Costa Rica, Part 2

[kestrel]

There's a really nice viewing platform, at Savegre, that my dad and I enjoyed visiting.

Though I only got a fleeting glimpse of a Highland Tinamou, I did have great views of this Collared Redstart:
Collared Redstart by Joel Schmidt, on Flickr

Only a stone's throw from the lodge is Batsu Garden, where I got three lifers.

Also had some Yellow-thighed Brushfinch:
Yellow-thighed Brushfinch by Joel Schmidt, on Flickr

During a visit to Suenos del Bosque Lodge, we were surprised to find a Fasciated Tiger-heron:
Fasciated Tiger-heron by Joel Schmidt, on Flickr

Even though it rained most afternoons and evenings, we lucked out on one day. This allowed us to find a Bare-shanked Screech-owl:
Bare-shanked Screech-owl by Joel Schmidt, on Flickr

An excursion up to high-elevation scrubland, known as paramo, allowed us to find Volcano Junco:
Volcano Junco by Joel Schmidt, on Flickr

It was tough to say 'goodbye' to this incredible country, and I definitely want to go back. Here's the eBird trip report:
ebird.org/tripreport/232360

[ed]

Joel what a great experience with your Dad. Would you tell us about more of the logistics, where you went, why you chose those spots, and how you kept track of the birds seen. Did you rely on a guide book, did you use Merlin to identify species etc.

[kestrel]

Sure thing, Ed.

We flew with Air Canada, changing planes in Toronto both ways. I would not recommend connecting through YYZ, as we did not have a positive experience at all. With our guides, we visited Los Quetzales and Tapanti National Parks, while based out of Rancho Naturalista and Savegre Hotel. I chose those lodges because they were located in the best places to look for my target birds. One note about Savegre, it is a very posh hotel. In addition, there are several smaller, simpler lodges in that same valley for one to choose from. Leading up to the trip, I studied the bird guide The Birds of Costa Rica (2014 edition), by Richard Garrigues. I used the eBird app throughout the trip, to keep bird lists. Merlin was very useful, especially with a Costa Rica pack downloaded in advance.