Birding the Texas Panhandle, December 1-4, 2012

Last week Martin and I did a three and a half day trip to the panhandle. The weather was surprisingly warm. In December I expect to freeze my toes off, but the temperatures were in the high 60s, maybe 70s. I believe the lack of cold weather effected duck numbers dramatically, but despite this we did quite well.

Our first stop was in Lubbock county, on Saturday December 1 at about 11AM.,  where we saw the Northern Shrike that Cameron Carver had found the day before. The bird put on a great show, including grabbing an unidentified sparrow out of the brush under the tree where we found him. We also visited the Becta Cemetery Playa, which is nearby, where Steve Collins had all four longspur species that same day. We did see clouds of longspurs coming in to drink, but could only pick out Laplands and McCowns. Driving north we found numerous flocks of "white-cheeked" geese, finding both Cackling and Canadas.


We drove up to Fritch, which is on the east side of Lake Meridith, where we met Barrett Pierce, who was unbelievably gracious enough to accompany us for that afternoon and the next day. Barrett has a wealth of knowledge both about the birds and the panhandle itself. We can never thank him enough! We started birding in Fritch itself, where we found an aberrant House Finch with a pink head! It was a really striking bird, closely resembling the old world species, Long-tailed Rosefinch. Other passerines included a good number of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Dark-eyed Juncos and Blue Jays, which were a bit of a surprise for me. We had hoped to find something a bit rarer, like a Bohemian Waxwing, but had no luck.


We skirted the shore of the lake moving from Fritch up to the dam, making several stops. The water levels were frighteningly low. We had some ducks, including Common Golden-eye and a Greater Scaup up by the dam. What we didn't see were any Common Mergansers, which should live up to the name Common in December. We found several American Tree Sparrows at the Cedar Canyon boat launch area. White-crowned Sparrows were abundant. Barrett told us there is a Golden Eagle that frequents the area around the lake, but all we saw were Balds. Some Ring-billed, Herring and Bonaparte's Gulls were loafing in several locations. I saw a distant shrike that I was unable to identify; Barrett said it could have been a Northern, as one had frequented that area in the past. As we were driving from Cedar Canyon to the dam we saw a Loggerhead Shrike, one of only two we saw on the entire panhandle trip.

We spent the night in Dumas and started birding before dawn, looking for  Short-eared Owl between Dumas and Dalhart. We spotted a rather distant bird, flying to its day time roost at dawn. Barrett drove us around some ranch land, where we were very happy to find an adult Golden Eagle. A small prairie dog town produced a Burrowing Owl. We worked very hard looking for a Ring-necked Pheasant, with no luck. Barrett said three years of no spring rain had caused the population to crash. December 1st is the opening date of pheasant season, but most of the hunters were going home empty handed.  Large flocks of longspurs and Horned Larks were moving in the fields.

We went to Rita Blanca Lake in Dalhart, where we ran into Dan Jones from the valley. Dan had found American Tree Sparrows. He had been in the panhandle for a couple of days and we traded information. The lake was pretty quiet, though large flocks of Snow, Ross, Canada and Cackling Geese were moving around. Right after Dan left Barrett spotted a shrike in a tree behind the lake access. Martin and I had gone to look for a restroom, and it had flown into a bank of trees out of sight from where we were. We drove up to a better vantage point and re-found it. It was another Northern. We then birded a neighborhood where Barrett has had good luck finding rarities. We found at least six Red-breasted Nuthatches, like everywhere else in the state. Probably the best bird was a Red-bellied Woodpecker, which we saw very well. After lunch we drove up to Cactus to visit the playa. Tragically, the powers that be have decided to no longer keep water in the playa and it is
now dry. We found yet another Northern Shrike northwest of Dumas just east of where FM 281 meets RR 807. There were still no pheasants to be found.  Barrett and we parted company in the late afternoon.


The following morning, December 3, we took off for Palo Duro Reservoir, which proved to be very productive. Before reaching Spearman, we flushed a dark-morph Ferruginous Hawk off of a telephone pole. It dipped its wing, pointing to the only pheasants we saw, a pair right by the road. When we reached the reservoir we birded the park below the dam, which was really nice. We had great looks at a Townsend's Solitaire. Large flocks of American Robins, along with American Gold Finches, Pine Siskins and Northern Cardinals were visiting a small fishing pond to drink. We also had a confiding Marsh Wren. We were very excited to find Northern Shrike # 4 for the trip in this area, a young bird that looked quite brown underneath, when we saw it perched high in a tree. Interestingly, it flew in to a closer area and at that distance it didn't look nearly as brown. A small group of American Tree Sparrows was in the area. We crossed over to the lake side, where we found
Northern Shrike #5. This lake is also extremely low. We had a few common ducks, but didn't expect to find any birds usually associated with deeper water. While scanning the water Martin spotted a Pacific Loon. The rear part of the neck on this bird was light gray like in breeding plumage, not the darker color we would expect.  There were still no Common Mergansers.

We visited the Ochiltree Cemetery, where we were very pleased to find a Sage Thrasher coming out from an Arborvitae shrub on to the grass. We found another Thrasher that amused us greatly,
www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/8257580259
We also found our only hummer of the trip http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/8257580409

We ended the day back at Lake Meridith, where we FINALLY found three female Common Mergansers at Cedar Canyon. While driving up to the dam, we found ANOTHER Northern Shrike, #6. This seemed extraordinary to us, as we had not covered that much territory. We had looked for them a couple of times in the past with no luck. In talking to several long time state birders, they also thought it was exceptional. I would suggest checking any shrike in North Central Texas this year, it might be the year for one. When we reached the dam, Martin spotted a pair of Long-tailed Ducks moving toward the dam, which was a great finish to the day. Barrett told Martin at least one was still present today.

We briefly looked for Lesser Prairie Chickens near Glazier on Dec. 4, but, not unexpectedly, didn't see any. We left as soon as we heard about the Red-necked Grebe in Dallas, but unfortunately, got the news too late to make it that day, and missed it. We found no unusual finches in any of the towns. We need to invest in some feeders to distribute up there! We saw almost no feeders at all. I want to strongly encourage you to visit the panhandle in winter. There were more than a few great raptors, including Prairie Falcon, Merlin, Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk and Harlan's Hawk, not to mention both species of eagles and more Red-tails than you can shake a stick at.  It is very worth while. There is ample opportunity to find some great birds. It is way past time that someone finds Texas' first Rosy Finch!

Photos taken -  http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157632208652080/


Bird list-
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Northern Shrike
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark
Great-tailed Grackle
House Sparrow
Gadwall
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested CormorantG
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
White-winged Dove
Chihuahuan Raven
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
American Robin
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Meadowlark
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch

Costa Rica- Day 6 and half, May 12-13, 2012

Sorry for the delay in my last blog entry for this trip. I was away for a few days in Big Bend.

