether sat in it's nest hole.

Pacific Screech-Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Pacific Screech Owl I think and it certainly brighten up the day anyway!

We ducked out on lunch , it was too hot to eat and meals were not that good anyway se we had a beer instead!

When the sun had cooled down later in the afternoon we set off in the car to see if we could find a better spot somewhere.

Along the way we stopped for a  Ctenosaur, also known as Black Iguana, which was crossing the road

Ctenosaur by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A tree full of blossom was providing a meal for a small flock of Orange-fronted Parakeets which allowed us very close views for a change.

Orange-fronted Parakeet by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Then a bit further down the road we spotted a large lake which looked interesting. Before we got to the turn off that led there, a farm track it seemed, we crossed a river bridge and a Wood Stork sat in a tree.

Wood Stork by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The Stork wasn't that co-operative and flew off but looking down at the river and lower branches of the trees there were dozens of Black Vultures, some were roosting on the branches others simply enjoying the sun.

Black Vulture by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Why so many? What was the attraction? When you looked carefully the river was full of fish skeletons and we could only assume that the farm track to the lagoons  was to some kind of farmed fishing arrangement and they processed the fish and discarded the remains in the river. Unfortunately as the track was gated access was denied but in the distance we could see dozens of Wood stork, Great Egrets and even a couple of Roseate Spoonbills. They could set up a photo hide on the side and do quite well out of it I imagine and who knows, maybe they will in the future. 

The one thing we were beginning to notice was how commercial everything has become in Costa Rica. Every one is out to extract as many tourist dollars as possible and that included La Ensalada Lodge in my opinion. What they offered was well organised but quite expensive for what it was and that included the meals.

TBC

Edited March 28 by Dave Williams

[Atravelynn]

My husband just breezed by my computer as I was looking at that "big male" howler monkey and it caught his attention. He asked me, "Are you sure you didn't do some AI on that?"

 

The photo hide on the river is a good idea.

[Dave Williams]

@AtravelynnDid you show him the tree trunk they were climbing ? Enough to make me weak at the knees thinking about it!

[Dave Williams]

Another two nights gone and it was time to move on, this time heading to Bijagua , an easy drive northwards so there was no rush to leave. Up before breakfast I had a wander  around the grounds where the chalets were and was delighted to actually find the Ferruginous Owl who had driven us mad looking for it trying to find where it was calling from. It seemed to be able to throw its voice because every time you moved to the tree you thought it was in, it sounded as if it was in another one.

This time though it gave away it's position by moving and I was lucky enough to see it.

Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and despite daylight it was still calling constantly.

Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Further down from the Howler Monkey spot the two British birders had found the Lineated Woodpecker. 

Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Excellent views but not as nice a setting as the original sighting.

Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr

During breakfast a small flock of White-throated Magpie-Jays arrived and a couple of them sat in the rafters of the restaurant waiting to raid the tables of any leftovers, this one however spotted a Grasshopper and proceeded to eat it on a nearby post.

White-throated Magpie--Jay by Dave Williams, on Flickr

While Phil and Christian finished packing I hung around a blossoming tree and was rewarded with several new birds and this handsome Variegated Squirrel.

Variegated Squirrel by Dave Williams, on Flickr

a Spot-breasted Oriole

Spot-breasted Oriole by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a pair of distant duelling Rufus-tailed Hummingbirds.

Rufus-tailed Hummingbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

 

 

With the other two ready and packed we moved on .

Would I stay at La Ensenada again? Probably not.

The Owls and Woodpecker saved the birding experience from being poor in my opinion so a 5/10. The place is isolated, you have to eat there, the accommodation is OK, basic but clean cabins with a fan to keep them cool .

I think we paid $530 for two rooms for two nights including 2 breakfasts. 2 dinners and 1 lunch each plus a few beers. A bit too expensive for what they were offering , again, in my opinion anyway.

 

 

 

next stop the Cataratas Bijagua Lodge, another collection of wood cabins in a garden setting.

On arrival Phil negotiated a change of rooms and providing we paid cash we had a room for three instead of two separate cabins. A bit crowded but by doing so we guaranteed we would recoupe the $500 driving fee we had paid without receiving the service.

