Travel & Bird with the Bruders: 2016

I had the opportunity to join a birding trip to Cost Rica in February and March 2015 and spent two glorious weeks there with my wife and a great group of fellow birders. This trip was organized by Tom and Carol Sykes whom have led many other international trips that my wife has gone on, but this would be my first. I have to say that I had an incredible time and loved the entire trip. I clearly need to go on more of these international birding trips. We all met up in San Jose, at the hotel Bougainvillea after Risë and I had spent several days there relaxing and birding. Our three days alone there relaxing and birding were like the honeymoon we never had. What a great place to stay and relax while acclimating to the local climate.

Hotel Bougainvillea

Hotel Garden

Blue-crowned Motmot

Baltimore Oriole

Dean, Chris, Anita, Risë, Tom, Missy, John, Larry and Carol D.

Masked Tityra

After breakfast we headed out to bird the neighborhood around the hotel and then loaded up on the bus and moved down the road to the Savegre Mountain Hotel, Natural Reserve, and Spa. Our guide for the trip was Richard Garrigues. Richard is one of the preeminent birding guides in Costa Rica, with more than twenty-seven years' experience leading birding and natural history tours. He is the author of The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide, first and second editions, illustrated by Robert Dean, and Photo Guide to Birds of Costa Rica, both from Cornell.

Our guide Richard Garrigues

This trip would take us on a big loop around the country allowing us to bird several different ecocultures all in a few days. It was amazing to see so many new things and hear some of the history of the local area and Costa Rica in general from Richard as we drove. Richard is so much more than just a great birder and guide. He made this trip an awesome adventure to remember.

Map of our route

Our first stop was at a small restaurant called Miriam's Quetzals in the San Gerardo de Dota Valley, just 5 miles from Los Quetzales National Park. This spot is right on the way to Savegre Mountain Hotel, Natural Reserve, and Spa and was just a fantastic place to see the topography and birds of the area. In fact, there were so many different species of birds it was hard to see them all and we were jumping around moving back and forth to make sure we saw every bird that was there.

Miriam's Restaurant and birding stop

Yellow-thighed Finch

Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher

Large-footed Finch

We next headed on down the road to our hotel, which was set in a picturesque valley along the Savegre River. Right from the start I could tell it would be great as we waited for our keys and saw several species of humming birds flying around the main office. As a newbee to Costa Rica, I was a bit excited and wanted to jump right into birding and bombarded my wife with way too many questions. She assured me they would all be answered later.

Savegre Mountain Hotel

Feeder at the front office

Missy, Dean, Risë, Richard and Chris watching the Quetzal

The Resplendent Quetzal

Our room was just a short walk away from the Main office and restaurant and was in a wonderful spot. We had a hummingbird nest in the bushes to the right of our room and the Nightingale Thrushes kept walking past the front door while I was sitting on the bench outside. It was just a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. Our cabin was the last one on the front right.

Our cabin

The dining room full of great food

Magnificent Hummingbird

We covered a wide variety of terrain from streams to the top of the mountain and everything in between. And everywhere we went there were new birds to view and capture in digits. After a thorough day of birding it was great to get back to the restaurant for a great meal. There is always fresh trout in some form on the menu from the hotels fish farm.

Female Purple-throated Mountain-gem

Male White-throated Mountain-gem

Flame-throated Warbler

Collared Redstart

Stream feeding the Savegre River

Road to the top of the mountain at Savegre

Enroute to our next hotel we crossed over the highest point in the country and looked for some of the local species that included the Volcano Junco, Volcano Hummingbird and Timberline Wren.

Pause for a group shot on the highest peak

At the top of Costa Rica looking at the Pacific Ocean

A quick stop for hummingbirds and snacks

Turquoise Cotinga

Barred Antshrike

Common Black-Hawk

Next we were off to the Pacific coast and the Villa Lapas hotel. This hotel is situated along a beautiful river and very close to Carrara National Park. The hotel grounds are full of birds and a walk outside your room can yield Spectacled Owls, Brown Jays, Common Tody-Flycatchers, Rufous-naped Wrens, Orange-billed Sparrows and many more.

Rooms at the Villa Lapas hotel

One of the cooks preparing lunch

Open air dining room

Spectacled Owl outside our room

Black-mandibled Toucan

Map of the park

Scarlet Macaw

Baird's Trogon

Pale-billed Woodpecker

Collared Aracari

The Crocodile bridge

Our hotel room

Carara National Park

The Tarcoles River trip

American Pigmy Kingfisher

Cinnamon Becard

Red-capped Manikin

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean

The pier at La Ensenada

From Villa Lapas and Carara NP we headed north west to La Ensenada Lodge in Manzanillo on the Gulf of Nicoya. The Pacific coastal area was much drier than I expected it to be. I guess I need to read more about the places I am visiting. The meals are served family style in a covered outdoor dining room, accompanied by several large jays, so watch your plate! The food was very good and gives you a real taste of local Costa Rican cuisine. Rooms are basic cabins made of lovely wood. No AC, but lots of fans.

La Encenada Lodge cabinas

Our Cabin

White-throated Magpie-Jay

Double-striped Thick-knee

Turquoise-browed Motmot

Sleepy Pacific Screech-Owls

Risë & John

Black-headed Trogon (male)

Spot-breasted Oriole

Lesser ground Cuckoo

Magnificent Frigatebird at night

After warming up on the coast we headed into the rain forest area of Arenal Volcano and a stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and Spa, near the busy tourist town of La Fortuna. This is the only Arenal hotel located within the Arenal Volcano National Park and has 870 acres of property to explore, including 270 acres of natural primary rainforest with rivers and waterfalls, 400 acres of reforested land and tropical gardens, and 200 acres of pastureland.

Arenal volcano from the lodge, file picture used due to clouds

Arenal observatory lodge deck

Great Curassow

Red-eyed Leaf frog

Black-mandibled toucan

Close to 900 species of birds can be found in Costa Rica, and more than 400 kinds of birds have been spotted around Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa. Well–marked, well-maintained trails through primary and secondary rainforest, open pastureland, and hardened lava flows offer numerous habitats and birding opportunities. Some of the more spectacular local residents include: Three-wattled Bellbirds, Fasciated Tiger-Herons, Sunbitterns, Laughing Falcons, Red-lored Parrots, Great Curassows, Northern Jacanas, Steely-vented Hummingbirds and Keel-billed Toucans.

Montezuma Oropendolas feasting in the morning

Our group and Carlos, our super driver

Green Honeycreeper (female)

The observatory dining hall

Yellow-throated Euphonia

Broad-billed Motmot

Red-legged Honeycreeper

From Arenal we headed off for the more jungle-like area of Le Selva Biological Station. La Selva Biological Station (Estacion Biologica La Selva) was originally created for scientific purposes in 1954. Since then it has been converted into a leading research center for Costa Rican ecology and has been opened to the public. Providing some of the most immaculate primary tropical rainforest available, the well-kept trail system extends over 31 miles and provides visitors the opportunity of exploring La Selva with a knowledgeable guide.

Welcome to La Selva

Slaty-tailed Trogon (male)

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog or Blue Jeans Poison Dart Frog

Chestnut-colored Woodpecker

Our rooms

Boat-billed Heron

Pale-billed Woodpecker

Grayish Saltator

Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer

More of La Selva

Our room

Sun Bittern

We ended our trip at the Hotel Buena Vista located in the lush mountains of Alajuela with incredible views of the volcanoes Poas, Barva and Irazú, the central valley, tropical forest and coffee plantations. It has a lovely garden, although somewhat small compared to the Hotel Bougainvillea, and a beautiful view of the city.