Costa Rica Day 4

9th January 2022

Many species passed me as I stood in an area for a long period of time next to a stream at Tilaran. The highlight for me was this smart Yellow-throated Vireo that at very close range

The following day I stayed in my digs recovering from jet lag but this morning found me on a bus from Liberia, south towards Talarin. Two hours later, after changing at Canas mid-way, I arrived in the small town mid-morning, checked into Dharma Hostel, and Victor the owner, let me use his bike after I asked if I could hire one anywhere. I had only stepped out onto the road with the bike and on the wires were some 20 Blue and White Swallow and in the air, 3 Grey-breasted Martin. I had no idea where I was goin and cycled off towards the river nearby. It was while passing on the main road that I could hear a lot of different species, including yank warblers, calling and pulled over to see what the crack was. Immediately I could see Tennessee, Chestnut-flanked and Yellow Warbler with a small group of Baltimore Oriole. They were attracted to a small stream and it was obvious that they were coming into drink and bath. There was a lot of activity goin on and decided to stick it out for a while and see what else might come in. The Orioles moved out and two hours later, I had topped up 3 Summer Tanager, 8 Yellow-throated Euphonia, 3 Grove-billed Ani, 2 Yellow and single Chestnut-flanked Warber, Clay-coloured Thrush and a very brief Stripe-throated Hermit. The species that were present all the time in the period that I was there were, 5 Red-legged Honeycreeper,6 Tennessee and 2 Rufus-capped Warbler, 2 Huffman’s Woodpecker and 2 Rufous and White Wren. However, the highlight for me was a superb Yellow-throated Vireo. It was only on view for a good ten minutes but showed very well at close range.

Grey-breasted Martin

Blue and White Swallow were both just outside the digs I was staying at

This female Summer Tanager perched briefly with two male just above the stream

A party of 8 Yellow-throated Euphonia were mostly males

Up to 5 Red-legged Honeycreeper were feeding around the stream

The Rufous and White Wrens were noisy and easy to track down when close by

Up to 6 Tennessee Warbler were always on show and on many occasions I could of easily reached out and touched them from just staying still and waiting patiently for the birds to come to me. The downside was that they spent a lot of time, like most of the birds feeding, in the shade and I had compensate with the camera or wait for them to perch out in the sun when it wasn’t cloudy

I’ve seen a few Yellow-throated Vireos in Costa Rica before but none of them showed as well as this individual

There were few damselfly sp also knocking round and as you can see they just looked like the ones you see in Britian.

This fine looking beast was the only thing that I spoke to as it kept me company.

I didn’t get to the river and decided to have a change in habitat of more open areas. Again I stayed in one spot, after coming across 2 Striped-headed Sparrow and a small mixed flock of Yellow-faced and Blue-black Grassquit on the edge of track looking into long grassy fields with sparse trees and cattle. Yellow Warbler were vocal and just above me there was a cracking male Summer Tanager successfully flycatching. On the opposite side I tried to pish out the warblers and instead was rewarded with a Grey-headed Yellowthroat that almost landed on me! Noisy parrots flying overhead including Orange-chinned and Crimson-fronted. Higher up above them were Yellow-headed Caracara, Turkey and Black Vulture, 2 Broad-winged Hawk and an Osprey flew NE.

I spotted this hummingbird perched distantly in a tree and later when I was back at the hostel, I identified it from photos as a Long-billed Starthroat

A striking looking Stripe-crowned Sparrow

A male Yellow-faced Grassquit in full song

Another species taking advantage of the wired fence was this corking Grey-headed Yellowthroat

Dragonfly sp?

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