Location: Costa Rica, 2022

Reported by: Joe Giunta

The Happy Warbler Birding group had its eleventh annual trip to Costa Rica. The trip was highly successful with a total of 254 species of birds being seen by most members of the group. Members of our flock were: Joe, Jan, Chee, Daniel, MaryJane, Kristen, Meredith, Linda, Gillian and Pat. With us were our guide Noel and our driver Jairo. Even though Costa Rica is a small country the diversity is tremendous. This trip concentrated on the northern part of Costa Rica visiting Cano Negro, Quelitales and Arenal.

An ebird listing (32 files) of our trip was made by Gillian and can be found on the ebird website.

A photo history, made by Chee, of the trip can be found at:
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AoyYqvh0v7-PgftrlKPeyls3wgtgUg and again at https://1drv.ms/f/s!AoyYqvh0v7-Pgf4w3u1UrxC1WbSxSw

Feb. 3: Our United/Continental Airways flight, out of Newark/Liberty Airport, took off right on schedule. We were greeted at the airport by our guide Noel and our driver Jairo. They would remain with us for the next ten days. We stayed the first night at the Hotel Bougainvillea, which was fairly close to the airport. Even before we retired for the night we heard a Tropical Screech Owl calling in the backyard. Noel rallied us and brought us to the rear gardens. After about 5 minutes Noel called in the owl. We all had great views. What a way to start the trip!

Feb. 4 We were up early and did some birding on the hotel grounds. Continuing our search for owls we went to some bamboo thickets, located on the grounds, and saw another great bird of the trip. Buried deep, yet visible, was a Mottled Owl. It was pretty amazing to see two owl species so quickly. Another great bird seen early in the morning was the elusive White-eared Ground Sparrow. It perched up and sang for us. We all had great views. In all we saw 21 species and that was all before breakfast. North American migrants were also well represented. We saw: Tennessee Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Yellow Warbler and get this, 5 Philadelphia Vireos. Great practice so we can more easily ID these birds went we get back to New York.

After breakfast we left the hotel and headed towards Hotel Quelitales. But before getting there we made a stop at a place called Cachi, in the province of Cartago. They had some feeders and many seed and berry plants. We saw a good number of birds including: Black-headed Saltator, Buff-throated Saltator, Scarlet-rumped Tanager and Cabanis's Ground Sparrow. Leaving this place we finally made it to Hotel Quelitales. We did some walking on the grounds and seeing more birds. The hotel has a viewing area next to a waterfall with some feeders. Some highlights were: Montezuma Oropendola, Golden-hooded Tanager, Tropical Parula and Violet Sabrewing. The Violet Sabrewing is a very impressive hummingbird. It is large and is a striking violet color.

Feb. 5: Our destination for the day was the bird reserve El Copal also in the province of Cartago. We were up early, drove to El Copal and our birding started just after 7am. We would record a great number of species. Two main highlights stood out. One was the Snowcap. A beautiful hummingbird found almost only in this region. People travel to El Copal just to see this bird. We had great views. Another great viewing was the Ornate Hawk-Eagle. It was perched! It was an immature yet almost everyone recorded a "lifer". We all had excellent views. Other great birds at El Copal were: Gartered Trogon, White-ruffed Manakin, Keel-billed Toucan and one of my favorites, a Summer Tanager. Costa Rican tanagers were well represented. We saw: Black-and-Yellow, Emerald, Bay-headed, Crimson Collared, Speckled (rated by some as the most beautiful of the entire trip) and Silver-throated. Also in the tanager family were Green Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis. In all we recorded 58 species for the day at El Copal.

Feb. 6: We spent the day on the grounds of the hotel and the nearby area. Later in the day we traveled to Lago de Cachi, the dam in the city of Cachi. On the grounds we again went to the viewing area near the waterfall. New birds seen today were: Brown Jay, White-bellied Mountain Gem, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch and Slate-throated Redstart. This was all before breakfast. After breakfast we saw: Golden-olive Woodpecker, Yellow-olive Flycatcher and Cinnamon Becard. At the dam we saw: Bat Falcons (our target for the dam), White-tailed Kite, Black Phoebe and Lineated Woodpecker. We did the list at night and prepared for our next day.