A bit of a misunderstanding about dinner arrangements meant when we turned up at 7.00pm there was no meals to be had in the restaurant as we hadn't chosen and booked the meals before 5.00pm. Never mind we ended up having a take away pizza which we collected from the nearby town, dining in style sitting on the floor of our cabin. We did however discover that the road up to our Lodge was a regular roost for Common Pauraque so that was a target for the following evening.

leading from our Lodge grounds was a track to some distant waterfalls, and use was free for residents...$6pp if you were not!

Christian and I had had a quick explore before it went dark and found two new birds, one of which we got a few reasonable shots of.

Rufous Motmot

Rufous Motmot by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Tomorrow then, we'd explore the track further and see what it had to offer

TBC.

Edited March 29 by Dave Williams

[xelas]

 

Everything becomes expensive in Costa Rica ... even friends ! maybe that is the reason it is not as popular destination as it used to be.Birding is fantastic, self-driving easy ... but finding a reasonably priced accommodation is very difficult.

 

Anyway, so far you've showed us one great photo after another! The full frame sensor is working perfectly in low light situations which are plenty in Costa Rica.

[Chakra]

@Dave WilliamsThanks very much for this interesting read and excellent photos from CR.  A country which I absolutely totally thoroughly loved despite its potholes. So does @xelaswho directed me towards this TR.   Many fond memories and familiar names.  I wonder if Osama bin Laden and Mike Tyson still fight over Madonna at Tarcoles estuary ? I'm truly blown away by Juan Carlos and Tarcoles. I had skipped Tarcoles in favour of Cano Negro and wonder if that was a big mistake. 

Tamarindo is not  a place that I'd visit but even then the price is eye watering. Daily mail is correct for once. 

I'm really shocked to see the costs you incurred , right from the flight tickets. The costs have indeed gone up considerably. I remember Donna Miriam's cabin and her porch and surrounding area very well. It was all totally free. Glad that you did not have to pay to approach that wild avocado tree which harbours the majestic bird. 

I was complaining to Alex about the costs I had incurred in Belize during my recent trip but looks like that wasn't too bad when compared to CR.  We need to find countries offering better value for money. Totally agree about RSA. Ecuador may be ? 

That set up for Hummers photography is plain cheating is my eyes.  The things folks do to get some likes on social media. One of the reasons I do not visit bird hides in India. 

Keep posting.

Cheers

 

Edited March 31 by Chakra

[Kitsafari]

your photos are fabulous as always, despite you using a new camera body. 

Costa Rica sounds appealing for the birds, but certainly not value for money in terms of other things! sad that a "friend" can turn so unprofessional when business is too good. 

 

Look forward to more! 

[Dave Williams]

I got my birds a little mixed up on my last entry, the bird Christain and I saw on our exploratory walk in to the jungle hillside was actually a Rufous-tailed Jacamar not the Motmot, the latter was very generously shown to us by another birder staying at Cataratas Bijagua Lodge the first thing the next morning when we were all out exploring the garden.

This is the Jacamar, and a much better view than the only other one we saw during our jungle walk at Tarcoles.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

So where were we! I have been very, very busy but must try and get this report done in the next week or so!

Ah, yes. The first full day at Cataratas Lodge near Bijagua!

We were up early again...well with three sharing a room there isn't much peace and quiet!

First bird up was a Keel-billed Toucan, and what a great birds to see. Along with hummingbirds this is what Costa Rica was all about for me! Ok, it was a bit distant but hopefully we'd see more.

Keel-billed Toucan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The garden at the lodge isn't that big, but we dis get a few birds.

A pair of Thick-billed Euphonia

Thick-billed Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and the female

Thick-billed Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

a Red-billed Pigeon

Red-billed Pigeon by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a pair of preening Black-cheeked Woodpeckers

Black-cheeked Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A fellow guest at the lodge kindly pointed out where a Rufous Motmot was to be seen...it is a little bit similar to the Jacamar...a little bit!

Rufous Motmot by Dave Williams, on Flickr

but considering the size of the garden I was surprised to see this White-nosed Coati appear

White-nosed Coati by Dave Williams, on Flickr

That's how some plants spread their seeds!

