The rains are happening in Costa Rica. It’s all good, expected, and the forests need it. The water is just getting started and it doesn’t affect birding all that much anyways. Head out early, it’ll probably be dry and the birds will be singing. If it stays cloudy, the birds will also stay active and when the rains stop, you could find yourself in a mini birding frenzy. Hopefully.
Lately, I’ve been birding in a few different areas, here’s some of the highlights:
Great Potoo in Los Chiles
Recently, I stayed at the CyC Hotel in Los Chiles and once again, was entertained by a Great Potoo, right above the parking lot. It’s amazing how this huge nocturnal bug catcher feels right at home on a fairly busy street. Although it doesn’t show up there every night, if you check the top of the telephone pole, you’ll have a fair chance of witnessing this cool bird’s haunting calls and antics.
Common Potoo Nesting on the Cerro Lodge Road
Los Chiles is also a good area to see Common Potoo but if you happen to be birding on the other side of the mountains, you’re still in luck! The Common Potoo that has been hanging out on the Cerro Lodge road wasn’t just sitting around and doing nothing. It was incubating an egg, one that has hatched into a cute, white fuzzball baby potoo!
Since this bird is right next to the road, I just hope that photographers stay at a safe distance when taking photos.
Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl Near Varablanca
Owls are always cool and some are more difficult to see than others. One of those is the Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl. Similar to the Northern Pygmy-Owl, this highland endemic also occurs in low density populations. It doesn’t always call nor respond to its call either.
Those factors and its penchant to hide in plain sight make this special bird an easy one to miss. Although the best areas for it seem to be high elevation forests on Irazu Volcano and the Talamancas (Cerro de la Muerte), Costa Rican Pygmy-Owls also occur on Poas and in other high elevation forests. While the current explosive nature of Poas keeps the area off limits at the moment, you can see them near Varablanca. I have only found one pair in that area but lately, one of those birds has been calling and showing nicely.
As a bonus, its vocalizations attract a host of other birds, including Black-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, and Yellow-winged Vireo.
Quetzal Action also Near Varablanca
That same San Rafael de Varablanca road can also be good for ye olde Resplendent Quetzal. Although they seemed to be on hiatus a month ago, the birds are definitely back!
I’ve been seeing and hearing two pairs (or more) at a few spots there. Since the males have been pretty territorial and doing display flights, I can’t help but wonder if they will nest again (or are just nesting very late in the season?). Maybe so because there are a few Lauraceous trees up there full of quetzal food.
The Usual Good Birds at Medio Queso
Down at the Medio Queso marsh, the usual good species have been showing. These include several Pinnated Bitterns, nice looks at the beautiful Least Bittern, nesting Nicaraguan Grackles, and good numbers of singing Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters.
The Yellow-breasted Crakes have also been showing well and the site has also been good for Snail Kite.
Blue and Gold Tanager at San Luis Adventure Center
This news isn’t new but it’s still worth a mention. This uncommon tanager continues to visit the fruit feeders as well as feed in nearby trees. It might also be nesting near the feeder. Although this and other birds haven’t been frequenting the feeder as much, wait long enough and they’ll eventually pay a visit.
When birding in Costa Rica, there’s always more highlights, birds I saw over the past few days like Double-striped Thick-knee, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Laughing Falcon and other raptors, parrots, two macaw species, and so on and so on. One thing’s for sure; come birding in Costa Rica and you’ll see a lot! I hope to see you here.