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Month: July 2024

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Birding Costa Rica- Late July, 2024

Historically, July isn’t the most exciting time for birding. At least that’s how the birding rumors tend to roll in the temperate zone. No migration, birds finishing up nesting on lazy summer days, not much to see… Those mid-summer times always seemed better for studying your field guides, going to ball games and taking full advantage of sweet summer days.

Rumors can have some base of truth and those summer birding sayings are no exception. Even so, maybe we just weren’t seeing much because we weren’t going birding? Birds don’t disappear in July, neither up north and especially not in Costa Rica. Some linger on their breeding grounds and several are raising second broods. Other birds are on their way south, some shorebirds are already here!

Red-legged Honeycreepers? Always!

There are also birds that wander north, and, in Costa Rica, it’s a good time to look for seabirds in the Gulf of Nicoya (some Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels were seen today). If you are headed to Costa Rica soon, you bet the birding’s gonna be exciting. Wonder what to expect? Check out these tips and birding news items:

Heavy Rains

Not to tone down any birding expectations but yeah, you’ll have to be ready for rain. As with several other places across the globe, Costa Rica has been seeing some heavy rains. It’s no surprise, the atmosphere is warmer than we have ever known and that makes it hold more water.

It eventually comes back down, and with a vengeance. In Costa Rica, we’ve had flooding here and there, especially in the northern foothills and parts of the Pacific slope. Some roads have also been affected, especially the main road between San Ramon and La Fortuna. If you are driving yourself, make sure to check Waze to see which roads are open. Certain birding spots could also be flooded, especially sites near Ciudad Neily and Guanacaste.

Most roads are fine but with these rains, that situation can change from one day to the next.

Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo Sightings

With more diligent birders in the field, we have far more regular sightings of this mega bird than we used to. Recently, a pair with a juvenile have been attending an antswarm near Turrialba, and another one or two have been seen again at the San Luis Canopy.

These major birds can also show at various other sites but, away from swarming Army Ants, can be very difficult. A couple of the other regular sites are Rincon de la Vieja and the road to Manuel Brenes but they also occur in any sizeable tracts of mature foothill rainforest on the Caribbean slope. There is also a small population in the Carara hills and Cangreja National Park, and maybe elsewhere but those birds are much less accessible.

Even Mangrove Cuckoos are easier to see than the Rufous-vented variety.

Sooty Tern Seen at Medio Queso!

It looks like Hurricane Beryl probably did give us one lost bird! On a visit to Medio Queso during a Wings birding tour, Scott Olmstead photographed a distant tern. Upon checking pictures after the tour, it turned out to be a juvenile Sooty Tern!

As far as I know, this is the only inland record for this pelagic species in Costa Rica. You can watch these graceful birds flock and forage over tuna in offshore waters but we don’t even usually see them from the coast.

Beware Illegal Tours to Poas Volcano and Turrialba

Lately, the authorities have busted tours visiting prohibited areas on Turrialba and Poas Volcanoes. They weren’t birding tours and the tourists were locals but I figured I would mention it anyways.

Apparently, some locals have offered hiking trips to closed sites on these volcanoes. I get looking for adventure and wanting to see new places but there are some pretty good reasons why certain parts of active volcanoes are off limits.

I seriously doubt any visiting birders would sign up for these tours but figured I’d mention it anyways!

Fortunately, you don’t need to visit closed areas to see this particular bird.

As for other birding opportunities, there’s not a whole lot to say other than the birds are all here. They are in their expected habitats and, as always, the birding in Costa Rica is fantastic! For more tips, check out this blog, get my Costa Rica bird finding guide, study your Garrigues and Dean field guide and mark target species on your birding app for Costa Rica.

There’s a heck of a lot to see and the birds are waiting. I hope to see you here!

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Observations from Birding the Old Cinchona Road

I saw several Green Thorntails.

Birding hotspots are brewed from a blend of particularly good birding (rare species and/or high numbers), and accessibility. That access part is key because without it, of course a birding hotspot is “only good for the birds”. Yes, healthy ecosystems and birds having places to live are what’s most important but let’s face it, we’re also talking about birding.

And without the “birding” part, by definition, a good place for birding can’t really be a birding hotspot. For example, I can assure that the forested depths of Braulio Carrillo National Park are fantastic birding. I haven’t been but we’re talking about a large area of intact, untouched rainforest (mostly of the middle elevation variety). It should host a range of rare and uncommon species!

Ornate Hawk-eagles definitely live there.

BUT, we can only assume because no one has really birded there. Yes, a little bit but most areas in the park have yet to be adequately explored. No birding = no birding hotspot. It’s one of those places that would be nice and exciting but…nope, can’t really get in there.

