HOTEL SUENO AZUL TO
TAPANTI (KIRI LODGE)
We skipped an early morning walk and assembled in the
restaurant at 7am for an early breakfast. Birds seen in the hotel complex from
6am to 7am included: Ringed Kingfisher, Boat-billed Heron, Buff-rumped Warbler,
Collared Aracari, Black-mandibled Toucan, Golden-hooded Tanager, Anhinga and
the usual vultures overhead.
Our luggage was loaded onto the bus, we said goodbye
to the hotel staff and set off for Braulio Carrillo nature reserve which a huge
suave of primary forest under special protection and the second biggest piece
of protected land in Costa Rica. There are areas with public access that offer
some lovely trails to follow.
We spent the rest of the morning on a trail which took
us on a circular route up through the forest, it was indeed dense and wet, a
true rain forest. We found our first new bird within minutes, it was a
Dull-mantled Antbird which showed down to a couple of feet. Next we tracked
down a calling Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher which again showed very well.
It was about 30 minutes before we saw our next bird,
we searched for a wren but after trying to locate the White-breasted Wood-Wren,
it failed to show.
Next we had a bit of excitement when we found a ‘mixed
flock’ of tanagers, we saw Golden-hooded, Palm, Tawny-Crested and Blue &
Gold. But there were a number of other birds with them in particular: Black-faced
Grosbeaks and a surprising find was the Black-thighed Grosbeak which was
feeding alongside the others, this species is not normally found below 1,000
meters and we were at 400 meters when we found them. A great find which caused
excitement in the group. Also feeding in the same tree were a number of Pale-vented
Thrushes, a species with very subtle differences to the Clay-coloured Thrush.
The best was still to come! We could hear a
Black-headed Antpitta calling in the forest, the call came closer and then a
swarm of ants was discovered crossing the track, the swarm got wider and
covered our shoes but a number of birds suddenly appeared around us. We saw
Spotted Antbird, Fasciated Antbird and bicoloured Antbird and then to our great
joy the Antpitta came into view. A superb sighting and, all of us that had
stayed with the ants, got very good views of it.
We then drove to lunch at a roadside restaurant and
even then we picked a new bird for the list, House Sparrow, how quaint.
From Braulio we set off for San Jose and then on to
Cartago before turning to Tapanti our next destination. However after just a
few kilometres we stopped to view a Bat Falcon which was perched on a regular
spot, it was plucking what looked like a tanager, well it was lunchtime.
We then had a little bit of misfortune when one of the
group fell ill, we had to stop in Cartago for the rest of the afternoon whilst
poor Judith had treatment and had tests done. So that curtailed our birding for
the day as we arrived at Tapanti in the dark and just in time for dinner.
ADDITIONS TO THE COSTA RICA LIST AND MY NEW YEAR
TARGET LIST OF 1000
332. Violet-headed Hummingbird
333. Crested Caracara
334. Bat Falcon
335. Dull-mantled Antbird
336. Spotted Antbird
337. Bicoloured Antbird
338. Ocellated Antbird
339. Black-crowned Antpitta
340. Plain-brown Woodpcreeper
341. Wood Thrush
342. Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
343. Pale-vented Thrush
344. White-throated Shrike-Tanager
345. Tawny-crested Tanager
346. Blue-and-Gold Tanager
347. Yellow-billed Cacique
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