My day at Punta Leona began very early, with a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl calling outside of my room at about 3:00 AM. Luckily, it was a brief interlude. I woke up for the day a bit later than that and left the room to meet the rest of the group for a day of birding around the resort. Right outside the door a Long-tailed Hermit, a hummingbird, was feeding in the ginger growing by the patio. 

We birded for around the hotel for a couple of hours, and then had breakfast. The open air restaurant was a great spot to see a few birds, but the big show was mammalian. First several Coatis came strolling by, very close to the tables. We were warned to not feed them, and I resisted temptation. They looked very healthy, so I think somebody was breaking the rules from time to time. Then a troop of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys arrived, including a mother with a very young baby on her back. I really struggled now to not slip them a few scraps. They didn't miss a beat; running up and snatching left overs out of the bucket the bus staff was scraping plates into. Patrick, our guide, bared his teeth at the mother, warning her not to jump up on his table.

We finally wrapped up and gathered our binoculars and other gear and headed out. We walked the main road into the resort, which I had mentioned in my last entry. Several trails go through these woods, and the birding can be very good. A Fiery Aracari hung high from an open tree branch. We very quickly found Black-hooded Antshrike, a bird confined to Costa Rica and Western Panama. Dot-winged Antwrens were quite common. I loved the Chestnut-backed Antbird, with the big blue bare area around the eyes, and this was just from the road! Henry pointed out a nesting box he had put up for the Scarlet Macaws and discussed the breeding population in the resort. Unfortunately, many of the boxes put up were upside down.

We reached one of the trails and headed into the forest. Our group was made up of people of varying ability, in terms of hiking and climbing. The trail had some steep bits, so we went slow, for which I was grateful! The sounds were incredible, especially the song of the Rufous-and-white Wren, which I want to add as a ring tone on my phone. A Rufous Piha gave us amazing looks. Several species of trogons  and two tinamous called. It was shaping up to be a great morning. On the way back we spotted a King Vulture wheeling in the distance.

Connie had planned for lunch outside the resort, then some beach time, followed by a boat tour of the Tarcoles River. We were having so much fun, we were bit late for lunch, which didn't allow for beach time, at least for the group I was hanging with. I was fine with this; I prefer birding to beaches any day! Four of us went together for lunch at a little restaurant owned by an Australian couple, across the road from the Pacific. It was so cool to see Scarlet Macaws soaring next to Magnificent Frigatebirds! We shared a round of margaritas and the conversation became even wittier and more intelligent, at least it seemed that way.

When we got back to the hotel it was almost time for the boat trip. We gathered at the restaurant, where we had nice surprise.  A couple of Gray-headed Tanagers announced the presence of an Army Ant swarm working the forested area next to the pool! A Tawny-winged Woodcreeper moved in. It was a small swarm and there were only a few birds, but it was still exciting.

The Tarcoles River is well known for the huge number of Crocodiles that live in its waters, but our targets were a few birds, most often seen on the river. Mangrove Hummingbird, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher and Boat-billed Herons are found on the river. It is also the best chance for Yellow-billed Cotinga. When we arrived at the boatman's place, we were delighted to find we were being joined by Richard Garriques, one of the authors of the Birds of Costa Rica and two men that he was guiding, who recognized me from Savegre Lodge.

The boat ride was great fun! Right out of the dock we got good looks at a Boat-billed Heron. A bit further down a large number of waders and shorebirds covered the sandbars. Common Black-Hawks were actually common. We pulled into a small creek mouth, where Mangrove Hummingbirds are usually found. Unfortunately, we never got a solid look at one. Several times hummingbirds shot through, but no one got decent enough looks to identify them. We then tried for Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, with equal bad luck. I did see some flycatchers on the opposite shore of the river, but I was not confident enough to ID them. Several times Plumbeous Kites soared overhead. Two Bare-throated Tiger-Herons, an immature and an adult, were on the bank. I did get one very important bird, at least to me, a Turquoise-browned Motmot. Yellow-naped Parrots perched in a dead tree.

We headed back to shore and split up into groups for dinner. My group found a great little seafood restaurant. The food was plentiful, cheap and very good! They did not have a liquor license, but one of the brothers who ran the place was happy to go to the store next door for cold beer. We finished up the meal with some great local ice cream bars. I was very happy to get to bed.

I am not doing a whole blog on Sunday morning, as I only had a brief time to bird before heading back to the airport. We were supposed to visit Carrara National Park, but there was some miscommunication, and the park opened too late for me to go. Some of us birded the road again, before breakfast. The biggest surprise was a Great Tinamou, that exploded in front us off of the side of the road. We also saw an Orange-collared Manakin, which we had only heard the day before. We enjoyed our last breakfast together.  I had to cut out a bit early, as the shuttle bus was coming to take me to the airport. I really wish I had more time to bird that area.

I enjoyed Costa Rica so much! I would love to return and hit some areas that I missed, particularly the Caribbean side and the northern area. I got a lot of birds for just one week. I end this set of blogs with a very serious suggestion- Go someplace! Don't be afraid to leave the USA. It isn't any more expensive than traveling in the lower 48 and it will change your life for the better.

My few photos for the two days-
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629959744802/


Great Tinamou
Little Tinamou-heard
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Crested Guan
Brown Pelican
Neotropic Cormorant
Anhinga
Magnificent Frigatebird
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Boat-billed Heron
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
Wood Stork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
King Vulture
Osprey
Plumbeous Kite
Common Black-Hawk
Yellow-headed Caracara
Laughing Falcon
Purple Gallinule
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilt
Northern Jacana
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Red-billed Pigeon
Short-billed Pigeon
Inca Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Scarlet Macaw
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Orange-chinned Parakeet
White-fronted Parrot
Yellow-naped Parrot
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Squirrel Cuckoo
Groove-billed Ani
Long-tailed Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Black-throated Trogon
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Baird's Trogon
Gartered Trogon
Blue-crowned Motmot
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
White-whiskered Puffbird
Fiery-billed Aracari
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Plain Xenops
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Black-hooded Antshrike
Dot-winged Antwren
Dusky Antbird
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Northern Scrub-Flycatcher
Northern Bentbill
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Tropical Pewee
Bright-rumped Attila
Panama Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Rufous Piha
Orange-collared Manakin
Red-capped Manakin-heard
Rose-throated Becard
Lesser Greenlet
Green Shrike-Vireo-heard
Rufous-browed Peppershrike-heard
Blue-and-white Swallow
Brown Jay
Rufous-naped Wren
Riverside Wren
Rufous-breasted Wren
Rufous-and-white Wren-heard
House Wren
Long-billed Gnatwren
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Clay-colored Thrush
Yellow Warbler
Gray-headed Tanager
Cherrie's Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Green Honeycreeper
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Buff-throated Saltator
Orange-billed Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Melodious Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Bronzed Cowbird
Yellow-throated Euphonia

Costa Rica- Day 5, May 11, 2012

The Clay-colored Thrushes woke up early again! Who saw that coming? I was hoping to see Rufous-naped Wrens, which Connie told me, sometimes pick off bugs under the outside lights early in the morning. Either they weren't hungry, or I was too late. Pepito, the dog, was delighted to have me to hang out with for a while. We were leaving just before lunch time, to go to the Pacific coast, so I wanted to make the morning count.

