Costa Rica - Day 10 - March 25, 2013

     On our last morning in the beautiful country of Costa Rica we awoke later than had been typical of the trip and dragged ourselves to breakfast which was complimentary. Although there was a buffet full of fruit served at this breakfast, it wasn't quite as ripe or as fresh as the fruit we had earlier in the trip. There was an air of sadness at the breakfast table because we knew that in just a few short hours we had to return the trusty rental car and head home.
     After breakfast we packed up our things and headed to the pool to lounge around for a bit before checking out. The chaise lounges by the pool were perfect for hawk watching and lazy birding in general. We were even able to add Vaux's Swift to our trip list without moving more than just one arm (to grab the binoculars)!
     Before returning the car to the rental place we had to fill up the gas tank which was a little nerve-wracking in the big city of San Jose. When we had filled up the car in the rural areas things were very relaxed with nobody hanging around ready to beg money out of tourists. However, in the city things were quite a bit different with all kinds of people hanging around the gas stations just waiting for a tourist to pull in. Almost immediately after our attendant gave us our change and walked away, a guy appeared at our window asking for money. We simply said no and drove away. When I looked back to see what the guy was doing after we left I saw that he was already at someone else's window.
     When we returned the car to the rental place they did a visual inspection of the entire car. The guy looked at the tailpipe a little funny and wiggled it around with his hand (remember that awful road?). He then shrugged and checked it off as ok on the form. I guess since it didn't fall off it was fine. The rental car company had a free shuttle that went from their office to the airport, so we took that back to where we had started this whole adventure over 9 days ago. One day we will be back. We promise.

Leaving Costa Rica

Areal view of Nicaragua 


Thunderheads somewhere over the Carribean

The following is a list of all 228 bird species we saw during our time in Costa Rica. The list is in taxonomic order with the first date and location listed where we saw them. We saw many of these species in multiple locations, but to post the complete list of birds seen at each place we stopped at would be a nightmare.