White-nosed Coati by Dave Williams, on Flickr

It was well and truly covered in them.

I was equally surprised when it climbed a Banana tree...I wasn't expecting that.

White-nosed Coati by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Anyway, our lodge proprietor was after our money and he wanted cash so Christian and I drove in to the town to find an ATM. 

Two new birds were a bonus

Tropical Mockingbird

Tropical Mockingbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and one of the few birds on the trip that wasn't a lifer...Yellow-faced Grassquit.

Anyway having settled our bill and booked our evening meal we were ready to set off on the trail that Christian and I had begun the night before.

No sign of the Jacamar today but the Green hermit was exactly the same place we'd seen it the previous evening. Maybe near a nest site?

Green Hermit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Onwards we went. Onwards and onwards, and a bit further too! It was hard work and a lot of up hill walking until we eventually reached the waterfall , well a view of the waterfall anyway. Christian decided to have a paddle, I couldn't be bothered taking my boots off!

Note...there were three young ladies and a man already there.Fully clothed though!

A more remarkable sight was a crab in the river.

 Lousy detail as it was under water, but amazing to see a fresh water crab at such a high elevation. I'd be interested to know more if any one has any info.

On the return journey we came across a feeding flock of small birds and I managed a shot of just one.

A  Common Chlorospingus...who dreams up these names I ask? Sounds like a foot disease.

Common Chlorospingus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The only other bird of note was this Black Phoebe

Black Phoebe by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and the Green Hermit that was still returning to the same perch!

Green Hermit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Back at the lodge I decided to investigate the Hummingbird feeders that were hanging from the restaurant roof.

Violet Sabrewing by Dave Williams, on Flickr

They were always in shade so getting a flight shot was near impossible as you couldn't get a decent shutter speed, however, the birds were coming to feed from perches in the nearby bushes so I decided to investigate and was rewarded with decent opportunities of Rufus-tailed Hummingbird

Rufus-tailed Hummingbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a female Violet Sabrewing

Violet Sabrewing by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The delightfully coloured male was nowhere to be seen unfortunately.

There was one other bird on the agenda though...before dinner we had a car ride out down the lane in search of the Common Paroque we had seen the previous evening.

Common Paroque by Dave Williams, on Flickr

There it was, right outside the lodge gates and posing nicely in the car headlights.

It had been a different kind of day. We had had an excellent birding start and , for me anyway, birding finish with the Hummers but the walk hadn't really produced much.

Oh and the dinner at the lodge was absolutely awful and totally overpriced.

On our way there I had noticed signs for Monteverde Cloud Forest and if Costa Rica was an itch, that was a severe rash! Possibly the most famous birding site in Costa Rica, it was certainly one I had wanted to visit on my last visit in 2008 but decided it wasn't fair to Claire to drag her to a rain forest. I'd asked our (ex)driver and tour booker if that was on the agenda and he said it wasn't anywhere near our planned route.

Really? 

 

We'd been really close and it was still doable from our lodge.

I put it to the other two and they were both in full agreement.

Monteverde Cloud Forest here we come.

5.30 am departure? 

No Problem!!

 

TBC

[Dave Williams]

We were up and away by 5.30am the next day and despite google Maps suggesting it takes 2+ hours we were there in far less time as the roads were virtually traffic free, even the PanAmerica A1 was quiet. As we headed back inland our hopes of a service station stop for a coffee faded but I was optimistic we'd find somewhere before arriving at the Cloud Forest and indeed we did. A bakery where I enjoyed the best cup of Costa Rican coffee of the whole trip, so good we all had two ! Before that our only stop had been to capture a sunrise shot from the roadside view point.

and stunning it was too!

 

After the coffee stop we reached Santa Elena, a decent sized town that appears to have developed to cater for the tourists that flock to Monteverde Cloud Forest. I wouldn't have minded staying there to be honest, preferable to the place we were staying in my opinion but there you go, too late now!

The park doesn't open until 7.00am and since we were amongst the first to arrive we drove past the car park and were able to find a parking spot very close to the gates which were just opening. Had that not been the case it's either long walk, I read somewhere a mile , or wait for the shuttle bus. We didn't need either and we were ushered towards the ticket office where two queues formed, one counter selling entry tickets only, the other selling entry and guided walk tickets. I just got the entry tickets as agreed ($15 pp) and with a quick glance at the map we were heading down one of several trails ,the Camino Trail, this one leading to a viewing point.

