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!

Bright-rumped Attila

A Bright-rumped Attila perched up low to the forest floor this morning during surveys, showing closely for a few seconds before appearing to hop a couple of metres to another perch. However, when I walked closer to try and get another view, it had vanished, unseen, into the woods. It's amazing how birds do this. Three Yellow-throated Euphonia visited a local garden's bird feeders later in the day along with an Acorn Woodpecker, Red-crowned Woodpecker and numerous tanagers.

Yellow-throated Euphonia (imm. male)

Acorn Woodpecker

Palm Tanager

Los Angeles

This morning a small group of us walked down to Canaan via a route that took us into and down the Los Angeles valley. We had to wait until the walk back up for the highlight; a Laughing Falcon that called from the top of a tree for a few minutes before flying down and out of view.

A Yellow Tyrannulet was also new, a small group of Bronzed Cowbirds were the first I've seen up near Cloudbridge, and a Smoky-brown Woodpecker showed briefly.

Laughing Falcon

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Bronzed Cowbirds

Variegated Squirrel

Walk to Rivas

This morning I walked to Rivas, a town about 10 km down the valley from Cloudbridge. On the way, I found my first American Redstart; an uncommon winter resident in Costa Rica. Also seen; a Black-thighed Grosbeak (only my second so far), a few flocks of Red-fronted Parakeets, an Ochre-bellied Flycatcher and some Yellow Warblers.

I also saw a new hummingbird species; a male Brown Violetear that sang from the top of a tall tree, and a couple of White-shouldered Tanagers flew across the road on the walk down.

A Little Blue Heron was also on the river near Rivas with a couple of Torrent Tyranullets.

American Redstart (male) - considering I saw this 20 minutes after sunrise with an overcast sky, I did well to get photos.

Grey-headed Chachalaca

Black-thighed Grosbeak

Turkey Vulture

Ruddy Ground-dove

Melodious Blackbird

Yellow-billed Cacique

Brown Violetear

Little Blue Heron

Tropical Mockingbird

The river flowing through past Rivas