Mach 17th– April 6th 2015.… ALL COTINGAS AND MORE!!!!JHON CLARK, STEVE LISTER AND TIM DORAN. Target Trip.
Tim (on the ground) Steve (left standing) John (right standing) watching 2 Spotted Wood-Quails
I had the pleasure to lead a great target trip with Tim, John and Steve. Three fantastic and avid birders from England, having 20 effective birding days we went out to get some of the most elusive birds of Costa Rica, plus some of regular targets that were part of the journey. I created a program according what they needed; some birds were skipped since some regions were too far to get one or two birds or negative possibilities for some species seen few times during the last 50 years.
One important part of the trip was based to see all cotingas of CR (except for Rufous Piha and Purple throated Fruit-Crow already in their seen list). I´m glad to say WE FOUND THEM!!!
We had a 4 wheel drive car and I was driving, all lodges were small to give a convenient budget price, these places were out of the regular hotels we normally stay at. It´s one of the benefits to travel with a local birding guide where we are flexible and not overpriced as many international companies are.
Blessed with great weather conditions for good part of the trip, empty trails in many areas and few places were typically touristy as Monteverde and Arenal Volcano, considering we had this trip during high season.
Some of the best species seen in this program:
| Bare-necked Umbrellabird. | Buffy crowned Wood-partridge |
| Lovely Cotinga | Yellow eared Toucanet |
| Snowy Cotinga | Black breasted Wood-quail |
| Yellow billed Cotinga | Silvery fronted Tapaculo |
| Three -wattled Bellbird | Bare crowned Antbird |
| Turquoise Cotinga | Ochraceous Pewee |
| Yellow breasted Crake | Azure hooded Jay |
| Central American Pygmy-Owl | Costa Rican pygmy-owl |
| Slaty breasted Tinamou | Thicket Antpitta |
| Highland Tinamou | Nicaraguan Grackle |
| Wrenthrush | Great Potoo |
| Black checked Ant-Tanager | Great green Macaw |
| Buff fronted Quail-Dove | Sooty faced Finch |
| Purplish backed Quail-Dove | Striped owl |
| Spotted Wood-quail | Bare shanked Screech Owl |
| Cabanis´s Ground Sparrow (Prevost´s) | Dusky Nightjar |
| Mangrove Vireo | Keel billed Motmot |
Even when all these are amazing birds, my favorite Ochre breasted Antpitta!! We had wonderful views of 2 individuals, about 2 meters high in a little tree.
Special recognition to Central American Pygmy Owl and Bare necked Umbrellabird, really hard work to be seen. Two memorable battles and we saw them.
Visited Areas:
Rincón de Osa, Perez Zeledon, San Gerardo de Dota, Irazú volcano, Tapantí, central Caribbean, Sarapiquí, , Caño Negro, Arenal volcano, Tenorio, San Gerardo Monteverde, Monteverde, North Pacific.
Even when this was a target trip, we scored 470 sps. Usually general 20 day programs give over 500 sps.
Carlos Luis Jiménez
Birding Guide, Ave Nativa Travel.