Costa Rica - My Arrival.

 

The night before:

Diego - How tired do you reckon you will be tomorrow morning?

Me - probably pretty tired. why?

Me - on the other hand I cannot get into my room until after lunch so pointless thinking about sleep before then...

Diego - There are 3 Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoos, showing nicely and not sure if they will be there until we drive to Arenal on the March 3rd...

Me - Let's do it!

Diego - Deal!

And so birding began early after my 6am arrival to San Jose, Costa Rica after a 6 hour sleepless flight from Los Angeles which left at 10-45pm. 

A drive of about an hour or so followed my pickup and relatively soon I found myself walking unsteadily down a muddied path into a rainforest patch. Here was the stake-out.

Here columns of Army Ants would soon be marching through this piece of jungle and several species of birds would be in attendance, including the enigmatic Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, robbing the ants of part of their invertebrate bounty [up to 60% if research can be believed - and I believe it can].

I say enigmatic because their previous rarity or invisibility earned them the moniker, 'Ghost bird'. Lately, for reasons which are unknown, the birds have turned up where birders can see them. Again and again it seems. Based on the attendance today - a Saturday - their charm had not warn out. A large number of Camera carrying Costa Ricans were staked around the ants as they began to swarm all clicking at the ant birds in attendance and the bill clacking Ground Cuckoos.

One had to keep an eye on the birds and an eye on the ants and an eye on other photographers and birders to ensure

a/ you saw the main prize - the Cuckoos

b/ you were not overrun by army ants

and

c/ that all of your pictures taken in the dark undergrowth had more cuckoo than hats or lens or shirts. 

Other birds included Ocellated Antbirds and Bicoloured Antbirds.

Ocellated Antbird

Ocellated Antbird

Ocellated Antbird

Barred Forest Falcon

Barred Forest Falcon

And because it is Costa Rica, at a nearby cafe there were fruit feeders attracting a nice range of species. In addition to the species below there was a Northern Parula and an Emerald Tanager among others.

Blue and Gold Tanager

 

Palm Tanager

Blue Grey Tanager

Silver throated Tanager

Clay coloured Thrush