Chris and all,

I'm posting this reply to the list because others
may be interested in the information and contacts
listed below.

I visited Costa Rica for almost 3 weeks in August
of this year and had a great time! It was
primarily a nature-oriented family vacation, but
I still managed to ID 204 species (entirely on
the Pacific slope), including about 35 lifers. We
rented a 4-wheel drive (Rav 4), which, while
fairly expensive, proved to be great for getting
around. While the bus system is good, it is also
time-consuming and limits flexibility, as when I
spotted a Fasciated Tiger-heron in a river bed as
we were driving down from the Monteverde area --
I don't think the drivers would stop for that!
While August is definitely in the rainy season,
we only got rained out a couple of days and had
much beautiful weather -- and the countryside was
lush and green. The worst part of the rainy
season comes a bit later, Sept-Oct or so. We did
stay mostly on the Pacific slope, and the few
times we crossed the divide, it was quite wet --
so I'd recommend you do the same...

If you are planning to drive, I'd recommend
getting as many good maps as possible, especially
as detailed a map as possible of San Jose. It is
VERY difficult to bird Costa Rica well without
driving through the center of San Jose, probably
several times! ("Do you know the way THROUGH San
Jose?") While there are some helpful signs,
especially "icon" style signs pointing the way to
tourist sites, such as Irazu Volcano, the roads
can be quite confusing! But with a good map one
CAN make it through San Jose safely and
relatively easily (except at rush hours!).
Knowing some Spanish will also help a lot. While
most of the birding or tourist-oriented places
have English-speaking employees, the average
Ticos really don't speak English.

That being said, the Costa Ricans we met were all
friendly and helpful, and we had NO negative
experiences of any kind. To illustrate, here's a
fun story: Even with the 4-wheel vehicle, I
managed to get stuck on a very steep dirt road on
Cerro de la Muerte (Mountain of Death), at about
3:00 pm, at 11,300', with dense fog and cold wind
moving in! I hiked up to the microwave site a
quarter of a mile away, where the watchman, who
spoke no English, was stationed. In my very
broken Spanish, I managed to get across my
situation, and he radioed his son in a nearby
town, who promptly drove up to the mountain in
his Jeep, winched us up the last little slope on
which we were stuck, and then refused to accept
any payment for the service! They probably had a
good laugh at our expense, though!

The best bird guide is, of course, "A Guide to
the Birds of Costa Rica" by Stiles & Skutch,
which also has a small but useful site-guide
list. I'd also recommend taking a general
wildlife guide, as you will see lots of mammals,
reptiles, etc. as well. A trip to Flora & Fauna
bookstore in downtown Seattle would probably
supply you with all the literature you'd need!
Stiles & Skutch illustrates all species,
including migrants, though you won't see a lot of
migrants in August, aside from shorebirds.
Quetzals are harder to find then, as they aren't
breeding and are more dispersed. We did see one,
at Rio Savegre lodge in the Talamanca Mts. (an
awesome place!).

Another recommendation is that you consider
visiting the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve in
addition to or even instead of the Monteverde
reserve. The Santa Elena Reserve has most of the
same birds, but you don't have to wait in line to
see them! And the cloud forest there may well be
the most beautiful forest I've ever seen in 30+
years of birding and nature study! AND the small
gift shop at the entrance to the reserve has a
small but very nice selection of items to
purchase for gifts, etc. The prices were MUCH
lower than at the larger shops in the town and
cities, and the proceeds benefit both the
preserve and the local high school!

If you go to the Carara National Park-Villa Lapas
area, be sure to check the centro, or town square
park, in the town of Orotina, where a pair of
Black & White Owls roost regularly. This species
is hard to find, but very reliable when a roost
is located. Two-toed sloths also inhabit the
park's trees.

Here is a trip summary I wrote for some friends.
Hopefully, I've made it generic enough in format
to be received over Tweeters!

Good luck on your trip -- I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Mark


Our Costa Rica Trip
27 July-13 August 2004

Notes: When calling C.R., Use this code:
011-506-xxx-xxxx; numbers can be dialed direct
from the U.S. When reading this on a computer,
you should be able to double-click on the
"website" addresses, and they will open
automatically in your web browser; likewise,
double-clicking on the e-mail addresses will open
a message "pre-addressed" to the place involved!
At most of the places at least some of the staff
can speak a little English?

