Three Rivers Birding Club Southwestern Pennsylvania

After two non-birding visits and an aborted birding trip, I finally was able to spend a week birding Costa Rica. I went with Hillstar Nature, a relatively new tour agency that I first learned about when the owner gave an informative yet fun talk at the May 2023 PSO Birding Festival. Josh Covill, our guide, was incredibly talented and kind. He knew all the birds by ear and on sight, and was excellent at getting all six of us a good look. I got many life birds and visited such a variety of habitats with awe-inspiring views; I also met many interesting people.

When I landed in San Jose on December 7, 2024, I stuffed my winter jacket and fleece pullover into my duffle bag, along with my hiking shoes, that I swapped out for flip-flops. It was sunny and 83 degrees. The birding started at our lodging, Hotel Robledal, located a few minutes-drive from the airport. The garden was maybe a half an acre, but it had a pond, plants, and flowers which attracted a variety of birds. After checking in I joined Josh and four birders from a New Jersey bird club that were a part of our group. Josh had a scope and put my cell phone to it to photograph my first life bird of the trip – a Lineated Woodpecker, that looks a bit like a punk-rock version of our Pileated. Josh would have that scope everywhere we went, and he took many photos for me through it, a service I never expected. That young man seemed to have four arms – he carried a scope, binoculars, camera, and phone, keeping the eBird list in real time. Our sixth and final member of the group arrived shortly – from Washington State.

That night we had dinner al fresco at the hotel. The temperature was perfect, and the coconut chicken delicious. The menu noted that it was "slightly spicy," which gave me pause, but Teri had eaten it the night before and assured me that it was not. I ordered it and agreed with her. I learned that Costa Ricans don't like spicy food, so no worries there.

The next morning, Josh was out birding in the garden at 5:30 a.m., and we were eager to join him. Alex and Phil had their sights on a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl! As the sun rose, we had better and better views of it. We saw 31 species in a couple hours, including Red-billed Dove, Blue-gray Tanager, Rufous-naped Wren, and a flock of Wood Storks flying above. We then headed to the Cloud Forest for lunch and birding at Casa de Dowii, which we had to ourselves for three glorious hours. Upon arrival, Serg came out to meet us, a finger to his lips, and whispered that there was a rare visitor under the feeders – a Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge! Then a Buff-fronted Quail-Dove appeared. We added more species to our list, like Flame-colored Tanager, enjoying the floor-to-ceiling windows that kept the cold out while affording close views. There was even a floor-to-ceiling window in the bathroom – Serg said this was so we could not only add to our life list, but to our s*** list. Serg was not only funny but an excellent cook, and we enjoyed a three-course meal and coffee, all of which was grown locally.

We checked into the Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve and Spa for two nights, my favorite lodging of the week. With over 1,000 acres containing forests, mountains, gardens, and a river, we saw lots of species of birds. Some favorites on mine were the Torrent Tyrannulet braving the river, Slaty Flower-piercer, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Flame-throated Warbler (like a Blackburnian on steroids) and many hummingbirds.

We rose before dawn on December 9 to get to a private home near sunrise, where a male Resplendent Quetzal was feeding. The home was part of a network that maintains avocado trees and coordinates sightings via a local guide. We enjoyed seeing this splendid male for 20 minutes and then tipped the local guide and the homeowner – if they don't make enough from birders, they will turn to the logging industry for a living. When we walked back to our vehicle, who should follow us and give us more views but the quetzal! And then the light rain stopped, and a rainbow came out. What a morning, and we were only just getting started.

We drove to breakfast at Pariso Quetzal Lodge, whose roaring fireplace was a welcome sight after standing out in the cold. After warming up, I went outside and watched the many hummingbirds at the feeders on the deck. Fortunately, there was an overhang to stand under, as the light rain had resumed. We also saw many other birds, including both Black-and-yellow and Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers (striking gold crest, on this blue and gold bird). A hike on the grounds yielded more gems, including Wrenthrush (with his orange-yellow mohawk), Large-footed Sparrow, and Black-billed Nightingale Thrush. And the mountain views were breathtaking.

We drove further up the mountain, to bird along a wintery road for highland species. Ruddy Treerunner, Timberline Wren, Sooty Thrush, Black-cheeked Warbler, and Yellow-winged Vireo were among the eight species seen at this windy, treeless location. We got to Miriam's restaurant around 11:00 a.m. and saw 17 species, adding one Northern Emerald-Toucanet and many Acorn Woodpeckers to the list. We then returned to bird the grounds of our hotel.

