Black-headed Trogon male © Koji TAGI
Broadbill - Birdwatcher's site
BIRDING REPORT IN COSTA RICA
Black-headed Trogon male © Koji TAGI
This is my birding report of Costa Ric during
May 18-20, 1999.
During May 10-20, I had an opportunity to
visit Costa Rica, a central American country.
My mission to the country was for attending
the 7th regular meeting for the Contracting
Parties of the Ramsar Convention. However,
while the country is well-known among birdwatcher,
I planned to spend 3 days for birdwatching
after the conference.
While I had never been to the country and
was able to speak little Spanish, I decided
to find a professional birdwatcher who was
able to guide me there. I contacted Richard
Garrigues through his web site "Finding birds in Costa Rica". Before going to the country, I sent
my list what I want to see there. So, everything
was ready.
18 May
The first day for birding trip. My guide,
Richard came to Hotel Irazu at 5:00 AM, locate
outside of San Jose.
After I left computer and large baggage in
the hotel, we headed toward upper mountains.
After 1.5 hours driving, we climbed up to
more than 2,600 meter from the sea level.
A place called Quetzal Mirador (photo right) is a privately owned sanctuary.
Our purpose is of cause Resplendent Quetzal.
A local guide, Christian, seems only 15 or
16 years old. He guided us into the high
mountain rain forest. Plenty of Fiery-throated Hummingbirds (photo left) were flying around the forest.
An American Swallow-tailed Kite sours with
the elegant long tail above the moist forest.
Because of high altitude, we panted for breath
with even short distant walking. Only Christian
was walking smoothly.
In the early afternoon, we climbed up to
Quetzal's nest. In the moist forest, we finally
found a female quetzal. It is so shiny and
elegant even in the poor light condition.
However, heavy rain did not allow us to wait
for a male bird.
19 May
At 4:30 am, we started drive down to the
Pacific coast. Richard told me we were going
to the Carara Biological Reserve. On the
way to go down, we stopped twice to see two
species of motmots. Motmots are similar to
bee-eaters but are more forest birds with
elongated center tail feather. It has a button-shaped
feather at the end of the tail which reminds
me something for flushing the toilet.
At the Carara Biological Reserve, we were
able to see wide variety of birds, including
4 species of trogons, antbirds, ovenbirds,
tyrant flycatchers and hummingbirds. 
Scarlet Macaw (photo left) uttered loud and raucous calls
from the deep forest. Leaf-cutting Ants were
commonly seen in the forest. They developed
a narrow but long trails for their works.
In the afternoon, we tried to find a toucan
at the reserve. A handsome male Red-legged
Honeycreeper was perching an exposed tree
branch. More than a dozen of Scarlet Macaw
were feeding at a palm? tree. Although the
flock of huge birds were impressive enough,
the large calls were too awful. In another
direction, a Mantled Howler-monkey was barking
loudly. The call is again terrible. A White-nosed
Coati was cute! The long-nosed animal with
the long striped tail crossed the walking
trail just 10 meter front of us. It was probably
busy to look for something to eat.
We finally saw over 110 species at the day.
However, we did not see any toucan. Well,
still I have one more day.
20 May
This is the last day in Costa Rica. We dropped
in Carara once again. Although we heard several
calls of Chestnut-mandibled Toucans, we failed
to see them.
Because of lack of sleeping time, I often
slept in the car. Once I noticed, Richard
asked me to see a tree in the valley. There
was a something shining. A male Quetzal!?
It was enough to wake me up. The shining
green bird was sitting quietly on a branch
about 10 meter from the ground. The long
tail was swinging without wind. What a graceful
bird it is! While we were staying there,
the bird did not fly away. How can I believe
the location was only 20 meter from a main
road to Volcano Poas!
At the next stop, we enjoyed 10 species of
hummingbirds coming to feeder. They are surprisingly
small even from the short distance. I was
still not able to believe they are birds.
Again, when I was started sleeping in the
car, Richard woke me up. "Look at a
top of a dead tree". Yep, a Keel-billed
Toucan. So, we saw three great species (Toucan,
Quetzal and Macaw) in one day! The yellow-faced
bird has a colorful enormous bill. However,
it is still not clear why they need such
a huge beak.
In the afternoon, we were able to add several
more species, such as Chestnut-mandibled
Toucans, Long-tailed Tyrant and Red-lored
Parrot at the La Selva Biological Station
on the Caribbean slope. However, because
of heavy rainfall, we stopped birding after
short hours walking. A Long-tailed Tyrant
had been sitting on the same blanch while
we were staying at the reserve.
After 18:00 hours, we came back to San Jose.
The long three days birding was finished.
I thanked and said good-bye to Richard and
went back to Irazu Hotel.
Costa Rica is a wonderful and impressive
country for me, though I did not have an
enough chance to travel around the country
sufficinently. Once again, I would like to
visit the beautiful country. Hopefully, in
the near future.
left: Magnifiscent Hummingbird & right: Rufous-tailed Hummingbird © Koji TAGI
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the trip 
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