Costa Rica Birding Holiday - February 21 to March 5, 2007

March 2

Wilson Botanical Gardens

Today, started with an early feeder watch; the feeders were conveniently located beside the cafeteria. At the feeder we were delighted to see a Buff-throated Saltator, a Speckled Tanager and a Blue-crowned Motomot which has a very long thin tail ending with some flat feathers, the shape of the infinity symbol. (These more unusual birds only appeared early in the day). This was followed by breakfast at 6am and then a guided hike led by a young woman who worked there at the Garden, 6:30-9:30am. Interesting but fairly quiet. On the way back, we spotted a Central American Whiptail, which we took for a skink. We also saw an Agouti.

Blue-crowned Motmot	Blue-crowned Motmot

Blue-crowned Motmot	Blue-crowned Motmot

Golden-hooded Tanager	Palm Tanager (with Cherrie's)

Cherrie's Tanager (f)	Gray-necked Wood-Rail

Green Honeycreeper (m)	Green Honeycreeper (f)

Buff-throated Saltator	Buff-throated Saltator

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Red-crowned Woodpecker

Airport ponds

After lunch we bused to near the San Vito airport and checked out some small lagoons. This was very productive as many species of birds were enjoying the cool water and shade trees on this very hot day. We also had great views of a soaring Swallow-tailed Kite.

Common Moorhen	Purple Gallinule

Variable Seedeater	Yellow-bellied Seedeater

Bay-headed Tanager

American Swallow-tailed Kite	Lesser Goldfinch

Gray-capped Flycatcher	Little Blue Heron

Wilson Botanical Gardens

After dinner, we went on a night hike with the same woman who had guided us in the morning. She had an uncanny ability to find frogs hiding on the fronds on the plants. We lucked into seeing a grasshopper shedding its skin. We watched the whole process, which took some time. We could hear Pauraques calling across the road. Our guide tried everything to flush them our way, but they were too shy.

Buff-throated Woodcreeper