Costa Rica 2019

Wildlife, but mainly bird List: click on: Wildlife

An account of our trip to Costa Rica from February 12th - 26th with HF Holidays.

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Gatwick airport is probably the worst destination for us in terms of distance so we bit the bullet and arranged a taxi at no small cost. Despite this luxury it still required that we were up at about 2.30 in the morning. Four hours by car, three hours before departure, the only consolation being that we were travelling business class which meant that we were almost looking forward to the 10 hour flight to San Jose.

The airport in Costa Rica is not exactly near San Jose and our hotel, the very pleasant Hotel Buena Vista was some 20 minutes away and had tremendous views across the central valley towards the Irazu volcanoes.

Feb 13th. Next day we were up at 6.30 for an 8.00 departure on Chi-chi (our green bus) to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. These sported a fascinating hummingbird feeding area, a butterfly house, amphibian house and a herpatorium (snakes) and of course some splendid waterfalls. Costa Rica was suffering something of a drought but despite this the falls seemed good and gushy. Later we visited the Doka Estate coffee plantations for a talk and methodology tour.

1. Green-crowned Brilliant hummingbird Heliondoxa jacula
2. Red-eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis callidryas
3. Encantada waterfall
4. Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus
5. Yellow Throated Toucan Ramphastos swainsonii
6. Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus
7. La Paz Waterfalls

Feb 14th. Off again on Chi-chi to the Arenal area across the lush San Carlos area. On our way we called in at the town of Sarchi which is well-known for its handicrafts and colourful art including their distinctively coloured oxcarts. Artwork was everywhere, even the separators at the urinals were brightly decorated. The workshops were, however firmly locked into the 30s' and would have been quickly shut down as highly dangerous back home. We also called in at Zarcero with its topiary gardens and wonderfully decorated old church. Late morning we arrived at our next hotel the Tilajari Resort where we were to stay for three nights. The hotel was dramatically situated on the banks of the San Carlos River where we spotted herons, crocodiles and iguanas. The quite large though sprawling hotel was surrounded by pleasant parkland and there were many other groups staying there, including Saga.

1. Emerald Toucanet Aulacorhynchus prasinus
2. Baltimore Oriole Icterous galbula
3. L-R Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis passerinii, Silver-throated Tanager Tangara icterocephala, Baltimore Oriole Icterous galbula
4. Traditional Costa Rican cart
5. In the painting room
6. Art for Art's sake
7. Star Fruit Averrhoa carambola

Feb 15th. Today we took a slow boat trip on the Rio Frio through the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. Wow, loads of wildlife here, particularly birds, though there were lots of amphibians and monkeys as well. We spent the afternoon relaxing and exploring the extensive grounds around the hotel.

1. Strangler fig
2. Arenal volcano
3. Emerald Basilisk Basiliscus plumifrons Caño Negro Widlife Refuge
4. Green Iguana Iguana iguana Caño Negro Widlife Refuge
5. Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Caño Negro Widlife Refuge
6. On the Rio Frio river Caño Negro Widlife Refuge
7. American Crocodile Crocodylus acutis Caño Negro Widlife Refuge

Feb 16th. Off to do some walking around Arenal though (thankfully) not up the volcano which is prohibited. We followed the 1968 trail which was about 3 miles and crossed several old lava flows before arriving at a small summit. Here we spotted several One Day Orchids Sobralia sp. On arriving back at the carpark and restaurant we had too large a lunch then took to the Arenal Hanging Bridges walk. This was a bit different, the suspension bridges are high above the forest and a bit wobbly if one doesn't keep ones feet in line. One or two of our group were a bit nervous.

1. White-faced Capuchin Monkey Cebus capucinus in the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge.
2. The Team and Arenal volcano
3. White-nosed Coati Nasua narica
4. Rufous Motmot Baryphthengus martii
5. Eyelash Pit-viper Bothriechis schloegelii
6. On the suspension bridge walk.

Feb 17th. Off in Chi-chi to the mountains. On our way we stopped in San Jose to visit the gold museum where we were checked and scanned as if in an airport. Lots of Pre-Columbian gold artifacts and details about their origins. Onwards, we stopped at a splendid fruit store where we were regaled with free samples of exotic fruit then to a pleasant simple restaurant with lots of bird feeders. There were lots of brightly coloured hummingbirds and other exotica.

After lunch we continued to Sevegre Mountain Lodge where we were to stay for two nights. The weather here was much cooler than the 32C of the valleys as the lodge was at 2200m (7200ft).

1. Passerini's Tanager Ramphocelus passerinii, Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi +?
2. Heliconium
3. Chi-chi at the fruit shop
4. Palm Fruits
5. In the museum
6. Pre-Columbian Gold gold gold
7. Fiery-throated Hummingbirds Panterpe insignis

Feb 18th. Early start, breakfast at 6.60 then Chi-chi took 4 of us, Sue and I, Roy and Judy from South Africa along with our guide Johnny up to the summit of Cerro de la Muerte at 3450m (11322ft) where we were all gasping a bit. The route for the day was thankfully downhill to the hotel, a distance of about 13km and a descent of about 1250m. It was an excellent walk, initially passing through the Paramo, an area of wiry shrubs and heather-like plants before diving into the forest which became increasingly dense. There were lots of Bromeliads growing on all the trees and as we got lower the path was coated in rather slippery oak leaves. Oaks maybe, but not as we know them.

Eventually we burst out into the upper reaches of our hotel, minutes before a tropical deluge.

