January 30 - February 15, 2011

(tour: FON/CR-1, '11)


Itinerary & price follows.

 A reason for so much diversity 
in the wildlife and nature in Costa Rica
is the tremendous range of elevations
in the country.
With mountains as high 
as about 10,000 feet above sea level,
and foothills and slopes on both 
the Caribbean & Pacific sides of the country,
there will be much for us to see and explore.

And, as we're doing it, we'll be comfortable.
Not hot, even though in the Neotropics. 
 

The Resplendent Quetzal,
one of the avian stars in the mountains of Costa Rica
 
 

Tour to be led by Armas Hill, well-experienced in Costa Rica, with its places, birds, and wildlife, having traveled & birded  there numerous times, since 1978.

Links:

A List & Photo Gallery of Central American Birds, in 4 Parts:
Part #1, Tinamous to Doves
Part #2, Macaws to Woodpeckers
Part #3, Manakins to Thrushes
Part #4, Thrushes to Buntings 

A List of the Birds of Costa Rica (without photos)  

Costa Rica Mammals & Other Wildlife (with some photos)

Central America Butterflies (with some photos)

Previous FONT Costa Rica Tour Highlights

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in Central America

Feature: "Alexander Skutch - A Naturalist in Costa Rica" 

Tour Registration Form

Waterfall in Costa Rica,
photograph by Marie Gardner, during a previous FONT birding tour

Itinerary  (price follows):

Sun: Jan. 30, '11  Arrival in Costa Rica. Overnight in San Jose.

Mon: Jan. 31  After an early morning departure from the hotel, some excellent Caribbean Slope birding at the Canyon Virgen del Socorro, a particularly good place for a fine assortment of tanagers and other colorful birds, including the Red-headed Barbet. Birding, also this day, in the area of the Poas and Barva Volcanoes, for our first cast of highland bird specialties, including our first subspecies of the Volcano Hummingbird (a species that varies on different volcanoes). There will be a nice number of hummingbirds throughout the tour. Overnight near Poas Volcano. 

 

Red-headed Barbet  

Tue: Feb. 1  After birding in morning, travel, in the afternoon, to the town of Fortuna de San Carlos near Arenal Volcano. Overnight near Fortuna.

Wed: Feb. 2  An excellent morning boat-ride along the River Cano Negro toward an area of marsh near the Nicaraguan border, the only haunt in Costa Rica for the Nicaraguan Grackle. A fine assortment of long-legged wadders is likely, including this time of year, the Jabiru. During this ride previously we've found Sungrebe, Boat-billed Heron, and Great Potoo. Late in the afternoon, return to Fortuna, for a second overnight. 

Thu: Feb. 3  A morning with some very good birding in the area of the Arenal Observatory Lodge, but even the most ardent birders can be distracted by the Arenal Volcano, when it is active. It can be spectacular. Even though a safe distance away, it can be exciting by day, and after dark, a thrill. Regarding the birds in the area, there's an excellent variety, and that ardent birder could have yet another thrill with a sighting of a spectacular male Bare-necked Umbrellabird, as we have here during one of our tours in the past. Also notable during our previous tours in this area have been as many as 30 Scarlet-thighed Dacnis in one tree, and Rufous-breasted Antthrush on the ground. Other antbirds, too, along with an assortment of wrens, including the Northern Nightingale Wren with its beautiful song. Overnight near Arenal.

A Green Violetear
photographed during a FONT tour.
This is just one of the hummingbirds
in the highlands of Costa Rica & Panama. 

Fri, Feb. 4:  During  a part of this day, travel from Arenal to Monteverde, where we'll spend a good part of two days. Monteverde began as a Quaker settlement, famous for its cheese. The nearby town of Santa Elena is an attractive Tico village. The term "Tico" is an endearing one for "Costa Rican". 
In the Monteverde and Santa Elena area, we visit the cloud forest reserve, and some places that are particularly good for hummingbirds, and orchids and butterflies in addition to birds. Overnight in Monteverde. 

Sat, Feb. 5:  A full-day in the Monteverde area. Overnight there.

Sun, Feb. 6:  Travel from Monteverde and the northern Costa Rican highlands south to the highest mountains in the country, the Talamanca Mountains, south of Cartago. The slopes of these hills and mountains are covered with forests containing tropical oaks and bromeliads, and with some interesting birds restricted to the area. Easily reached by the Pan American Highway will be an assortment of habitats, from the highland forests to beautiful valleys in the mountains. We'll be spending two days and two overnights in the area. Our hotel will be at an elevation of about 6,500 feet above sea level. Along the Pan American Highway we'll get as high as about 10,000 feet above sea level, the highest point of the highway from Alaska to Argentina. 