Morning birding on December 10 at Hotel Savegre yielded 23 species. I added Scintillant Hummingbird to my list, a golden beauty. I also added Yellowish Flycatcher. The perched Costa Rican Red-tailed hawk was surprisingly dark. A flock of Sulphur-winged Parakeets flew by, and we spied a Black Phoebe.

We checked out of Savagre Hotel and headed towards the Pacific Coast. We had to stop the van for Josh to encourage a Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine to get out of the middle of the road. When he was safely on the side of the road, we all came out and took his photo. Our first birding spot was a sewage plant, a stop only birders would understand. We had 18 species, including Southern Lapwing, Black-and-white Swallow, Gray-breasted Martin, Least Grebe, and many Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. But the highlight was a continuing rarity for that location – Franklin's Gull.

The next stop was Soda Las Vueltas, where we enjoyed seeing a Red-legged Honeycreeper male (bright blue) and female (green). With their iridescence but lacking the hyperactivity of hummingbirds, Honeycreepers were among my favorite Costa Rican birds. Other birds here included a male Baltimore Oriole and eight Cattle Egrets in with the cows. I drank a Granabana, watching them drop the fresh fruit (soursop) in a blender. Very refreshing!

On our way to lunch we spied two Black Hawk-Eagles circling, so Josh pulled over. We also had Southern Rough-winged Swallows and Social Flycatchers on a wire, plus White Ibis and Little Blue Heron in a creek. Pretty good for an impromptu stop!

We lunched at Ricar2 Restaurant. The fish and shrimp in passion fruit sauce was delicious. We picked up White-necked Jacobin at their feeders, which was a new bird for our list, but one we would see again. At 2:00 p.m. we entered a new state – Quepos, and at 4:00 p.m. we saw the Pacific Ocean, adding the soaring Magnificent Frigatebirds and Brown Pelicans to our list.

We birded a dusty road, we labeled Cerro Lodge entrance road, and had great sightings. We saw 33 species in an hour. We enjoyed watching three Rufous-backed Wrens taking a dust bath. I found one of our target birds, a Double-striped Thick-knee. It's always fun to find a bird on your own, and I love shorebirds, so this was one of my favorite birds of the trip. And it put me in mind of a Pennsylvania favorite of mine, the Upland Sandpiper. Josh showed us a Pacific Screech-Owl (gray) in a tree right next to the road. Then a Masked Tityra, a striking white bird with a black mask and red bill and orbital. Streak-headed Woodcreepers were seen several times. Four Groove-billed Anis were well seen. Orange-fronted Parakeets flew over. Kiskadee called incessantly, and we also heard, then saw Hoffman's Woodpecker. Josh scoped the Stripe-headed Sparrow and a Yellow-headed Caracara. A Turquoise-browed Motmot landed and swung his pendulum tail, as a Yellow-throated Toucan perched. Twelve Lesser Nighthawks and fifteen pairs of Yellow-naped Amazons flew by, along with a pair of Scarlet Macaws and four Red-lored Amazons. We had our first sighting of two cute White-browed Gnatcatchers. We also got to see the Blue-black Grassquit popping repeatedly off a branch, which is its typical courtship display. The sun was getting low, so we went to our next hotel, Villa Lapas.

On December 11 before breakfast, we birded an hour at Villa Lapas and saw 20 species. I got to enjoy another male Red-legged Honeycreeper and more Scarlet Macaws. We added Slaty-tailed Trogan and Lesson's Motmot to our list.

Next stop, Carara National Park – 20 square miles of lush forest where we birded three miles and found 55 species of birds in addition to other wildlife. We got a good look at a Squirrel Cuckoo, a bright rusty fellow with a typical cuckoo tail. A large, cute rodent known as an Agouti wandered by, and three Morpho butterflies made an appearance. A Streak-chested Antpitta was seen briefly in the shadows on the ground. We saw a Basilisk lizard at the river. A female Slaty-tailed Trogan and a female Northern Black-throated Trogan posed for us. A Rufous Piha was one of the plain birds we found. The White-whiskered Puffbird was also brown, but pretty fancy with its crazy whiskers. We saw four species of woodcreepers, including the large Northern Barred-Woodcreeper. We saw the spikes on the tail of the Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, which the bird sunk into the tree as it climbed. We had excellent views of two Yellow-throated Toucans and of a female Black-hooded Antshrike, a dark bird with a very streaky head and chest. We had many hummingbirds, notably the Stripe-throated Hermit, which Josh actually got in the scope for us. Then he found a lizard named Delicate Ameiva by the side of the trail. We got good looks at the Northern Plain Xenops and the Lesser Greenlet. A male Green-breasted Mango made an appearance just outside the restroom. This place was so thick with birds!