At least we got some sites at and near the edges of that big tropical forest block and yes, several live up to their hotspot status. One of the best known is a little route 126 roadside place called, “Cinchona”.

Cinchona made its birding mark when two cafes put up fruit and hummingbird feeders in the early 2000s. As expected, lots of cool birds came to visit, even fancy ones like barbets and Northern Emerald Toucanets.

The in your face views of beautiful tropical birds put Cinchona on the global birding map. Although the tragic 2009 earthquake halted visits for a while, the Cinchona hummingbird cafe was eventually rebuilt and has definitely rebounded. This special place continues to live up to its birding hotspot status and yet, there’s more!

Some months ago, local birders got curious and checked out the birding across the street from the cafe. Not like at the farm animal stalls (you’ll see what I mean) but above and behind that spot. Back along the old road that went through the settlement, they found some pretty good stuff. A couple days ago, I got the chance to bird that road. Here’s some of what I found and what to expect.

People Still Live in Old Cinchona

It probably seems odd to mention that but there’s a reason why a community just down the road is called, “Nuevo Cinchona”. “New Cinchona” was built to accommodate the folks who lost their homes during the 2009 quake.

The violently shaking earth knocked down most of old Cinchona, maybe all of it. Several people also lost their lives. Knowing about New Cinchona, I had assumed that everyone had moved there, that the old place had been totally abandoned. As I learned the other day, nope, not so!

While several structures are ruined and abandoned, some people do live in old Cinchona. They have small farms and a few probably also work at the cafe. As is typical of tracks passing by farms, a couple dogs will come out to bark and growl but the ones we encountered were more scared of us than dangerous.

Walk Uphill but Bring a Walking Stick

To visit, head to the Cinchona hummingbird cafe (aka Mirador de Catarata de San Fernando) and walk up the concrete driveway next to the animal stalls. It’s not a long walk but it is a steep one and, in wet weather, that driveway could be slippery.

After parking at the cafe, it would also be good to tell the cafe workers or owners that you’ll be birding up there. Tell them, “Voy arriba a la calle vieja para observar aves. Regresare para comer en el cafe.” That also means you’ll be returning to do some dining or coffeeing at the cafe. And you of course will because they have feeders with several nice birdies.

Sometimes, Brown Violetear is present. We had one the otehr day.

After surviving the driveway, you have two main choices; walking left or to the right. I have yet to walk right but those roads seem to lead to nice second growth and perhaps fair forest too. However, the best habitat seems to be to the left, walking uphill.

The old road is actually a track generally not used by vehicles. Since it’s also slippery in some parts, if you choose to brave it, bring a walking stick or two!

Good Overlooks for Raptor Watching

Upon venturing onto the old road, one of the first things I noticed was the enticing, raptor watching view. Low clouds and mist removed seen raptors from our list but better weather could turn up several species.

Barred and Short-tailed Hawks are regular but other taloned birds hunt there too. Bring a scope to scan for distant Solitary Eagles soaring over forest on the other side of the canyon. Don’t get your hopes up for the eagle but it would be a good place to watch for it.

Instead, you might see Ornate Hawk-Eagle (I heard one and at least one pair commonly uses that area), Black Hawk-Eagle, and maybe even Black and White Hawk-Eagle. Other possible raptors include White Hawk, Bicolored Hawk, Gray Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Great Black Hawk, and Bat Falcon.

A Barred Hawk from Cinchona.

Good Habitat, the Best is at The End of the Road

Overall, the road has some nice habitat. It starts with second growth, passes through forest patches next to pasture, and ends in nice cloud forest. There are various edge species including Gray-crowed Yellowthroat (probably Olive-crowned too) and Slaty Spinetail as well as many small birds feeding on fruiting bushes and trees (like tanagers, Prong-billed Barbet, Collared Trogon, and more).

The forest hosts expected middle elevation species along with some goodies like foliage-gleaners (I had both Lineated and Buff-fronted), White-throated Spadebill, and Rufous-breasted Antthrush. The antthrush was one of our main targets but despite getting close to one of three birds heard, it still gave us the slip.

Lots of other good birds are up there too. Azure-hooded Jay is around (we heard one), we had a brief look at a quetzal, and other birders have seen Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Black-banded Woodcreeper, and Red-fronted Parrotlet. I bet Strong-billed Woodcreeper also occurs and who knows what else might show?

If you visit the Cinchona hummingbird cafe, are good at walking up tracks with some slippery spots, and feel like being adventurous, you’re a good candidate for the Old Cinchona Road. I’m looking forward to more exploration in that area. It definitely lives up to birding hotspot status!