Tuesday 27 July:

Left Seattle on Alaska Fl. 16 9:55 PM

Wednesday 28 July:

Arrived Miami 6:39 AM
Left Miami on American Fl. 6852 (a.k.a. Alaska Fl. 16) 9:44 AM
Arrived San Jose Int. Airport, Costa Rica 10:30 AM
Transferred to Sansa Airlines at small airport
adjacent to the International airport
Left San Jose on Sansa Fl. 1619 1:00 PM
Arrived Puerto Jimenez on Osa Peninsula 1:50 PM
Jeep transfer to Hotel Bosque del Cabo on bluffs
above Cabo Matapalo at tip of Osa Peninsula
Phone: 011-506-735-5206 9office) or 381-4847 (lodge)
e-mail: boscabo at racsa.co.cr
website: http://www.bosquedelcabo.com
Summary: Lowland tropical rainforest with over
300 species of birds recorded (we saw about 70 in
our time there!), tropical gardens, and
individual cabinas, each placed privately on a
600-foot bluff overlooking the extreme tip of the
Osa Peninsula, where the Pacific & Golfo Dulce
merge - very dramatic setting - be sure to check
all the photos at this website! Scarlet Macaws
and Chestnut-mandibled Toucans common around
beautifully-forested grounds.

Thursday 29 July:

walking the trails at Bosque del Cabo
Howler Monkeys and a troup of Coatimundis (Coati
for short, relatives of the raccoon but much
"cuter") outside our room, scores of wonderfully
colored tropical birds, hike in rainforest and to
remote tropical beach; Mark sees White-faced
Capuchin Monkeys and three Great Currasows

Friday 30 July:

more hiking at Bosque del Cabo, Spider Monkeys,
beach, visited Lapas Rio Hotel, Mark sees
Squirrel Monkeys, White Hawk, King Vulture on
hike back

Saturday 31 July:

A.M. on trails at Bosque del Cabo (Black-headed Trogon flock seen)
Mid-day jeep transfer to "Pearl of the Osa"
Lodge, just S of the laid-back town of Puerto
Jimenez
Phone: 011-506-735-5205
e-mail: info at pearloftheosa.com
website: http://www.pearloftheosa.com
Fine tropical beach for swimming &
boogie-boarding, marine turtle nesting area (not
see by us, as we didn't coordinate with the moon
cycle for turtle egg-laying).
Late afternoon/early evening kayak tour of a
river inlet near Puerto Jimenez and associated
mangrove forest in search of Boat-billed Heron -
no heron, but spectacular sunset & wonderful
experience gliding gently out with the river's
flow below a blazing sky!

Sunday 1 August:

AM around Pearl of the Osa, beach swimming, birding etc.
Depart Puerto Jimenez on Sansa Fl. 1618 2:00 PM
Arrive San Jose Int. Airport 2:50 PM
Airporter transfer to Orquideas Inn, just NW of Alajuela, reservation #2228-29
Phone: 011-506-433-9346
e-mail: info at orquideasinn.com
website: http://www.orquideasinn.com
Rent Toyota Rav 4 through the hotel, reservation #0024

Monday 2 August:

Day of Castilleja hunting with Roy Lent, first
collector of Castilleja lentii, a very rare Costa
Rican endemic, near the Rio Cascajal, NE of San
Jose, but plants not found - big disappointment!!!
Esta & Kerry relax around the pool at Orchideas
Night at Orquideas Inn

Tuesday 3 August:

Drove through center of San Jose and then on to Volcan Irazu, via Cartago
Birding and botany around area of volcano
Saw tame Coati around Visitor's Center and
photographed Castilleja irasuensis and an unknown
species of Halenia, a genus in the Gentian Family.
Night at Las Orquideas Inn

Wednesday 4 August:

Drove south from the SanJose-Cartago on
Interamerican Highway into the Sierra de Talamanca
Stopped at Cerro de la Muerte (11,500 ft.) to
photograph Castilleja talamancensis. Vehicle
stuck on steep, wet gravel road, had to be
"rescued" by kind locals!
Arrived at Rio Savegre Mountain Lodge near small town of San Jerardo de Dota
e-mail: savegrehotel at racsa.co.cr
website: http://www.savegre.co.cr/indexeng.html
A great spot to see one of the world's most
beautiful birds, the Resplendent Quetzal, a large
iridescent blue-green bird with a three foot long
tail feathers; in afternoon, studied 4 species of
hummingbirds coming to feeders on hotel grounds.

Thursday 5 August:

Most of day birding & hiking on trails leading
out from the hotel into fine mountain cloud forest
Night at Rio Savegre Mountain Lodge

Friday 6 August:

Morning birding at Savegre - finally found a solitary male Resplendent Quetzal!
On way out, stopped at the funky Hotel La
Gorgina, on the Pan-Am. Hwy., to see
Fiery-throated Hummingbird and have some coffee
and pastries
Drove back through San Jose and on to Hotel Villa
Lapas on the E coast of the Gulf of Nicoya, near
mouth of Rio Tarcoles
Stopped at Rio Tarcoles crossing to observe about
20 American Crocodiles in the river below the
bridge - very cool!
Phone: 011-506-222-5191; or 637-0232; or 293-4104
e-mail: laura at villalapas.com
website: http://www.villalapas.com