Feb. 7: I found this to be the most interesting of all the days. We left Quelitales Lodge and headed towards Arenal Observatory Lodge. First we stopped at Donde Cope. Cope is an artist who has a huge bird feeding station and small tropical rainforest in his backyard. At his feeder were all the regular birds of the area including: Green Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Red-legged Honeycreeper and Yellow-throated Toucan. All very close and perfect for taking photos. After viewing the birds at the feeders Cope took us to Calle Flores about 3/4 of a mile away. It was real Costa Rican jungle with a trail cut my machete. Cope had his machete with him just in case the trail had become overgrown. He led us to a spot where we had so-so views of a fleeting Agami Heron. Everyone didn't get it. Then he took us to a spot where there were two Crested Owls. For the owls we all had excellent views. It was an amazing sight. Then he took us to another spot where we had views of two Spectacled Owls. Of the entire ten day trip I think this was my favorite part.

After lunch at a local restaurant we headed towards Arenal Observatory Lodge. Along the way we picked up another group favorite, the White-throated Magpie-Jay. They seemed very friendly as they surrounded our van. Everyone got great looks.

Feb 8: We were up early and headed right towards their feeders which were on a deck with great views of the volcano. With the short time of one hour we recorded 26 species just looking at the feeders. Highlights were the Crested Guan and the Great Curassows. I liked the tanagers which included: Hepatic, Emerald and Golden-hooded. We had breakfast while looking at the birds.

After breakfast we spent the next four hours walking the trails on the grounds. First it was to the gardens and then to the waterfall trail. It was easy level walking on all the trails. We recorded some 34 species and there were many highlights. First there were the antbirds. We had excellent looks at the Spotted Antbird and the Dull-mantled Antbird. Then there was the viewing of a Bare-necked Umbrellabird. It was the rarest bird of the entire trip. Then there was the great looks at an Ornate Hawk-Eagle. The bird was an adult, it was perched and it was preening. We had excellent looks. Some of the new birds of the trip were: Nightingale Wren, Long-billed Gnatwren, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and Song Wren. Anyone who come to Costa Rica for birding should stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and bird the trail to the waterfall. It is really amazing. In the afternoon after lunch and a short siesta we birded another trail but headed back to the waterfall trail because it was so good. We added more species including: Orange-billed Sparrow, Band-backed Wren and Thicket Antpitta. Dinner was at the lodge, we did the bird list and prepared for the next day.

Feb. 9: Our day started early with looks at the feeders, breakfast and then back to the trails. We saw many new species. Some of them were: Middle American Leaftosser, Plain Antvireo, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Slaty-tailed Trogon and Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush. Our morning walk totaled 34 species. After breakfast we packed up our stuff and headed towards our next lodge which was Natural Lodge Cano Negro. There would be many stops along the way and our first stop was right at the entrance/exit gate of Arenal. Here we saw some great birds including: Long-tailed Tyrant, Bright-rumped Attila and Broad-billed Motmot. All we had to do was get out of the van and look.

We had lunch along the way stopping at Tilajari Hotel Resort. They had feeders but produced no new species for our group. We arrived at the road to Cano Negro at about 4:30 and there were plenty of birds for us to see. The road went through a flooded grassland with both land birds and marsh birds. Some of the highlights were: White-throated Crake, both Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, Wood Stork, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Crested and Yellow-headed Caracaras, Eastern and Red-breasted Meadowlarks and Northern Jacanas. We finally arrived at Cano Negro at dusk, had dinner and got ready for our next day.