 

I set off at a fair pace, by the time we had got served tickets it was already heading towards 7.30am...late in the day for the dawn chorus then. The trail led through fairly dense forest and although I could hear birds I couldn't see any. Christian and Phil went at a more sedate speed, searching but without much luck as they went they later reported. I'd hoped the viewing point with the camera symbol was an ideal birding spot but it wasn't at all. 2325m walk and nothing to show for it!! Very disappointed I started to head back along the Nuboso trail knowing the other two were going to take that route too. A group heading the opposite direction told me there were some Quetzals showing well not too far away. They weren't when I got there although I got a fleeting view of a flypast bird.

Better luck though was not far after I heard a bird singing and not only that I found it in the dense bush off the trail too!

A Violet Sabrewing and a male too.

Violet Sabrewing by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I was delighted with my find of the one that had eluded back at the lodge gardens.

By now the other two had caught me up and we carried on together where after a while we found a reasonably bird rich area.

A Yellowish Flycatcher posed readily which boosted our fortunes.

Yellowish Flycatcher by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A Spotted Barbital scurried up a mossy branch

Spotted Barbtail by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush appeared briefly along the trail itself.

Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a Slate-throated Redstart was briefly spotted in the bushes.

Slate-throated Redstart by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Star of the morning though was the Orange-bellied Trogan which at least was higher up in a tree offering better light on the subject.

Orange-bellied Trogan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I was beginning to realise that Monteverde wasn't the photographers paradise I'd imagined but nevertheless the birding was pretty good.

We arrived back at the visitor centre where a welcome cup of coffee was to be had although to get to the cafe you have to check out of the park and keep a replacement token to get back in again. Seems overly complicated and a waste of manpower but hey ho!

The cafe has a viewpoint overlooking the woods but there was nothing to be seen although a Three-wattled Bellbird was heard calling. It's a weird looking bird and one we all wanted to photograph but when we enquired we were told it was a bit early to see them in Monteverde. We were left wondering had it been someone using a caller and not really the bird at all?

Anyway, a discussion followed Phil suggesting we hire a guide to better our chances. We all agreed to go with his plan although my better judgement said it was now too late in the day to bring much benefit especially at a cost of $20 pp! He went to enquire but came back with the information that it was too late, there were none around, he was also told that if you book online you can get an early entry ticket at 6.00am, something to consider should I ..or you...decide to visit. One complaint I did read though was that you can pay for your guide online but you still have to queue for an entry ticket. Maybe not if you arrive early though!

Anyway, guideless we headed off on another trail to an area which was favoured for Quetzals and one the way found a feeding flock of Costa Rican Warblers

Costa Rican Warbler by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and our second view of an Emerald Toucanet of the trip. Although distant it was in a more natural surrounding than a food table full of rotting banana!

Emerald Toucanet by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A little further and at the known spot we did indeed find the Quetzals and it was a family group that posed very well for us.

A front view this time too!

Resplendent Quetzal by Dave Williams, on Flickr

A juvenile was really close and easier to frame as they only have a little tail!

Resplendent Quetzal by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Having got our fill of the Quetzals we moved on finding a singing Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush showing well compared to the one seen earlier.

Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush by Dave Williams, on Flickr

suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes and there below us coming up the bank was a family of Collared Peccary.

Collared Peccary by Dave Williams, on Flickr

They crossed over the path further up  but as always the light was challenging.

Collared Peccary by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I had asked where the place I had seen online evidence  you could photograph Hummingbirds was, it turned out it wasn't in the park at all but at a cafe just outside the entrance. We decided to head there and give that a chance.

On the way out we heard an almighty noise and discovered two Coati having a fight. Too late for the action but I got a cute shot of this one that proved they are very adept at climbing much higher than a Banana plant.

White-nosed Coati by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The cafe/ gift shop  was interesting from a photography point of view!

 

A bit quieter when I took this shot but most folk crowded the feeders to take shots from mere feet away with their mobile phones. Christian's 600mm lens was overkill in that situation!