I heard a loud, raucous calling up the hill from the house. The birds sounded familiar, but I just couldn't place it. I always have this problem in a new location. I walked around the edge of the house where I could get a better view and realized why it sounded familiar, but I didn't recognize the calls. A group of Gray-headed Chachalacas were foraging in a tree top. The sound was close to our Plain Chachalacas, but not quite. The Hoffmann's Woodpecker added his voice to the cacophony.

I returned to the back yard to take a couple of photos of the amazing view, when I spotted a Golden-hooded Tanager feeding in a fruiting mulberry tree below the edge of the yard. This surprised me, as I thought we were a bit high for that species. I later mentioned it to Connie and she said she had never seen one in the yard before. A young Cherrie's Tanager confused me a bit. I had another great look at a White-eared Ground Sparrow, unfortunately while my camera was inside on my bed. I did get a few photos of the Variegated Squirrels that make their home in the yard.

We got our suitcases packed and put in the car to begin our journey to the Punta Leona resort, on the Pacific coast, where we were meeting the Costa Rica birding club that Connie belongs to. Connie had put this club trip together, so she was very focused on getting there and making sure that everything went well. The group wasn't meeting until 3:30 PM, so we stopped for lunch at a beautiful spot on the way, Ama Tierra, which was owned by some people Connie knew. We visited with a lady from Chicago who was considering moving to Costa Rica. I don't know about her, but I am ready to go!

We lingered a bit over lunch and had to hurry to make our 3:30 PM meeting time. The road was twisting and it was not possible to drive too fast. Finally we hit the autopista (highway) and started making time. We crossed the Tarcoles River, famous for the large crocodiles, but didn't have time to stop. We were doing a boat trip on the river the following day, so I figured I would see plenty of crocs. Connie said the entrance to Puenta Leona looked like a What-a-burger, and she was right! When we pulled under the steep orange and white striped roof, I expected the guard to ask if we wanted fries.

The road into the resort is awesome! We drove about 3 kilometers in, with over half of it being good tropical forest. I couldn't wait to bird it! The resort is a mixture of hotel rooms, condos and houses. It is quite large and has an excellent white sand beach. We checked into our rooms and walked to the restaurant  to meet the others in the birding club. This was such a great group. I enjoyed every single person I met. Patrick O'Donnell, an amazing tropical birder, was our guide. Henry Kantrowitz, another excellent birder, who lives at Punta Leona, was co-leading.

We walked around the grounds near where our hotel rooms were. We had some great birds, right off the bat. Scarlet Macaws breed on the grounds, and we saw pairs and small groups flying over. Orange-chinned Parakeets also were seen and heard. Patrick whistled a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl call to try to draw birds in. We were all a bit surprised when one answered back! We got great looks at it, as it flew in over head. Rose-throated Becards were everywhere, reminding me of yet another bird I had missed in Texas this year. I even added a new hummingbird to my list, Scaly-breasted. I was very happy to see a couple of antbirds; Black-hooded Antshrike was a life bird.

I returned to my room, where I met my room mate, Joan, who had arrived later than us. I absolutely loved her, and she seemed to like me. I was a bit relieved to tell the truth, as I can be a bit of an acquired taste. We walked over to join the group for "bocas", which are kind of like hors d’œuvres or snacks, sort of a pot luck thing. Connie arranged for us to have it in the restaurant, as long as we all agreed to order drinks. I did my part with a couple of glasses of red wine. I left to go back to the room and turned left where I should have turned right. I got a tiny bit lost, but it was worth it, as I saw a beautiful skunk along the path. I finally got turned around the right way, and found the room, which was on the path called Cuba. So, I not only visited Costa Rica, I went to Cuba, too!
 
Photos for the day-
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629839648444/

Bird list for the day-
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Rock Pigeon
Red-billed Pigeon
Scarlet Macaw
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Blue-crowned Motmot
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Black-hooded Antshrike
Dot-winged Antwren
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Rose-throated Becard
Yellow-green Vireo
Lesser Greenlet
Blue-and-white Swallow
Rufous-naped Wren
Clay-colored Thrush
Golden-hooded Tanager
Cherrie's Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
Melodious Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Yellow-throated Euphonia

Costa Rica- Day 4, May 10, 2012

I woke up very early, hearing Clay-colored Robins singing quiet loudly, outside my open window. Connie and Dick like to sleep in, so I got up, at least trying to be quiet, and went outside. Their dog, Pepito, was very happy for the company. We walked around their beautiful yard, checking out the Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds and the gorgeous Blue-crowned Motmots. The hill up behind their house has bananas, oranges, and coffee. We walked up the drive and saw a very dark house wren and a Grayish Saltator. A Hoffmann's Woodpecker was calling nearby. I was hoping for a Fiery-billed Aracari, but I had no luck. I was very happy with a low flying flock of White-fronted Parrots.

I met Martin, their gardener, as I was walking back down. I introduced myself and we carried on a short conversation, with me using my very broken Spanish. Martin was very polite. When I said "Mi Espanol es muy mal." (Which I am not sure is even the right way to say it!) He insisted that my Spanish was very good. What a nice guy!

I checked the trees around the yard and was very pleased with the birds I found. Rufous-capped Warblers were common. Yellow-green Vireos were all over the place. I heard an unfamiliar song coming from a bare tree and saw a Yellow-throated Euphonia, a life bird for me. A bit later, I spotted a pair in some bushes near the house. A motmot came in to eat some watermelon, allowing me to get some decent photos. I certainly don't get these birds in my yard.

I went back into the house and Connie and Dick were getting up. We had a lovely breakfast, with coffee they had grown themselves! How cool is that? It was great, too. Connie pointed out a White-eared Ground Sparrow. I was a bit surprised to see a Blackburnian Warbler still hanging around. I thought they had all gotten up at least to Texas by May 10. After breakfast, I went back out and birded a bit more around the yard.

Connie had planned for a "down day", with no formal birding. We did take a trip into Puriscal, which was fun. I enjoyed seeing the town. I am afraid my memory is a bit clouded, so I don't remember the date, but the town suffered a very serious earthquake a few years ago. The church was badly damaged and still stands abandoned. At the time of the quake they were sure it was going to come down. It is a shame, as it is a lovely old building.

We drove to another town a short distance away, which my memory is also a bit vague about. I keep thinking the name is Barbacoa, but I don't think that is right. Anyway, they have a lovely church, which I went into. The walls were all natural varnished wood. It was really impressive. As we walked out, we noticed that there were men singeing banana leaves in an open garage type structure next door. The parish hall, also and open building, was attached to this structure and there was a group of people gathered around some long tables. They had an assembly line going, making tamales for the parish festival, which was taking place that weekend. We went in and watched the process. One woman would put the masa in a piece of banana leaf, then another would add pork, then it was passed on, and green beans, peppers and other vegetables were put in. The parish priest then folded it all up and another gentleman tied the tamales in bundles of two, to be steamed later.  The group was very welcoming. I really enjoyed meeting them.

