Recently back from a two week family, non birding (really?) holiday in Costa Rica wef 21 Jan. Out of sheer coincidence, we had booked the Riu Guanacaste as well and it wasn't until later that I saw this thread. Whilst staying at the Riu Guanacaste, which comes highly recommended, we also had a four night stay at the Arenal Observatory and Spa, just beyond the western end of Lake Arenal, facing the famous volcano. This is one of the best birding spots in Costa Rica with over 500 species and this hotel is outstanding.
The Riu Guanacaste is in the Pacific north west of Costa Rica, half an hour south west of Liberia and its airport. The habitat in this region is predominantly dry forest. The hotel grounds are relatively small with manicured gardens, lawns and hedges/shrubs etc. There is an area of dry forest immediately to the side of the hotel and the hotel itself also fronts the beach. Here you can walk in a westerly direction to the end of the bay, roughly one mile away. There is woodland adjacent to the beach, a small pool part way along and a larger pool at the end of the bay.
Arenal Lake is approx 2000 ft above sea level set amidst rolling countryside. At its western end is the volcano and a cloud forest area rising perhaps another 1000 ft or so. The Arenal Observatory is situated high up amongst this cloud forest and has several kilometres of trails in what is secondary forest, together with a couple of rivers and areas of farmland with open ground. All this and the rising volcano facing you at all times. I also birded another area close by called El Silencio, an area of primary cloud forest at a lower elevation.
In addition to these three areas, I also arranged a day's birding to Palo Verde National Park which is probably only 40km or so south east of the Riu Guanacaste but because of the lie of the land you have to circumnavigate and travel in from the north along a 20km dirt track. This itself offers great birding in open, partly wooded countryside before you reach an area of rice fields, a wetland and then the Tempisque River. This river has the highest density of crocodiles in Costa Rica with one every 100mtrs.
Regarding bird guides, Arenal Observatory use a couple of freelance guides. Mine was called Nestor Villalobos Rojas, he is exceptional and one to be used if at all possible. On one day we birded the trails and garden areas at the Observatory and the next day we did a half day at El Silencio. I got loads of birds that I would have undoubtedly missed had it not been for him. His email address is nestorvil13@gmail.com and his mobile (506) 88997083. Those are his personal details if you are in the general area and he can also be contacted via the Observatory. Whilst at the Riu Guanacaste, I arranged the Palo Verde day via Erick on the Beach as mentioned by Lawrence in the original post. Eric is usually present on the beach by the hotel each day and organises touristy trips, including birding. Another nice guy who you can trust. His number is (506) 50134166.
The weather at the coast was very hot and sunny throughout, around 32 degrees. Up at Arenal it rained a few times on the first day, otherwise fine and sunnyish and was six or seven degrees cooler.
Trip List as follows with abbreviations RG (Riu Guanacaste), AO (Arenal Observatory), ES (El Silencio), PV (Palo Verde) :-
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck PV Muscovy Duck PV Crested Guan AO Great Curassow AO Rock Pigeon RG Pale-vented Pigeon AO Red-billed Pigeon AO Band-tailed Pigeon AO Inca Dove RG PV Common Ground-Dove RG PV Plain-breasted Ground-Dove PV Ruddy Ground-Dove PV White-tipped Dove AO Gray-chested Dove AO White-winged Dove RG AO PV Squirrel Cuckoo ES Common Pauraque AO ES White-collared Swift AO White-necked Jacobin ES Green Hermit AO Stripe-throated Hermit ES Purple-crowned Fairy AO Black-crested Coquette AO Ruby-throated Hummingbird AO Violet-headed Hummingbird AO Scaly-breasted Hummingbird AO Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer AO Crowned Woodnymph AO Rufous-tailed Hummingbird AO Cinnamon Hummingbird RG Purple Gallinule PV Limpkin PV Double-striped Thick-knee PV Black-necked Stilt PV American Oystercatcher RG Southern Lapwing PV Northern Jacana PV Least Sandpiper RG Spotted Sandpiper RG Laughing Gull RG Caspian Tern RG Royal Tern RG Wood Stork PV AO Magnificent Frigatebird RG Brown Booby RG Anhinga PV Neotropic Cormorant RG Brown Pelican RG Bare-throated Tiger-Heron RG PV Great Blue Heron PV Great Egret RG PV Little Blue Heron PV Cattle Egret RG PV ES Green Heron RG White Ibis PV Glossy Ibis PV Roseate Spoonbill PV Black Vulture RG PV AO ES Turkey Vulture RG PV