In fairness this was one place that didn't rip you off, entry was free ( as was Miriam's back at the beginning of our journey) but we bought beers while we were there so we contributed!

I avoided the feeders and hoped to get the birds sitting in the bushes near by.

It worked well and to my knowledge there were three different Hummingbirds present.

Green-crowned Brilliant

Green-crowned Brilliant by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Lesser Violetear

Lesser Violetear by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a male Violet Sabrewing in better light too.

Violet Sabrewing by Dave Williams, on Flickr

At least I had had another Hummer fix and added a couple of new ones too.

It was by now nearly 4.00pm and we decided it was time to head back before it got dark, we might see something on the way after all. Our chances were increased when our navigator missed a vital turn and we ended up taking the scenic road  which added at least an hour to the journey, it was full of twists and turns and multiple huge pot holes before we eventually found ourselves on the  decent road back to Bijagua where we found a restaurant with lovely staff and decent food. No way would we entertain our Lodge restaurant again and we din't want another pizza either!

Was the journey to Monteverde worth the effort?

I think so. I'd give it 8/10 for birding from what we saw but from a photographic point of view the park itself is challenging.

Still, you sometimes accidentally take a shot you didn't intend but quite like!

Resplendent Quetzal by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Maybe there are other places, hotels etc, near the park that have viewing stations for Hummingbirds and more?

I'd love to know if there are.

TBC

Edited April 6 by Dave Williams

[xelas]

Monteverde area deserves at leat 3 nights stop. There are two parks to explore, and several other places outside the parks. There are also many options to overnight. 

 

I have heard that the road from PanAm 1 up to Santa Elena is now completed / paved all the way? That is surely bringing more daily visitors (like your group) as in "old" times, the gravel road did not allowed such quick visits.

 

You were also lucky with the weather, it looks like it was sunny and dry. It can be moist, foggy and even rainy there. But each one will bring a special insight into the Cloud Forest.

 

No need to waste any words on your (excellent!) photos, and your birding abilities. Only remark I have: why are you not disclosing the names of the coffee shop on the way to  Monteverde, and the restaurant in Bijagua ?!

[Dave Williams]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:43 AM, xelas said:

Only remark I have: why are you not disclosing the names of the coffee shop on the way to  Monteverde, and the restaurant in Bijagua ?!

 

That's because I didn't pay any attention to where we were Alex!

The coffee shop was the only one we passed, on the left some distance before Santa Elena.

The restaurant wasn't in Bijagua, maybe 16 kms before there. Very large place on the right with a car park in front and lovely views from the all round windows. It was empty too and I recall it was a Friday night which surprised us as you'd expect it to be busy. Not much of a town , in fact more a small village, so maybe they have more passing trade during the day. 

 

[AfricIan]

thanks for updating me on what a Ferruginous Owl looks like Dave & I really like your abstract Quetzal 

[Atravelynn]

"Along with hummingbirds this (toucan) is what Costa Rica was all about"  Classic species for certain!  From the classic to the avant garde quetzal.

[Dave Williams]

Back to the 9th of March and it was time to make our last move but first an early morning session before breakfast in the garden of our lodge in Bijagua.

We were still finding new species to add to our seen list like this pair of Yellow-throated Euphonia.

Yellow-throated Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The female

Yellow-throated Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a Variable Seedeater

Variable Seedeater by Dave Williams, on Flickr

as well as the ever present Stripe-headed Sparrow

Stripe-headed Sparrow by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Breakfast over, we paid the bill for our overpriced and dreadful dinner two nights previously and headed off in the direction of La Fortuna and our final hotel stop, the Brisas Arenal Hotel.

 

We took the shortest route but two thirds of the way along and without previous warning we found the road was shut for resurfacing. we were told it was going to be a three hour wait before it opened again and even a motorbike that tried to go through was turned back so we had no option than to face a huge detour almost back to where we'd started. Christian being smart though didn't follow all the other disgruntled drivers when he spotted two cars taking a right hand turn down an unmade track. He decided to chance it and sure enough it turned out to be a short cut that was unmarked on our map . Saved us a long detour and enabled us to reach La Fortuna in time for a light lunch at the first coffee shop we came to.

