As many birders, nature lovers, and avid vacationers know, Costa Rica has a lot to supply. It has one thing for everybody. Tasty meals, unbelievable birding, scorching springs, seashores, historic websites – Costa Rica doesn’t miss a beat in terms of trip. It’s even a retirement haven in Central America for many who need to benefit from the pura vida life-style. The one drawback with Costa Rica is that there are too many issues to see and do in only one journey.
I had been to Costa Rica two occasions earlier than: as soon as on a cruise cease at Limon – which ended up being a wasted day apart from seeing a sloth for the primary time within the wild; the opposite was as a chaperone for a gaggle of highschool Spanish college students – additionally largely a wasted journey whereas enjoying nanny. So, when my co-organizer talked about a scouting journey to Costa Rica for subsequent yr’s Worldwide Convention for Ladies Birders (IC4WB), I rapidly organized our journey and deliberate for 5 sleepless days in paradise.
My husband, Erik, and I arrived at San Jose after a red-eye flight at 10:00 am and hit the bottom operating with a visit to Café Cristina, a family-owned and -operated espresso farm centered on conservation. Ernesto, whose mother and father personal the finca (property), took us on a tour concerning the espresso rising course of and what farmers can do to encourage variety and wildlife. Luckily for him, the coffee-growing life permits him ample time to pursue chook conservation actions, together with the set up of a MOTUS station, chook banding, Cerulean Warbler analysis, and far more. The efforts at this web site to stability espresso manufacturing and wildlife variety have garnered the small farm over 350 chook species, 250 butterflies, and far more. We heard White-tipped Doves coo-ing on the forest ground, a Widespread Tody-Flycatcher hopping across the timber gleaning bugs, a Mistletoe Tyrannulet calling Grey-crowned Yellowthroats within the distance, and far more as we sipped recent espresso and the rain pitter-pattered exterior.
That night time, we stayed on the illustrious Lodge Bougainvillea simply exterior San Jose, distinctive due to the ten acres of gardens behind the lodge. The Nice Kiskadees and White-fronted Parrots sounded the alarm at 6:00 am, and I used to be shocked to see the solar already up and that we have been losing daylight. We rapidly grabbed our gear and headed to the backyard. On the entrance, we have been greeted by a Lesson’s Motmot, a Rufous-collared Sparrow, and a White-tipped Dove. We aimed to seek for a Cabanis’s Wren, which might be a fast lifer. It’s all the time enjoyable to refamiliarize your self with cherished species after time away, I in all probability spent an excessive amount of time appreciating considered one of my favourite frequent birds: Blue-gray Tanager.
After exhausting the gardens and having a chunk to eat, it was time for our assembly to debate the IC4WB with the Jacanas, a supportive group of girls birders in Costa Rica. Extra to return about this quickly!
For the next days, we stayed at Rancho Naturalista, a forested ecolodge a number of hours east of San Jose. It is a favourite lodge amongst birders, for it’s a 160-acre nature protect boasting 450 species, world-class eating, comfy lodging, and great hosts. We got a spacious room set away from the primary lodge deep within the forest – the toilet even had its personal orchid backyard! However the true deal with was the birds, so we dropped off our luggage and received to birding. The feeders off the eating space have been busy with White-necked Jacobins, Inexperienced Hermit, Montezuma Oropendula, and Inexperienced-breasted Mango. Dusky-capped Flycatchers and White-breasted Wooden-Wrens name crammed the realm with the fixed hum of cicadas. We have been even handled to an look from the showstopper, a Snowcap.
The subsequent few days have been spent the best way birders name “trip” – up round daybreak, birding right here and there, breaks for meals, and an early bedtime to do it over again. We explored the paths at Rancho Naturalista with considered one of their guides, Harry, who requested that I describe him as eccentric; I’d additionally add that he’s a extremely proficient birder and an entertaining information who made it an fulfilling journey. Lisa, the lodge proprietor, confirmed us different websites within the space, like a nesting Sunbittern on the river, a close-by lake for Snail Kites, Kingfishers, and different waterbirds, and Lodge Quelitales.
This lodge is west of Rancho Naturalista, nearer to Cartago and Tapanti Nationwide Park. I didn’t see any of the rooms because it was relatively busy that day, however the grounds are beautiful, with many trails and personal cabins. The lodge is just under a ridgeline, which is great for hawk watching. From the primary lodge, you possibly can stroll up the doorway street to a waterfall, which often has a Inexperienced-fronted Lancebill close by. That is additionally the place the butterfly gardens and feeding station is supplied with chairs and restroom. Proper off the bat, we had Lesser Violetear, White-bellied Mountain-gem, Black-bellied Hummingbird, and 9 different hummingbird species coming into the flowers and feeders. Going up the vegetated hill, flocks of tanagers and a Purple-headed Barbet have been working the timber. Once you thought a lull in exercise was setting in, a brand new flock could be noticed or hummingbird trying to find nectar. At midday, we pulled ourselves away for lunch ready by lodge proprietor AND famend connoisseur chef Jose – it is a great spot for foodie-birders!
After lunch, we stated goodbye to the remainder of our journey companions as we headed west towards San Jose after which again to Rancho Naturalista. It’s evident you could spend your entire life exploring Costa Rica and nonetheless have one thing new to see and uncover. In simply three days, we barely scratched the floor of this space, and there are numerous extra locations to go to. Nevertheless it was good to get away from our busy, tourist-filled house and into the quiet and solitude of a tropical bird-filled forest for a number of days. We will certainly be again for extra!
If you wish to learn extra about Rancho Naturalista, Dragan Simic has a number of nice posts about it: Rancho Naturalista Lodge, Costa Rica, or When Harry Met Mercedes; Rancho Naturalista Lodge, Costa Rica, or within the Land of Espresso and Chocolate