We visited a friend of Connie's, who was getting ready to move. She regularly has wood rails visit her yard, but unfortunately, not while we were there. We did see a few Melodious Blackbirds and a Yellow-bellied Elaenia flew in, which was a new bird for Connie. I was seeing more and more why Americans move to Costa Rica! We returned to Connie's, where it started to rain again. I  birded around the yard a bit more, and enjoyed Connie and Dick's company. Despite being a non-birding day, I managed to get three life birds!

Photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629822691582/

Bird list from the day-
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Rock Pigeon
Red-billed Pigeon
White-tipped Dove
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
White-fronted Parrot
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Blue-crowned Motmot
Hoffmann's Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Great Kiskadee
Tropical Kingbird
Yellow-green Vireo
Blue-and-white Swallow
House Wren
Clay-colored Thrush
Blackburnian Warbler
Cherrie's Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Grayish Saltator
Blue-black Grassquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
White-eared Ground-Sparrow
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Melodious Blackbird

Costa Rica- Day 3, May 9, 2012

I had gone to bed with the sound of heavy rain, so I was very happy to wake up to a clear dawn. My driver was coming to get me at 11:00 AM, so I wanted to squeeze every minute out of the morning. Just walking through the gardens around the rooms was great. A Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, normally a really shy skulker, was out in the open picking bugs off of a "Hen and Chicks" plants. A White-naped Brush-Finch was out on the lawn. I finally got a decent photo of a female Scintillant Hummingbird. A young male Flame-colored Tanager let me approach close enough to get a couple of full frame shots.

 I returned to the wooded area where the Spotted Wood-Quail are, but had no luck, again. Despite that, it was fun walking the paths. A Tufted Flycatcher was calling. I got the best looks yet at Flame-throated Warblers, and was still in love with the songs of the nightingale-thrushes. I glanced up in the tree tops and caught a flash of yellow. I moved and twisted until I got a decent look. It was a bird I thought I was going to miss, Black-thighed Grosbeak. I hunted and listened for Yellowish Flycatcher, which should have been easy to find, but not for me.

Speaking of thighs, a family group of Yellow-thighed Grosbeaks were feeding on the ground behind one of the cabins, as I exited the woods. I walked past the cabin and noticed a fluttering inside one of the lights on a post in the middle of the garden. A young Rufous-collared Sparrow had gotten inside the light globe, but couldn't figure out how to escape. I tried to free him, but couldn't figure out how to open the light. I went and got a workman who was remodeling one of the cabins. My Spanish was so broken, he just looked mystified. I finally took him over and showed him. He laughed and freed the sparrow.

After another great breakfast, I walked up to the area behind my cabin, where the lodge grows apples and peaches.. A couple and a guide were looking at some perched Sulphur-winged Parakeets in the orchard through a scope. I had seen a number of flocks going over, but never perched. They were kind enough to let me look. I then heard a Rufous-browed Peppershrike sing, and one flew up and landed in the open. This is one of those species that I have heard a hundred times, but have rarely gotten good looks.

I walked back down to the restaurant to look at the hummingbirds. The feeders were dominated almost totally by Magnificents, but a Green Violetear had snuck in. He would feed for a second or two and then one of the Magnificents would spot him and chase him off. The violetear would sit low on the rock wall and wait. I was able to see and photograph the "ear tufts" of the Green Violetear quite well.

 I returned to my room and packed, very sad to be leaving. I went to the reception desk, parked my bags and went looking for just one more bird. I didn't see anything new, so I walked back to see if the driver had arrived. He was standing waiting for me, but I was distracted by a Yellow-winged Vireo, so close that I couldn't take a decent photo. I finally made it to the van, gave the driver my bags, and loaded up to go.

My driver asked me if I spoke Spanish, and looked very disappointed when I said not really. He said his English was very poor, but we got on fine. It took about two and half hours to get back to San Jose and hotel where Connie Sandlin and her husband were picking me up. We chatted about Costa Rica and I learned quite a bit from him. We finally arrived at the Quality Inn and I sat by the door waiting. A flock of Crimson-fronted Parakeets flew by, a life bird where I wasn't expecting one. Connie and her husband, Dick, arrived about five minutes later.

We had a nice drive back to their place in Puriscal. When we got close to town, we stopped for a late lunch of the area specialty, Chicharonnes. The food really was great, and we were serenaded by a Yellow-green Vireo in a tree right next to us. As we were finishing our meal a sudden rain storm moved in and we got slightly soaked running to the car. We drove the rest of the way to Connie and Dick's wonderful house.

The rain slowed down after we got into the house, so I did a bit of birding. A Blue-crowned Motmot was sitting on their clothes line! Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds zipped everywhere. Yellow-green Vireos were singing and there were, of course, many, many Clay-colored Thrushes. It started getting dark, so I came in and we spent the evening sharing birding story after birding story.  We were still full from the Chicharrones, so we just had some fresh banana bread and a glass of red wine for dinner, not a bad way to end a day!

Photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629805752620/

Bird list for the day-
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Sulphur-winged Parakeet
White-throated Mountain-Gem
Magnificent Hummingbird
Green Violetear
Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
Scintillant Hummingbird
Blue-crowned Motmot
Acorn Woodpecker
Mountain Elaenia
Tufted Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Brown-capped Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Yellow-winged Vireo
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Blue-and-white Swallow
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Ochraceous Wren
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush
Sooty Thrush
Clay-colored Thrush
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
Flame-throated Warbler
Collared Redstart
Cherrie's Tanager
Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Yellow-thighed Finch
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Flame-colored Tanager
Great-tailed Grackle
Buff-throated Saltator
White-naped Brush-Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
Black-thighed Grosbeak

Costa Rica- Day 2, May 8, 2012

Sun rise comes early in May in Costa Rica. They do not observe Daylight Savings Time, so even though they are on CST, they are an hour behind San Antonio this time of year. I was wide awake and out the door a little after 5:00 AM. Clay-colored Thrushes had begun their incessant singing and Blue-and-white Swallows zipped all over Savegre's grounds. I walked down and met Melvin. We had a very busy morning ahead of us.

We began by walking into a wooded area next to the restaurant and bar, behind some cabins. We met another guide and a couple who lived in Monte Verde. We were looking, and listening, for Spotted Wood-Quail. The couple said they had heard them from their cabins before dawn, but didn't want to run outside naked to see them. I said "So, you're not hard core birders, huh?" Unfortunately, the quail were silent and not moving at all. The search wasn't in vain, though. We had great looks at both Large-footed and Yellow-thighed Finches. Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush sang their chilling discordant songs. A Spot-crowned Woodcreeper scooted up a moss covered tree in full sunlight.

