Bailiff patrol Stockers November

Started at Stockers house noting a flock of Siskin buzzed by Sparrowhawk then walked canal side noting gulls and immature male goldeneye,  then Andy Longfellow in to old Esox.

The pike weighed about 9lb caught on dead bait 

Manuel Antonio final morning and leaving for San Jose

Got up early for a walk around 0700hrs,first up was a splendid Cherries Tanager
 Further on some Smooth billed Anis ,more Black Vultures obliged as did Yellow headed Caracara.

In a stream near the beach a single White Ibis showed well.

Also near the road a confiding Ferruginous Pygmy Owl posed for pictures.

At breakfast a Roadside Hawk was calling below the hotel,after lunch we left for San Jose.

Passing through Carara over the River Tarcoles and its Crocodiles a traffic jam ensued about 18km from San Jose. Over night at Villa Tournon the last bird of the trip was Plain Wren.

Manuel Antonio park

Woke up around 6am heard Black and white owl calling,we headed for the park entrance then down to the beach where Black Vultures showed well.

Also Spotted Sandpiper and Green Kingfisher, after breakfast a big queue obliged at 0900 HRS mostly Americans going swimming.

We noted Sloth and Lesser Nighthawk and small flocks of Orange chinned Parakeets.
Hoffman's Woodpecker and Black hooded Ant shrike were good finds.

Another Lifer was Cherrie's Tanager a smaller version of Passerinis, it became very hot so I returned to the hotel.

Carara National Refuge

Left Monteverde on route to Manuel Antonio we crossed the river just before Carara NP where crocodiles swam below us.

The River Tarcoles held many of these,we saw River Wren and Southern Lapwing here too.

We entered the park hearing our objective long before seeing it.

We also saw a splendid Trogon before a flock of Scarlett Macaws.

Monteverde Curi Cancha reserve

Once again in search of Resplendant Quetzal at Curi Cancha.

We searched this open valley and found 2 males and 1 female they performed admirably but a little elusive in the shade.

They were scared off by Crested Guans as the morning progressed.

Moving on through the forest we noted Motmots and Chestnut headed Oropendolas,a distant Swallow tailed Kite in flight.
We rested by a river getting a few bites,at the humming bird area more Agoutis before lunch at Stellars bakery.

Monteverde

early morning walk produced blue crowned motmot and emerald toucanet all before breakfast.

We got the bus to Monteverde and went on the Sendero camino route our first bird was a Slaty backed or Black headed Nightingale Thrush.

Katherine found our first Resplendant Quetzal,the holy grail bird was quite splendid.

A superb passerine was the Slate collared Redstart as we made our way to the view point.

We also saw Black Guan  and another Coatimundi on route to the Hummingbird café.

At the Hummingbird café there was good numbers and varietys of the  aptly named café species.

One of my favourite hummers was this splendid bird pictured below.

The Violet Sabrewing,other birds also obliged at the feeders.

The Rufous tailed Jacamar amongst others incuding Collared Redstart.

Finally another Coatimundi before leaving for the Serpentarium.

Arenal National Park 12th March 2017

Got up around 0530hrs had breakfast ,then we were off to the National Park where on arrival we saw at least two yellow phase of eyelash viper.

We followed a path through the cane fields where Plain Chachalacha and White throated Jay obliged.

Further on a birders bird the Common Potoo showed well its cryptic reptilian plumage the master of camouflage.

We climbed to the Mirador overlooking Arenal Volcanoe,we could here Brown Jays calling.

On the return leg we noted Squirrel Cuckoo,more vipers and the lek of the White collared Mannikin.

After lunch a stop for a view produced a fine Armadillo,then Howler monkey and Crested Guan.

A long journey to Monte Verde arriving around 1830hrs, some luxury at last. Lovely Hotel bathroom view etc.

Arenal Hanging Bridges

After lunch we travelled to Arenal and its hanging bridges.

More birds including White collared swifts,Sulphur rumped flycatcher and 3 species of hummingbird.

Paul and Paolo on a hanging bridge,Paolo found a Pit Viper.

A couple of lifers were Crested Owl and Bicolored  hawk.

Finally along the road a Coatimundi heavily photographed.

A last look at the bridges before leaving.

La Fortuna and Eco centre at Danaus plus Arenal

Early morning at the San Bosco Inn a Roadside hawk showed well as Red fronted parrotlets flew over all before breakfast.
After breakfast we took the bus to Eco centre Danaus on arrival the feeding area produced a variety of birds and mammals.

The Golden headed Tanager was splendid along with confiding mannikins and Collared Aracari .

The Jesus Christ Lizard and Agouti also showed well before we walked the reserve.

Elias led the way,first up we found a female Green Frog and its spawn.

In the butterfly sanctuary blue morpho obliged and at the ponds breeding boat billed herons.

Good numbers of boat billed herons and below them the diminutive Caimans.

 A couple of bats proved difficult to see as we walked on.

Arrival back at the feeders proved exceptional for birds,close views of Aracari etc before leaving for lunch.

La Baula to La Fortuna 10th March 2017

An early morning walk before breakfast produced performing mannakins and Spider and Howler monkeys.

A new species of woodpecker obliged for the trip,namely pale billed.

The pair above are Smoky Brown Woodpeckers,we left the dock it took one and a half hours to get back to the port.

Transferred our suitcases to the bus once more noting Variable and Thick billed Seedeaters.A stop for lunch with Red winged Blackbirds it was dark as we arrived in La Fortuna.