Comments for Costa Rica Living and Birding

Comment on Carara Can be Great for Antbirds by Paul Pickering

Paul Pickering — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:13:18 +0000

Hi Patrick,

I always read your posts with great interest and wish I could get to the wonderful places you describe. Yes, antbirds are incredibly difficult to find, even when the habitat seems right. Here in the Turrialba area, I have seen only two species for sure (Barred antshrike and Western slaty-antshrike) plus, maybe just maybe, a Plain antvireo. I admit that I visit only forest patches, but even so I would have hoped for better luck in the last five years! So I remain almost completely unfamiliar with almost all of them. The silver lining in the cloud is that I am always full of hope and excitement whenever I am in a local forest patch.

Best wishes,

Paul

Comment on Another Big Day in Costa Rica part tres by admin

admin — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:18:40 +0000

@Connie- Actually, that’s the record for the USA and Texas and an amazing one at that! The record for Costa Rica is 308, the world record without mechanized transport is 331 (set it Manu, Peru), and the world record with transport is 342. All pretty big numbers!

Comment on Another Big Day in Costa Rica part tres by Connie

Connie — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:42:38 +0000

Were you trying to beat the Big Day record of 264 species? ‘Cause the bar just got raised higher, my friend, to the new record of 294 species — 30 more.

Comment on Fun Weekend Birding in Manzanillo by Connie

Connie — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:00:14 +0000

Um, what are litter frogs.

Comment on Birding Costa Rica at Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge by Mark Garland

Mark Garland — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:05:28 +0000

Glad you had such a great trip, Caño Negro is one of my favorite spots. I hope to get back up there next year, I’ve heard about this El Roble sites but not yet visited.

Comment on Birding El Toucanet Lodge, Costa Rica by Robert

Robert — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:35:09 +0000

Hey Patrick!

Thank you for recommending this great spot to me. Although I didn’t see all the species you managed to see on your trip to El Toucanet, I did have great views of three different Quetzels. Both Slaty-throated and Collared Redstarts were common, and other good birds seen included, Spotted Wood-Quails (4 seen crossing the road), two Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers, many Yellow-thighed Finches, Spangle-cheeked Tanager at the top of the pass, along with Collared Trogon’s a single Black Guan doing his mechanical sounding flight from tree to tree and many others.

I have a few I will need you to help ID. Will be sending you these in due course.

Comment on The First Birding App for Costa Rica is now Available by New App for iOS – Costa Rica Birds Field Guide

New App for iOS – Costa Rica Birds Field Guide — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 02:39:06 +0000

[...] about the app on itunes or the developer’s website (but there are a few more details at Costa Rica Living and Birding). But there is a free Lite version that you can check out. This is the first field guide app to [...]

Comment on How to see forest falcons when birding Costa Rica by Cool Falcons in Costa Rica

Cool Falcons in Costa Rica — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:45:42 +0000

[...] then there are the forest-falcons. Now these reclusive birds might even be cooler than the Falco species BUT they hate the limelight. [...]

Comment on A Weekend of Birding Costa Rica at Dominical by admin

admin — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:10:54 +0000

@Steve- Thanks for that. That butterfly was truly stunning.

Comment on Some Costa Rica Birding Highlights from the Latter Half of January, 2013 by Taylor McLean

Taylor McLean — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:23:42 +0000

I had the privilege of being guided by Pat O’Donnell at the above mentioned sites (except CATIE). Without Pat’s assistance, I would have seen a fraction of the birds. Pat is great at all aspects of locating and identifying birds, and in particular, with vocalizations.

Not only does Pat know the songs, but he knows most of the chip and cal notes. these were invaluable in tracking down many birds.

My comp list of 355 species during my first visit to Costa Rica would have been probably 70 – 90 species less without the help of Pat O’Donnell.