Saturday 7 August:

Early A.M. birding at Villa Lapas
Explored area around town of Tarcoles & Tarcoles
Lodge, saw more Scarlet Macaws, lots of other
birds
Took small boat trip into mangroves of the lower
Rio Tarcoles - lots of water birds, including 2
Boat-billed Herons!! Also, watched feeding of
up-close crocodile
Night at Hotel Villa Lapas

Sunday 8 August:

A.M. trip to hike trail at Carara National Park
and saw large troupe of White-faced Capuchin
Monkeys, then swimming in pool at Villa Lapas
In afternoon left Villa Lapas , stopping in the
Centro square of the town of Orotina to see
Two-toed Sloths and Black & White Owl; had
"brilliant" chance meeting English folks with a
spotting scope to view the wildlife!
On to Santa Elena, near the Monteverde and Santa
Elena Cloud Forest Preserves in the Cordillera de
Tilaran; flock of White-throated Magpie-jays and
a beautiful sunset on the way up the mountain!
Night at Sunset Lodge (well-named!) in Santa Elena
Phone: 011-506-645-5048
Website: http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/monteverde-hotels/sunset-hotel.htm

Monday 9 August:

Birding in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Preserve in morning
Lunch at a real cloud forest caf?! Great gift
shopping at small preserve store and hummingbird
feeders attended by the spectacular Violet
Sabrewing (a large species with bright iridescent
feathers that flash either deep metallic blue or
strong violet, depending on the angle at which it
is observed) and 4 other hummer species.
Selvaverde canopy tour zip-lining for Kerry &
Mark in afternoon - amazingly, Mark survived to
tell about it!
Night at Sunset Lodge

Tuesday 10 August:

Early morning birding and a second hike in the
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Preserve to see the
canopy platform
Shortly after leaving Santa Elena, saw lek of
displaying (and mating!) Three-wattled Bellbirds
Drive to Bosque de Paz - saw probable dark-phase
Jauarundi (a medium-sized forest feline species)
cross road on way up to Bosque de Paz
Afternoon in the wonderous montane cloud forest
Agoutis, Pacas, Black Guans, 6 species of hummingbirds at feeders
Night at Bosque de Paz
Phone: 011-506-234-6676
e-mail: info at bosquedepaz.com
Website: http://www.bosquedepaz.com

Wednesday 11 August:

Morning birding and hiking at Bosque de Paz - saw Prong-billed Barbet
In afternoon drive to Sarchi for crafts shopping
Return to Alajuela
Night at Orquideas Inn in Alajuela (see above for contact info)

Thrsday 12 August:

Our original late night, Friday the 13th
departure flight was cancelled, due to the
effects of two hurricanes hitting S Florida at
that time.
Morning trip to steaming crater of Volcan Poas; gift shopping on way back
afternoon visit to Xandari ("Hawndawri") Hotel
outside Alajuela, caught in powerful rains from
thunderstorm
Xandari website: http://www.xandari.com/
Packing!
(unexpected) night at Orchideas Inn

Friday 13 August:
6:00 A.M. shuttle to the airport
Left San Jose Airport on Amer. Fl.
Arrived Dallas Airport
Luggage did not arrive with flight!
Cleared Customs
Left Dallas (thankfully) on Amer. Fl.
Arrived Seattle
Shuttle Express back home!
Luggage delivered (through Customs for us!) late
in the afternoon of August 14th

Wildlife observed during our trip:

Mammals:

at least two different bat species
Common Opossum
Red-backed Squirrel Monkey
White-faced Capuchin
Mantled Howler Monkey
Central American Spider Monkey
Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth
Variegated Squirrel
Red-tailed Squirrel
Paca (a.k.a. Tepezcuintle)
Central American Agouti
Jaguarundi
White-nosed Coati

Amphibians:

Common Dink Frog
Drab Tree Frog
Green & Black Poison-arrow Frog

Reptiles:

American Crocodile
Black River Turtle
Green Iguana
Basilisk (a.k.a. "Jesus Christ" Lizard)
Ctenosaur (a.k.a. Black Iguana)
Central American Smooth Gecko
Green Spiny Lizard
Ameiva Lizard
several unidentified small lizard species

Noteable Invertebrates:

Blue Morpho Butterfly (or a related species)
Leaf-cutter Ants
Golden Orb-weaver Spider (LARGE females!!)
Sally Lightfoot Crab
Mangrove Crab

Birds: (* = new species for Mark's "Life-list") -
total of 204 species seen during trip:

Brown Pelican
Olivaceous Cormorant
Magnificent Frigatebird
*Fasciated Tiger-heron
Bare-throated Tiger-heron
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
*Boat-billed Heron
Cattle Egret
Green-backed Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egfret
Great Blue Heron
Wood Stork
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
King Vulture
Osprey
Crane Hawk
*White Hawk
Common Black Hawk
Gray Hawk
Roadside Hawk
Crested Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
Black Guan
*Great Curassow
*Gray-necked Wood-rail
Purple Gallinule
Northern Jacana
Wilson's Plover
Collared Plover
Whimbrel
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Short-billed Dowitcher
Western Sandpiper
Rock Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Pale-vented Pigeon
Short-billed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Ruddy Ground-dove
Blue Ground-dove
Inca Dove
White-tipped Dove
*Scarlet Macaw
*Crimson-fronted Parrot
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Sulphur-winged Parakeet
*Red-fronted Parrotlet
Blue-headed Parrot
Mealy Parrot
Red-lored Parrot
Squirrel Cuckoo
Groove-billed Ani
Smooth-billed Ani
Striped Cuckoo
*Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Black and White Owl
Common Paraque
Black Swift
Band-rumped Swift
*Green Hermit
Little Hermit
*Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
*Violet Sabrewing
Green Violet-ear
Crowned Woodnymph
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
*Blue-throated Goldentail
*Beryl-crowned Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Striped-tailed Hummingbird
*Purple-throated Mountain-gem
*Gray-tailed Mountain-gem
*Green-crowned Brilliant
Magnificent Hummingbird
*Purple-crowned Fairy
Scintillant Hummingbird
Volcano Hummingbird
Resplendent Quetzal
Black-headed Trogon
Collared Trogan
Ringed Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Blue-crowned Motmot
*Rufous-tailed Jacamar
White-whiskered Puffbird
*Prong-billed Barbet
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
Acorn Woodpecker
*Hoffman's Woodpecker
Red-crowned Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper
*Long-tailed Woodcreeper
Spotted-crowned Woodcreeper
Red-faced Spinetail
*Ruddy Treerunner
*Lineated Foliage-gleaner
*Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
Plain Xenops
*Black-hooded Antshrike
Chestnut-backed Antbird
*Immaculate Antbird
*Barred Becard
*Black & White Becard
Rose-throated Becard
Masked Tityra
Black-crowned Tityra
Three-wattled Bellbird (male and female)
*Long-tailed Manakin
Thrushlike Manakin
Tropical Kingbird
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
*Golden-bellied Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
*Ochraceous Pewee
Yellowish Flycatcher
Black-capped Flycatcher
Tufted Flycatcher
*Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher
Common Tody-flycatcher
Northern Beardless-tyrannulet
Gray-breasted Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Blue-and-White Swallow
Mangrove Swallow
*White-throated Magpie-jay
Brown Jay
*Rufous-naped Wren
Plain Wren
Rufous-and-White Wren
*Riverside Wren
*Rufous-breasted Wren
Southern House Wren
Ochraceous Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-wren
Clay-colored Robin
Mountain Robin
Sooty Robin
Black-faced Solitaire
*Slaty-backed Nightingale-thrush
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush
Orange-billed Nightingale-thrush
Tropical Gnatcatcher
*Long-billed Gnatwren
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Yellow-green Vireo
Tawny-crowned Greenlet
Bananaquit
Flame-throated Warbler
Mangrove Yellow Warbler
Slate-throated Redstart
Collared Redstart
*Three-striped Warbler
Rufous-capped Warbler
Great-tailed Grackle
Red-breasted Blackbird
Golden-browed Chlorophonia
Yellow-throated Euphonia
Bay-headed Tanager
Green Honeycreeper
Blue Dacnis
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Flame-colored Tanager
*Black-cheeked Ant-tanager
White-lined Tanager
Gray-headed Tanager
Common Bush-tanager
Sooty-capped Bush-tanager
Buff-throated Saltator
Grayish Saltator
*Black-thighed Grosbeak
Yellow-faced Grassquit
White-collared Seedeater
Variable Seedeater
Blue-black Grassquit
*Peg-billed Finch
Slaty Flower-piercer
Large-footed Finch
Yellow-thighed Finch
Yellow-throated Brush-finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-finch
*Orange-billed Sparrow
Black-striped Sparrow
*White-eared Ground-sparrow
*Volcano Junco
Rufous-collared Sparrow





>Hey all,
>
>I'm planning a trip to Costa Rica this summer, its been in the works for a
>while, but it looks doable this August, for the month. I was wondering if
>anyone had a birding site guide that was a good one, or any general advice
>for birding and traveling in Costa Rica in August. I am aware that it may
>not be the absolute ideal time to go, but I am very limited in my vacation
>dates.
>
>On a side note, a trip to Boundary Bay yesterday yeilded the Snowy Owl,
>about a quarter mile west of 72nd street, easily seen by walking down the
>dike trail. Tried for the Ash-Throated, but no luck with that one.
>
>Thanks in advance for the advice, and good birding!
>
>-Chris Duke
>dukec at cc.wwu.edu
>Bellingham, WA