La Fortuna, for those who have never been, is a tourist centre which offers everything imaginable from zip rides, to white water rafting, sloth tours to mini wild life parks. Christian had stayed at our hotel before and it was chosen as it was away from the town itself in a little haven of peace and tranquility. Two air-conditioned cabins with a view of the Arenal volcano came to $550 for three nights.

 

There were birds to be seen in the hotel grounds but most were distant, like a Lineated Woodpecker

Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Keel-billed Toucan

Keel-billed Toucan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and House Wren

House Wren by Dave Williams, on Flickr

There was a woodland trail but it was more popular with mosquitos than birds so we soon left that!

Back at our cabin we had a visitor, Matilda, a Red-lored Parrot. She's totally wild but comes in for a piece of fruit everyday.

Red-lored Parrot by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I shot off in the car heading to the local supermarket to buy her a Banana but by the time I got back she had gone. Not to worry, she was back at the restaurant for breakfast the net day!

Before breakfast I wandered the grounds again and it goes to show, sometimes a bird you are going to ignore turns out to be a new one.

Rufous-collared Sparrow by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I had the Rufous-collared down as a Striped-headed Sparrow and nearly missed it!

Breakfast was a portion controlled fruit offering and a choice of main meal plus coffee OR fruit juice. It had to be ordered the night before and I think it was $12. The fruit juice extra $2 and it was a watered down concentrate which was as awful as the coffee.

 

 

The typical Costa Rican breakfast wasn't much better either!

The left overs from the fruit were thrown out on to the lawn for the birds and that at least attracted a few for close viewing like this male Red-legged Honeycreeper

Red-legged Honeycreeper by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and a pair of Crested Guan

Crested Guan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The hotel was OK, but not brilliant from a food point of view. Being out of town we had opted to eat in the restaurant the previous evening and the food was good that night but the following two very average. Maybe the chef was distracted, the first night he insisted on serenading us ...we were the only customers....and I decided to take a photo of Phil's phone recording him!

 

A bit different!

We offered a tip to be added to the credit card bill but he said not to bother as he wouldn't get it. We didn't have any cash. Maybe, despite the cash tip the following night, that's why he didn't pay us much attention after that!

Anyway , for our first full day we had considered going to Arenal Observatory Lodge but it would be a late start and having chatted to a local guide staying at the Hotel with a large school group, he suggested that maybe for photography there was a better place to go.

TBC

[Soukous]

A stunning collection of birds - and photos - Dave. It almost makes me want to go back to Costa Rica. Almost. Much of your narrative makes me not want to. 

[Dave Williams]

8 hours ago, Soukous said:

A stunning collection of birds - and photos - Dave. It almost makes me want to go back to Costa Rica. Almost. Much of your narrative makes me not want to. 

 

The journey isn't over yet Martin, I'll sum it up soon I hope!

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

I'll sum it up soon I hope!

Waiting patiently ...

[Whyone?]

Interesting to hear about your driver and accommodation trials and tribulations Dave.  

 

Maybe we were lucky (largely renting private homes) but we were very happy with everywhere we stayed on our recent trip and found eating out locally (lots of soda's) both excellent value and quality.  

Edited April 12 by Whyone?

[offshorebirder]

17 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

The typical Costa Rican breakfast wasn't much better either!

 

Yikes!

 

[Soukous]

13 hours ago, xelas said:

Waiting patiently ...

 

as if... 

[Dave Williams]

So with two full days to play with whilst staying in La Fortuna we decided to follow the advice of a local bird guide who told us our best bet for photography was just outside of town, no more than 15 minutes away. The local alternative, the Bogarin Trail, Christian visited the year before so he was up for a change and it was only a 15 minute drive away. The Ecocentro Danaus.

 

Entry was $30 pp but we were told it was valid for the whole day so we could leave and return later in the day should we wish. The park covers about 7 acres and there's a pathway that takes probably 15 minutes to walk if you don't stop, which of course you will do particularly when you get to the star attraction.

First of all though we were alerted that a Three-toed Sloth had just been seen back in the car park and was out in the open visible from the road outside the park.

