Costa Rica Birding with the Hendersons, 2008
January 18 to January 29, 2008
Friday, January 18:
Arrival at Juan Santamaria International Airport. After clearing immigration and customs, you will be met and assisted by a transfer guide from Costa Rica Expeditions. Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea, Santo Domingo de Heredia.
Saturday, January 19:
After early morning birding on the grounds of Hotel Bougainvillea and breakfast at the Hotel, depart for the Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge near Los Chiles in northern Costa Rica. This is a major wetland refuge consisting of 9,969 hectares of mixed lagoons, rivers, and seasonal floodplain. There is an abundance of wildlife to enjoy on an afternoon boat ride: Roseate Spoonbills, Anhingas, Wood Storks, Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, Spectacled Caimans, and there is even a chance of seeing the rare Jabiru stork. Overnight at the new Cano Negro lodge. (BLD)
Sunday, January 20:
After some early birding on the grounds of the Cano Negro Lodge and breakfast, we will have another boat trip to see the wildlife of the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. In addition to a variety of herons and kingfishers, we will have the opportunity to see howler monkeys, basiliscus lizards, and bats. In the afternoon we will bird along roads and trails of the local area. Overnight at Cano Negro Lodge. (BLD)
Monday, January 21:
Today we will drive from Los Chiles to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui and bird en route. It is the area of the famous La Selva Biological Field Research Station which is operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies. This was one of the first areas visited by Carrol Henderson when he was doing his tropical studies in 1969. At that time he had to reach the station by dugout canoe. We will check into the Sueno Azul Resort south of La Selva. This Resort has some excellent birding on the grounds. Overnight at Sueno Azul Resort. (BLD)
Tuesday, January 22:
We will spend a full day of birding on the grounds and in the rainforests of the La Selva Biological Station. La Selva is home to a great variety of classic rainforest wildlife ranging from Mantled Howler Monkeys to Iguanas and Armadillos to motmots, trogons, toucans, hummingbirds, cotingas, tanagers, hawks, saltators, and jacamars. We will have a chance to meet tropical researchers and graduate students when we have lunch at the La Selva cafeteria. Overnight at Sueno Azul. (BLD)
Wednesday, January 23:
After early morning birding on the grounds of Sueno Azul, we will depart for the Turrialba area and the birdy grounds of Rancho Naturalista. Rancho Naturalista is one of the Henderson's favorite birding destinations in Costa Rica. The trails there provide excellent birding in middle elevation premontane forest habitats and birding on the resort grounds is exceptional because many feeders bring birds to the hotel. Overnight at Rancho Naturalista. (BLD)
Thursday, January 24:
Early morning birding on the famous Rancho Naturalista veranda can result in seeing more than 50 species of birds in the courtyard before going to breakfast at 7:00 a.m. There is an abundance of hummingbirds including the White-necked Jacobin, Stripe-throated Hermit, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Green Hermit, and Green-breasted Mango. There are also Brown Jays, Passerini's Tanagers, Montezuma Oropendolas, Hoffmann's Woodpeckers, Clay-colored Robins, and Summer Tanagers. After breakfast we will explore the Hummingbird Meadow where the Snowcap is a special highlight. On forest trails it is possible to see motmots, jacamars, and Speckled Tanagers. Overnight at Rancho Naturalista. (BLD)
Friday, January 25:
After breakfast we will leave for the mountains of Cerro de la Muerte. This scenic drive will take us to the Savegre River valley where the Ephrain Chacon first homesteaded in the 1930's. His farm has grown from a small dairy farm and fruit orchard into one of the most successful—and birdy—destinations in the mountains of Costa Rica. It is especially known for the opportunity to see high elevation hummingbirds and the legendary Resplendent Quetzal. The many flowers and fruiting shrubs on the grounds provide constant birding opportunities. Overnight at Savegre Mountain Lodge (Finca Chacon). (BLD)
Saturday and Sunday, January 26 and 27:
We have two full days to explore mountain forests and nearby paramo habitats for quetzals, hawks, tanagers, warblers, thrushes, toucanets, trogons, hummingbirds, and guans. This scenic area is over 7200 feet in elevation and consists of tropical montane oak forests that are home to specialties like the Collared Trogon, Golden-crowned Chlorophonia, Costa Rican Pygmy-owl and Bare-shanked Screech-owl. Visits to nearby paramo shrub habitats above timberline provide a chance to see alpine wildflowers and the uncommon Volcano Junco, Peg-billed Finch, and Volcano Hummingbird. Overnight at Savegre Mountain Lodge. (BLD)
Monday, January 28:
After some early morning birding on the grounds of Savegre Mountain Lodge, we will bird along the road as we leave the Savegre River valley and return to San Jose and Hotel Bougainvillea. Depending on when we arrive at Hotel Bougainvillea, there may be time for some additional birding on the beautifully landscaped grounds of Hotel Bougainvillea. Farewell dinner. Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea. (BLD)
Tuesday, January 29:
Early departure for the airport to return to the USA/Minnesota.