1. Chi-Chi and the mountain descent team on Cerro de la Muerte, 3335m (10942ft)
2. View from Cerro de la Muerte
3. Looking at the view
4. Fly Orchid
5. Down down down
6. Bromeliad flower
7. Costa Rican Pygmy Owl Glaucidium costaricanum (feb19th)

Feb 19th. Lured into the belief that the fabulous Resplendant Quetzal would show itself at dawn, Sue and 100 others gathered in the cold and dripping forest at first light. Others, (me) stayed in bed for a lazy breakfast. Quetzal? Yes, but it was so cold and damp that Sue and Barbara jumped ship and returned to the hotel missing it. However, after breakfast we all boarded Chi-chi and set off on the Providencia Road which traverses the high elevation cloud forest of Los Quetzales National Park. We left Chi-chi and walked down a long track and there, flying back and forth in the forest canopy was the Resplendant Quetzal (plus lots of other things including the Costa Rican pigmy owl).

After lunch we drove to the highest point of the Pan-American highway where it was possible to see both the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Caribbean Sea to the East. Onwards and downwards towards the Pacific and our next hotel, the Cristal Ballena Resort where we were to stay for 3 nights.

1. Resplendant Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno
2. Resplendant Quetzal
3. Sue mans the telescope
4. Acorn Woodpeckers Melanerpes formicivorus
5. Summer Tanager Pirangra rubra
6. Ravenala, the Traveller's Tree, Ravenala madagascariensis
7. Red-legged Honeycreepers, M&F, Cyanerpes cyaneus

Feb 20th. Bird watching at 6.00 am then off in Chi-ch to the Marino Ballena National Park where we turned left along the extensive beach and took some swimming amongst the breakers. Back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation.

Feb 21st. Back to the Marino Ballina national park where we took another beach walk but in the other direction, to a rocky spur known as The Whale's tail. Pottering and swimming and back in time for lunch and relaxation.

Feb 22nd. End of holiday for the main team as they were to head back to San Jose and then home. Six of us however, Sue and I, Roy and Sheila and Alan and Christine had opted for the holiday extension and so after tearful goodbyes and promises of staying in touch we headed off in a strange bus to the Serpe River dock. Not without incident however as we were pulled in by the traffic police within minutes of leaving the hotel. Paperwork was apparently not in order, our number plates were confiscated and after our passport details were logged our crestfallen driver was allowed to continue.

At the dock we met Manfred who was to be our guide and guardian for our stay in the Corcovado National Park. Life jackets on and a pre-boarding safety lecture over, we boarded a small but powerful speed boat which took us down the Sierpe River. The river was tidal and at the entrance where the crocodiles lurk the junction of the river and sea cause large breaking standing waves to form. We viewed these with some concern as we headed towards them, then just short of being engulfed the captain threw the boat parallel with the waves until it was possible to cross them. Everyone pretended to be not the slightest bit spooked by all this though I did notice one or two of us checking the clips on their life jackets.

The rest of the journey to the Casa Corcovado Lodge was uneventful. Sea is the only access to the hotel and it was a wet landing on the beach. We were met by what the hotel referred to as 'The Limo' but which turned out to be a tractor towing a seated trailer. All the better.

The hotel was a series of delightful lodges set in splendid grounds, with the restaurant, bar and office all close together in the centre. After settling in Manfred, our guide,took us on a short nature walk around the grounds.

1. Passerini's Tanager Ramphocelus passerinii
2. Hoffman's Woodpecker Melanerpes hoffmanii
3. On the beach at Marino Ballena
4. Marino Ballena
5. Never smile at a Cocodrile
6. Marino Ballina

Feb 23rd. Another hot day. We made a 7.30 start with Manfred on a nature walk to waterfalls and swimming pool. There was lots of wildlife including Cayman, monkeys, a Boa and loads of colourful birds. The swimming pool was very welcome though not as warm as the sea and the waterfall was, well, moderately impressive. We returned to a buffet lunch on the beach and then back to our lodges for relaxation.

1. Sue and the Marino Ballena National Park
2. Love Birds (Black Vultures actually)
3. Sunset from our balcony
4. White-faced Capuchin monkey
5. Hotel transport to Casa Corcovado Lodge
6. Red-capped Manakin Ceratopipra mentalis
7. Violet-headed Hummingbird Klais guemeti

1. Our lodge at the Casa Corcovado
2. The Limo arrives
3. Golden-orb spider
4. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
5. On Cano Island for snorkeling
6. King Angelfish Holocanthus passer, Cortez Rainbow Wrasse Thalassoma lucasanum
7. Panamanian Sergeant Pintano amarillo

Feb 24th. Another hot day with temperatures touching 34C. So what? We took a boat and headed for the nearby Cano Island, some 18km off-shore for some snorkeling amongst the corals. This was brilliant, Sue got to use her new mask, learned how to use her underwater camera and I got told off for wandering off along mysterious underwater canyons despite our guide blowing his whistle at me. Too much nannying.

The extension had been well-worth it and was possibly the best part of our holiday.

• 1-3, Unidentified,
• 4, Panamanian Sergeant
• At the dinner table
• Drake Bay airport. Our plane to San Jose.

Feb 25th. Our last day, we packed up and took the boat to Drake Bay a little way up the coast, where we boarded an ancient bus to the airport. Despite the dirt track leading to it the airport was brand new. We were weighed in with our luggage (quite right) and within the hour we were whizzing our way on our 20 seater Let L-410 turbojet to San Jose. We stayed overnight at our first hotel at Buena Vista then next day, San Jose Airport and home.

Thanks HF and particularly Noel and Johnny for their excellent knowledge and company and everyone else in the group for a great and memorable holiday.

chrisandsue59@gmail.com