I need to update my Costa Rica bird finding ebook with this site but “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica” still covers hundreds of other birding sites in Costa Rica. It also shows how to look for those birds too.

I hope to see you here, maybe birding on the Old Cinchona Road.

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Expectations for Birding in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo

Going birding in Costa Rica? I hope so! The birding excitement in the tropics is constant and Costa Rica is no exception. Believe me, there’s lots to see in Costa Rica and always more.

In Costa Rica, among the many nice birding things is the fact that so many birding hotspots are so accessible. Whether looking for quetzals in the highlands or antbirds down low, it doesn’t long to reach excellent habitat.

This is some birdy rainforest in southern Costa Rica.

The past few days, my partner and spent a few days birding and relaxing in the southern Caribbean zone. We stayed at MyA Glamping, a nice little spot located between Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo on the aptly named Toucan Road.

Some tips, observations, and suggestions from the past few days:

The Highway to Limon is a Lot Better but Not Quite Finished Yet

Route 32 has come a long way. What used to be a two lane highway replete with loads of trucking now has sizable stretches of fast, four-lanes (still replete with trucking but more manageable). The route has become much more comfortable and faster but…not for the whole ride.

There are still spots where barrels and other lane blocking thingies suddenly appear in the fast lane, forcing you to go over to the right lane. They don’t seem to be there for any logical reason but that doesn’t stop them from acting as potentially dangerous obstacles. Keep an eye out and make sure to drive in the right lane long before you have to suddenly and inexplicably merge.

Road work is also still happening. On our drive there, we had an easy going and quick ride. On the way back, it was still alright for us but folks heading towards Limon weren’t so lucky. One or two spots with road work caused lines of stopped traffic for an impressive number of kilometers.

Oh yeah, and as a bonus, at the moment, road work to widen bridges just before Puerto Viejo is causing additional lines of stopped traffic. Widening those bridges is needed, hopefully they’ll finish them soon.

The South Caribbean Has Become a Busy, Touristy Place

That’s nothing new but it’s important to mention and not only because it’s so radically different from my first visit in 1994. Back then, this region was truly a different world.

This is a spot in Manzanillo that used to have wintering Mourning Warbler, other wintering birds, and other stuff. Hopefully, the small kingfishers can still occur at the ditch/stream next to this property.

Pot-holed roads, not many people, limited dining and lodging options…you sort of felt like you had the place to yourself. Lots more habitat too! It’s still pretty good but you’ll be sharing those paved streets with hundreds of other folks on bicycles and e-scooter things.

There are also many more places to stay and great places for dining too but the days of low prices are long gone. Look around and you can still find fair prices and so on but, in general, expect to pay fairly high prices.

Still Good for Night Birds

Lowland rainforest is pretty good night birding, at least in Costa Rica. Around Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, forests host a high density of Great Potoos (we counted 5 from one spot and had one swooping low over our pool!), and the expected owls.

I suspect this was the Great Potoo swooping over the pool.

On Toucan Road, our first night started with flyover Short-tailed Nighthawk and was accompanied by the afore-mentioned Great Potoos, a pair of Black and white Owls, two calling Crested Owls, and the bark-like vocalizations of one distant Mottled Owl.

That was all in two blocks distance. At one point, I may have also heard Middle American Screech-Owl (common there and wouldn’t be hard to find), and am sure you could also turn up Spectacled Owl.

Roads Worth Exploring but There Will Be Traffic

A few side roads are worth birding but a few other sites might be better. The Toucan Road was alright but it doesn’t go back very far and we didn’t turn up anything unusual. It certainly could but the birding is limited to a fairly small area.

This trip, we did not check the Paradise Road although it’s been good on past trips. I still think that road can harbor some rare species. On our final morning, we checked the Margarita Road. It was Ok and could have some rare birds but we didn’t find anything of great note. Also, there’s a fair amount of housing and we had near constant traffic (especially of the horribly annoying dirt bike variety).

We still had parrots, Great Green Macaws, fruitcrows and other birds but nothing crazy.

A canopy view of a Purple-throated Fruitcrow.

With that in mind, the best spots might be the Kekoldi trail and tower, early morning roadside birding between Punta Uva and Manzanillo, and the RECOPE Road.

Best During Migration

This part of Costa Rica is definitely at its best during migration, especially October. You’ve probably seen the birds that pass through but it’s always cool to see flocks of Eastern Kingbirds, Scarlet Tanagers, and other migrants on the move.

