Tweeters Archives

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Costa Rica 2/98

Part 3 - Carara

We left Monteverde for Carara for the last leg of our trip. We stayed at =
the Villa Lapas hotel, a 10-15 minute drive beyond the Carara reserve. =
Most of our birding was in the reserve, with occasional forays into the =
trail system at the Villa Lapas and to the mouth of the Tarcoles river. =
The Tarcoles yielded some good looks at shorebirds and a nice view of a =
Yellow-headed Caracara, the Villa Lapas trail was where we found the =
Buff-rumped Warbler and the White-whiskered Puffbird. The best views of =
the Scarlet Macaws were in the morning at the entrance to the reserve, =
rather than at the Tarcoles bridge. Most of the other species listed =
were found in the reserve proper.

The trail into Carara by the main entrance leads through even denser =
forest than the trails in Monteverde. There is a much more open trail =
between the main entrance to the reserve and the bridge over the =
Tarcoles River. Birds are easier to find on this trail, the pay-back is =
that you loose the protection of the trees and it gets very hot by late =
afternoon. Birds appear in the same mixed-flock formations in Carara as =
Monteverde, but obviously with different species seen.

Our Monteverde guide, Alex Villegas traveled with us to Carara. Again he =
proved invaluable, helping with identification of the common species and =
ferreting out the obscure and secretive birds that others might miss. At =
the Villa Lapas one afternoon he spotted a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl perched =
above the swimming pool, and at dinner that night he picked out (in =
failing light and without binoculars) the King Vulture amongst the =
Turkey Vultures soaring high overhead, a difficult ID for me with =
binoculars. Highlights on the trails were watching the wing-snap of the =
Orange-collared Manakins at their lek, find the Puffbird right at eye =
level, and getting down on our hands and knees to see the Spectacled =
Antpitta and Black-faced Antthrush skulking in the shadows. At one point =
we crested a rise in the trail and Alex paused for quite a long time, =
even though there was no bird activity I could appreciate. Eventually we =
walked on, but he asked us to wait and went back to the spot where we =
had just been. Within a couple of minutes he gestured to us to come up, =
there in his scope was a Spectacled Owl! After good long looks we moved =
on, and I asked him why he had gone back. He said something to the =
effect that he just felt like we were missing something at that spot, =
that it didn=92t feel right to leave. I had gotten used to his =
extraordinary ability at finding birds at this point, but this was =
getting a little spooky. I=92m not sure where a "sixth sense" comes =
from, but there seemed to be something at work besides good eyes and =
ears.=20

Carara was a real treat, but it was not slam-dunk birding. The =
shorebirds and waterbirds are usually easy, and occasionally a trogon or =
hummingbird will perch up for a leisurely look. Most often however birds =
are flitting by quickly, hidden from view in foliage, or soaring at some =
distance. If you are on your own, try the wider trail between the main =
entrance and the river, get there at daybreak and pay the entrance fee =
on the way out.

For non-avian species, Carara did yield one agouti and all three species =
of monkeys (Howler, White-faced and Spider). The Spider monkey was not =
pleased with us being there, swung over to the edge of his tree and =
urinated in our general direction with a scowl on his face. Alex says =
that it is an aggressive maneuver, meant to express his displeasure.. =
For a minute I felt like I was back at work.

SPECIES SEEN

in Carara Reserve

GREBES

Least Grebe

FRIGATEBIRDS

Magnificent Frigatebird

ANHINGAS

Anhinga

DUCKS, SWANS, GEESE

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS

Tricolored Heron

Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Green Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Boat-billed Heron

