Bob Barnes & Associates presents winter Costa Rica Birding Adventures

Costa Rican Tour Organizer & Chauffer: Alberto Vargas, Vitratur, Heredia, Costa Rica
Primary Naturalist & Guide: Gerardo Vega, Puerto Viejo de Sarapaqui, Costa Rica
Assistant Leader: Les Chibana, BirdNUTZ, Mountain View, Hawaii, USA

DAY 1 – Friday, 16 February 07.

The tour will officially start this evening with pick-up by your tour leaders at Juan Santa Maria International Airport, Alajuela. You will be taken to Hotel Buena Vista in the hills of the Pacific slope above Alajuela, fifteen to twenty minutes from JS Airport.
NIGHT: Hotel Buena Vista

DAY 2 - Saturday. 17 February 07

Early birders may observe Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Blue-crowned Motmot, Blue-and-white Swallow, and Clay-colored Robin (Costa Rica’s National Bird) during first light on the grounds at Hotel Buena Vista.

About 7:30am, after early breakfast, we will depart the hotel for the ninety minute drive north to La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park on the Caribbean slope. We will spend several hours here birding the hummingbird garden, numerous fruit feeders, and the magnificent rainforest, punctuated by five of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Of course, time will be allowed for lunch at the first rate restaurant on site and for visiting the orchid houses and one of the world’s largest butterfly observatories.

The hummingbird garden has attracted 23 of the 57 species of hummingbirds found in Costa Rica. We will almost surely find more species of hummingbirds here and more information about hummingbirds than at any other known location in Costa Rica. We may observe 10-15 species, some within a matter of inches, including Coppery-headed Emerald (endemic to Costa Rica) and essentially endemic Black-bellied Hummingbird, White-bellied Mountain Gem, and Magenta-throated Woodstar. Have your cameras ready.

The flower gardens, fruit feeders, rainforest, and trails may provide lingering views of essentially endemic species including Black Guan, Prong-billed Barbet, Ochraceous Wren, Slaty Flowerpiercer, and Yellow-thighed Finch. A wonderful combination of woodpeckers, woodcreepers, euphonias, and tanagers will likely be present, too.

After our visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens comes to an end, we will descend a very few more kilometers to the north to an indoor mirador (overlook) in the community of Cinchona. Brown Violet-ear, Green Thorntail, Coppery-headed Emerald, Red-headed Barbet, Emerald Toucanet, Silver-throated Tanager, and Montezuma Oropendola are among the species that may be seen here.

From Cinchona, we will proceed north then east downhill to La Quinta Country Inn, located on the Caribbean coastal plain, in time to check-in to the lodge, get in a bit more birding, and have dinner.
NIGHT: La Quinta Country Inn

Note: If the weather is cooperative, we will first stop at Volcan Paos National Park to spend an hour or two, making the short walk to the volcano’s crater and exploring this park’s high elevation, Pacific/Caribbean divide habitat.

DAY 3 – Sunday. 18 February 07

We will spend two full days and one half day in the species rich area around Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Gerardo Vega’s lifelong hometown. La Selva, La Tirimbina Preserve, La Quinta, and the Rio Sarapiqui will be our destinations, the latter explored on a boat trip. The number of bird species found in this area is staggering. The local La Selva/Lower Braulio Carrillo National Park Christmas Bird Count averages 350 species per count. Among the essentially endemic species we may see are the Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Lattice-tailed Trogon, Striped-breasted Wren, and Black-throated Wren. We are also hopeful of seeing species including Crested Guan, Sunbittern, Broad-billed Motmot, White-necked Puffbird, Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan, Dusky Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Snowy Cotinga, White-collared Manakin, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Olive-backed Euphonia, Black-striped Sparrow, Black-faced Grosbeak, Black-cowled Oriole, and Yellow-tailed Oriole, in addition to numerous species from among pigeons & doves, parrots, hummingbirds, toucans, woodpeckers, woodcreepers, antshrikes, flycatchers, wrens, warblers, and tanagers. Note: All meals will be at La Quinta Country Inn.
NIGHT: La Quinta Country Inn

DAY 4 – Monday, 19 February 07
See Sunday, 18 February.
NIGHT: La Quinta Country Inn

