Thursday, April 24, 2025

Birding in Costa Rica - Part 11

15 January, 2025 
Natural Lodge Caño Negro - Entrada Los Chiles - Cinchona - Bougainvillea Hotel
     
     Caño Negro had delivered for us in fine fashion, but it was time to move on. Our time in Costa Rica was drawing to a close; there were still more birds to see, however!
     Before leaving the lodge we managed to spot a few familiar species. 
     A Black-striped Sparrow (Arremonops coniristris) was partially hidden, initially.....


      ..... but then popped up to please his human admirers!


     Blue-grey Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) was one of the most frequently seen species.


     Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) was amazingly common, so as barely to garner a passing glance, but oh how thrilled we would be to see one today.


     Our stop at Entrada Los Chiles (El Parque) was very productive and we were greeted by a Cinnamon-bellied Saltator (Saltator grandis) feeding on fruit.


     A male Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea) was no less shy to take advantage of the avian buffet.


     A female was conveniently on the ground nearby.


     A female Scarlet-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) gave us a pretty good dorsal view.


     And here is a more conventional view.


     
     A Buff-throated Saltator (Saltator maximus), like his Cinnamon-bellied cousin, was quick to claim a share of the fruit.



     A Clay-coloured Thrush (Turdus grayi) is the national bird of Costa Rica, after all, and deserves its place in the sun.


     It reminds me of some people I know, not flashy, but always reliable.
     Who could fail to be enchanted by a Black-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani)?


     Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) always reminded us of home; indeed, it will not be long before they start to show up at our backyard feeders.


     We have grape jelly and oranges ready for their arrival. No one goes hungry!
     A Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus) is a sensational little bird.


     Here it is sharing a banana with a Blue-grey Tanager.


     We moved on, and from time to time had to share the road.


     A Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) paid little heed to the cattle, no doubt concentrating more on the grasshoppers and other insects stirred up by pounding hooves.


     We were in an area of grassland, very much to the liking of various seed eaters, and we were not disappointed with good numbers of individuals and species.
     The bill of a Nicaraguan Seed-finch (Sporophila nuttingi) is really quite arresting.




     A White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) was a pleasing addition to our morning.


     A female Variable Seedeater (Sporophila corvina) was present too.


     Grey-breasted Martins (Progne chalybea) were like laser-guided missiles picking off aerial insects, but  two birds perched on a wire for a few seconds.



     Thick-billed Seed Finch (Sporophila funerea) added to the very agreeable challenge of identifying grassland species.


     There is no confusion about a Greater Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus).




     Red-headed Paper Wasp (Polistes erythrocephalus) is apparently common to abundant in Costa Rica, but we did not see them often. 


     This is an insect that it best left alone to go about its business; its sting rates 3/5 (intense) on the Schmidt Pain Index.
     In addition to grassy fields, we were in an area of flooded land, creating perfect habitat for wetland species.


    The number of juvenile Northern Jacanas (Jacana spinosa) was astonishing.


     As might be expected herons were very much in evidence.

Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)

Tricoloured Heron (Egretta tricolor)

     The highlight from this stop was, without a doubt, clear looks at a White-throated Crake (Laterallus albigularis).


     This is a tiny bird (14-16cm), normally staying within cover and difficult to see. We were fortunate to see it so well and it was a "lifer" for most people.
     Our attention was so rivetted on the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) seen below that we didn't notice the Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) at the time and only became aware of it when editing the picture.


     Domestic horses came for a drink.


     A Zebu bull is an impressive animal.


     I am struck by the confiding nature of American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) in Cuba and Costa Rica, in sharp contrast to the skittish nature of this species at home.


     We stopped along the road to look at a Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus), a curious mammal, and the object of everyone's delight.


     In addition to the algae in their fur, clearly visible above, B. variegatus lives commensally with sloth moths, including Cryptoses choloepi, which live in the sloth's fur and lay eggs in the dung.
     I know that Victoria and Carlos disagreed as to the life cycle of the moth, but I believe that Victoria expressed the process as herein described so it appears that this is vindication for her.


     To support this conclusion I consulted the following, all of which support the life cycle of sloth moths as enunciated above, beginning with eggs laid in dung.

Waage, J.K and Montgomery, G.G. (1976), "Cryptoses choloepi: a coprophagous moth that lives on a Sloth. Science 1933 (4248)
Wainwright, Mark (2007), The Mammals of Costa Rica
Reid, Fiona A., Leenders, Twan, Zook, Jim and Dean, Robert (2010), The Wildlife of Costa Rica
   
     It started to rain and we clambered quickly onto the bus to head off to Soda Cinchona where we would have lunch and (surprise!) look at more birds.
     I was glad not to be the driver under these conditions.



     Upon arrival we were greeted almost instantly by several Blue-throated Toucanets (Aulacorhynchus prasinus caeruleogularis), the equivalent of a royal welcome for us.




      Conditions for birding were far from ideal, but we did the best we could.


     After all, we can't change the weather, nor can we blame anyone for it.
     The waterfall looked quite splendid through the mist.


