North Carolina Photographic Big Year 2016: Pura Vida (06-11Aug2015)

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Pura Vida (06-11Aug2015)

Spoiler Alert - At this point, I don't think I have any photography snobs reading my blog but I feel compelled to warn you a combination of poor jungle light, a crappy camera, lens fogging and a poor camera operator have conspired to render many of these spectacular birds something less than spectacular.

Is there a better place than Costa Rica? If there is, I don't know it. Good waves, food and birds. What else does a man need? When my childhood friend from NY proposed a quick long weekend in CR before his wife births his second child, I jumped on it. Of course this was a surfing buddy, so birds would have to take second fiddle to surfing, but I still managed some nice birds and handful of lifers.

I arrived a day before my friend at about 1:30pm and planned to head up to Quebrada Gonzalez in Braulio Carillo park to try for some new birds. I have been to CR many times but never have headed East of San Jose, mainly because we are always surfing and although the surf can get good on the East Coast, it is fickle. If there is are bad things about CR, I experienced them all on that first afternoon. The rental car place treated me like an ignorant tourist even though I recognized the Tico at the desk of the car rental place I have been using for years. It took over an hour to haggle the price down to what it should have been and I still was getting fleeced. I don't think anyone ever comes away from that experience feeling good. Next up was getting some cash changed into Colones, the national currency. I usually do this in the banks because the airport gives an awful exchange, but I quickly regretted it this time. The bank in Heredia had a line and I thought it was moving quickly so I waited. 10 minutes turned into 20 and so forth until I finally made it to the counter and they asked me for my passport. This is somewhat normal in CR, so I handed it over. But then they started grilling me about where I was staying and asking me for address info and telephone for the hotel......ARGHHH!!! They could not seem to understand I was in a hurry and they were holding my passport for ransom. I tried to get my passport back thinking I had wasted enough time and would change money later but then the bank teller brought my passport in the back to consult with his manager. His manager was calling the hotel to verify.... OMG!!! We take so much for granted in the USA, some things are much simpler and stress free. Ha, it should be the other way around for Costa Rica and usually it is when you are on vacation. I finally got out of there and started to head up through horrendous traffic up into the mountains. Of course then it started to pour. I realize I should have expected this in the rainy season, but at this point I was not feeling the Pura Vida. When I finally got to Quebrada Gonzalez at around 4:10pm, the gate was locked!!!! Anyway, long story short I folded my hand and headed back down in horrible traffic and rain and after getting lost a couple times finally checked in to my hotel in the dark. My first day I managed to get zero birds!!!

However, I knew this bad luck and probably bad planning was temporary. In hindsight I should have birded the afternoon at my hotel which was actually quite nice and birdy. In the morning I woke at dawn which is very early this time of year in CR. I only had a couple hours of light before I had to pick up my buddy at the airport so I was determined to make the most of it. The Hotel Bougainvillea is great hotel in the central valley with the specialty species being the Prevost's Ground Sparrow.

First species was of course the most redundant yet still great bird the Tropical Kingbird. This time of year it is not difficult to confused because the Western Kingbirds are not around yet.

Grayish Saltator - singing nicely.

National bird of CR - Clay-colored Robin.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird - these are the most common and aggressive species common at lower elevations in gardens.

Blue-crowned Motmot

Even squirrels in CR are better.

Red-billed Pigeon

Still recovering from the stressful situation from the day before, when I picked up my friend at around 9:30 at SJO, he promptly asked me to step on the gas because the next ferry to Paquera on the Nicoya was at 11am, otherwise we would have to take the 2pm and he was not having that. I was hoping for a leisurely drive stopping to ogle any birds on the roadside but that plan was dashed. Long story short, we made it to the ferry with 2 minutes to spare.

For anyone that has not been to the Nicoya Peninsula, you have two options when driving from SJO. You can drive around the Gulf of Nicoya to the North or you can take the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry. For birders, both options can be good. Driving around you can stop in Palo Verde area which is rich in marsh and estuary habitat. On the Ferry you can pick up Sulids and Pelagic Species. Of course being with a non-birder friend, we decided on the ferry.

There were hundreds of Black Terns perched on the myriad of flotsam interspersed throughout the ride over. I searched for Bridled but could not find any.

Then I found some birds I was not even remotely expecting.....

Sabine's Gull - none came in close but I saw several over the course of the ride. I had no idea this species hung out in the gulf and especially was surprised that they were here in August. Searching eBird there was only a few records. However, that wing pattern is pretty darn hard to mistake.

Brown Noddy - super cropped photo but I think it is diagnostic as I can't think of any other species you can see in the gulf that would be similar. Long winged and flying close to the water in a determined way. I did see the lighter forehead although it was not as pronounced as I thought it would have been. The other all dark species would have been either bulkier (booby) or smaller (Black Storm Petrel. The Black Storm Petrel also would have had a completely different flight style.

Another poor shot of a distant Sabine's Gull.

First stop on the Nicoya was a soda (roadside place to get some eats and drinks) in Tambor which is about half way to Mal Pais, our final destination.

White-collared Seedeater

A hitchhiker from Miami we picked up on the Paquera ferry was a photographer by trade and was trying to teach this old dog some new tricks on his own camera. She took this picture of this female Red-legged Honeycreeper.

Another disclaimer here. Most my morning birding sessions occurred at first light in a jungle environment. I had to get up early because the plan was to surf from 7-11am each day to catch the best conditions. So that meant birding from 5:30 to 6:30am which does not offer good photography opportunities with an old Rebel camera. However, the birding was great!