DAY 5 – Tuesday, 20 February 07
We will spend one final morning at one of our prime birding destinations in the Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui area (see Sunday, 14 January). After lunch at La Quinta Country Inn, we will make the short drive southwest to Bosque de Paz Rain/Cloud Forest Lodge & Ecological Reserve, arriving mid to late afternoon. Bosque de Paz lies near the top of the draw separating Poas Volcano National Park and Juan Castro Blanco National Park, just west of the village of Bajos del Toro Amarillo. More than 330 species of birds have been recorded here since July 1997. The rest of the afternoon will be spent relaxing and enjoying the hummingbird and fruit feeders, flower gardens and grounds, and butterfly garden at Bosque de Paz. Perhaps the essentially endemic Bare-shanked Screech-Owl will be found shortly after dark descends. Dinner will be at Bosque de Paz.
NIGHT: Bosque de Paz

DAY 6 – Wednesday, 21 February 07
The entire day will be spent on the grounds and trails at Bosque de Paz. Essentially endemic species we will look for include Black Guan, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Magenta-throated Woodstar, Orange-bellied Trogon, Prong-billed Barbet, Dark Pewee, Black-faced Solitaire, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Black-and-Yellow Silky Fycatcher, Yellow-winged Vireo, Flame-throated Warbler, Blue-crowned (Golden-browed) Chlorophonia, Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager, Black-thighed Grosbeak, Peg-billed Finch, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Large-footed Finch, and Yellow-thighed Finch. If we are very lucky, we might also see the essentially endemic Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, and/or Wrenthrush (Zeledonia). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be at Bosque de Paz.
NIGHT: Bosque de Paz

DAY 7 – Thursday, 22 February 07
After breakfast, morning birding, and lunch at Bosque de Paz, we will drive north then west to Hotel Lomas del Volcan on the lower slope of Arenal Volcano, arriving mid-afternoon. The afternoon may be spent independently birding the grounds of the hotel or lounging around in your cabin, and/or at the new swimming pool and Jacuzzi complex. Another option is go with your leaders on a late afternoon, before dinner walk, down the one kilometer long, hotel entrance road to just short of the main highway. Alberto will meet us there with his bus to carry us back up the hill to the hotel grounds. Dinner will be at Hotel Lomas del Volcan.
NIGHT: Hotel Lomas del Volcan

DAY 8 – Friday, 23 February 07
After an early breakfast at Hotel Lomas del Volcan, we will head for a full morning of birding the road leading to Arenal Observatory Lodge. Once we reach the lodge, we will check out the fruit feeders, have lunch, and walk the grounds and trails. Coppery-headed Emerald, White-bellied Mountain-gem, Lattice-tailed Trogon, Orange-bellied Trogon, and Sooty-faced Finch are essentially endemic species that may be found here. Prior trips to this area have provided sightings of Great Curassow, White-necked Jacobin, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Black-crested Coquette, Slaty-capped Flycacher, Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Three-wattled Bellbird, White-ruffed Manakin, Nightengale Wren, Emerald Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Black-headed Saltator, and Yellow-billed Cacique. A bonus is the fact that the views from Arenal Observatory Lodge’s observation platforms are breathtaking, especially if the skies atop Arenal Volcano are clear. Late afternoon we will return to our hotel. Dinner will be at Hotel Lomas del Volcan.
NIGHT: Hotel Lomas del Volcan

DAY 9 – Saturday, 24 February 07
After breakfast and bus loading, we will drive to start of the first stretch of dirt road leading along the southeast shore of Arenal Lake from its dam. We will bird here until mid-morning. Species found here on prior trips include Rufous Motmot, Keel-billed Motmot, Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Slaty Spinetail, Great Antshrike, and Long-tailed Tyrant. We will then drive along the north and west shores of Lake Arenal and on to La Ensenada Lodge on the Gulf of Nicoya southeast of Colorado. We will stop for lunch in the town of Tilaran and search carefully from the bus for Double-striped Thick Knee between Colorado and La Ensenada. At La Ensenada there will be an optional late afternoon bird walk followed by dinner.
NIGHT: La Ensenada Lodge