AO ES Osprey RG White-tailed Kite AO Black Hawk-Eagle AO Common Black Hawk RG PV Great Black Hawk RG Gray Hawk ES Broad-winged Hawk AO ES Short-tailed Hawk PV Pacific Screech-Owl RG Black-headed Trogon RG Gartered Trogon AO ES Orange-bellied Trogon AO Broad-billed Motmot ES Turquoise-browed Motmot PV RG Ringed Kingfisher RG Green Kingfisher PV Rufous-tailed Jacamar AO ES Collared Aracari RG AO Yellow-throated Toucan AO ES Keel-billed Toucan AO ES Yellow-bellied Sapsucker AO Black-cheeked Woodpecker AO Hoffmann's Woodpecker RG PV Pale-billed Woodpecker RG Golden-olive Woodpecker AO Crested Caracara RG PV American Kestrel PV Orange-chinned Parakeet RG White-crowned Parrot AO ES Red-lored Parrot AO Yellow-naped Parrot PV White-fronted Parrot RG AO PV Orange-fronted Parakeet RG PV Crimson-fronted Parakeet ES Russet Antshrike AO Dusky Antbird AO Wedge-billed Woodcreeper AO Spotted Woodcreeper AO Streak-headed Woodcreeper AO Plain Xenops AO Yellow-bellied Elaenia AO Olive-striped Flycatcher AO Slaty-capped Flycatcher AO Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant AO Common Today-Flycatcher AO Tropical Pewee AO Long-tailed Tyrant AO Rufous Mourner AO Dusky-capped Flycatcher AO Great Kiskadee RG PV Boat-billed Flycatcher RG Social Flycatcher RG Gray-capped Flycatcher AO Tropical Kingbird RG Western Kingbird RG Scissor-tailed Flycatcher RG White-ruffed Manakin AO White-collared Manakin AO Lesser Greenlet AO Yellow-throated Vireo RG ES Philadelphia Vireo AO White-throated Magpie-Jay RG Brown Jay AO Blue-and-white-Swallow AO Northern Rough-winged Swallow RG AO Southern Rough-winged Swallow RG AO ES PV Gray-breasted Martin RG Mangrove Swallow RG Barn Swallow RG PV House Wren AO Band-backed Wren AO Rufous-naped Wren PV White-breasted Wood-Wren AO Song Wren ES White-lored Gnatcatcher RG Clay-colored Thrush AO Tropical Mockingbird RG Yellow-throated Euphonia AO Tawny-capped Euphonia AO Stripe-headed Sparrow PV Black-striped Sparrow AO ES Orange-billed Sparrow AO Montezuma Oropendola AO Black-cowled Oriole AO Streak-backed Oriole RG PV Bullock's Oriole RG Baltimore Oriole AO PV Red-winged Blackbird PV Bronzed Cowbird AO Melodious Blackbird RG AO Great-tailed Grackle RG PV Northern Waterthrush AO Black-and-white Warbler AO Prothonotary Warbler RG Tennessee Warbler AO Kentucky Warbler AO Northern Parula AO Tropical Parula AO Yellow Warbler RG Chestnut-sided Warbler AO Golden-crowned Warbler AO Buff-rumped Warbler AO Summer Tanager AO Carmiol's Tanager AO Gary-Headed Tanager AO Crimson-collared Tanager AO Scarlet-rumped Tanager AO Blue-Gray Tanager AO Palm Tanager AO Golden-hooded Tanager AO Bay-headed Tanager AO Emerald Tanager AO Silver-throated Tanager AO Red-legged Honeycreeper AO Green Honeycreeper AO Blue-black Grassquit AO Thick-billed Seed-Finch AO Variable Seedeater AO Bananaquit AO Yellow-faced Grassquit AO Buff-throated Saltator AO
Total Species - 180
A few photos attached of Crested Caracara, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Gray Hawk, Black Vulture and Red-legged Honeycreeper.
I spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica on a holiday with my wife from 06.12.17 - 2120.12.17. While it wasn't a bird watching holiday I took the opportunity to get out each morning for around three hours and went on a number of tours to the cloud forest, Nicaragua and the Pallo Verde national park. I took the Helm guide to Costa Rica with me which was invaluable and very accurate. I did see a few birds out of the areas in the books distribution maps, but generally the maps were a great help to narrow down the birds as I have no previous experience in central American bird watching. We stayed in the Riu Guanacaste hotel in the Guanacaste province, about 40 miles from the province capital Liberia. I saw a total of 146 species with 84 of these being around or near the hotel. I will include a location above or next to birds. A number of the birds seen near the hotel were seen elsewhere but it may be helpful for anyone wanting to visit to know what can be seen near the hotel alone as it was a superb site all by itself. Winter was an excellent time around the hotel especially as the bird numbers were swelled by the winter visitors. Roosting Tanagers, orioles, Grosbeaks, Hirundines, parakeets, Kingbirds and Flycatchers all used the trees in the hotel gardens each evening in huge numbers. So the hour before dark was spent watching a veritable buffet of exotic birds and all seated and drinking gin and tonic. One suggestion is too much gin in the tonic reduces the effectiveness of the binoculars as they suddenly double the number of birds and reduce the focusing ability.