Mon, Feb 7:  During our time in the Talamanca Mountains, birds will include, among others: 2 species of Silky-Flycatchers, various species of hummingbirds, Nightingale-Thrushes, and some oddities, such as the Buffy Tufted-cheek and the Zeledonia. Also to be seen, the Peg-billed Finch, the Large-footed Finch, and the Yellow-thighed Finch.
  
Maybe the most famous of the birds that we'll see would be the Resplendent Quetzal, considered to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. 
Other birds will include the Emerald Toucanet and a warbler known as the Collared Whitestart. To Costa Ricans, it's also known as the "Amigo de Hombre", that is "Friend of Man". Besides being attractive, it's tame and inquisitive. 

The Collared Whitestart,
a dapper bird 
in the mountains of southern Costa Rica
and western Panama.
known locally as the "Amigo de Hombre",
the "Friend of Man".

We'll ascend to higher montane birding at and above the timberline. For: Timberline Wren, Large-footed Finch, Volcano Hummingbird, Volcano Junco, and others, among them two "stunners": the Fiery-throated Hummingbird and the Flame-throated Warbler. Our second overnight in the Talamanca Mountains. 

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Tue, Feb 8:  This day we'll go further south, getting closer to the Panamanian border. With, of course, birding along the way. Our destination will be the town of San Vito, inland at mid-elevation in the Coto Brus Valley. There's some very good birding in that area. 
Near the town, for example, there's a marsh with, among others, two notable birds: the Masked Duck and what was the Masked Yellowthroat, the latter now split and called  the "Chiriqui Yellowthroat". Our first overnight in San Vito.

Wed, Feb 9: From San Vito this day, we'll go further into the interior highlands to one of the "wildest" areas in Costa Rica, and away from people, the La Amistad International Park. There will be quite an assortment of birds, among them various hummingbirds, tanagers, manakins, and more. We'll take a ride, on a 4-wheel drive vehicle, deep into the forest. Overnight, this night, at a lodge at the edge of La Amistad. 

Thu, Feb 10:  A full-day of birding at La Amistad, where a wonderful array of birds, butterflies, and some animals may be seen. At the day's end, we'll be back to San Vito to overnight there.

A Gulf Fritillary,
one of many butterflies in Costa Rica

Fri, Feb 11:  From San Vito this day, we'll venture across the border into the Chiriqui Province of Panama. In that province again, as we have in the past, we'll have some fine birding in the highlands, particularly in the area of Boquete and the Baru Volcano National Park. 
During our tours here in the past, we've found birding to be particularly good, in that region of coffee plantations and mountain forest, especially at places such as the Finca Lerida. Overnight near Boquete.

Sat, Feb 12:  We'll have more birding in the highlands of far-western Panama this day, where there will be yet more hummingbirds, and other birds too. Overnight, back in Costa Rica, in the hills near the small city of San Isidro de General. 

Sun, Feb 13:  Much of this day, birding at a special place, "Los Cosingos", where the late naturalist Alexander Skutch lived for many years, and where we have visited many times during FONT tours since the 1990's. At this special place, during those tours, we've seen a some special birds including the Turquoise Cotinga, Rufous Piha, various tanagers, manakins, and honeycreepers, and the Fiery-billed Aracari. It is the last of these birds after which Mr. Skutch's property was named. A flock of those aracaris are called "Los Cosingos". 
Other birds to be sought in the area include the Red-breasted Blackbird (a recent arrival in Costa Rica from Panama) and the Fork-tailed Flycatcher. Overnight again near San Isidro de General.  

The Fierry-billed Aracari
the bird after which the Skutch property
"Los Cosingos" is named. 

Mon, Feb 14:  From San Isidro de General, travel back to San Jose. Our last overnight in San Jose.

Tue, Feb 15: Departure for home from Costa Rica.  

Price: US$ 2,990 per person, based upon double-occupancy.

Single supplement: US$ 325   

Prices include: All accommodations. All meals Jan 31-Feb 14. Transportation within Costa Rica. Services of the FONT birding guide familiar with the birds and localities.

Prices do not include:  Meals on the first & last days. Drinks and any items of a personal nature. Air transportation to/from Costa Rica. Airport departure tax. Gratuities.

"Focus On Nature Tours" can arrange air travel in relation to this tour, seeking the best possible fare.

A deposit of US$ 500, per person, 
is required to reserve a place on the tour.

Birds that only occur in southwestern Costa Rica 
& adjacent far-western Panama:

Charming (or Beryl-crowned) Hummingbird
White-crested Coquette
Baird's Trogon
Fiery-billed Aracari
Golden-naped Woodpecker
Black-hooded Antshrike
Turquoise Cotinga
Yellow-billed (or Antonia's) Cotinga
Orange-collared Manakin
Black-bellied Wren
Riverside Wren
Scaly-breasted (or Whistling) Wren (occurs south to southern Panama)
Spot-crowned Euphonia
Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager
(not in Panama, endemic actually to the area of the Osa Peninsula)
Black-headed Brush-Finch