Day 10 – Sunday, 25 February 07
We will spend this day and the following morning on the grounds of La Ensenada, a National Wildlife Refuge, private ranch, and lodge in one. Double-striped Thick Knee, Spotted-bellied Bobwhite, Yellow-naped Parrot, White-fronted Parrot, Orange-fronted Parrakeet, Pacific Screech-Owl, Mangrove Hummingbird, Panama Flycatcher, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Long-tailed Manakin, Nutting’s Flycatcher, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Rufous-naped Wren, Banded Wren, White-throated Magpie Jay, Mangrove Vireo, White-lored Gnatcatcher, Spotted-breasted Oriole, Streaked-back Oriole, Scrub Euphonia, Stripe-headed Sparrow, and Olive Sparrow are among the species we are hopeful of encountering. With extra luck, we might come upon Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Lesser Ground Cuckoo, Mangrove Hummingbird (endemic to Costa Rica), or Scrub Flycatcher. La Ensenada has been an excellent location for seeing howler monkeys well. Included is a boat trip from La Ensenada’s dock exploring the edge of the mangrove swamps bordering the Gulf of Nicoya and the first few kilometers of a river nearby. Target species for the boat trip include Boat-billed Heron, Sandwich Tern, and kingfishers. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be at La Ensenada Lodge.
NIGHT: La Ensenada Lodge

DAY 11 – Monday, 26 February 07
After a last morning of birding at La Ensenada, we will drive southeast to Villa Lapas a few kilometers south of the mouth of the Rio Grande de Tarcoles. On the way, we will make a brief stop in Orotina to stretch our legs and check out the park in the center of town for birds and sloths. We will conclude our day with late afternoon birding at Villa Lapas. Breakfast and lunch will be at La Ensenada. Dinner will be at Villa Lapas.
NIGHT: Villa Lapas

DAY 12 – Tuesday, 27 February 07.
Today, tomorrow, and part of a third morning, we will spend exploring Carara National Park, the Tarcoles area, and Villa Lapas. Like the Rio Sarapiqui region on Costa Rica’s Caribbean side, the area centered on Carara National Park is famous for its diversity of bird species, including the Scarlet Macaw. This is where the Pacific Coast avifauna of the dry northwest meets that of the wet southwest. Among dozens and dozens of other species found here, we are also hopeful of seeing some of the essentially endemic species known to be here including Baird’s Trogon, Fiery-billed Aracari, Golden-naped Woodepcker, Black-hooded Antshrike, Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Riverside Wren, and Black-bellied Wren. A Rio Tarcoles boat trip is included, offering yet another chance for herons, egrets, shorebirds, kingfishers, and the very elusive and endemic Mangrove Hummingbird. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be at Villa Lapas.
NIGHT: Villa Lapas

DAY 13 – Wednesday, 28 February 07
See Tuesday, 27 February.
NIGHT: Villa Lapas

DAY 14 – Thursday, 1 March 07
Shortly after early morning birding and breakfast on the grounds of Villa Lapas, we will head out aiming to pass through San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica, between the morning and afternoon rush hours. We will stop for lunch in or near Cartago before heading south on the Pan American Highway to the road leading westward down the Savegre River watershed to the grounds of Trogon Lodge in the region known as San Gerardo de Dota. This afternoon, the next two days, and part of the third morning, we will bird this high elevation area of Costa Rica located in the Talamanca Mountain Range. We call this area Quetzal City, as it has proven to be the best location in Costa Rica for us to see the Resplendent Quetzal up close and personal.. We will look for one of four Costa Rica endemic bird species, the Gray-tailed Mountain-gem, which has been easy to see at the hummingbird feeders on the hotel grounds. Essentially endemic species we are hopeful of finding during our stay include Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Scintillant Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, Black-capped Flycatcher, Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin, Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher, and Volcano Junco. If our luck is full-blown, we might also see essentially endemic Silvery-throated Jay as well. Finally, we have our final opportunity to see species we might have first encountered at Poas Volcano or Bosque de Paz including Black Guan, Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Dark Pewee, Black-faced Solitaire, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Black-and-Yellow Silky Flycatcher, Yellow-winged Vireo, Flame-throated Warbler, Wrenthrush (Zeledonia), Blue-crowned (Golden-browed) Chlorophonia, Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager, Black-thighed Grosbeak, Peg-billed Finch, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Large-footed Finch, and Yellow-thighed Finch. Dinner will be at Trogon Lodge.
NIGHT: Trogon Lodge