The numbers of species seen on the tours were a little down as they were limited in the time that could be spent bird watching as the itinerary was for general sightseeing. I would recommend spending a few days staying in the cloud forest in the lodges if you can afford it, which we could unfortunately not. Also to note that the tours are expensive so it may make sense to splash out and spend more on stays away from the hotel. We went with Tui who charge too much for tours, so we found a company called 'Alex on the Beach' who have reps on the beach who can tailor your tour needs. they were reliable and friendly and had a good trip advisor rating. It is also possible to use other reps on the beach who are lone traders and some are very good but its best to be a little cautious. One I can highly recommend was a guy called Erick who arranged a guided walking tour of the Pallo Verde National Park with an expert local bird guide. You will find him also on the beach and he knows his birds also and speaks good English. One tip is to try to get as many birders as you can for these sort of tours as it reduces the price hugely.
What a great place and all in all a spectacular birding experience.
Riu Guanacaste
Great Tailed Grackle White Winged Dove Great Kiscadee Tropical Kingbird Brown pelican Spotted Sandpiper Inca Dove Royal Tern Hoffman's Woodpecker Red Lored Parrot White Fronted Parrot White Throated Magpie Jay Magnificent Frigatebird Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Social Flycatcher Streak Backed oriole Blue Grey Tanager Baltimore Oriole Palm Tanager American yellow Warbler Tennessee warbler Melodious Black bird Rufous backed (Naped) Wren King Vulture Wood Stork Feral pigeon Cattle Egret Northern Rough Winged Swallow Common Paraque Orange Chinned Parakeet Cinnamon Hummingbird Stripe Headed Sparrow Scrub Euphonia Laughing Gull Orchard oriole Neotropic Cormorant Orange fronted Parakeet Roadside hawk Red Crowned Woodpecker Groove billed Ani black Headed Trogon Ruby Throated Hummingbird Pacific Screech owl Yellow Olive Flycatcher Brown Booby Yellow headed Caracara western Kingbird Rose throated Becard Squirrel Cuckoo Rose breasted Grosbeak Great egret Barn Swallow Southern Rough winged Swallow Crested Caracara Osprey Clay Coloured Thrush Scissor Tailed flycatcher White Lored Gnatcatcher Dusky Capped Flycatcher Yellow Throated Verio Mangrove Hummingbird Common Ground Dove Grey breasted Martin House Sparrow Prothontary Warbler Steely Vented Hummingbird Boat Billed Flycatcher Brown Crested Flycatcher Banded Wren Western Tanager Nutting's Flycatcher Wandering Tattler Common Black Hawk Summer Tanager Yellow Bellied Flycatcher Double Striped Thick knee Pale Billed Woodpecker Yellow Throated Euphonia Hook Billed Kite Mourning Warbler Elegant Trogon Turquoise Billed Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher Green Kingfisher Little Blue Heron Snowy Egret Bare Throated Tiger Heron Boat Billed Heron Black Crowned Night heron Mangrove Swallow Grey Hawk Anhinga
Bihagua
Black Mandibled Toucan Strog Billed woodcreeper Tufted Flycatcher Tropical Gnatcatcher Bay Wren Passerini's Tanager Red Legged Honeycreeper
Streak headed woodcreeper Rufous Tailed Hummingbird Blue Seedeater Broad billed Motmot Black Hooded Antshrike Wood Thrush Black Phoebe Greyish Saltador Black and Yellow Silky Flycatcher
Pallo Verde national park
Great blue heron Great Curassow Black Bellied whistling duck Blue winged teal Caspian tern Green Heron Tricoloured Heron Roseate Spoonbill Southern Lapwing Black Necked Stilt Common Gallinule Purple Gallinule Northern Harrier Swainson's Hawk Green Breasted Mango Red Billed Pigeon Mourning Dove Mangrove Cuckoo Streaked Flycatcher Northern waterthrush White Collared seedeater