We walked down a trail out of the other side of the woods. It dropped down into another area of the lodge. Melvin pointed out a Dark Pewee in the top of a tree along the rushing creek. We heard an Ochraceous Wren singing and Melvin was able to coax it out. Melodious Blackbirds were singing across the creek. The weather was cool, but very comfortable. I was in shirt sleeves, though the others were in coats, hats and gloves. We went up for  breakfast, which was excellent, and got ready for the drive up hill. On the way we got great looks at a Striped-tailed Hummingbird.

After we left Savegre, but before we got to our main destination, we did some birding on the way. Melvin knew where an Emerald Toucanet was on territory. We got fabulous looks. The subspecies, Blue-throated, is a possible split.  Melvin heard one of my best birds of the trip, Ochraceous Pewee. We scanned the tree tops and I spotted it, almost buried in the leaves. A mixed flock passed by and I got even better looks at the Flame-throated Warblers.

Now, the name of my blog is "I hate Paramo, and Other Birding Stories", so it may surprise you that I had hired Melvin to take me up to the Paramo! For those of you who are not familiar with the term,  the definition of Paramo is - A high, bleak plateau or district, with stunted trees, and cold, damp atmosphere, as in the Andes, in South America. Sounds like a barrel of laughs, huh? Martin loves highland birding. I prefer lowland birding. I whine, at least internally, every time we go to the Paramo, which has its own particular group of birds. Yet, here I was, paying someone to take me up there. 


There are not that many Paramo birds in Costa Rica, but it is the only place to see them. We also planned to bird our way down hill back to the lodge.  We pulled off the main highway, which is the highest point anywhere on the Pan-American Highway, at about 11,000 ft. The view was breath-taking! The weather was actually perfect, sunny and clear. We went a little way up a gravel road towards some radio towers, when we spotted several Volcano Juncos on the side of the road. With yellow eyes and dark "eye-brows", they look like the original Angry Birds. Melvin then heard one of the more difficult birds singing, a Timberline Wren. He called it out, though our looks were brief, they were clear. I was very happy. 

I turned to scan the mountains that stretched out to the sea and caught my breath. I could see a beautiful cone shaped mountain with white smoke billowing out of the top. I asked Melvin and he said "Yes, it is an active volcano, Turrialba." I had no idea we would be sight of an active volcano. It is something I have wanted to see all of my life. It actually was a bigger thrill than the birds. There wasn't any lava or pyroclastic flow, but still, it was a real, live volcano! We walked around and did a bit more birding, seeing Volcano Hummingbirds, Slaty Flowerpiercers and more Volcano Juncos. Clouds starting moving in, and the possibility of seeing any other birds here was pretty slim. 


There were a lot more that I wanted to see, so we started back down. We made a stop along the highway where Melvin had seen one of my most wanted birds, Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher. Unfortunately, none seemed to be present. A park ranger, a very nice, young woman, stopped and chatted with Melvin for a few minutes. The clouds were getting thicker and rain was threatening. 


Melvin drove down the highway, past the road to Savegre. He said he knew a great spot for Fiery-throated Hummingbird. We turned on to a road that went to two hotels, Paraiso de Quetzal and Mirador del Quetzales. A hundred yards or so down the road, a man was cutting brush. A large branch lay across the road. Melvin stopped and spoke with the man, waiting for him to move the branch. He didn't. Melvin drove over the branch, and it got caught under his truck. The man did pull it out, and we drove on. I thought it was rather odd. Melvin explained that the two hotels were owned by brothers and there was some bad blood there. We were going to the other brother's hotel for the hummingbirds, so.... You get the drift.


We pulled up to the hotel restaurant, and the hummingbird feeders were swarming! Magnificents and the gorgeous Fiery-throateds were thick! Melvin went in to make arrangements and I started taking the first of many, many photos. Melvin came out and suggested we walk a trail behind the building. A sign, pointing to the trail said "Zeladonia", the old name for a difficult to see bird, the Wrenthrush. That alone was enough to get me going. We walked down hill on the trail and Melvin softly said "Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher!" A pair was perched very nearby. Unfortunately, it was very misty and I was not able to get clear photos, but I was still ecstatic! We started back up when we heard a Wrenthrush singing. I actually got decent looks at it, which more than made the day for me. It was very deep in the brush, so I wasn't able to get any photos, but I am not complaining.


We went back up to the hummingbird feeders and it started to rain. We were invited into the restaurant, where they had a covered porch with more feeders. The number of Fiery-throateds was beyond belief. They would flash their rainbow colored gorgets and chase endlessly. Magnificent Hummingbirds were also very common. It really was paradise. The owner came out to the porch with a big, untidy bundle of gray feathers perched on his finger. It was a juvenile female Resplendent Quetzal. The youngster had been abandoned by its parents and he was raising it. I feel rather uncertain about the fate of the bird, but I did enjoy seeing it. I actually held it for a few minutes and it rode on my shoulder when we went back into the restaurant. I never thought I would get to hold a quetzal!


It was hard to leave, but it we had a bit of a drive ahead and it was close to lunch time. We got amazing looks at Long-tailed Silky-flycatchers along the way. We glanced in at the quetzal nests from the day before. It was a bit of a toss up, but we decided that the wood pewee were saw was an Eastern. Finally, we got back to Savegre and Melvin and I parted company. He had been an excellent guide, and if you go to Savegre, I would highly recommend him. His last act was pointing out a Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher nest, with a chick in it, right by the reception area.


I had another excellent lunch, and went out into the rain, which had started again. Luckily, this time I had my rain jacket. I passed a flowering shrub, where Slaty Flowerpiercers and a female mountain gem were feeding. A juvenile Clay-colored Thrush was perched out visibly. I got to my cabin and birded from the porch again. Then I took advantage of the sound of rain on the roof and took a short nap. When the rain let up, I returned to the wooded area were we had looked for wood-quail. I still had no luck, but I did succeed in getting some decent shots of a young Collared Redstart. Even though most of the birding was done in the morning, I felt like I had a very full day!

Here are my photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629764587320/


Here is my bird list for the day-
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Band-tailed Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
Sulphur-winged Parakeet
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird
White-throated Mountain-Gem
Magnificent Hummingbird
Volcano Hummingbird
Scintillant Hummingbird
Resplendent Quetzal
Emerald Toucanet
Acorn Woodpecker
Ruddy Treerunner
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper
Mountain Elaenia
Tufted Flycatcher
Dark Pewee
Ochraceous Pewee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Black-capped Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Tropical Kingbird
Blue-and-white Swallow
Ochraceous Wren
Timberline Wren
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush
Sooty Thrush
Mountain Thrush
Clay-colored Thrush
Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
Tennessee Warbler
Flame-throated Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Collared Redstart
Wrenthrush
Common Bush-Tanager
Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Spangle-cheeked Tanager
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Yellow-thighed Finch
Large-footed Finch
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Flame-colored Tanager
Melodious Blackbird

Costa Rica-Intro and Day 1, May 07, 2012

I love it when trips come up unexpectedly. I had said earlier in the year that I probably would not be birding outside of the United States. I wasn't particularly happy with that proposition, but it looked like the way things were going to be. Then that changed. On March 30, Connie Sandlin, a birding friend from Dallas who is now living in Costa Rica, invited me to come to Costa Rica and go to Punta Leona with her and the Costa Rica birding club on May 11. At first I didn't think I could go, as I thought I needed to do a bird survey for Martin's current project. Then I found out that the survey was the week before. I looked at air fare and decided to do it.