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

IBIS AND SPOONBILLS

White Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

STORKS

Wood Stork

NEW WORLD VULTURES

Turkey Vulture

King Vulture

OSPREY

Osprey

HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES

Double-toothed Kite

Gray Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

FALCONS AND CARACARAS

Crested Caracara

Yellow-headed Caracara

Peregrine Falcon

RAILS AND COOTS

Purple Gallinule

JACANAS

Northern Jacana

SANDPIPERS

Whimbrel

Spotted Sandpiper

Willet

Ruddy Turnstone

Western Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

AVOCETS AND STILTS

Black-necked Stilt

PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS

Black-bellied Plover

Semipalmated Plover

Wilson's Plover

GULLS AND TERNS

Laughing Gull

Royal Tern

Sandwich Tern

PIGEONS AND DOVES

White-winged Dove

Inca Dove

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Blue Ground-Dove

White-tipped Dove

Gray-chested Dove

PARROTS

Scarlet Macaw

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Orange-chinned Parakeet

Red-lored Parrot

Mealy Parrot

NEW WORLD CUCKOOS

Squirrel Cuckoo

ANIS

Groove-billed Ani

OWLS

Spectacled Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

NIGHTJARS

Pauraque

SWIFTS

Band-rumped Swift

HUMMINGBIRDS

Bronzy Hermit

Long-tailed Hermit

Blue-throated Goldentail

Charming Hummingbird

Purple-crowned Fairy

Long-billed Starthroat

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

TROGONS AND QUETZALS

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Baird's Trogon

Black-throated Trogon

Violaceous Trogon

KINGFISHERS

Belted Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Amazon Kingfisher

Green Kingfisher

American Pygmy Kingfisher

JACAMARS

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

PUFFBIRDS

White-whiskered Puffbird

TOUCANS

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

WOODPECKERS

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Lineated Woodpecker

Pale-billed Woodpecker

WOODCREEPERS

Tawny-winged Woodcreeper

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Barred Woodcreeper

Buff-throated Woodcreeper

FURNARIDS

Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner

Plain Xenops

ANTBIRDS

Barred Antshrike

Black-hooded Antshrike

Dot-winged Antwren

Dusky Antbird

Chestnut-backed Antbird

ANTTHRUSHES AND ANTPITTAS

Black-faced Antthrush

Spectacled Antpitta

MANAKINS

Red-capped Manakin

Blue-crowned Manakin

Long-tailed Manakin

Orange-collared Manakin

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet

Northern Bentbill

Yellow-olive Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

Tropical Kingbird

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Streaked Flycatcher

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Social Flycatcher

Gray-capped Flycatcher

Piratic Flycatcher

Great Kiskadee

VIREOS AND ALLIES

Mangrove Vireo

Philadelphia Vireo

Yellow-green Vireo

Tawny-crowned Greenlet

Lesser Greenlet

WRENS

Rufous-naped Wren

Rufous-breasted Wren

Riverside Wren

SWALLOWS

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

NEW WORLD WARBLERS

Tennessee Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

Kentucky Warbler

Rufous-capped Warbler

Buff-rumped Warbler

BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, TANAGERS, ALLIES

Orange-billed Sparrow

Black-striped Sparrow

White-shouldered Tanager

Summer Tanager

Western Tanager

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Bay-headed Tanager

Golden-hooded Tanager

Blue-black Grassquit

Variable Seedeater

White-collared Seedeater

Blue-black Grosbeak

BLACKBIRDS, GRACKLES, ORIOLES

Baltimore Oriole

Orchard Oriole

Species seen - 145

Jack Stephens

Jsteph02 at sprynet.com

Edmonds, WA

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<DIV>
Costa Rica 2/98
Part 3 - Carara
We left Monteverde for Carara for the last leg of our trip. We stayed =
at the=20
Villa Lapas hotel, a 10-15 minute drive beyond the Carara reserve. Most =
of our=20
birding was in the reserve, with occasional forays into the trail system =
at the=20
Villa Lapas and to the mouth of the Tarcoles river. The Tarcoles yielded =
some=20
good looks at shorebirds and a nice view of a Yellow-headed Caracara, =
the Villa=20
Lapas trail was where we found the Buff-rumped Warbler and the =
White-whiskered=20
Puffbird. The best views of the Scarlet Macaws were in the morning at =
the=20
entrance to the reserve, rather than at the Tarcoles bridge. Most of the =
other=20
species listed were found in the reserve proper.
The trail into Carara by the main entrance leads through even denser =
forest=20
than the trails in Monteverde. There is a much more open trail between =
the main=20
entrance to the reserve and the bridge over the Tarcoles River. Birds =
are easier=20
to find on this trail, the pay-back is that you loose the protection of =
the=20
trees and it gets very hot by late afternoon. Birds appear in the same=20
mixed-flock formations in Carara as Monteverde, but obviously with =
different=20
species seen.
Our Monteverde guide, Alex Villegas traveled with us to Carara. Again =
he=20
proved invaluable, helping with identification of the common species and =

ferreting out the obscure and secretive birds that others might miss. At =
the=20
Villa Lapas one afternoon he spotted a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl perched =
above the=20
swimming pool, and at dinner that night he picked out (in failing light =
and=20
without binoculars) the King Vulture amongst the Turkey Vultures soaring =
high=20
overhead, a difficult ID for me with binoculars. Highlights on the =
trails were=20
watching the wing-snap of the Orange-collared Manakins at their lek, =
find the=20
Puffbird right at eye level, and getting down on our hands and knees to =
see the=20
Spectacled Antpitta and Black-faced Antthrush skulking in the shadows. =
At one=20
point we crested a rise in the trail and Alex paused for quite a long =
time, even=20
though there was no bird activity I could appreciate. Eventually we =
walked on,=20
but he asked us to wait and went back to the spot where we had just =
been. Within=20
a couple of minutes he gestured to us to come up, there in his scope was =
a=20
Spectacled Owl! After good long looks we moved on, and I asked him why =
he had=20
gone back. He said something to the effect that he just felt like we =
were=20
missing something at that spot, that it didn’t feel right to =
leave. I had=20
gotten used to his extraordinary ability at finding birds at this point, =
but=20
this was getting a little spooky. I’m not sure where a "sixth =