      A Crimson-collared Tanager (Ramphocelus sanguinolentus) shared a banana with a Silver-throated Tanager.


         Indulge me while I add another picture of a Blue-throated Toucanet.


     The rain did little to deter hungry birds, anxious to gobble up their share of the smorgasbord laid out for them.


     Stoicism was the order of the day for a Baltimore Oriole.


     A Blue-grey Tanager was handsome, as always, basking in its cerulean splendour.


     It was exciting to share the day with a couple of Green-crowned Brilliants (Heliodoxa jacula).


     Here is a very poor picture of a Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus).


     Reliable as ever, a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird joined the party too.


     When it was time to leave the sun was doing its best to poke through the gloom and a rainbow was our reward.


     How would you like to be a lineman working on this tangle?


     By late afternoon we reached the Bougainvillea Hotel, that oasis of splendid calm in a troubled world.


     And yet another rainbow greeted us.


     It was time to go for dinner.






David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

55 comments:

  1. Your reports, besides being filled with beautiful photographs, are even more interesting because of the number of birds I've never seen before.
    The rainy photos make them even more beautiful. The waterfall photo is stunning, as are the rufous-tailed hummingbirds and rainbows.
    Gracias David, un abrazo

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  2. I have a new favorite bird today, David. It's called the Blue-grey Tanager. It's very pretty.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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    1. I was sure you would like the blue ones, Marit.

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  3. Wonderful collection of photos. I especially liked that long neck on the Bare-throated Tiger Heron

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  4. Hari OM
    Oh my word... just stunning! For me, the pause and breath bird today was that darling little Crake... but hey, to see any of these beauties is to bless the eye! YAM xx

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    1. The crake was extra special because it’s so hard to find.

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  5. ...when I see a post like this, I wonder how Noah got all of them on the ArK?

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    1. Ask a MAGA hat - he or she will have a solution for you.

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  6. They are absolutely beautiful! I would be bird happy if I ever get to see some of them.

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  7. What a wide assortment of colorful birds you have presented, David. Glad you and your group had such good sightings before the weather turned quite nasty.

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  8. Ohhh all of these birds are so pretty. You are always sharing the best of nature with us.

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  9. Any day with a rainbow is a good day. Thank you so much for this post. I do love my vicarious travels with you.

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  10. So many colourful birds, amazing just to see and look at them. My favourite is the group that is sharing the banana, what a fantastic photo that is.

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  11. Such colourful birds. It must be so exciting to see so many at a time. The blue coloured birds are a favourite but the green Brilliant is close behind.

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  12. So many wonderful pictures - thank you for sharing them. I especially loved the euphonia and the honeycreeper.

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  13. I can see why you love Costa Rica. Wow, so many gorgeous birds. And that rain is crazy, but between the rainbow and the waterfall you saw some other beautiful sights too. What a fantastic trip you had. I think I need to visit sometime not with a group that has a specific purpose and go to see the sights. Thanks for sharing David. hugs-Erika

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  14. The birds are colorful and impressive as are your photos!I love the Blue-throated Toucanets and that rainbow is probably the most bold I've seen ( I usually see much lighter colors)

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  15. Hi David,
    Fantastic birds and all beautifully captured! I will never be able to see them, so I and glad to see them in your post! This was travelswithbirds pur sang! A stunning birding tour.
    Hugs from the Netherlands,
    Maria

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  16. What a great series of photos David.
    So many beautiful species that we never see here, not even in a zoo.
    The waterfall is really beautiful, we don't see that in the Netherlands either because our country is flat there are no mountains, there are some hills in the south of the country but that is nothing in terms of height.
    I wish you a good weekend.
    Greetings Irma

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  17. Some wonderful birds and creatures there David. Shame is rained but still you managed to delight.

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  18. Gorgeous birds. I like the Nicaraguan seed-finch. The toucanet seems to have liked sitting in the rain. :D Also, nice waterfall and the rainbows. Why is Costa Rica so beautiful?

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    1. It’s a rhetorical question, I know, but there is a sense of pride in the minds of Costa Ricans (there are always exceptions, of course) and the country exercises good environmental care. Massive tree planting is underway and other measures designed at remediation.

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  19. Ah, that beautiful rain. Not great for birding, I know, but creates such a wonderful atmosphere--and you get rainbows! :-) Fun to see the sloth. As always I enjoyed looking ath the beautiful bird photos. Have a great weekend and I hope the Baltimore Orioles arrive at you feeders soon.

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  20. A wonderful collection of photos and unusual birds. Many of them I see for the first time in your photos. Thank you very much for allowing me to look at them and admire them. Rainy weather is what I really dislike when traveling. Have a nice and happy weekend.

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  21. So many images to love but that yellow throated Euphonia and the orioles are getting to me today. I guess I'm just a springtime yellow woman!

