Cameras have come a long way from the days when we worried about our film being affected by x-rays at the airport. Nowadays, while we still call them cameras, the digital photographic devices of the 21st century are on such a different level that perhaps it would be better to refer to them as Digital [...]
Continue reading about Want to Take Pictures of Birds in Costa Rica? Visit the Nature Pavilion!
The Manzanillo-Puerto Viejo area doesn’t make it onto the birding radar of most first time birders to Costa Rica. It’s too much of detour to take, especially when you can see many of the same birds around the Sarapiqui area. Nevertheless, Manzanillo and many parts of southeastern Costa Rica are more forested than most of [...]
Christmas counts are happening in Costa Rica but scheduling conflicts and a trip to Niagara Falls are keeping me out of the count loop this year. I might make it to the Aerial Tram count but am sadly missing everything else. One count I would have loved to have participated in is the ever exciting [...]
Continue reading about Exciting Results from Veragua Christmas Count 2012
Ujarras, Costa Rica is a small settlement situated near the Cachi Dam. This structure is in turn located in the Orosi Valley and is meant to hold back the water of the Reventazon River so it can be used to generate electricity. A side effect was the creation of a lake that produced Costa Rica’s [...]
Continue reading about A few Highlights from Costa Rica Birding at Ujarras
Birding hotspots don’t just earn that claim to fame for the bird species that show up. While rarities and high quality species are certainly part of the hotspot equation, other factors also determine a site’s eligibility on the hotspot scale. For example, in Costa Rica, we can surmise that birding in the middle of large [...]
Continue reading about VaraBlanca- Overlooked Costa Rican Birding Hotspot
Manzanillo is almost as detached from the typical Costa Rican birding circuit as you can get without leaving the country. Tucked way off in the southeastern corner of the country, it seems silly to drive there when you can see most of the same birds in the Sarapiqui region. If given the option, though, I [...]
Continue reading about Why It’s Worth it to Visit Manzanillo when Birding Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a fantastic place to watch Peregrines during migration. No doubt a lot of birders would respond with a shrug of the shoulders accompanied by a “So what? I see them on skyscrapers at home and if I go to Costa Rica, I’m going to be looking for Scarlet Macaws and Resplendent Quetzals, [...]
Continue reading about The Peregrine Falcon known as Island Girl is in Limon, Costa Rica
5 AM, September 8th, Laguna del Lagarto Whether guiding a trip like this one or out birding for fun, I’m always out in the field by dawn. On this day, I ventured outside when it was still dark to listen for migrants. None were heard and the owls were quiet (of the 6 or 7 [...]
Continue reading about Trip Report from a Recent Birding Trip to Laguna del Lagarto (part dos)
Laguna del Lagarto is a veteran eco-lodge found up near the Nicaraguan border. The detour one has to take to get there keeps most bird tour groups and many a visiting birder from making it to the forests around the little settlement known as Boca Tapada. With most of the species being readily found around [...]
Continue reading about Trip Report from a Recent Birding Trip to Laguna del Lagarto (part uno)
A lot of birders automatically assume that they have to stay at La Selva when birding the Caribbean lowlands near San Jose. Although that was probably true 30 years ago, birders have had their pick of accommodations ranging from Bed and Breakfasts to full scale eco-lodges since the early 90s. Although you can still stay [...]
Continue reading about Easy, Great Caribbean Lowland Birding in Costa Rica at El Gavilan Hotel
