| Begins in San Jose Saturday Evening |
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$TBA |
Jan 21-29, 2012 (9 days, 8 nights)
Single Supplement = $TBA |
Costa Rica is an excellent destination for bird photographers because opportunities for photographing tropical birds are superb while excellent accommodations are located near all the prime sites. Our Costa Rica Highlights photo tour covers many of the best places to see and photograph birds in the country. We visit Carara National Park near the central Pacific coast, La Selva Biological Station and nearby areas on the Caribbean slope, and the Talamanca Mountains south of San Jose where Resplendent Quetzals are most readily seen and photographed.
The tour is led by professional bird photographer Laura Fellows, who captured most of the images on our website, and expert birding guide Mario Cordoba. We'll stay at fine eco-lodges throughout the tour except our first and last nights when we'll stay at a nice hotel near the airport.
DAY 1 - ALAJUELA
International flights arrive in the afternoon or evening. Participants gather at the Hotel Aeropuerto near Alajuela just outside San Jose, a 5-minute taxi ride from the international airport. Everyone is met at the hotel by our tour leader. Night in Alejuela.
DAY 2 - OROTINA & TARCOLES
Depart early and drive down the Pacific slope toward the lowlands, stopping at a reliable roost site of Black-and-white Owl in Orotina town plaza. The owls are normally quite easy to photograph there. We often see and photograph Two-toed Sloth as well. At the Tarcoles Bridge stop to look for Scarlet Macaws flying along the river. Opportunities to photograph Central American Crocodiles basking on the sandbars in the river.
Afternoon boat trip on the Rio Tarcoles, with many opportunties to photograph herons and egrets along the river including sometimes Fasciated Tiger-Heron. There are usually good opportunities to photograph Mangrove Black-Hawk in the trees along the river, sometimes kingfishers, and sometimes Black Spider Monkeys. Remainder of afternoon photographing birds in the trees along the road and near the boat launch. Scarlet Macaws sometimes perch close enough to photograph, as do a variety of flycatchers and tanagers. Night at Villa Lapas.
DAY 3 - CARARA NATIONAL PARK
Carara National Park protects a dry lowland forest in a transitional zone between the northern and southern Pacific coastal areas of Costa Rica. The Laguna Meandrica Trail is the best place in the park to photograph birds, and we'll spend the morning in the forest making photographs. The trail is wide, level, and easy walking. Some of the birds we hope to photograph are 5 species of trogons (Black-headed, Baird's, Northern Violaceous, Black-throated, and Slaty-tailed), large colorful birds related to quetzals that usually perch quietly in the middle story of the forest, a number of antbirds such as Barred Antshrike, Black-hooded Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, and Chestnut-backed Antbird that lurk in the forest understory, Orange-collared Manakins as they zip about between mating display perches, perhaps the more scarce Lance-tailed Manakin, and several tanagers that could include Gray-headed, White-lined, and Cherrie's Tanagers. At the end of the trail are some ponds where we usually have good success photographing Boat-billed Herons. After lunch visit the Headquarters Trail in the park, which winds through primary rainforest and features a different species mix, or photograph birds on the lodge grounds depending on the level of bird activity around the lodge. Night at Villa Lapas.
DAY 4 - CARARA TO SELVA VERDE
Return to Carara National Park to make additional photographs of birds along the trails or photograph birds around the lodge, depending on bird activity there. Sometimes Chestnut-mandibled Toucans nest near the lodge, and when present they are excellent subjects for our photography.
Depart mid-morning for the Caribbean slope, stopping en route at La Paz Waterfall Park to photograph birds in the gardens. Arrive late afternoon at Selva Verde. Previously, the Sarapiqui River outside the dining area has been a reliable place to see and photograph Sunbittern. It wasn't there in 2010 but could be back by our visit. Night at Selva Verde.
