DE VALLE HOTEL TO RANCH NATURALISTA WITH STOPS
AT UNIVERSIDAD SAN JOSE
Following a late and safe arrival of the group (minus two - sandra and chris missed their connecting flight from Atlanta) we all settled into our rooms at the Hotel Vista de Valle and were fast asleep by 10pm local time.
The group assembled at 6am for an early morning walk
before breakfast, it was quite warm with a cloudless blue sky above us. We
started around the hotel buildings and it took an hour and a half to get away
from them. Our first sightings were of Greater Kiskadee, a pair of them were
building a nest in one of the palm tree at the side of the pool. Next we watch
a group of Palm Tanagers and a couple of very showy Rufous-necked Wrens. We
then spent a good deal of time on the restaurant view point which overlooks the
steep sided ravine to the west of the
hotel. From there a good number of species was added: Masked Tityra,
Red-breasted Becard, Turkey and Black Vultures,
Black-cowled Oriole, Blue/Gray
Tanager, Common Black Hawk, keel-billed Toucan, Orange-chinned Parakeet
and several other species.
Our walk then took us away from the hotel complex and
down to a creek, along the way we stopped to look at a 90 meter-drop waterfall.
The track led us to a large pond where we spent a good while watching many
birds: a Great Blue heron flew off as we approached. Lots of Clay-coloured
Thrushes, Hoffman’s Woodpecker, Melodious Blackbirds, Boat-billed Flycatchers
and a couple of Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds were enjoyed by the group.
A large tree in flower attracted a host of Baltimore
Orioles which looked fantastic in summer plumage and in great light. Many
butterflies were also found with the huge Owl Butterfly receiving the most
acclaim.
After a delicious breakfast which was taken on the
superb terrace restaurant we set off for San Jose and onto to a parkland area
at the University. We had only and or so at the site and it was extremely windy
but did add: yellow-headed Caracara, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-throated
Euphonia, Tenessee Warbler and another Hoffman’s Woodpecker.
We then drove back to the airport at San Jose to
collect the final two members who had missed their connecting flight yesterday
in Atlanta. Once we had collected then we all took lunch near the airport
before setting off for Rancho Naturalista which is found in the mountains on
the Caribbean slopes. Journey birds included the beautiful White-tailed Kite
and also the Black Phoebe, Blue-winged Teal, Broad-winged Hawk and
Crimson-fronted Parakeet.
We arrived at Rancho Naturalista at 6pm, it was dark
and raining quite heavily so we never saw any further species today.
ADDITIONS TO MY 1000 TARGET LIST - 2013
186. Masked Tityra
187. Red-throated Becard
188. Lineated Woodpecker
189. Rufous-naped Wren
190. Common Black hawk
191. Keel-billed Toucan
192. Orange-chinned parakeet
193. Crimson-fronted parakeet
194. Black-bellied Whistling Duck
195. Muscovy Duck
196. Green heron
197. Montazuma Oropendola
198. Brown Jay
199. Blue-winged Teal
200. White-tailed Kite
201. Black Phoebe
202. Rufous-necked Sparrow
203. Voilet Sabrewing
204. Plain-capped Starthroat
205. Western Kingbird
206. Yellow-throated Vireo
207. Philadelphia Vireo
208. Tennessee Warbler
209. Rufous-collared Sparrow
210. Yellow-throated Euphonia
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