I decided I would go a few days early and hit one of the excellent lodges. I had never been in Costa Rica and wanted to make the absolute best of the trip. Martin was not interested in going, as he had been there several times.  I did consult him and he strongly suggested Savegre Lodge, which is in the mountains southeast of San Jose. This is one of the best spots in the world to see Resplendent Quetzal, one of my top most wanted birds. There are a number of other excellent birds in this area. I contacted Costa Rica Gateway and got my arrangements under way. I set a date for Connie and her husband, Dick, to pick me up in San Jose, and started studying the birds.

I left San Antonio on May 6, arriving in San Jose in the evening. Costa Rica Gateway advised me it was not possible to go to Savegre that evening, as the road was a bit dangerous at night. I requested a 6AM pick up at the Courtyard. I took a cab from the airport, and settled in. The driver, Lenin, was very prompt. He spoke English, which I was very grateful for, as my Spanish is almost non-existent. We took off and made a few stops on the way to look for birds. Unfortunately, we did not see the White Hawk he had staked out lower down, but we were more successful higher up.

The main road up into the mountains is not suitable for birding. It is winding and full of traffic. Once we turned off for Savegre, we had more opportunities. The entrance road is about five miles long, dropping in elevation, so there are a variety of birds along the way. The first thing I saw just as we were making the turn, was the unmistakable silhouette of a Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher. A bit further down we heard a mixed flock calling and I found a Yellow-winged Vireo and a couple of Collared Redstarts. The road is a bit rough. If you are going on your own, you might consider renting a high clearance vehicle, though I did see some people driving normal cars.

There are a number of lodges and hotels along the road in, some of which look very nice. The photos of Savegre looked great and I was not disappointed in the least when we pulled in. Here is a link for their web site- http://savegre.com/index.php. I checked in and Lenin and I took my stuff to my room, which was lovely! Lenin left and I went down to the reception area and inquired about birding. The man at the front desk asked if I was interested in a guide. I asked the price, which was reasonable, and said yes. I was met about 15 minutes later by Melvin Fernandez. He was an absolutely fabulous guide! We arranged for some birding near the lodge, and then a trip for the following day. He asked me if I wanted to see the quetzals, and I said "Of course!"

Melvin got his truck and we took off. Not far from the lodge we stopped and he pointed out a hole in a tree, in a grove, not far off of the road. It was an active nest site. I could see two long feathers from the male's "tail", which is actually the upper coverts, sticking out of the nest hole. Melvin said that the male and female would switch places on the nest at 10:00 AM, which was only a few minutes away. He then pointed out that the female was sitting near the nest. Sure enough, the male stuck his head out of the nest hole, then flew, spectacularly, through the woods, to a perch, near the female. She flew to the hole and entered. Melvin said this switching occurred every two hours on the dot. I was dually impressed.

We birded further along the road, picking up more new species for me. A few Sooty-capped Bush-tanagers flew in and Melvin said "Look for a Ruddy Treerunner!" Sure enough, one flew in joining the bush-tanagers. They tend to travel together. Melvin spotted one of my most wanted birds, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, in a tree across the road. I love tangara tanagers and this one was particularly beautiful, and how can anyone not love that name? I added a Black-capped Flycatcher, an empid that is not difficult to ID, which was a big change from the ones in the states! Tufted Flycatchers were very common.  I found a baby Flame-colored Tanager, sitting on a branch waiting to be fed. The male came in, and was obliging, to both the baby and us.

Melvin showed me another quetzal nest, this one right next to the road, which also had a visible male on the nest. He had constructed a bamboo blind, to protect the birds. The male flew out of the nest and headed down the road. Melvin found him perched in a group of trees, closer to the road than the first male we had seen. He got his scope on him and I was very happy to get excellent looks. A car with a couple for the states stopped and we shared the bird with them, then two women stopped and looked, too. Melvin then heard a Golden-browed Chloraphonia, which we all saw. It was getting to be lunch time, so we went back to the lodge.

Just as we pulled in, it started to rain a bit. Melvin said we could do a couple of hours birding after lunch, around the lodge grounds. We arranged to meet in about an hour. I ate my first meal of the stay at the lodge restaurant. The food was great! They have a trout farm on site and the fish I had was incredible. By the time I finished, the rain was really heavy. Of course, my rain jacket was up the hill, in my cabin. I watched the Magnificent Hummingbirds, which swarm the feeders by the restaurant, hoping for a respite, but the rain only got heavier. I covered my camera with my hat, and slogged back to my room.

The phone rang and it was Melvin. He suggested instead of birding that afternoon, we could add a couple of hours on to our birding in the morning, starting at 5AM, instead of 7AM. I agreed that was a much better idea. I sat on the porch and did a bit of knitting with my binoculars nearby, but the sound of the rain was a bit soporific, and I soon was asleep in the bed by the window. I woke up two hours later and it was still raining, though it had lightened up. I decided to walk up the hill to the trails. I had almost gotten to the trail heads, when the sky opened up again. Luckily, I had on my rain jacket, but my jeans were totally soaked by the time I got back. I changed, and sat on the porch again. This was actually better, as a mixed flock came in and I spotted another of my target birds, Flame-throated Warbler. Sulphur-winged Parakeets flew by. Despite the rain, it was a lovely afternoon.

Here are my photos for the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629749708758/

Bird list for the day-
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Swallow-tailed Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
Rock Pigeon
Ruddy Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Sulphur-winged Parakeet
White-throated Mountain-Gem
Magnificent Hummingbird
Volcano Hummingbird
Resplendent Quetzal
Blue-crowned Motmot
Acorn Woodpecker
Ruddy Treerunner
Mountain Elaenia
Tufted Flycatcher
Black-capped Flycatcher
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Yellow-winged Vireo
Blue-and-white Swallow
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush
Sooty Thrush
Clay-colored Thrush
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
Flame-throated Warbler
Collared Redstart
Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Spangle-cheeked Tanager
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Slaty Flowerpiercer
Yellow-thighed Finch
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Flame-colored Tanager
Great-tailed Grackle
Elegant Euphonia
Golden-browed Chlorophonia
Yellow-bellied Siskin

Puerto Rico, Day 6, February 4, 2012. Winding up.

