How’s your July birding coming along? In the birding realm, this month seems to be dominated by the Bird Fair in the UK and the post breeding birding break (except when you look for shorebirds). At least that’s how I remember it. I have only experienced the Bird Fair via social media posts (would be nice to change that some day) but, have done my fair share of late July/August shorebird searching.
Friends would take me to the Lake Erie shore and other local shorebird hotspots in southern Ontario. We walked along humid beaches and scanned the algae patches on shore to see which migrants had stopped for much needed biofilm and small bug snacks. We didn’t have the huge numbers of sandpipers or plovers of lucky coastal birders but, we were always happy with the birds we found.
It was and is sort of mind-blowing to consider where the Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sands and Plovers and other shorebirds had spent the summer, the wild lands they flew over, and the bird neighbors they saw (and had to watch out for). Those same species make it all the way to Costa Rica, I hope to look for them here soon.
On another note, if you’re headed to Costa Rica soon, here’s some birding news you may find interesting.
Poas Volcano National Park to Open Back Up
Yes! After months of shooting ash clouds and other unwelcome stuff from its crater, the authorities have deemed that Poas has calmed down enough to reopen the national park.
As long as the volcano doesn’t suddenly explode again, the reopening is scheduled for the final week of July. You’ll still need to reserve and buy tickets online (and I wouldn’t linger too long at the crater) but, the trails will be open.
On account of avoiding an active volcano, I haven’t been up there in a while and am curious to see if bird populations have been affected by the gases and other volcanic activity. Hopefully, not too much. One of these days, I’ll probably check out the entrance road and see if it still has the same number of silky-flycatchers, Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, and other highland species.
Although the park is heavily visited, it’s still a good spot to see Wrenthrush, Flame-throated Warbler, and various other highland birds. It can also be good for Peg-billed Finch.
Flooding May Continue in Some Areas
In some parts of Costa Rica, this wet season has been pretty harsh. I suppose that reflects the trend for extreme weather in many parts of the world. Lately, I know of flooding around Upala, at Medio Queso, areas north of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, around Limon, near Boca Tapada, and Golfito.
The ground is still saturated in many areas and more rain is expected. For the visiting birder, that translates to keeping an eye on weather, and staying in touch with your lodging to see if you’ll be headed to flooded zones. It also means using common sense. Like, if a road is a bit too flooded, don’t drive through it!
Other birding areas that commonly flood include the Coto 47 area near Ciudad Neily, parts of the Nicoya Peninsula, the road to the Pavona dock to go to Tortuguero, parts of Jaco, and towns near Playas del Coco.
Sueños de Irazu Burns Down
Sadly, an important restaurant and tourist complex on the way to Irazu Volcano has burned down. Thankfully, this is not the Nochebuena Restaurant but it’s still an awful blow to a place that employed a number of local people.
If you’ve been to Irazu, this the large place with a big sign that read, “Mongongo” (tripe), just after a forested stream. Roadside habitat on that same stream is also one of the better spots in the area to see quetzal and is also good for other highland birds. Hopefully, the habitat wasn’t affected.
Algae Bloom in the Gulf of Nicoya
There have been recent reports of algae blooms in the Gulf of Nicoya. So far, the blooms have not been harmful algae but, I wonder how they’ll affect marine bird communities that use the gulf. I fear not in a good manner although the only way to tell is by going there and checking it out.
With bird migration just kicking into gear and the gulf tending to be better for pelagic birds at this time of year, I look forward to doing some seawatching from Puntarenas or taking the ferry.
Road Work on the Tarcoles Crocodile Bridge
This is a big one. Yes, the time has come to refurbish or fix the famous crocodile bridge. Lane closures will cause traffic jams on this main coastal road but, better that the bridge collapsing and throwing people straight into the maws of huge American Crocodiles.
The works are scheduled to end in May and, starting in October, there will also be occasional nighttime closures from 9 pm to 5 am. This post gives a timeframe for the works (in Spanish).
With all of this in mind, once the night closures start, make sure NOT to plan on driving from San Jose to Jaco and further south on Route 34 between 9 and 5. There won’t be closures every night but, without knowing the dates for them, it’s better to play it safe. This route is going to see major traffic jams but, you might avoid the worst if you avoid travel on the weekends and during rush hour.
The Usual Awesome Birding Going On
Oh yeah, not mention but, there’s still the usual great birding going on in Costa Rica. Lots of fantastic resident birds to look at, skulkers to look for, and skies to scan. Go to the right birding sites and it’s always gonna be good!
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