Scrub Euphonia - one of only two Euphonia's on the Nicoya. The other has a yellow throat.

Cinnamon HB

Rufous-naped Wren - this bird is common and very vocal. Little groups of them make a racket first thing in the morning.

Social Flycatcher - for some reason I didn't get any shots of Great Kiskadees despite them being everywhere.

Bare-throated Tiger Heron - adult

White-tipped Dove - blue orbital ring tells this species apart from the similar Gray-headed Dove which has a red orbital ring. I saw tons of the WT Doves but dipped completely on GH Doves.

This guy had some huge balls. Sorry I just had to point that out. He was going nuts (pardon the pun) and howling like a good Howler Monkey.

Squirrel Cuckoo

Black-headed Trogon

Flycatchers are not easy to ID especially when the looks are poor and the light not ideal. However, I was fairly certain this was a Yellow-Olive Flycatcher. The iris was pale although it is hard to see here.

Another Black-headed Trogon

Smooth-billed Ani

This SB Ani makes it easy to see that birds originally came from reptiles. He looks like a dinosaur from the waist up.

When I saw this bird I initially thought Rufous-and-White Wren, but now I am thinking Plain Wren due to grayish head.

Another shot showing the black eye line and white supercilium. Wish I got a photo of his flanks.

Blue-crowned Motmot

Blue-black Grassquit

Social Flycatcher

White-throated Magpie Jay

Juvenile Bare-throated Tiger Heron

Great-tailed Grackle

Roseate Spoonbill - I was not satisfied with any of the front end shots. For such a pretty bird, the face of the spoonbill is kind of ugly.

Black Vulture - I stared up a the sky for a long time on this trip looking for King Vultures, but that species continues to elude me.

Stripe-headed Sparrow

Violaceous Trogon

Only the second time I have seen a White-necked Puffbird and off course he was not cooperative this time either. He insisted on being backlit.

Worst picture I am posting, but I am doing it for a reason. This all rufous bird looked a lot like a Rufous Mourner or Piha but neither of those birds should be on the Nicoya based on my field guide. Its hard to tell from this photo but it was all dark rufous or Cinnamon colored and about the same size as the Social Flycatcher that was harassing it. I think I entered Rufous Mourner in eBird, but it could have been a Piha. It was way up high in the canopy.

This Rufous-capped Warbler was not very cooperative.

Inca Dove

Turquoise-browed Motmot

WTF!!! his tail is way too small, maybe molting? I think it could be a juvenile Plain Wren or Rufous-and-white Wren.

Green Kingfisher - most common KF of CR.

Brown-crested Flycatcher - It was making an incessant Whip call. Either that or Nuttings.

These poor Orange-chinned Parakeets were not looking to be in good shape and either were play wrestling or hated each other.

This Orange-fronted Parakeet was a little happier. Nom Nom Nom...

Hoffman's WP - Mango trees are good bird magnets.

Nice Bindi on this Hoffman's.

Orange-chinned Parakeets - flash works good in canopy situations when the birds are close.

Even Red-legged Honeycreepers like a mango. This little lady inhaled the whole mango after I took this picture.

Just kidding, she had a nice hole already made for her.

Crested Caracara

The waves were great and the birds good too. The food was also excellent. One night we did the Argentinian BBQ and another we went to my friend Koji's restaurant. Hands down the best meal I have had in a long time. Koji is a friend from San Diego that moved down to CR at the suggestion of my other friend Josh that moved down 10 years ago. He opened Koji's restaurant a couple years ago and now it is the most popular place in Santa Teresa. He regularly serves Tom B and Gisele who have a house nearby.

All good things come to an end and we headed back after our short weekend. We chose the ferry again.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Sabine's Gull - I had about 15 of them this time!! Unfortunately it was getting late and none of the pictures were coming out. The above photo was from the earlier part of the ride. Later I saw a couple fly right by the side of the boat but it was too dark and the camera only captured blurs. I also had a Brown Booby fly within 20 feet of me but I was not quick enough with the camera and flash.

The ride back to the hotel in San Jose was terrifying. Pitch dark, torrential rain, poor signage and 18 wheelers everywhere made it interesting. My friend was on an early flight but I had one more hurrah. This time I headed up to where I knew I would get birds and not bogged down with traffic. I have been up to Poas Volcano many times and it is always fun.

Blue-and-White Swallows

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Common Bush-tanager

Of course I had to get some feeder watching in so I stopped at a Soda that had feeders up. It was still early so I had to use flash.

Purple-throated Mountain-Gem

Another perspective of a PT Mountain-Gem

I believe this was a Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

I did see at least one Magnificent Hummingbird, and I think this is it, although the light is not hitting it in the right places. I believe you can see some blue in the throat and purple on the forehead.

Green-crowned Brilliant female

Green-crowned Brilliant male

GC Brilliant male - you can just see the diagnostic purple patch on the throat here.

PT Mountain-gem

Green Violet-ear

Very long bill - Magnificent Hummingbird female maybe?

Green Violet-ear

Not sure on this one, I think Green-crowned Brilliant female but the sub-ocular stripe is very small.

Green Violet-ear

Violet Sabrewing

The park only opens at 8am and of course I was there at the gates right on time. It was shrouded in mist when I finally parked which was a little worrisome because usually it is clear in the morning.

This Black Guan was severely backlit.

Black-cheeked Warbler - I love jungle warblers. Well I love all warblers.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird - I saw a bunch of these and had some great looks of the gorget all lit up, but unfortunately did not capture any images with the trademark fiery throat.