Species Location Date
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis Hotel La Rosa de America 3/24/13
Muscovy Duck - Cairina moschata Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Gray-headed Chachalaca - Ortalis cinereiceps Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Black Guan - Chamaepetes unicolor San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Spotted Wood-Quail - Odontophorus guttatus Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Wood Stork - Mycteria americana PN Carara 3/17/13
Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Neotropic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax brasilianus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron - Tigrisoma mexicanum Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Great Egret - Ardea alba Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Green Heron - Butorides virescens Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Boat-billed Heron - Cochlearius cochlearius Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
White Ibis - Eudocimus albus Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Roseate Spoonbill - Platalea ajaja Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus Economy Rent a Car, Alajuela, CR 3/16/13
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Double-toothed Kite - Harpagus bidentatus Restaurante Pollo Ranchero 3/22/13
Plumbeous Kite - Ictinia plumbea Cerro Road-2km from lodge 3/18/13
Common Black-Hawk - Buteogallus anthracinus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Roadside Hawk - Rupornis magnirostris Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
White Hawk - Pseudastur albicollis La Paz Waterfall Gardens 3/24/13
Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Gray-lined Hawk - Buteo nitidus Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Short-tailed Hawk - Buteo brachyurus Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Swainson's Hawk - Buteo swainsoni Cerro Road-2km from lodge 3/18/13
Zone-tailed Hawk - Buteo albonotatus Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Gray-necked Wood-Rail - Aramides cajaneus Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinicus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Collared Plover - Charadrius collaris Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Northern Jacana - Jacana spinosa Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Wandering Tattler - Tringa incana Road to Jaco-gulf of Nicoya 3/18/13
Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia Joe's Pizza 3/22/13
Scaled Pigeon - Patagioenas speciosa Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Red-billed Pigeon - Patagioenas flavirostris Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Band-tailed Pigeon - Patagioenas fasciata Cerro de la Muerte--Rest. La Georgina 3/20/13
White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Inca Dove - Columbina inca Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Ruddy Ground-Dove - Columbina talpacoti Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi PN Carara 3/17/13
Gray-chested Dove - Leptotila cassini Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Olive-backed Quail-Dove - Geotrygon veraguensis Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana PN Carara 3/17/13
Groove-billed Ani - Crotophaga sulcirostris Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Pacific Screech-Owl - Megascops cooperi Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Tropical Screech-Owl - Megascops choliba Hotel La Rosa de America 3/24/13
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl - Glaucidium brasilianum Cerro Road - near main road 3/18/13
Black-and-white Owl - Ciccaba nigrolineata Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Common Nighthawk - Chordeiles minor Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Black Swift - Cypseloides niger Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
White-collared Swift - Streptoprocne zonaris Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Vaux's Swift - Chaetura vauxi Hotel La Rosa de America 3/25/13
White-necked Jacobin - Florisuga mellivora Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Green Hermit - Phaethornis guy Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Green-fronted Lancebill - Doryfera ludovicae Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Green Violetear - Colibri thalassinus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Green Thorntail - Discosura conversii Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Green-crowned Brilliant - Heliodoxa jacula Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Magnificent Hummingbird - Eugenes fulgens Cerro de la Muerte 3/18/13
Fiery-throated Hummingbird - Panterpe insignis Cerro de la Muerte--Rest. La Georgina 3/20/13
White-bellied Mountain-gem - Lampornis hemileucus Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Purple-throated Mountain-gem - Lampornis calolaemus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
White-throated Mountain-gem - Lampornis castaneoventris Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Volcano Hummingbird - Selasphorus flammula Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Violet Sabrewing - Campylopterus hemileucurus Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer - Chalybura urochrysia Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Coppery-headed Emerald - Elvira cupreiceps Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - Amazilia tzacatl Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Cinnamon Hummingbird - Amazilia rutila Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Resplendent Quetzal - Pharomachrus mocinno Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Slaty-tailed Trogon - Trogon massena Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Black-headed Trogon - Trogon melanocephalus PN Carara 3/17/13
Gartered Trogon - Trogon caligatus Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Rufous Motmot - Baryphthengus martii Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Broad-billed Motmot - Electron platyrhynchum Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Eumomota superciliosa Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Ringed Kingfisher - Megaceryle torquata Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Amazon Kingfisher - Chloroceryle amazona Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Green Kingfisher - Chloroceryle americana Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Rufous-tailed Jacamar - Galbula ruficauda Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Red-headed Barbet - Eubucco bourcierii Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Emerald Toucanet - Aulacorhynchus prasinus San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Collared Aracari - Pteroglossus torquatus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Fiery-billed Aracari - Pteroglossus frantzii Cerro Lodge 3/18/13
Black-mandibled Toucan - Ramphastos ambiguus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Keel-billed Toucan - Ramphastos sulfuratus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Golden-naped Woodpecker - Melanerpes chrysauchen Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Black-cheeked Woodpecker - Melanerpes pucherani Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Hoffmann's Woodpecker - Melanerpes hoffmannii Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Smoky-brown Woodpecker - Picoides fumigatus Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus Cerro de la Muerte--Rest. La Georgina 3/20/13
Golden-olive Woodpecker - Colaptes rubiginosus Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Yellow-headed Caracara - Milvago chimachima Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Laughing Falcon - Herpetotheres cachinnans PN Carara 3/17/13
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Scarlet Macaw - Ara macao Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Barred Parakeet - Bolborhynchus lineola San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
White-crowned Parrot - Pionus senilis Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Red-lored Parrot - Amazona autumnalis Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Yellow-naped Parrot - Amazona auropalliata Cerro Lodge 3/18/13
Mealy Parrot - Amazona farinosa Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Black-crowned Antshrike - Thamnophilus atrinucha Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Black-hooded Antshrike - Thamnophilus bridgesi PN Carara 3/17/13
