Costa Rica 2024 -192 species

2024 Costa Rica- 14 days traveling through a good portion of Costa Rica. We were extremely lucky with weather, and had only two rainy afternoons in the entire trip, and didn't see our first day-time rain until the 9th day of the trip. Lots of good luck with hummingbirds, amphibians, and bats, very poor luck with raptors. Finished with 192 lifer animal species!

Day 1. Late arrival at San Jose, so no birds yet!
Day 2. Grounds of Villa San Ignacio were quite birdy, followed by a trip to La Paz Hummingbird Gardens, while very pricey, we netted a substantial list of hummers and tanagers, and the waterfall trail was pretty spectacular. Arrival at Selva Verde Lodge.
Day 3. Morning with Donde Cope, an incredible guide who knows the forest like the back of his hand! We had roosting Spectacled Owls, Crested Owls, White Bats, and we each found an Agami Heron, a species I had basically written off as too hard to find in the area! His feeders were also very nice, with Central American Pygmy Kingfisher among many others.
Day 4. Selva Verde Lodge, expansive, and very nice rooms with AC. Tons of Belted, Green and Amazon Kingfishers on the river, and a very productive night walk with both sloths, Tent-making bats, and many species of frog.
Day 5. Selva Verde and La Selva bio station. La Selva was hot and humid, but we quickly piled up lifers along with Mantled Howlers and our first Agouti.
Day 6. Drive to Bogarin Sloth Trail and Arenal Obs. Lodge. Bogarin was HOT and dry but still produced some quality birds, Black and White Owl family, Long-billed Gnatwren, and our first Jacamars. Arenal was spectacular, but the birding was slow the first afternoon.
Day 7. Mistico Hanging bridges was indeed very misty, but scored some good birds including Spotted Antbird and Wedge-billed Woodcreeper. Returned to Arenal and had much more luck in the gardens away from the fruit feeder.
Day 8. Long day trip to Cano Negro NP, lot of driving with some kooky characters, but got Great Potoo with a chick, and Proboscis bats!
Day 9. Drive to Hotel Cerro Lodge, took the long way around to hopefully have a shot at Jabiru near Palo Verde NP. Success! Two Jabiru near the roadside on the way into the park quickly followed by two Turquoise-browed Motmots! What a detour! Arrived at Cerro Lodge to Scarlet Macaws sitting on the porch!
Day 10. Carara NP, super hot and humid, but found an army ant swarm and got lekking Velvety Manakin!
Day 11. Morning crocodile boat tour at Tarcoles, lifer #999 Plumbeous Kite on the river! Lots of new costal species for the trip.
Day 12. First day at Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, beautiful, cool, and full of birds, our favorite stop on the entire trip! Hummingbird feeders are simply indescribable... literally 50+ Fiery-throated, Talamanca, Violetear, White-throated MG, and Volcano hummers in your face.
Day 13. Birding around Paraiso Quetzal Lodge and high altitude hotspots, Volcano Junco!
Day 14. San Gerardo de Dota and Savegre Lodge trails, Black Guan, Collared Redstart, Flame throated Warbler, and 5! Quetzals at Savegre. What a finale!
Day 15. Flight out this morning, but a last second try for Wrenthrush got us a singing bird but no looks!

Posted on June 9, 2024 01:31 PM by ossifrage94