The resident birding is also good but it’ll be best if you can visit the “best spots” mentioned above and Cahuita. Further afield, you’ll do even better at Selva Bananito, Hitoy Cerere, and Veragua.

If you’re headed to this part of Costa Rica, enjoy the natural bird show and take pictures of any odd birds you happen to see. To learn more about where to watch birds in Costa Rica, see my bird finding guide for Costa Rica (a 900 page ebook). To identify the birds of Costa Rica, get the Garrigues and Dean field guide, and the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app.

As always, I hope to see you here!

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Costa Rica Birding Expectations for July- The Mini High Season

Happily, Emerald Toucanets showed up to eat papaya and entertain with stunning colors at close range.

Costa Rica is a popular destination, especially during the winter. Warm and welcoming weather instead of slushy driveways? Toucans, parrots, macaws, and manakins? Throw in a few dozen hummingbirds and it’s a sweet combination!

Fiery-throated-Hummingbird

Although most birders visit Costa Rica in the winter, we’ve also got a second, mini high season. That would be this month, July. Yes, it’s the summer in the northern half of the globe but no, it’s not any hotter in Costa Rica. Weather just doesn’t work that way.

If anything, cloud cover makes Costa Rica cooler now than sun-drenched February and March! This second high season started happening some years ago when bird tour companies realized that Costa Rica’s brief wet season break might work for tours.

The pause in rains happens most years, usually during the first two or three weeks of July. It does make for some easier birding and although you won’t see wintering birds from backyards up north, everything else is around. If you are headed to Costa Rica soon, here’s some of what’s in store!

A Better Time for Some Birds?

July birding in Costa Rica is just as good for resident species as the high season. For some birds, July might even be easier.

This month and other parts of the wet season seem to be better for wetland species like Masked Duck and Paint-billed Crake. Both of those sneaky birds are always around but in the dry season, they aren’t nearly as accessible.

Now is a good time to look for both species in the Ciudad Neily area.

Masked-Duck

July also marks the return of Oilbirds! Yeah, they are pretty rare but if you take a night tour in the Monteverde area, you might see one. Another good place to look for Oilbirds is Cerro Paraguas near San Vito. They might even live in that area all year long.

Last but not least, July is also a fine time to study Austral migrants like Yellow-green Vireo, and Piratic and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers.

Weather

July can be dry but then again…maybe not! This is Costa Rica after all, a nation with mountains that trap huge amounts of moisture from two different oceans.

Hopefully, it won’t rain as much as other times of the year but to be honest, in 2024, it’s hard to say what might happen. Hot water in the Caribbean has already spawned one hurricane and more are likely to come.

Although Beryl didn’t hit us, we still got heavy side effect rains that caused landslides and flooding. We could still get more; keep a close eye on weather advisories, be aware that landslides can close mountain roads, and that flooding is very possible near lowland rivers.

Lately, the Pacific lowlands have been especially hard hit with flooding happening near Jaco, Parrita, Quepos, and near Ciudad Neily.

A Few Birds to Watch For

Bellbirds are calling and are mostly still in their highland haunts. Umbrellabirds are still in cloud forest areas but some have already moved into foothill zones.

Other resident species are in their usual spots although there might be more Green-fronted Lancebills and Black-bellied Hummingbirds in foothill forests.

birding Costa Rica

See any big, funny looking Bank Swallow? Take pictures, you’re probably looking at vagrant Brown-chested Martin!

Think you see a funky looking Purple Martin? Take more pictures, those could be another vagrant hirundine- the Southern Martin!

Can You Still See Quetzals in Costa Rica?

In a word, “yes”. A lot of folks ask when they can see quetzals in Costa Rica, or when is the best time to see them. For me, it’s any time of the year. While many do nest in March and April, Resplendent Quetzals don’t exactly fly away.

Those incredible birds are in Costa Rica all year long, you just have to bird the right habitat and places.

Cloud forest is quetzal habitat.

A Great Time for DYI Birding in Costa Rica

July is also a good time for some DYI birding in Costa Rica. In other words, it’s a good time to visit Costa Rica on your own. There’s a lot more vacancy, more elbow room, and always plenty to see!

If you want to hire guides, more are also available in July than during the high season. To find the birds, yes, eBird will give you some good ideas but don’t count on it as the only option. Just remember, birds don’t live where people go eBirding, they live in places with the right habitat. To learn how to see more birds in Costa Rica and about hundreds of sites to see them, get “How to See, Find, and Identify Birds in Costa Rica”.

To prepare for your birding trip to Costa Rica, don’t forget to bring a good field guide (I like Garrigues and Dean), and customize your target lists with the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide app.

As always, I hope to see you in Costa Rica!