We next drove to the Jungle Crocodile Safari and birded a dirt road before having lunch here. We saw our first Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Common Black Hawk, and Common Tody Flycatcher. And we got our target birds – two Black-and-white Owls, that Josh knew about. We enjoyed looking at them through our bins, as Josh got them in the scope for more photos.

On the boat! What a treat to sit and enjoy a nice breeze on this hot day. Our group Saw 63 species. I was happy to see so many fun birds I actually knew, such as Mangrove Swallows. Northern Jacana, Western Sandpipers, Roseate Spoonbills, Willets, Sanderlings, and Wilson's Plovers. It was much more relaxing than the constant life birds that I was struggling to keep up with. Okay, no sympathy expected for that good problem! The big surprise was the Snowy Plover (thanks to Alex), which we got photos of to satisfy eBird. The three Collared Plovers were a lifer for me. We enjoyed watching 38 Magnificent Frigatebirds soaring along with a Zone-tailed Hawk, affording many photos. With the boat, we were able to get very close to a Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. But my favorite was the colony of nine Boat-billed Herons, surreal big-eyed duck-billed cartoonish birds that were all clicking their bills.

We also saw a huge Green Iguana high in a tree. It looked at least five feet long. At dinner at Villa Lapas, a cute Coati scavenged for crumbs. We then understood the need for the sign, "Don't feed the wildlife." We topped the day off with a night hike at Villa Lapas, which yielded a kinkajou! My favorite Costa Rican mammal, this arboreal species is one I've seen behind-the-scenes at the Pittsburgh Zoo. It was there as a rescued, abandoned pet picked up on the streets of Southside.

On December 12, we birded nearly three hours before breakfast. I saw 31 species, adding Buff-rumped Warbler, Orange-billed Sparrow, Bright-rumped Attila, and Long-billed Hermit – this one perched and singing. What a crazy arched bill! I found our target bird first, a Long-tailed Manakin. So now this striking black bird with a red cap, a glowing blue back, and a long, streamer-tail was my new favorite, and another lifer. I enjoyed the Golden-crowned Spadebill, whose head reminded me of a duckling — yellow with black stripes and a flat bill.

We had lunch at Galeria de Colibri, where I enjoyed long looks at a perched male Violet Sabrewing as I ate. This is a big mesmerizing purple hummingbird with dark wings, a decurved bill, and a white-edged tail. I had my first look at Scarlet-rumped Tanagers, with many to be seen the rest of the week. And my first Bananaquit and Green Hermit, a big hummingbird with a long, decurved long bill and long, central tail feathers. Also notable were Coppery-headed Emerald and Black-bellied Hummingbird, which appears all black, and the small Green Thorntail, easily identified by the horizontal white bar on the back of his scissor tail. A Buff-throated Saltator walked in, with its dinosaur head and chunky body. There were multiple Silver-throated and Palm Tanagers and Emerald Toucanets. We got our only look at Prong-billed and Red-headed Barbet, the latter being a chunky, green bird with a large bright red head and thin white line at its base. And unbelievable close views of humming birds — close enough to touch, but, of course, I didn't.

We drove to Estacion Biologica La Selva, where we stayed two nights. This research station has nearly 4,000 acres of lowland tropical forest and is home to numerous birds, mammals, and plants. In short order we saw 19 species before dinner. A notable addition was the Golden-hooded Tanager, a beauty with a gold head, black body, and electric-blue shoulders and flanks.

On Friday, December 13, we birded nearly seven hours on 3.5 miles at La Selva. I saw 70 species. New birds included Crested Guan — breathtaking and close, walking in sight for many minutes; Semiplumbeous Hawk perched; Rufous Motmot; Broad-billed Motmot; Rufous-tailed Jacamar; Collared Araçari; Black-cheeked and Rufous-winged Woodpeckers; Laughing, Peregrine, and Bat Falcons; Black-crowned Antshrike (female); Cocoa Woodcreeper; White-ruffed, White-collared, and Red-capped Manakins; Ochre-bellied and Dusky-capped Flycatchers; Black-cowled Oriole; and Red-throated Ant-Tanager. We had Rufous-tailed and Violet-headed Hummingbirds here and glimpsed a Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer.

