Ken Cross in Costa Rica 2018: Day 7 - Miriam's Questzals to Talari Lodge

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This morning, straight after breakfast we climbed [well the bus] to nearly 3500 metres above sea level for breath- taking views across the high mountain palamo to the Pacific Coast. Here too there were birds.

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New for our list and a high mountain specialty was the Volcano Junco.

Volcano Junco

We also saw Volcano Hummingbird and several got reasonable views of Timberline Wren. Most spectacular of all we witnessed a spectacular assembly of Hawks as they migrated northward to the States and even Canada. They were mostly Broad-winged Hawks but there were a few Swainson's Hawks among them. They numbered in their thousands and they were massing to get onto the thermals early, rise as high as they can before gliding north and downwards through the day.

Swainson's Hawk

migrating hawk flock

poor pic of a Broad winged Hawk

Elegant Euphonia

Paltry Tyranulett

female Cherrie's Tanager

Buffy throated Saltator

female Cherrie's Tanager

Speckled Tanager

yet another colour form of Variegated Squirrel

Grey headed Flycatcher

Tropical Peewee

Ruddy Dove

Red headed Barbet - male

Red-headed Barbet - male

Next stop was a private garden, Bolque del Tolomuco. Here was more Costa Rican birding confusion. Where to look first? One part of the garden had fruit feeders, two others Hummingbird feeders, flowering plants grew everywhere including Aussie bottlebrush, and there was native forest vegetation on the edges that held many invisible calling birds.

female White throated Mountain Gem

female White chested Coquette

female Green crowned Brilliant

Slowly we started working through the birds; Hummers included the new White crested Coquette, Violet Sabrewing, Snowy bellied, White throated Mountain Gem, Scintilant and Rufous tailed Hummingbirds, White tailed Emerald and, finally, Green crowned Brilliant. Ruddy Pigeon gave good views. Social Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Paltry Tyranulet, Greater Kiskadee, Common Tody Flycatcher and Tropical Peewee were the flycatchers seen. Warblers included Tropical Parula, Tennessee, Chestnut sided and Wilson’s. Red headed Barbets were seen well as well as Streaked Tanager as well as old fav’s Silver throated and Golden hooded. White naped Brush Finch were another new one. Elegant Euphonias were seen. Buff throated Saltator’s were also seen well.

Swallow tailed Kite

and again...

We also got great views of Swallow tailed Kites as they circled quite low overhead.

Chestnut sided Warbler

Next stop was lunch where another warbler - Chestnut sided gave good views.

Masked Tityra

Streaked Flycatcher

Yellow crowned Euphonia

Streaked Flycatcher

The local branch of the University of Costa Rica also gave great views of an excellent variety of birds.

Orange throated Parakeet

Next stop was our final stop; our accommodation at Talari Lodge. Talari is located on a large forested block that has had gardens carved out of it. It is surrounded by rural properties and is also bordered by a river.