COSTA RICA – DAY 7 – FEBRUARY 14TH 2014

RANCHO NATURALISTA – LAGUNA ANGOSTURA – TRANSFER TO TAPANTI

We started the day on the veranda at first light and were rewarded with great views of a Snowcap and then a Bicoloured Hawk, great start to the day. Before breakfast we took a short walk to the ‘bug’ trap (moth trap) which consisted of a large white sheet under a shelter and a very powerful light. Several species came to feed on the bugs and moths and went to watch them. Three nice Flycatchers put in an appearance; Tawny-chested, Dusky-capped and Yellow-bellied and a Spotted Woodcreeper was nice, we also had superb views of a White-breasted Wood-Wren and the best of all was a Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner.

 


 

After another excellent breakfast we set off in the bus to a nearby marsh area where a huge laguna holds lots of species. The laguna Angostera sits by the side of a large hotel complex which has a huge area of lawns and meadows.

Grey-headed Chacalaca

The laguna itself held many birds, we listed about 25 species which included ducks, herons, egrets and lots more. The highlights were; Snail Kite, Limpkin, Northern Jacana, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron all seen out on the marsh. In the trees and the scrub we also saw some excellent species with the Yellow-winged Vireo topping the list. Alongside this bird we found Yellow-throated and Philadelphia Vireos, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Tropical Gnatcatcher and all od these were in the same tree. A Yellow-bellied Eleania was a nice find and in a meadow we saw Giant Cowbirds with Melodious Blackbirds and a few Shiney Cowbirds, this latter specie is a relatively new species on the Costa Rican list.

We drove back to Rancho and ate our last meal there before loading up the bus with our luggage and setting off into the mountains for the next leg of our journey. Tapanti National Park was our destination, a mid-level elevation site about 1500 meters above sea level which promised a lot of new species for us. In fact we hadn’t even unpacked the bus when a shout went up of “Green Ibis” we all dashed down to the trout pools that formed part of the lodge’s grounds and sure enough an ibis was there, fantastic.


Collared Aracari

Half an hour later we were out in the courtyard listing the birds present in and around the lodge. A small colony of the noisy Montezuma Oropendula was literally hanging from the nearest trees and both Palm & Blue & Grey Tanagers joined Melodious Blackbirds and  the pretty Rufous-collaréd Sparrows around the bird table. We then walked on the track looking for new sightings. It wasn’t long before we had a nice list despite the dull mass of cloud and the reduced light. A Grey-breasted Wren joined White-naped Brush-Finch onto the list with several Silver-throated, Spangled-cheeked, Bay-headed Tanagers, all showing well too. The Yellow-faced Grassquit was nice to see as was another gorgeous Blackburnian Warbler. As we neared a stream the light began to fade and light rain began to fall so we turned around and headed back but not before watching a group of Brown Jays and a flock of Chestnut-headed Oropendulas.

Dinner was served at 7:30pm and as we were staying on a fish farm most of us tried the delicious fresh trout.