We also enjoyed seeing the Mantled Howler Monkeys climbing through the trees near the river. But the Hoffman's Sloth won the cuteness award. It was hard for Josh to get the photographers to move on, as we had many more places to see.

We later hiked with a La Selva Guide, who led us to a Great Potoo. He also showed us Bullet Ants, a Red-throated Ant-Tanager, and a female Black-crowned Antshrike. We ended the day due to a downpour but not before getting a nice view of the female Snowy Cotinga!

December 14 was our last full day to bird. In the morning, we birded for 3.5 hours in La Selva along two miles, and had 53 species. New birds included: Great Curassow; Crowned Woodnymph; Green Ibis seen from the hanging bridge; Gray-headed Kite; Southern House Wren near the cafeteria (Josh was surprised, it took so many days to run into one); Amazon Kingfisher; Pale-billed Woodpecker (similar to Ivory-billed) in a nest hole; Cinnamon Woodpecker; Great Green Macaw (lime green, pink orbitals); Chestnut-backed Antbird; Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher (great looks at this tiny bright-yellow bird); and Olive-backed Euphonia. We also saw many more Montezuma Orpendolas, our first Spider Monkey, and another sloth.

Along a dirt road, named Calle Santa Clara, we found our target bird – the Red-breasted Meadowlark. We had to pick through many Tropical Kingbirds on posts to find the Meadowlarks! Also new, Yellow-olive Flatbill and Yellow-bellied Elaenia. We also watched a vaquero herd cows to another pasture.

Our next dirt road was Calle Gallo Pinto, where Josh was thrilled to see and scope a Tiny Hawk. The Hawk buzzed in as we were watching a Black-striped Woodcreeper, who quickly exited, after which the Hawk perched and allowed everyone scope views. I also got a good look at the handsome Gray Hawk, who was perching nicely. We listened to a pair of Bay Wrens sing their duet, then saw one fly out of the thick brush.

The entire afternoon was spent at Donde Cope, a large property with a cozy home, garden, and porch. I enjoyed chatting with the charming owner and his friend and seeing his family. I bought his sketches of a Crested Owl and a Sloth. His website shows tee shirts and water bottles with his sketches, but you can inquire about the frameable art, if you wish to purchase that instead. After another delicious lunch made with local cuisine, we took a hike through his wet, muddy forest for great looks at Crested and Spectacled Owls. Thank goodness he had bamboo hiking sticks and rubber boots to lend. Also new were Yellow-billed Cacique and Chestnut-headed Oropendola. We were shown a group of roosting White Hondurian Bats, so tiny that eight of them were nestled for the day on the underside of a leaf! Back to the porch for coffee and empanadas, where we had close looks at Russet-napped Woodrail – no bins needed! A White-necked Jacobin fed from my hand. We saw 36 species in all that afternoon, but the hospitality was what was most memorable. Now it was time to drive back to San Jose, since we all had flights home the next day.

My flight was in the afternoon, so I joined Josh and some of our group to revisit the grounds and birds of Hotel Robledal, followed by breakfast there. Now that I wasn't trying to keep up with each new bird, I enjoyed studying the subtle differences between the Great Kiskadee (rufous on wings) and the Boat-billed Flycatcher (stout, arched bill). And it was gratifying to actually know what some of these birds were on my own, after having seen them several times over the course of the week. I left for the airport at 10:30 a.m. on the hotel van along with the gang from northern New Jersey. I actually got to bird with one of them again, this January (2025) at Barnegat Light.

The trip list exceeded 260 birds. We also saw 13 species of mammals (opossum, sloth, squirrels, porcupine, agouti, peccary, coati, kinkajou, monkeys, and bats), five species of amphibians (toads and frogs), and seven species of reptiles (turtles, lizards, and crocodile). With its hospitable people, breathtaking scenery, variety of habitats and climate, delicious food, and, of course, abundant birds and wildlife, no wonder their motto is Pura Vida — Pure Life. I surely hope to visit again.

— by Patience Fisher