Three-toed Sloth by Dave Williams, on Flickr

It certainly was putting on a great show, stopping the traffic on the minor passing road

Three-toed Sloth by Dave Williams, on Flickr

as indeed we were, standing in the road!!

Three-toed Sloth by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Surely everyone loves a Sloth, what's not to like about these slow moving seemingly gentle creatures. I'm not sure how good their eyesight is but I decided the one Christian bought for his granddaughter might need a pair of glasses!

 

In fairness although I thought the entry a bit pricey, the souvenirs were half the price of those identical ones in the airport.

he Sloth experience over, we entered the trail , had a brief stop in the must walk through butterfly cage and then on to the main attraction!

Boat-billed Heron.

Boat-billed Heron by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I had been a bit disappointed the views of this species had been very limited on out boat trip at Tarcoles but here they were out on display as there are at least 25 nesting pairs.

I presume they are nocturnal because there was little activity other than a bit of grooming.

Boat-billed Heron by Dave Williams, on Flickr

but the views were excellent of this odd looking Heron species.

Boat-billed Heron by Dave Williams, on Flickr

There were only two other birds I photographed on the trail, what I think is a Northern Waterthrush

 Northern Waterthrush by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and , best of all, another Toucan species, the Yellow-throated one.

Yellow-throated Toucan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Having ignored the Butterflies I did stop for a few shots of the juvenile American Crocodiles (?) basking in the sun in the lakes around which the Herons were nesting.

American Crocodile by Dave Williams, on Flickr

It didn't take that long and we were back at the entrance which was the highlight really as that was also the feeding station too. There were several different birds visiting to feed on bananas nailed to perches. The knack is to get them in the surrounding trees and bushes rather on an ugly perch.

I was thrilled when this Collared Aracari appeared.

Collared Aracari by Dave Williams, on Flickr

What an amazing looking bird it is too. It's almost surreal, dressed for a fancy dress party or a Punch and Judy show.

Collared Aracari by Dave Williams, on Flickr

We had great views of Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Black-cheeked Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and male Green Honeycreeper.

Green Honeycreeper by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The Red-legged male wasn't quite as obliging and only visited once when I noticed anyway. On the other hand I may have deleted all the shots of one feeding on the bananas.

Red-legged Honeycreeper by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Unique to the trip were views of Buff-throated Saltator

Buff-throated Saltator by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and an Agouti that appeared out of nowhere right in front of us.

Agouti by Dave Williams, on Flickr

One bird that confused me was this one. A Spot-crowned Euphonia perhaps?

Spot-crowned Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The female is meant to have a Red crown, maybe like this.

Spot-crowned Euphonia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Another cute looking bird is this one. Again, I'm not 100% certain but I think it's a female Orange-coloured Manakin.

Orange-coloured Manakin by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Costa Rican birds are a minefield of ID problems to an infrequent visitor.

The various species that all look similar to the Great Kiskadee lead the way in confusion for me.

Great Kiskadee by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and the female Scarlet-rumped Tanager can look like something different as the light changes too.

Scarlet-rumped Tanager. by Dave Williams, on Flickr

but the male never fails to grab your attention even if they are seen everywhere.

Scarlet-rumped Tanager by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Yes, Christian was correct dubbing them the Ferrari bird.

All in all a good choice of venue. Is it pricey? We have a world famous National Trust garden a short distance from home and the entry there is £14 which is less than $20. It's much bigger and does hold some interesting birds but it's primarily a tree and plant garden. 

The feeding station at Eccocentre Dannaus was very productive and I have paid much more to sit in a "professional' bird hide, and on occasion seen nothing too! On reflection I suppose it's not too bad, but compared to Monteverde at $15pp it was expensive.

Tomorrow we would find out how the Arenal Observatory Lodge would pan out in comparison.

TBC

[janzin]

Your Northern Waterthrsh is actually a Wood Thrush. They will be here soon, they nest in my local park 😊

 

The Northern waterthrush is actually a warbler, much less heavily spotted and smaller, and with a distinctive bobbing walk.
 

very nice assortment of birds, but wow CR has gotten much more expensive and touristy since we were last there, it seems! 

Edited April 12 by janzin