When we got up and went outside on our final morning, we realized just how beautiful the setting of the Ceiba Country Inn was. On one side lush hills rose up, becoming almost mountains. On the other, the sea lay in view, just beyond lower hills. When we arrived it had been rainy and very misty, so we hadn't appreciated it. A Loggerhead Kingbird perched on the utility wires. We could hear birds all around. I regretted that we couldn't stay longer.

We had no more target birds left. It was kind of a weird feeling. We decided it would be a good idea to try to get some decent photos of Antillean Crested Hummingbird. We were well in range, so we took off looking for flowering trees. We drove up the coast, towards the far NE corner. Both the carib and the crested had been reported from a bed and breakfast called the Passion Fruit B&B. Martin had mapped it. We found it with very little trouble. Unfortunately, the trees around the B&B were not blooming. Luckily, we did find a couple more of the pink trees where we had seen hummers before. Sure enough, I spotted an Antillean Crested, but like the others, it took off before we could even try to get a photo. The Green-throated Caribs were a lot easier here. We saw several and I was able to get a few photos.  One of the coolest things we saw here was a gigantic colorful caterpillar.

We decided to visit El Yunque, the national forest. This is the only tropical rain forest in the United States. It is touted as a good place to get most of the endemic birds. You probably have the best chance of seeing the incredibly rare and endangered Puerto Rican Parrot. There is a captive bred release program going on here, so the birds are not countable. We had made a decision to not make a serious attempt to see them. We drove up the road to the gates of the forest.

There was a tent along the road with signs for food and pina coladas. A very nice woman had everything fried you could think of. We choose a variety of empanadas, including conch, shrimp and crab. She also had some corn dog shaped things of beef and plantain. We got a couple of pina coladas (non-alcoholic, unfortunately) I probably gained 5 lbs just at this stand!

Since we had seen all of our target birds, we decided to concentrate on butterflies. Unfortunately, it started to rain and was rather cold, so the butterflies were almost non-existent. The park was packed with cruise ship excursions, so the birding wasn't that great either. It was a little disappointing, but it was very nice to see the great habitat.

I wanted to see a bit of old San Juan, so we headed down and did a drive through. It really was beautiful. The traffic was brutal, which gave me more time to look. We went to the airport a bit early for our flight back. I won't tell the story here, because I want to end on a positive note, but it was a bit of a debacle, which ended with me sleeping on the floor of the Miami airport and Martin getting no sleep at all.

Anyway, to wind things up, Puerto Rico is a fabulous place! The birding was relatively easy. The countryside was very different than I expected. If you want American food you can get it. If you want amazing Puerto Rican food, you can get that and it is not terribly expensive. (Choose Puerto Rican! Choose Puerto Rican!) The road system is mostly great. You can get all over the island easily and quickly. If you haven't birded the tropics, this could be a good introduction. If you have birded the tropics, you will love it. Now, you won't get a huge list, but the birds are beautiful, and to me, were high value. If you are interested in going, please feel free to contact me at Sngcanary@yahoo.com. I will be more than happy to share any information we have.  Thanks for sharing our trip with me, through this blog.

Photos of the day-http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629310918543/

Bird list fot the day-

Brown Pelican
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Royal Tern
Rock Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Zenaida Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Green-throated Carib
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
Puerto Rican Tody
Puerto Rican Woodpecker
Puerto Rican Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Loggerhead Kingbird
Puerto Rican Vireo
Black-whiskered Vireo
Cave Swallow
Red-legged Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Black-faced Grassquit
Greater Antillean Grackle
House Sparrow

Puerto Rico, Day 5, Feb. 3, 2012

We had done so well at this point, we were running out of birds to get! We had three targets left, two hummingbirds, and Plain Pigeon. We had debated if we should even try for the pigeon when we planned the trip. I had seen it in the Dominican Republic, and it was, well, plain. We got up and were still discussing it. Finally we figured, why not? It wasn't that far off of the beaten track and we had no need to rush.

The best place for Plain Pigeon, according to the research that Martin did, was a baseball field near Comario. It was a little bit off the beaten track, but it wasn't too bad a drive. The road is twisty and turning, and we did have to ask directions. It seemed like there was a school every half mile and they all had traffic tied up, with kids arriving. A couple of birds, sitting on wires, looked like they might have been Plain Pigeons, but stopping would be tough. We finally found the ball park and were dismayed to find there was major construction going on. There was no sign of any pigeons, other than feral Rock Pigeons. We debated on going back and trying to see the birds we saw on the wires, but decided to walk up a side street and check around the houses. We walked up the hill and Martin spotted a Plain Pigeon feeding in a tree with orange flowers. These trees are all over the island and we never saw any birds in them. This one, however, paid off! The pigeon was more attractive than its name implies.

Now we had to make another decision. We really wanted the final two hummingbirds, but we had neglected the butterflies on the island. There is a spot in Coamo for Antillean White Butterfly, which is rather rare. There are some thermal baths in town with a small river running next to them. We found the spot and started searching. Unfortunately, it was sprinkling when we arrived, so butterfly activity was non-existent. Luckily, it cleared a bit and we found some skippers flying. We walked down to the gravel river bed and found a few more bugs. There were some Florida Whites, but not our coveted bug. Then I found a butterfly sitting on a gravel bank in the middle of the river. It looked good for the Antillean. I called Martin over, and sure enough, it was the right one. We were really happy! Unfortunately, being in the middle of the river, I didn't get a great photo. We went back up to the car, where we found a couple of hairstreaks, too.

We had lunch and started for Humacao Reserve. We were now ready for the two last hummingbirds, Green-throated Carib and Antillean Crested Hummingbird. These were actually my most wanted birds of the trip. The carib is a large hummingbird, with a de-curved bill. It is not very flashy, but I wanted to add a carib to my hummingbird list. The Antillean Crested looks like a cross between Woody Woodpecker and a hummingbird. I am always concerned about finding hummingbirds, especially when there are no feeders. I did not see a single hummingbird feeder in Brazil. The Mimosa trees, where they can usually be found, were not blooming. Neither were the Flamboyant trees, which they also like.

The reserve has a lot more than just hummingbirds. It is a good place to see Caribbean Coot, and sometimes, West Indian Whistling-duck. There are several lagoons, surrounded by trees. In front of the parking lot and across the road were a couple of the pink blooming trees, in which we had found the Antillean Mango earlier. We did a fast scan of the pink trees, but didn't see any hummingbirds. A couple of huge iguanas were in one tree near the car. We decided to walk into the lagoon area and add a few species to our trip list. It is a great place. The habitat was great. It is possible to rent a kayak, if you want to do it by water.

We walked in and started up the path between two lagoons. Another big iguana was on the path ahead of us. Martin was looking across the lagoon, when I saw three mammals run across the path behind the iguana. They were long and ran with the undulation of a weasel or otter. I called for Martin to look, but they were too fast. I made a mental note to ask the women at the kiosk at the entrance if they had otters.  There were some Caribbean and American Coots, so we were able to do a comparison. I found a couple of White-cheeked Pintails, which were new for the trip.

