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Should-have-been-Bird of the Day - Sunbittern!!
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Breakfast was at 6am this morning
and after our standard breakfast of fruits, scrambled egg, potato, plantain and
rice and beans washed down with coffee and juice we completed the bird call
that fatigue had prevented the night before.
A few birds around the front of
the hotel accompanied the bus packing and soon we were on our way out of the
city of San Jose. To take our minds of the traffic and to enrich them Diego
gave us a few lessons about Costa Rica. While he was speaking one could not
help reflect on how very good his English is. He had had lessons during high
school but he claims his language progressed more post school. However he did
it, he was more than competent. While I’m on the subject of Diego, I should add
that he is an excellent guide; thoughtful, knowledgeable, patient [so far..],
excellent knowledge of birds both with sight and sound, a good communicator who
is willing to share his stories and information about Costa Rican history,
geography, politics etc, he even feigns interest in our offers of information
about Australia!
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| Costa Rica National Bird - Clay Coloured Thrush |
Costa Rica has achieved much for
a small nation and could act as an example for many nations, ours included.
Historically they did away with their armed forces, so to this day they have no
standing army. The money was channelled into Schools and Universities and a
universal health system. Diego claims that the Government run Costa Rica
University is among the highest regarded in Latin America and offers an
affordable education for Ticos. Environmentally the nation boasts a National
Park estate some 25% of the landmass plus a variety of other protected areas in
private or NGO hands. 85% of their electricity comes from a variety of renewable
sources; chiefly hydro and thermal with some wind. Solar remains
under-developed but I’m sure has real potential. 2020 was offered as a target
year to achieve 100% renewable energy; this remains a little optimistic but
with the conversion of the car fleet to electricity this could be achieved
within a decade of their stated targets.
The main destination of the
morning was the Tapanti National Park however we scored some good birds before
we arrived.
First stop was a small bridge
where we saw a pair of American Dippers well. They showed well and gave a
visual lesson of Dipper behaviour.
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| American Dipper |
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American Dipper
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| American Dipper |
Next stop attracted over 20 spp.
The standout was the Montezuma’s Oropendola. There was a small breeding colony
located in a large Eucalypt tree. There large hanging nests looking like, well,
a pendulum.
The birds were brilliant; large, loud, colourful, gaudy with
impressive displays. Green breasted Mangoes, a species of Hummingbird, were
nesting nearby, and the female was in attendance feeding her chick. Social,
Piratic and Grey headed Flycatchers plus Great Kiskadees were nearby as were
Variable Seed=eaters and a beautiful Euphonias; a Yellow throated.
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Green breasted Mango; nest foreground with chick, female in background
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We passed some Shade Coffee
plantations, which is a more environmentally friendly than a 'normal plantation that is usually just a monoculture.
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| Shade Coffee plantation |
Tapanti NP allowed us to start
seeing a few feeding flocks; Tanagers, Flycatchers, Warblers and Common
Chlorospingus were seen. Red headed Barbets were seen by some however quite a
few spp gave small frustrating glimpses only such that they remained unidentified.
A large Ornate Hawk Eagle flew by calling loudly. We scored excellent views of
a few spp seen poorly the day before; especially Red faced Spinetail, Tufted
Flycatcher, Slate throated Redstart. Swainson’s Thrush was seen as well as the
resident Pale vented Thrush, who we tracked to its nest was also seen well.
Another Euphonia was seen – Tawny crowned; another beauty.
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| Tawny-capped Euphonia |
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| Costa Rican Tufted Flycatcher |
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| Tawny-capped Euphonia |
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| [Western] Slaty capped Flycatcher |
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| Slate-throated Whitestart [Redstart] |
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| Costa Rican Tufted Flycatcher |
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| [Southern] Yellowish Flycatcher |
After some excellent birding in
Tapanti lunch was called and we needed to drive for about half an hour to our
lunch locale. It took longer than that though as we saw [what should have been
the bird of the day] a Sunbittern! This
is an excellent spp to see and I would claim we saw it well; including views of
the vivid wing pattern the bird exhibits in flight. Spotted Sandpiper was also
seen at this small creek as was good views of a Common Tody Flycatcher nesting.
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| Amazon /Kingfishers |
Lunch was at a small friendly
family run place which also had a great spread of feeders. Grackles, Thrushes,
Brown Jays competed with Orioles [Baltimore and Orchard – the latter a new spp
for the trip] and Tanagers [Passerini’s, Blue grey, Palm and Golden hooded] for
Fruit. The Golden hooded Tanager, which admittedly was stunning, was voted BIRD
OF THE DAY! Hummers included Rufous tailed, Green breasted Mango and, another newbie,
Garden Emerald. Bananaquits were common in the garden. A woodpecker was heard
loudly drumming but remained unseen. A few warblers were recorded; Yellow,
Mourning and Tennessee to go with Chestnut sided and Blackburnian that were
recorded in Tapanti NP. Lunch was the normal mix of Chicken, salad, rice and
beans; washed down with good coffee and followed by a tasty sponge cake – it
hit the spot.
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| Common Tody Flycatcher |
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| Greyish Saltator |
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| Bananaquit |
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| Brown Jay - juvenile with an orange bill |
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| Brown Jay adult |
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| Variegated Squirrel |
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| BIRD OF THE DAY!! |
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| A stunning Tanager.... |
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| Golden hooded Tanager |
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| Ruddy Ground Dove |
After lunch we headed towards a
town, Paraiso, where in the middle of the town square, in the shadow of a large
Catholic church were a couple of Owl spp. The first was a Barn Owl that had
found a hollow of sorts within a large Palm tree. The next was perhaps more
impressive; a pair of Tropical Screech Owls, that were roosting near a
bromeliad and orchid packed tree, seemingly unconcerned by the throng of people
that peopled the park…
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| Owl Twitch |
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| Barn Owl |
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| Tropical Screech Owl |
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| Tropical Screech Owl/s |
A small wetland on the outskirts
of the town yielded a few new spp for our trip list. Imagining the wetland,
from right to left, we had Little Blue Heron, Common Gallinule, Northern Jacana,
Blue winged Teal, Southern Lapwing and then more Blue winged Teal. Great-tailed
Grackles were also in attendance.
After all these birds the day had
begun disappearing so the plan was to head for our accommodation – Mirriam’s
Quetzals. A brief stop was needed for Eastern Meadowlark and an even briefer
one for a Great Egret. A fuel and toilet
stop was needed and then it was a drive with only the briefest pause for
another new spp, Sooty Thrush.
Dinner at Mirriam’s was a Costa
Rican affair with most people enjoying locally produced fresh trout and an
interesting Peruvian Papaya, which needed to be cooked in syrup, for dessert.
Last bird heard and then seen was
Dusky Nightjar!
Another great day.
Wow, wow & wow!
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