Going birding in Costa Rica? If your answer is “yes” but any time from January to March, you aren’t alone. After all, those sunny days are when most folks visit Costa Rica, birders included.
However, if you are headed to Costa Rica soon, the following birding tidbits and news items might be helpful. You might also gather some useful information if you happen to go birding in Costa Rica during the high and dry season.
Rain, Localized Flooding, and More Rain
Lately, we’ve been experiencing a lot of rain. For a Costa Rican September, that’s pretty much par for the course but lately, it seems to be more intense than usual. Nearby tropical storm systems and hurricanes have been throwing huge amounts of moisture our way and the water has been slamming several parts of the country.
It’s not always like that; some years, September and October are fairly dry. This year though, the forests are getting more than plenty of life-supporting water. It’s a wonderful and vital aspect of rainforests but roads and flood prone areas could use a break.
Yes, there has been some localized flooding, mostly in the Nicoya Peninsula, the Coto 47 area near Ciudad Neily (one of hundreds of sites covered in my bird finding guide for Costa Rica), and on parts of the Pacific Coast. Last week, various parts of the small city of Canas were also submerged. With more rain in the forecast, we can expect more localized flooding and road closures. Stay informed about road situations with the Waze app. That’ll tell you which roads are closed right away including one of the most commonly affected major highways; Route 32.
Just a reminder, if you are driving and see flooded streets and swollen rivers, resist the temptation to test the rental! Just wait or find another route because cars do get washed away, even trucks.
Migration Just Ticked up a Notch
On another, more birdy note, bird migration through Costa Rica has really kicked into gear. After checking local neighborhood habitat for the past week or so, it wasn’t until this morning that I saw a major jump in bird numbers.
While listening for flight calls at dawn, I managed to hear Dickcissels, a couple Swainson’s Thrushes and a hoped for Veery through the normal soundscreen inadvertently put up by Rufous-collared Sparrows and Great Kiskadees (those kiskadees really yell their names!).
As the light increased I saw a dozen Baltimore Orioles feeding and flitting in the trees, several Yellow Warbler, one Blackburnian, a smart looking Golden-winged Warbler (my first for the fall), several swallows, and a few other migrants. Two of the more interesting birds were a couple of Great Egrets that flapped right over the houses of my very urban neighborhood.
Later that morning, during a visit to Lankester Gardens, we had several more warblers (Canada and Mourning included) and migrants, especially Swainson’s Thrushes and Red-eyed Vireos.
A Good Time for Centro Manu
Centro Manu is always worth a visit, no matter what time of year. However, fall could be one of the better times to go birding at this easily accessible lowland/foothill hotspot.
Recent highlights have included the usual roosting Great Potoo, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, a female Lovely Cotinga (!), and Red-fronted Parrotlets!
Ditto for Veragua Rainforest
The same goes for another excellent site, Veragua Rainforest. The most notable recent highlights have been a reliable Great Jacamar and a more challenging Black-crowned Antpitta.
Umbrellabird and lots of other excellent birds have also been seen at this consistently high quality site.
Unspotted Saw-whet Owls
Yes, this time of year can also be good for one of the Costa Rica’s more challenging and fantastic owls. If the rain stops and you can listen for them at high elevations (above 2,200 meters), perhaps especially in semi-open areas, you might connect with this major bird.
You can also boost your chances by staying at Gema del Bosque or taking a tour that targets these special little birds. If interested in seeing this owl, contact me at information@birdingcraft.com
Flamingo in Costa Rica!
Wait…what?!? Yes, the real pink bird has finally touched down on Costa Rican shores. Myself and one or two other birders have wondered when one would appear here, it’s why I included it on the Costa Rica Birds app as a possible species for the country (along with several shorebirds, Red-throated Pipit, and some other bird lottery winning species). In all likelihood, it happens on very rare occasions but the birds don’t linger. The nearest flamingoes are in northern Colombia and the Yucatan, the one seen this morning could have come from either spot.
This morning, someone made a video of an America Flamingo on the beach near Moin! Will it be refound? I hope so and hope even more that it stays long enough for us to see it too!
As for other Costa Rica birding news, there’s always lots more I could say. However, I’ll just mention that the usual birds are in the usual spots, whether mentioned on eBird or not, the best sites are the places with the most habitat, and according to eBird, 746 bird species were identified in Costa Rica during this past month. Yep, in Costa Rica, there’s always a lot of birds to see! I hope to see you here, the birds are waiting.