DAY 5 - LA SELVA BIOLOGICAL STATION
La Selva Biological Station is primarily a research facility but welcomes many visitors every day who are interested in seeing and photographing birds there. Over 400 species have been recorded on the premises. We'll spend all day photographing birds in open areas and in the forest. Morning will probably be devoted to photographing birds along the access road and around the open area near the dining facility. Bird activity there can be simply superb. Birds we hope to see and photograph include Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Collared Aracari, Cinnamon and Pale-billed Woodpeckers, Barred Antshrike, Crimson-collared Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Black-headed Saltator, Black-cowled Oriole, and Chestnut-headed Oropendola. Groups of Chestnut-mandibled Toucans commonly visit the clearing near the dining hall and make good subjects for photography. Sometimes Great Curassows appear in the grassy area around the dining hall.
Access to the trails through primary forest at La Selva has become increasingly restricted in recent years to limit impact from the many groups who visit. Because our guide is Costa Rican, we can sometimes get special access. Forest birds we may encounter along the trails include Crested Guan, Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Crested Owl, Northern Violaceous and Slaty-tailed Trogons, Chestnut-colored and Lineated Woodpeckers, Northern Barred and Black-striped Woodcreepers, White-collared Manakin, and various flycatchers and tanagers. We'll spend the afternoon making photographs of as many species as possible. Night at Selva Verde.
DAY 6 - EL TAPIR NATURE RESERVE & SAN GERARDO DE DOTA
Depart after breakfast for the central highlands, stopping en route at El Tapir Nature Reserve, an excellent place to find the prized Violet-headed Hummingbird, Black-crested Coquette, and Snowcap. Other hummingbirds often present are Green-breasted Mango, Green Thorntail, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Blue-throated Goldentail, and Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Arrive Savegre Mountain Hotel, nestled in a valley of the Talamanca Mountains, late afternoon. If time permits, photograph hummingbirds around feeders outside dining area at the lodge. Night at Savegre Mountain Hotel.
DAY 7 - SAN GERARDO DE DOTA
Early morning excursion to photograph Resplendent Quetzals. The quetzals are found in different places every year, so we'll rely on the resident guide at the lodge to give us directions on where they are. In recent years they've been mostly up on the ridgeline because a squatter has been cutting down almond trees lower down, which is the main food source for quetzals. Reaching them on the ridgeline entails a moderate uphill hike with switchbacks.
If Costa Rican Pygmy-Owls still roosting in highlands above lodge, drive up there after breakfast to photograph them and other highland birds. Otherwise, photograph highland birds in other areas near lodge all morning. Possibilities include Black Guan, Resplendent Quetzal, Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Mountain Thrush, Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, and Yellow-thighed Finch.
Mid-day photograph hummingbirds coming to lodge feeders near the entrance. Most are highland specialties such as Green Violetear, Gray-tailed and Purple-throated Mountain-gems, Green-crowned Brilliant, Volcano Hummingbird, and Scintillant Hummingbird. Other hummingbirds coming to the feeders include Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Magnificent, and sometimes the beautiful Violet Sabrewing. Also photograph Slaty Flowerpiercer, which usually feeds on the flowers in the garden.
Late afternoon optional walk along the River Trail, a fairly easy somewhat downhill trail following the river on lodge property. Resplendent Quetzals sometimes nest in the riverine forest along this trail. Other birds of interest include Tufted and Yellowish Flycatchers, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Ruddy-capped and Black-billed Nightingale-Thrushes, Flame-throated Warbler, Collared Redstart, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, and Yellow-thighed Finch. Night at Savegre Mountain Hotel.
DAY 8 - THE TALAMANCA HIGHLANDS
Morning again photographing Resplendent Quetzals and other highland birds. Depart mid-morning for San Jose, stopping near Cartago for early lunch. After lunch visit Lankester Botanical Gardens, best known for its orchid collection. We'll have a couple hours to photograph birds and orchids (for those who have an interest) before continuing on to San Jose. Arrive at our hotel around 4:30 PM. Night at Hotel Aeropuerto in San Jose.
DAY 9 - END OF TOUR
Tour ends with breakfast at the hotel. International flights home.
For more information on the places we stay, please click on the ACCOMMODATIONS tab above. Feel free to call us any time at 877-247-3371 (inside US) or 303-325-5188 (outside US) with any questions you may have or to register for this memorable tour.
