Walk to Monte Azul

Today, I set off at 4:30am to walk down to an altitude of 1000 metres. A Common Pauraque showed well beside the track on the way down, and a White-throated Thrush was seen just after sunrise in the same tree as a pair of Smoky-brown Woodpeckers. A female Cooper's Hawk flew close overhead and at least two Costa Rican Swifts were flying around, giving good views against the opposite side of the valley. A White-breasted Wood-wren also called and showed well on a rocky cliff.

Common Pauraque - this one allowed for a close approach to be photographed with the aid of my headlight.

White-throated Thrush

Blue-crowned Motmot - one of the best looking species in Costa Rica. Motmots are generally seen daily in the Cloudbridge area.

To the tree line

Yesterday, I walked up the Chirripo trail to just above the tree line (3100 m); a 20 km round trip, gaining 1600 m in altitude. We set off at 4:30am, and it got light enough for birding at around the 2300 m mark.

The only new species of bird seen was a female Magnificent Hummingbird, however it was also nice to see Large-footed Finch, Sooty Thrush, Volcano Junco, Volcano Hummingbird and Black-capped Flycatcher again.

As we were having a biscuit break at the top, a Swallow-tailed Kite flew over before hunting low over the hillsides.

The highlight however was a very intimate moment with a group of Spotted Wood-quails. Sitting quietly on the floor, they would approach, seemingly without any fear, to just a few centimetres.

Spotted Wood Quail - taken on 0x zoom with my compact camera.

I hope they don't behave the same way when they encounter Ocelots.

Black-capped Flycatcher

Black-billed Nightingale-thrush

Buffy Tuftedcheeck

Slaty Flowerpiercer

The sky remained crysal clear for the whole walk.

Chacara

On Saturday, we visited Chacara, a small hamlet on the shore of a large estuary south of Uvita. When we arrived, a local fisherman was discarding unwanted fish from his boat, and in attendance were 30+ Magnificent Frigatebirds, 40+ Black Vultures and 5+ Brown Pelican.

A walk along the shore of the estuary towards the mouth revealed 40+ Sanderling in flocks with a Least Sandpiper, and two Spotted Sandpipers. A large group of 60 Royal Terns were roosting on rocks in the estuary mouth along with seven Sandwich Tern, two Whimbrel, c.15 Ruddy Turnstone and one Surfbird.

An Anhinga was also drying its wings on a wooden perch in the middle of the estuary along with a Belted Kingfisher.

Magnificent Frigatebirds - before today, I'd never appreciated the shear size of frigatebirds, having only ever seen them soaring high overhead or out to sea.

Brown Pelican

Mangrove Swallow

Least Sandpiper (with Sanderling)

Royal Tern (left), Ruddy Turnstone (middle), Whimbrel (right)

Royal and Sandwich Tern

Ruddy Turnstone (left), Surfbird (right)

Belted Kingfisher (left), Snowy Egret (middle), Anhinga (right)

Uvita

This weekend, everyone went on a holiday to Uvita, a small holiday village on the coast. On the first morning, we started off birding around the hostel we were staying at, where the highlights were Red-lored Parrot, Grey-necked Wood-rail and Mangrove Cuckoo. Later, we headed off to the mouth of a small river where a group of 10+ Scarlet Macaws were feeding in nearby trees. A Ringed Kingfisher perched up just across the river, and other wetland birds consisted of Green Heron, two Willet, three Spotted Sandpiper, Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, White Ibis and Little Blue Heron. A Bare-throated Tiger-heron gave close views in a nearby creek along with a Northern Waterthrush, and overhead, there were singles of Double-toothed Kite and Collared Forest-falcon.

The following morning, another few hours spent birding around the hostel was rewarded with Piratic Flycatcher, a male Macgillivary's Wabler, Charming Hummingbird and Chestnut-backed Antbirds. A scan along the beach relealed c.20 Sanderling, two Black-bellied Plover, two American Oystercatchers, a Whimbrel and a Tricoloured Heron.

Red-lored Parrot

Yellow-bellied Seedeater

Smooth-billed Anis - the most compassionate bird in Costa Rica.

Mangrove Cuckoo

White-collared Seedeater

Orange-chinned Parrot

Double-toothed Kite

Bare-throated Tiger-heron

Southern Lapwing

Lesser Swallow-tailed Kite

Ringed Kingfisher

White Ibis (juv)

Great Crested Flycatcher

Collared Forest-falcon - digiscoping a fast moving falcon is hard!

American Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Tricoloured Heron

Charming Hummingbird (fem)

Green Heron

White Ibis

Green Kingfisher

Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner

I saw my first Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner this morning, completing the set for Cloudbridge. It skulked deep within a dense, dark bush, hence no photos.

Barred Hawk - this bird flew close over head later in the day.

Ruddy Ground-dove

Bare-shanked Screech-owl

While hiking to the far side of the reserve yesterday, a pair of Bare-shanked Screech-owls started to duet in the distance. The male produced a series of slightly irregular hoots, then the female would immediately reply, hooting a perfect fifth higher in pitch.

I also saw my first Silvery-fronted Tapaculo flit across the path in front of me. This species very rarely leaves dense dark cover, but has a loud and distinctive song.

This morning I visited a hummingbird feeder that I'd put up the day before at 1800 m in altitude. I was rewarded with a female Green-crowned Brilliant, as well as White-throated Mountain-gems, Stripe-tailed Hummingbirds and Scintillant Hummingbirds.

Green-crowned Brilliant (fem) - this hummingbird habitually perches at flowers rather than hover.

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

White-throated Mountain-gem (male)

White-throated Mountain-gem (male) - note how the throat appears black at this angle due to the feather's structural colouring.

Scintillant Hummingbird (male) - again, if the throat feathers catch the light at the right angle, they can reflect some incredible colours!