sense" comes from, but there seemed to be something at work besides =
good=20
eyes and ears. 
Carara was a real treat, but it was not slam-dunk birding. The =
shorebirds and=20
waterbirds are usually easy, and occasionally a trogon or hummingbird =
will perch=20
up for a leisurely look. Most often however birds are flitting by =
quickly,=20
hidden from view in foliage, or soaring at some distance. If you are on =
your=20
own, try the wider trail between the main entrance and the river, get =
there at=20
daybreak and pay the entrance fee on the way out.
For non-avian species, Carara did yield one agouti and all three =
species of=20
monkeys (Howler, White-faced and Spider). The Spider monkey was not =
pleased with=20
us being there, swung over to the edge of his tree and urinated in our =
general=20
direction with a scowl on his face. Alex says that it is an aggressive =
maneuver,=20
meant to express his displeasure.. For a minute I felt like I was back =
at=20
work.
 
SPECIES SEEN
in Carara Reserve
GREBES
Least Grebe
FRIGATEBIRDS
Magnificent Frigatebird
ANHINGAS
Anhinga
DUCKS, SWANS, GEESE
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS
Tricolored Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Boat-billed Heron
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
STORKS
Wood Stork
NEW WORLD VULTURES
Turkey Vulture
King Vulture
OSPREY
Osprey
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES
Double-toothed Kite
Gray Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
FALCONS AND CARACARAS
Crested Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
Peregrine Falcon
RAILS AND COOTS
Purple Gallinule
JACANAS
Northern Jacana
SANDPIPERS
Whimbrel
Spotted Sandpiper
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
AVOCETS AND STILTS
Black-necked Stilt
PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Plover
GULLS AND TERNS
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern
Sandwich Tern
PIGEONS AND DOVES
White-winged Dove
Inca Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Blue Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Gray-chested Dove
PARROTS
Scarlet Macaw
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Red-lored Parrot
Mealy Parrot
NEW WORLD CUCKOOS
Squirrel Cuckoo
ANIS
Groove-billed Ani
OWLS
Spectacled Owl
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
NIGHTJARS
Pauraque
SWIFTS
Band-rumped Swift
HUMMINGBIRDS
Bronzy Hermit
Long-tailed Hermit
Blue-throated Goldentail
Charming Hummingbird
Purple-crowned Fairy
Long-billed Starthroat
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
TROGONS AND QUETZALS
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Baird's Trogon
Black-throated Trogon
Violaceous Trogon
KINGFISHERS
Belted Kingfisher
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
American Pygmy Kingfisher
JACAMARS
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
PUFFBIRDS
White-whiskered Puffbird
TOUCANS
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
WOODPECKERS
Red-crowned Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Pale-billed Woodpecker
WOODCREEPERS
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Barred Woodcreeper
Buff-throated Woodcreeper
FURNARIDS
Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
Plain Xenops
ANTBIRDS
Barred Antshrike
Black-hooded Antshrike
Dot-winged Antwren
Dusky Antbird
Chestnut-backed Antbird
ANTTHRUSHES AND ANTPITTAS
Black-faced Antthrush
Spectacled Antpitta
MANAKINS
Red-capped Manakin
Blue-crowned Manakin
Long-tailed Manakin
Orange-collared Manakin
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Northern Bentbill
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
VIREOS AND ALLIES
Mangrove Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Tawny-crowned Greenlet
Lesser Greenlet
WRENS
Rufous-naped Wren
Rufous-breasted Wren
Riverside Wren
SWALLOWS
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
NEW WORLD WARBLERS
Tennessee Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Rufous-capped Warbler
Buff-rumped Warbler
BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, TANAGERS, ALLIES
Orange-billed Sparrow
Black-striped Sparrow
White-shouldered Tanager
Summer Tanager
Western Tanager
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Yellow-crowned Euphonia
Bay-headed Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Blue-black Grassquit
Variable Seedeater
White-collared Seedeater
Blue-black Grosbeak
BLACKBIRDS, GRACKLES, ORIOLES
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Species seen - 145
 
Jack Stephens
Jsteph02 at sprynet.com
Edmonds, WA</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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