Feb. 10: Cano Negro is known for its boat rides and we would have three of them today. We would go up the river, down the river and then land at a spot where we could see the sun set over the river and marsh lands. The morning boat ride started at 6:15am. For the morning we recorded 43 species. One of the highlights was the overflight of about 200 Wood Storks. They landed in some trees just adjacent to the river. It was a great sight. We saw five species of kingfishers (Ringed, Belted, Amazon, Pygmy and Green). The only kingfisher missed was the Green-and-Rufous. For North American migrants we had a good number of Prothonotary Warblers. They over winter in the mangroves along the river. Another bird of great interest was the Sungrebe. It was well seen by everyone. We went back to the lodge, only 5 minutes away, took a break and then got ready for another boat ride. This time we went the opposite direction. We saw another 30 plus species. Some of the highlights were: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Purple Gallinule, Roseate Spoonbill, Golden-winged Warbler and more Prothonotary Warblers. We went back to the lodge and took a break. We had one more boat ride this time we exited the boat and walked a short distance. We saw more birds including Black-necked Stilts, a distant Jabiru and a roosting tree containing over 100 White Ibis. We went back to the lodge and prepared for a night time owl walk. The owl walk actually turned in a Potoo walk as we saw four Great Potoos and two Common Pauraques, but no owls.

Feb. 11: It was our last full day of birding and we also had some traveling to do as we returned to San Jose. It was our latest wakeup of the entire trip, 7:30am! We had breakfast and started our journey back. We made two birding stops and a lunch stop along the way. One birding spot was along the entrance/exit road to Cano Negro and the other was at a coffee stop with great feeders. On the exit road we stopped at a Jabiru nest. The female was on the nest incubating egg but our view was very poor. Then, luckily, the bird got up and walked around a bit. We all had great views. Other birds seen along the road were: Gray Hawk, Barred Antshrike, Bare-crowned Antbird, Slaty-tailed Trogon and for North American migrants an American Redstart. The coffee stop was called Soda Cinchona. We had been at this spot many times in past years. They made the viewing area bigger and were very welcoming to birders. At their feeders we saw: Red-headed Barbet, Prong-billed Barbet, Crimson-collared Tanager and a beautiful Northern Emerald-Toucanet. The coffee became hot chocolate and everyone enjoyed the birds and the refreshments. We arriver back at the Hotel Bougainvillea, had a nice farewell dinner and got ready for our trip back to the US.

Feb. 12: It was our last day. We had a packed breakfast from the Hotel Bougainvillea. At about 4:30am we gathered our stuff and left for the airport. We had to take a covid test at the airport so we could return to the US. The test facility was very well organized and everyone passed their test. Our United flight took off right on time and landed a few minutes early in a Newark airport. It was a great trip, we saw great birds, made new friends and are already looking forward to do it again next year.