DAY 15, Friday, 2 March 07
See Thursday, 1 March.
Breakfast and dinner will be at Trogon Lodge. Lunch will be at Cabinas Chacon or Trogon Lodge.
NIGHT: Trogon Lodge

DAY 16 – Saturday, 3 March 07
See Thursday, 1 March.
Breakfast and dinner will be at Trogon Lodge. Lunch will be at Cabinas Chacon or Trogon Lodge.
NIGHT: Trogon Lodge

DAY 17 – Sunday, 4 March 07
After early breakfast at Trogon Lodge, we will head up to Cerro de La Muerte to search for species associated with the high elevation paramo habitat. Our two target species are Timberline Wren and Volcano Junco. Other species that have been seen here in the past include Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Silvery-throated Jay, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Sooty Robin, Black-and-Yellow Silky Flycatcher, Wrenthrush (Zeledonia), and Peg-billed Finch. Mid-morning, we will head back to the Hotel Buena Vista in the hills above the Central Valley. We will stop for lunch along the way near Cartago. We expect to arrive at the hotel mid to late afternoon. Dinner will be at Hotel Buena Vista.
NIGHT: Hotel Buena Vista

DAY 18 – Monday, 5 March 07
After breakfast at Hotel Buena Vista, tour leaders transport participants from Hotel Buena Vista to JS Airport for departure.

DEADLINE for sign-up and payment is January 15, 2007.

LEADERS: Les Chibana, Alberto Vargas, Gerardo Vega

COSTA RICA MARCH 31-APRIL 8, 2007 TRIP COST:
Here is the PER PERSON COST, followed by what is covered. NOTE: There is a $460 price break per person once there are ten participants because Alberto and I get a similar price break at 10 participants that we are passing on to participants.

6-9 participants - $4600 per person
10-14 participants - $4140 per person
Trip Limit: 13 participants, plus Les Chibana, Alberto Vargas, and Gerardo Vega

WHAT THE COSTS COVER:

Alberto Vargas driving, & leadership
Les Chibana leadership
Gerardo Vega leadership
16 days + 2 partial days transportation (gas, etc.)
16 days of snacks and water away from lodgings
Fr, 16 Feb 07 Juan Santamaria Airport pick-up & transfer to Hotel Buena Vista
1 night's lodging & breakfast at Hotel Buena Vista - www.hotelbuenavistacr.com
Volcan Poas National Park entrance fees
La Paz Waterfall Gardens entrance fees & lunch
3 nights' lodging & 9 meals at La Quinta Country Inn - www.laquintasarapiqui.com
La Selva entrance fees
La Tirimbina entrance fees
Rio Sarapiqui boat trip fees (2 hours)
2 nights' lodging & 6 meals at Bosque de Paz - www.bosquedepaz.com
2 nights' lodging & 4 meals at Hotel Lomas del Volcan - www.lomasdelvolcan.com
Arenal Observatory Lodge ground entrance fees & lunch
Lunch in Tilaran
2 nights' lodging & 6 meals at La Ensenada - www.crtinfo.com/ensenada_lodge.htm
Gulf of Nicoya boat ride fees (2 hours)
3 nights' lodging & 8 meals at Villa Lapas - www.villalapas.com
2 days of Carara National Park entrance fees
Rio Tarcoles boat trip fees (2 hours)
Lunch in/near Cartago
3 nights' lodging & 8 meals at Trogon Lodge - www.costaricabureau.com/talamanca/trogon.htm
Resplendent Quetzal property visit fee
Savegre owling guide service
Lunch in/near Cartago
Last night dinner
2nd night's lodging & breakfast at Hotel Buena Vista
Mo, 5 Mar 07 transfer from Hotel Buena Vista to JS Airport

WHAT IS NOT COVERED:

Round trip airfare - U.S. to Costa Rica to U.S.
Tips
$26.00 Juan Santamaria Airport departure fee at end of trip
Personal expenses throughout trip (e.g.: laundry service, postcards)

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email Bob Barnes, or snail mail: P.0. Box 953, Weldon, CA 93283.

NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, this itinerary may be changed slightly and a final, completely correct itinerary will be provided before the actual trip, along with an information packet, questionnaire, and a species checklist.

Bob Barnes & Associates • PO Box 953, Weldon, CA 93283 • E-mail: Bob Barnes

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This page was last updated on Saturday, August 25, 2007