Dot-winged Antwren - Microrhopias quixensis PN Carara 3/17/13
Plain-brown Woodcreeper - Dendrocincla fuliginosa Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Streak-headed Woodcreeper - Lepidocolaptes souleyetii Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Ruddy Treerunner - Margarornis rubiginosus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Mountain Elaenia - Elaenia frantzii Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Torrent Tyrannulet - Serpophaga cinerea Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Common Tody-Flycatcher - Todirostrum cinereum Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Tufted Flycatcher - Mitrephanes phaeocercus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Ochraceous Pewee - Contopus ochraceus La Paz Waterfall Gardens 3/24/13
Black-capped Flycatcher - Empidonax atriceps Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Boat-billed Flycatcher - Megarynchus pitangua Road to Jaco 3/17/13
Social Flycatcher - Myiozetetes similis Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Gray-capped Flycatcher - Myiozetetes granadensis Tirimbina Rainforest Center 3/23/13
Streaked Flycatcher - Myiodynastes maculatus Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher - Myiodynastes luteiventris Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Piratic Flycatcher - Legatus leucophaius Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus Economy Rent a Car, Alajuela, CR 3/16/13
Snowy Cotinga - Carpodectes nitidus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
White-collared Manakin - Manacus candei Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Black-crowned Tityra - Tityra inquisitor Cerro Lodge 3/18/13
Masked Tityra - Tityra semifasciata Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Rose-throated Becard - Pachyramphus aglaiae PN Carara 3/17/13
Philadelphia Vireo - Vireo philadelphicus Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Yellow-green Vireo - Vireo flavoviridis Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Lesser Greenlet - Hylophilus decurtatus PN Carara 3/17/13
Brown Jay - Psilorhinus morio Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Blue-and-white Swallow - Pygochelidon cyanoleuca Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Southern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx ruficollis Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Gray-breasted Martin - Progne chalybea Road to Jaco-gulf of Nicoya 3/18/13
Mangrove Swallow - Tachycineta albilinea Carara--Puente Río  Tárcoles 3/17/13
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica PN Carara 3/17/13
Rufous-naped Wren - Campylorhynchus rufinucha Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Bay Wren - Cantorchilus nigricapillus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
White-breasted Wood-Wren - Henicorhina leucosticta Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren - Henicorhina leucophrys Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Tropical Gnatcatcher - Polioptila plumbea PN Carara 3/17/13
American Dipper - Cinclus mexicanus La Paz Waterfall Gardens 3/24/13
Black-faced Solitaire - Myadestes melanops Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush - Catharus gracilirostris Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush - Catharus frantzii San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Swainson's Thrush - Catharus ustulatus Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Sooty Thrush - Turdus nigrescens Road to Trogon 3/18/13
Mountain Thrush - Turdus plebejus San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
Clay-colored Thrush - Turdus grayi Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher - Ptilogonys caudatus Road to Trogon 3/18/13
Flame-throated Warbler - Oreothlypis gutturalis Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Blackburnian Warbler - Setophaga fusca Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Chestnut-sided Warbler - Setophaga pensylvanica PN Carara 3/17/13
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Setophaga caerulescens Cerro de la Muerte--Rest. La Georgina 3/20/13
Black-throated Green Warbler - Setophaga virens Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Black-cheeked Warbler - Basileuterus melanogenys Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Three-striped Warbler - Basileuterus tristriatus La Paz Waterfall Gardens 3/24/13
Buff-rumped Warbler - Myiothlypis fulvicauda Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Wilson's Warbler - Cardellina pusilla Cerro Lodge 3/18/13
Slate-throated Redstart - Myioborus miniatus La Paz Waterfall Gardens 3/24/13
Collared Redstart - Myioborus torquatus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
White-shouldered Tanager - Tachyphonus luctuosus Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Crimson-collared Tanager - Ramphocelus sanguinolentus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Passerini's Tanager - Ramphocelus passerinii Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Cherrie's Tanager - Ramphocelus costaricensis Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Blue-gray Tanager - Thraupis episcopus Economy Rent a Car, Alajuela, CR 3/16/13
Palm Tanager - Thraupis palmarum Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Golden-hooded Tanager - Tangara larvata Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Bay-headed Tanager - Tangara gyrola PN Carara 3/17/13
Silver-throated Tanager - Tangara icterocephala Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis - Dacnis venusta Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Red-legged Honeycreeper - Cyanerpes cyaneus Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Green Honeycreeper - Chlorophanes spiza Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Slaty Flowerpiercer - Diglossa plumbea Trogón Lodge 3/21/13
Variable Seedeater - Sporophila corvina Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
White-collared Seedeater - Sporophila torqueola Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivaceus Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Buff-throated Saltator - Saltator maximus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Black-headed Saltator - Saltator atriceps Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Yellow-thighed Finch - Pselliophorus tibialis Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Large-footed Finch - Pezopetes capitalis Trogón Lodge 3/20/13
Stripe-headed Sparrow - Peucaea ruficauda Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Rufous-collared Sparrow - Zonotrichia capensis Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Volcano Junco - Junco vulcani PN Los Quetzales--Cerro Buenavista communication towers 3/20/13
Common Chlorospingus - Chlorospingus flavopectus Chinchona--Mirador La Cascada 3/24/13
Sooty-capped Chlorospingus - Chlorospingus pileatus Trogón Lodge 3/19/13
Hepatic Tanager - Piranga flava Virgen del Socorro 3/24/13
Summer Tanager - Piranga rubra Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Flame-colored Tanager - Piranga bidentata Mirador Valle del General 3/18/13
Red-throated Ant-Tanager - Habia fuscicauda Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Black-faced Grosbeak - Caryothraustes poliogaster Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Blue Grosbeak - Passerina caerulea Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus Río Tarcoles--Boat Tour 3/17/13
Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna Cerro Road-2km from lodge 3/18/13
Melodious Blackbird - Dives dives Cerro Lodge 3/17/13
Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus Economy Rent a Car, Alajuela, CR 3/16/13
Giant Cowbird - Molothrus oryzivorus Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/23/13
Black-cowled Oriole - Icterus prosthemelas Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Yellow-billed Cacique - Amblycercus holosericeus Cerro de la Muerte--Rest. La Georgina 3/20/13
Montezuma Oropendola - Psarocolius montezuma Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Scrub Euphonia - Euphonia affinis Cerro Lodge 3/18/13
Yellow-crowned Euphonia - Euphonia luteicapilla Cerro Lodge 3/16/13
Olive-backed Euphonia - Euphonia gouldi Sarapiquí Eco-Observatory 3/22/13
Yellow-bellied Siskin - Spinus xanthogastrus San Gerardo de Dota - road 3/19/13
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus Economy Rent a Car, Alajuela, CR 3/16/13


THE END

...stay tuned to this blog for more birding/wildlife adventures!

   

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