SPECIES SEEN

Amazon Kingfisher
American Pygmy Kingfisher
American Redstart
Anhinga
Baltimore Oriole
Bananaquit
Band-backed Wren
Bare-crowned Antbird
Bare-necked Umbrellabird
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Barred Antshrike
Bat Falcon
Bay-headed Tanager
Belted Kingfisher
Black Phoebe
Black Vulture
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-and-yellow Tanager
Black-bellied Hummingbird
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Black-cowled Oriole
Black-crowned Antshrike
Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
Black-headed Saltator
Black-headed Trogon
Black-necked Stilt
Black-striped Sparrow
Blue Dacnis
Blue-and-white Swallow
Blue-gray Tanager
Blue-winged Teal
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Boat-billed Heron
Bright-rumped Attila
Broad-billed Motmot
Broad-winged Hawk
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
Brown Jay
Brown Violetear
Buff-rumped Warbler
Buff-throated Saltator
Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow
Carmiol's Tanager
Cattle Egret
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch
Chestnut-capped Warbler
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Cinnamon Becard
Clay-colored Thrush
Collared Aracari
Common Chlorospingus
Common Pauraque
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Cooper's Hawk
Crested Caracara
Crested Guan
Crested Owl
Crimson-collared Tanager
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Crowned Woodnymph
Dull-mantled Antbird
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Eastern Meadowlark
Emerald Tanager
Fasciated Tiger-Heron
Garden Emerald
Gartered Trogon
Giant Cowbird
Golden-crowned Warbler
Golden-hooded Tanager
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Golden-winged Warbler
Gray Hawk
Gray-breasted Martin
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Gray-chested Dove
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Gray-headed Dove
Gray-rumped Swift
Great Blue Heron
Great Curassow
Great Egret
Great Kiskadee
Great Potoo
Great-tailed Grackle
Green Hermit
Green Heron
Green Honeycreeper
Green Ibis
Green Kingfisher
Green Thorntail
Green-breasted Mango
Green-crowned Brilliant
Green-fronted Lancebill
Greenish Elaenia
Groove-billed Ani
Harris's Hawk
Hepatic Tanager
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Hook-billed Kite
House Wren
Jabiru
Keel-billed Motmot
Keel-billed Toucan
Laughing Falcon
Lesser Greenlet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Lesson's Motmot
Limpkin
Lineated Woodpecker
Little Blue Heron
Long-billed Gnatwren
Long-billed Hermit
Long-tailed Tyrant
Mangrove Swallow
Masked Tityra
Melodious Blackbird
Middle American Leaftosser
Mistletoe Tyrannulet
Montezuma Oropendola
Morelet's Seedeater
Mottled Owl
Neotropic Cormorant
Nicaraguan Grackle
Nightingale Wren
Northern Emerald-Toucanet
Northern Jacana
Northern Waterthrush
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Olive-throated Parakeet
Orange-billed Sparrow
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Orchard Oriole
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Osprey
Pacific Screech-Owl
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Pale-vented Pigeon
Palm Tanager
Peregrine Falcon
Philadelphia Vireo
Piratic Flycatcher
Plain Antvireo
Prong-billed Barbet
Prothonotary Warbler
Purple Gallinule
Purple-crowned Fairy
Red-billed Pigeon
Red-breasted Meadowlark
Red-headed Barbet
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Red-lored Parrot
Red-throated Ant-Tanager
Red-winged Blackbird
Ringed Kingfisher
Roadside Hawk
Roseate Spoonbill
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-throated Becard
Ruddy Ground Dove
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater
Rufous Motmot
Rufous Mourner
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Rufous-naped Wren
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Rufous-winged Woodpecker
Russet-naped Wood-Rail
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
Semiplumbeous Hawk
Shining Honeycreeper
Short-billed Pigeon
Short-tailed Nighthawk
Silver-throated Tanager
Slate-throated Redstart
Slaty Antwren
Slaty Spinetail
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Snowcap
Snowy Egret
Social Flycatcher
Solitary Sandpiper
Song Wren
Sooty-faced Finch
Southern Lapwing
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Speckled Tanager
Spectacled Owl
Spot-breasted Wren
Spotted Antbird
Spotted Barbtail
Spotted Sandpiper
Squirrel Cuckoo
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Stripe-breasted Wren
Stripe-throated Hermit
Summer Tanager
Sungrebe
Tawny-capped Euphonia
Tawny-faced Gnatwren
Tennessee Warbler
Thicket Antpitta
Torrent Tyrannulet
Tricolored Heron
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Tropical Mockingbird
Tropical Parula
Tropical Pewee
Tropical Screech-Owl
Turkey Vulture
Variable Seedeater
Violet Sabrewing
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
White Hawk
White Ibis
White-bellied Mountain-gem
White-collared Manakin
White-collared Swift
White-crowned Parrot
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
White-fronted Parrot
White-necked Jacobin
White-ruffed Manakin
White-shouldered Tanager
White-tailed Kite
White-throated Crake
White-throated Magpie-Jay
White-tipped Dove
White-vented Euphonia
White-winged Dove
Wood Stork
Wood Thrush
Yellow Tyrannulet
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Yellow-billed Cacique
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Yellow-headed Caracara
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Euphonia
Yellow-throated Toucan
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Warbler


Species seen - 254