Costa Rica for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - Day 14 - 17th November 2024

An early start saw us at the van not long after 5am with the Quelitalis grounds and forest waking up too.  A flock of Barred Parakeets whizzed overhead and the White-eared Ground-Sparrows were vocal but only showing briefly before we headed off around the mountain.

Several riverside stops gave us good views of another Fasciated Tiger-Heron along with Neotropic Cormorants, Ochre-bellied Flycatchers and a smart Bay Wren but of those pesky Sunbitterns once again eluded me. A smaller river was checked and a fine male Collared Trogon stared down at us – by far the closest and smartest one I have seen.

Sunshine and sparkly water but no Sunbitterns

White-winged Doves

Black Phoebe

Neotropic Cormorant

Bay Wren

Collared Trogon

Collared Trogon

Before too long we turned off onto the El Copal track and bumped our way through some steep sided open countryside to the lodge at the end. The sun was out and we were greeted by Hummers around the verbena.  Brown Violetears were in charge up here and were battling it out for supremacy with the Rufous-tails while Green Hermits, dinky Stripe-throated Hermits, Green Thorntails and dashing Snowcaps chose their moments to get to a bloom.  The purple and white zippies attracted the most attention but I have to admit to being taken by the Green Thorntails.  The tail feathers are extraordinary when you look closely.

Brown Violetear

Brown Violetear

Brown Violetear

Snowcap

Snowcap

Snowcap

Green Thorntail

Green Thorntail

Green Thorntail

Green Thorntail

Green Thorntail

Green Thorntail

There was quality birding from the veranda with a gang of noisy Tawny Crested Tanagers along with the other regular species of that tribe, Mistletoe Tyrannulets, Yellow-Olive Flatbills, Lesser Greenlets, Golden-winged Warblers, Euphonias, Dusky-capped Flycatchers and a superb Yellow-throated Vireo. The warming air brought up a few Vultures along with Broad-winged Hawk and a soaring Grey-headed Kite.

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Yellow-throated Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

We soon set off on our forest walk.  It was hot and sultry and the mossies were out in force but we had a good trek along the wide ride following the contours of the hill. Like most jungle walks it was quite frustrating at times with calling birds just out of reach but with Jose’s help we picked up Rufous Browed Tyrannulet and Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, the familiar Stripe-breasted and White-breasted Wood-Wrens, Orange-billed Sparrows, Scale-Crested Pygmy-Tyrants and White-ruffed Manakins.  I found a Blue and Gold Tanager with beady red eyes but could not get the crew on it.  We had just missed a large mixed flock crossing the track and only Zeledon’s Antbird stopped long enough to clap eyes on.  Brown-billed Scythebills were singing down slope but would not come in but the song was familiar having seen the Red-billed ones in Brazil. There were Butterflies everywhere including two species of Morpho.

This Skipper was so tiny - about Bluebottle size

Rain Frog

Thicket Antpittas, Fasciated Antshrikes and Zeledon’s Antbirds were also in song and we got slightly better views of Speckled Tanagers way up in the canopy along with White-shouldered and Golden-hooded.  Barred Hawks called and a juvenile Tooth-billed Kite circled overhead through one of the canopy gaps. You could spend a week here just trying to track down the forest birds lurking within. Perhaps one day.

Anole sp

Tooth-billed Kite

Short-billed Pigeon

We retraced our steps for lunch but it is always difficult to keep us all in side for long but there was still so much more to see.  A Chestnut-capped Warbler popped out at close range while we were having another Snowcap fix and a topped up feeding station at last gave the crew superb views of Speckled Tanagers as they fed with the equally green Emeralds and a blue winged Bay-headed.

Chestnut-capped Warbler

Chestnut-capped Warbler

Chestnut-capped Warbler

Chestnut-capped Warbler

Chestnut-capped Euphonia

Speckled and Emerald Tanagers

Speckled and Emerald Tanagers

Snowcaps - grainy but glorious

Earlier we heard Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher but unlike many of my ‘heard only’ species, the call was not exactly memorable and not worthy of a place on my tally so when it started up again we got lucky and found this microscopic little yellow and black sprite in the top of Cecropia that was thankfully opposite the raised lodge.

I rescued this large mossy cat from inside the dining area.

Cavendishia quereme

Columnea microcalyx

Siparuna sp - the fruit after opening.  The hard closed fruit smell of citrus and are used as an insect repellent.

A tiny Orchid

Cavendishia complectens

Columnea microcalyx in dangling form

A gang of Brown Jays bounded around the tallest trees while White-crowned Parrots looked down on them and just as we were about to leave a Bicoloured Hawk flashed in front and even land briefly at eye level before hurtling off once again.

White-crowned Parrots

I found this Green Heron in a drainage culvert outside some houses in the village on the way out!

A final couple of river attempts on the way back left us still without Sunbitterns but we did see a Bare-throated Tiger-Heron before the rain arrived and I may have snoozed the rest of the way back to Quelitalis but was soon awake as there were heaps of birds around my lodge again.  I checked the Mistletoe clumps and was pleased to find a pair of Elegant Chlorophonias feeding and hastily assembled the team.  Jose joined us and we found several more in the surrounding clumps as well as a pair of White-vented Euphonias, Flame-throated Warblers and Mistletoe Tyrannulets.  The White-eared Ground Sparrows were calling low down but were no more than moving shadows which told us that we should really get back up to the waterfall again. 

A cursory hello to the assembled Hummers including the Lancebill and then the wait for the Scaled Antpitta to hopefully appear.  The first bird out on the track was not her but a rather splendid Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush with orange bill and legs carefully picking up worms.  It did not stay long but it is always good to get a surprise new bird.  

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush - like a micro-Blackbird

The Scaled Antpitta came in in the near dark at 5.14 the night before but she did the decent thing and arrived early while we could all still see colour.  She then surprised us by hopping all the way down the track just to show off.  Quality.

Scaled Antpitta

Scaled Antpitta with a big worm

With torches on we all headed off for dinner with big smiles and the sounds of Highland Tinamous way up in the forest. I put on the moth trap for one final chance of having a good session… fingers crossed.