We all met at 6 am to bird the wonderful grounds of Robledal Hotel. Last night we arrived in the dark so we could not really see the place. In the daytime the grounds here are beautiful. We had the National Bird of Costa Rica, the Clay-coloured Thrush. It has a beautiful song but it is a dull looking slate-coloured bird. Our guide Steven told us this bird's song is the notice to farmers that spring is here so this is why it is the National Bird of Costa Rica.
It was a sunny and overcast and rainy day, several times over and over again. We had wonderful humming birds at Poasito along with some other lovely birds. Then it rained. I had brought my long coat instead of a jacket and it was a good idea. I remembered how cold the cloud forest was in Ecuador and thought I had better bring something warmer than a windbreaker like I did for Ecuador. I wore my coat in the rain and it was cold as were went up 4500 feet into the mountains. So then the sun came out again. This repeated itself over and over again all day. My coat never dried between drenching showers and then my clothes were damp. It was not only me, but everyone was damp. Some of us had extra shirts and jackets. My camera got damp and I was protecting it, then by the end of the day, my binoculars got fogged like my camera. Emily's camera just stopped working. Sami changed shirts several times and by the end of the day, he wore no shirt but a jacket. I was envious of this as I would have done the same thing, my shirt was so damp but could not go without HAHA...
We went and spent the rest of the morning at La Pas Waterfall Garden which is a wonderful park with a zoo. We saw wonderful birds near a fig tree and in other places there. In addition we saw the snake zoo which was good because we could familiarize ourselves with all the venomous snakes and boas here. We saw the big cats and some birds and the butterfly house. There were trails also but we were walking in the mist or rain or sunshine and stayed on the well traveled walkways which went up up up or else all the way down. This is a wonderful place and it would be good to visit here for several days. The hummingbird garden is magical with all kinds of hummers, creepers, hermits and others. We could have spent all day there. We had lunch there and it was delicious also. There is a hotel there along with a pool and hot tub which looked really great also. But that is for another trip.
We then went to the Chihchona area where in 2009 an earthquake devasted the village and all that was left was the lookout and the cafe there. We had really wonderful birds here and it was hard to leave. We had both the Barbet species here and every time our guide Steven said "let's go" another special bird showed up. No rain up here either. From here we traveled down the mountain to the caribbean side of the Costa Rica into the farmed lowlands. We traveled and stopped several times on the road to La Pueblo and then on to the La Quinta lodge.
We had lots of birds here including the Chestnut-collared Swift and the Lessor Violetear, Coppery-headed Emerald (on the way down the mountain), Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Great and Streaked Antshrike. Barbr would be happy to hear that we had an immature Crested Caracara. We also saw some Ontario spring warblers in their winter habitat including, Blackburnian and Black & White warblers At La Pas we had the highland endemic, the Flame-throated Warbler.
This the Barred Antshrike male and female and it is a good bird to get here. So after looking and listening for the call, the pair showed up along the roadside. The pair will be soon breeding and sitting on eggs. They are a striking couple.
This is a another lovely bird that is just stunning with its colours. It is like one asked a child to draw a bird with crayons. Most of the birds were so unique and wonderful.
We arrived at La Quinta, another lodge in the forest with no internet or TV in the room. We had a lovely supper and did our bird list and now I am sitting in the lobby typing this out. Got to go, we have a 5:30 start tomorrow and they are turning out the lights here.
Barb,Emily and Sami and Lynne
Photos are care of Sami and Emily
It was a sunny and overcast and rainy day, several times over and over again. We had wonderful humming birds at Poasito along with some other lovely birds. Then it rained. I had brought my long coat instead of a jacket and it was a good idea. I remembered how cold the cloud forest was in Ecuador and thought I had better bring something warmer than a windbreaker like I did for Ecuador. I wore my coat in the rain and it was cold as were went up 4500 feet into the mountains. So then the sun came out again. This repeated itself over and over again all day. My coat never dried between drenching showers and then my clothes were damp. It was not only me, but everyone was damp. Some of us had extra shirts and jackets. My camera got damp and I was protecting it, then by the end of the day, my binoculars got fogged like my camera. Emily's camera just stopped working. Sami changed shirts several times and by the end of the day, he wore no shirt but a jacket. I was envious of this as I would have done the same thing, my shirt was so damp but could not go without HAHA...
We went and spent the rest of the morning at La Pas Waterfall Garden which is a wonderful park with a zoo. We saw wonderful birds near a fig tree and in other places there. In addition we saw the snake zoo which was good because we could familiarize ourselves with all the venomous snakes and boas here. We saw the big cats and some birds and the butterfly house. There were trails also but we were walking in the mist or rain or sunshine and stayed on the well traveled walkways which went up up up or else all the way down. This is a wonderful place and it would be good to visit here for several days. The hummingbird garden is magical with all kinds of hummers, creepers, hermits and others. We could have spent all day there. We had lunch there and it was delicious also. There is a hotel there along with a pool and hot tub which looked really great also. But that is for another trip.
We then went to the Chihchona area where in 2009 an earthquake devasted the village and all that was left was the lookout and the cafe there. We had really wonderful birds here and it was hard to leave. We had both the Barbet species here and every time our guide Steven said "let's go" another special bird showed up. No rain up here either. From here we traveled down the mountain to the caribbean side of the Costa Rica into the farmed lowlands. We traveled and stopped several times on the road to La Pueblo and then on to the La Quinta lodge.
We had lots of birds here including the Chestnut-collared Swift and the Lessor Violetear, Coppery-headed Emerald (on the way down the mountain), Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Great and Streaked Antshrike. Barbr would be happy to hear that we had an immature Crested Caracara. We also saw some Ontario spring warblers in their winter habitat including, Blackburnian and Black & White warblers At La Pas we had the highland endemic, the Flame-throated Warbler.
This the Barred Antshrike male and female and it is a good bird to get here. So after looking and listening for the call, the pair showed up along the roadside. The pair will be soon breeding and sitting on eggs. They are a striking couple.
This is a another lovely bird that is just stunning with its colours. It is like one asked a child to draw a bird with crayons. Most of the birds were so unique and wonderful.
We arrived at La Quinta, another lodge in the forest with no internet or TV in the room. We had a lovely supper and did our bird list and now I am sitting in the lobby typing this out. Got to go, we have a 5:30 start tomorrow and they are turning out the lights here.
Barb,Emily and Sami and Lynne
Photos are care of Sami and Emily
I thought the Clay-coloured Thrush was Costa Rica's national bird.
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