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  22. Wow, Wow, and WOW!! So many different birds, and so many different colors. Your travels always intrigue me. That wasp looks treacherous...I would certainly stay away from it. That's some heavy duty rain to drive through. Can't see your hand in front of your face. Great waterfall picture, and your rainbows! I understand and share your meme's Elbow's and buy Canadian. Each and everyday, I read the news and shake my head. He's destroying so much. Truly it's frightening. What I especially don't understand about his followers/cult is how they can't see how much this all resembles Nazi Germany.
    Sandy's Space

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    1. There is a great deal of resemblance to Nazi Germany. I think Al Gore put it well.

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  23. Oh my goodness, what birds. Colorful and beautiful.

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  24. The colours of many of the birds is so incredible. Almost all of the colours of the rainbow.

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  25. I have been totally shocked at how many of the products I buy each week come from Canada. I check every thing I buy . About the beautiful wasp photo, could you please ask the trump if you can get a pass to come and remove the huge next on the front porch? the man that always just knocks the nest down can't walk, and I am not going anywhere near it

    LOVE the bills on the seed finch and the grooved bill are my favorites because of the oh so interesting bills.
    I want the sloth. wow is he cute. cows/horses have always been my thing, I love 4 leg critters like you love birds.. I saw the reddest cardinal on our walk today that I have ever seen, it was brilliant solid red from head to toes.

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  26. Another glorious adventure. This time there were many birds I did not recognize.
    Loved the description 'not flashy but reliable'.
    Mr. and Mrs. Finch were back at the watering hole;)
    Have a grand weekend, David.

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  27. The Sloth could have benefitted from the downpour although I fear that soap and a brush would also be required.
    Beautiful birds...great colors.. And of course the accompanying dialogue is the icing on the cake. Thanks for sharing David.

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    1. It is active, healthy algae, Missy, that has a commensal relationship with the sloth. Rainfall would not wash it away, nor would the sloth wish it to if it could voice an opinion. The thought of using soap and a brush to align with human standards fills me with dread.

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  28. A wonderful selection of birds and I have to say I am not a fan of a wasp...of any variety.

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  29. What a stunning tour, dear Professor! you instill so much enthusiasm and love for nature in me. You have a special sensitivity for capturing the beauty of each species, from the most common to the most elusive. They are absolutely beautiful, i don't have enough adjectives for these images! it´s been an unforgettable trip.
    Best regards, and have a great weekend!

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  30. Such colorful birds! My favorite is the Red-legged Honeycreeper.

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  31. Kiitos David, kun olen saanut olla fantastisella matkallanne Costa Ricassa!

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  32. The foatbo bird buffet is a good trap. Heavy rain!

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  33. Great photos. Loving all the birds. That wasp looks pretty big and I like it. That rain looks bad for driving in for sure. We get heavy showers like that and if I am out driving in it I always take it easy. And who doesn't like a rainbow? Gorgeous :-D

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  34. I really like the black headed woodpecker💖But all the birds are wonderful.I could do days just looking.What do you prfer of all the birds David?So wonderful holiday.I wish I could visit.So may prettty pictures ..You should enlarge some of them.Or have them in a book.Davis birdwatching 💖

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  35. I really like the black headed woodpecker💖But all the birds are wonderful.I could do days just looking.What do you prfer of all the birds David?So wonderful holiday.I wish I could visit.So may prettty pictures ..You should enlarge some of them.Or have them in a book.Davis birdwatching 💖

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    1. It's almost impossible to pick a favourite bird. Usually it's the one I am looking at right now!

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  36. Wow, David, your photos are absolutely gorgeous! I really appreciate what you share here and am always happy to see your posts and all you share. Thank you so much! And I love the Canadian logos, too!

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  37. I am trying hard to keep up but not doing very well. Another beautiful post with such stunning birds. Love the sloth :-) Bisous mon ami. Have a good Sunday, Diane.

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  38. I so much enjoy traveling in Costa Rica with you, David. The variety of birds is astonishing and I love them all. How wonderful it must be to see them for real and not just on a computer screen. Well, I keep to my backyard birds for now, they are quite entertaining. Thank you for taking us along. Big hugs - Carola

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  39. Great post David, so many wonderful photographs.
    I've never seen (or heard) of a Tiger Heron, and the many birds you featured have such amazing colour.
    That rain really did come down! However, the waterfall and rainbow were very nice to see.
    Thank you for a truly enjoyable post.

    All the best Jan

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  40. Hello David :)
    I am constantly amazed by all the colourful birds of Cuba. The photo of the colourful group of birds eating the banana is a stunning capture, and the two blue birds
    which is my favourite colour are truly breathtaking. If you had been here, you would have heard gasps of admiration. Thank you David for giving us such pleasure.
    Hugs and kisses
    Sonjia.

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  41. Hello David :)
    I am constantly amazed by all the colourful birds of Cuba. The photo of the colourful group of birds eating the banana is a stunning capture, and the two blue birds
    which is my favourite colour are truly breathtaking. If you had been here, you would have heard gasps of admiration. Thank you David for giving us such pleasure.
    Hugs and kisses
    Sonjia.

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  42. Maravilloso Querido amigo David, un placer pasar por aquí. Gracias y besos.

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