We walked back out and got a couple of cokes. I found out my "otters" were actually Mongoose, which have been introduced to the island. I was very disappointed. Martin walked over to the gate and scanned the pink blooming tree across the road. He quickly spotted a large hummingbird, the Green-throated Carib. Martin decided to go back into the park, to watch the other pink trees. I stayed put, watching the first tree. Shortly after Martin left, I spotted the Antillean Crested. I caught my breath, worried that we would have a repeat of the mango incidence, with me seeing it and it being gone by the time Martin got there. Luckily, that was not the case. We got reasonable photos of the carib, but the Antillean Crested was camera shy, and I only got a barely recognizable picture. Ok, it isn't even recognizable!  It shot off and we didn't see it again.

We left Humacao very happy and headed to the Ceiba Country Inn, where we would spend our last night. This lovely little bed and breakfast is in the north east corner of Puerto Rico. It is a good place for Puerto Rican Screech-Owl. When we arrived, it had started to rain a bit. It was dreary and misty. In spite of this, the grounds looked lovely. We checked in, got some ice cream from the lobby and got ready to go for dinner. The owner recommended a little restaurant in Farjardo, which is nearby. The restaurant was great. Martin got the mofongo, which has to be one of the best names for a dish ever. It is made with mashed plantains and pork. I had a grilled flank steak, which was great. When we returned to the inn, the wind was howling. Martin did hear the screech-owls, but had no luck seeing them. It was cool enough out, that we left the windows open, instead of the air conditioning. I was more than a little sad that it was going to be our last night in Puerto Rico.

Photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629272111125/

Bird list for the day-
White-cheeked Pintail
Pied-billed Grebe
Brown Pelican
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Caribbean Coot
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Rock Pigeon
Plain Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Zenaida Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Green-throated Carib
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
Puerto Rican Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Loggerhead Kingbird
Cave Swallow
Red-legged Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Bananaquit
Black-faced Grassquit
Greater Antillean Grackle
House Sparrow

Puerto Rico, Day 4, February 3, 2012

We really wanted a better look at the Puerto Rican Nightjar, so we got up at about 5:00 AM and headed back towards Guanica. Martin had found some information that there was a road that ran along the coast that could be good for them. The road was supposed to be busy, but the birds could be heard from shoulder. We found the road, but it was still too early. The nightjars only call for a short time in the morning, right before dawn. We did a little exploring, driving the end of the road, where it dead ended into a beach.

We worked our way back and came to one of the spots that was supposed to be good for the nightjars. The road was not at all busy, and  we heard the nightjars start to call. Martin flushed one, which flew right over his head. I saw the shape of the bird, but he got quite a bit of detail. We worked the road a bit more, but the birds totally shut up. We decided to give it one more shot at dusk and went on our way.

Our plan was to re-visit the dry forest reserve during the day, when we could drive in. Unfortunately, the gates don't open until 8:30 AM, so we had some time to kill. We drove back down the road, near to where it dead ended. There were several small beaches along the road and we stopped to do some sea watching. It is amazing at just how devoid of birds the tropical seas are.  We decided to look for a point that extended further out. There was a road that led to a bed and breakfast we almost stayed at, Mary Lee's by the Sea. We drove out and didn't see any good spots to sea watch. What we did find was a beautiful pink blooming tree. It looked like it might be good for hummingbirds, and sure enough, there was an Antillean Mango feeding actively. A Common Ground Dove was perched in the tree and a Puerto Rican Woodpecker was working the area. By the way, Mary Lee's by the Sea looked great.

We drove back to Guanica and headed back to the forest. We were able to drive in and went up to the headquarters and parked. We asked one of the rangers where we could find some butterflies. He pointed to a path that made a circle back to the parking lot. We walked the trail and did find a few butterflies, and there were birds. We got some fabulous looks at the Puerto Rican Todys. Martin and I agreed the tody was one of our favorite birds. Adelaide's Warblers were thick. Pearly-eyed Thrasher was very common. I added a life bird, Caribbean Elenia. We got good looks again at Puerto Rican Pewee. It was a very pleasant walk, despite the lack of butterflies.

We went back into town to grab some lunch. There are several American fast food places in Guanica, but I wanted something Puerto Rican. We found a little hole in the way place where we got the most amazing Cuban sandwiches. Neither of us could finish, the sandwich was so large. We also grabbed some bread pudding to take with us.  I was absolutely enamored with the food.

We decided to try for the West Indian Whistling Ducks at Laguna Cartagena, again. We got out the maps and figured a different way to get in. This time it worked. The road was a little rough, but at least it was a road, unlike the day before. We walked out to the observation tower. It was an easy walk, less than half a mile. As we reached the tower, a Loggerhead Kingbird flew out of a nest in the under-structure of the tower. We climbed the stairs and Martin very quickly found the whistling ducks, across the lake. There were at least 42 of them, which is pretty impressive, considering there are only supposed to be about 100 on all of Puerto Rico. A flock of Glossy Ibis were working the lake. We added a few duck species, including about 9 Masked Ducks working in a mat of vegetation. It was a great place! We walked back, and as we left the refuge, we saw a Merlin sitting in a tree.

We decided to go back and try another sea watch, while we waited for dusk and another nightjar search. There was a stand one the side of the road which had frappes. The sign had a long list of fruit flavors. We were a bit hot, so we stopped. I ordered mango and Martin got a pina colada, non-alchoholic. All I can say is I could live on these things! They were somewhat like smoothies, but much better. They both had big hunks of fruit in them. Jeez, I want one right now....

We returned to one of the beaches we had visited in the morning. We hadn't been there long when a young Brown Booby flew by, quite close to shore. We tried to make it into a Red-footed, but we just couldn't string it. Martin found several more Brown Boobies, way out at sea. Royal Terns and Magnificent Frigatebirds were feeding. More boobies came in, flying along the horizon. I think he finally counted 16. Texas isn't all that great for sea watching, so he was very happy. I spotted a sea turtle in the surf, but couldn't get enough detail on it to ID it. I also waded into the water,  just up to my knees, so I could say I had been in the Caribbean.

Dusk was approaching, so we headed back to the nightjar area. We parked on a pull out we had found in the morning and we waited. When it seemed like the right time, we walked down to the area where the bird had flown over our heads. The road now was fairly busy, which made me a bit nervous. It seemed like forever before we heard any calls. The birds seemed more distant. One was calling fairly near to the car. We walked down and it flew out, giving us decent looks. We spot-lighted the trees, hoping to get a perched one that Martin could photograph. but we had no luck. We were still happy.  We headed back to the hotel to pack to go to our last destination.

Photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629252946943/

Bird list for the day-
West Indian Whistling-Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Masked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Brown Booby
Brown Pelican
Magnificent Frigatebird
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Glossy Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Sora
Purple Gallinule
Common Moorhen
Caribbean Coot
Lesser Yellowlegs
Royal Tern
Rock Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Zenaida Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Puerto Rican Nightjar
Antillean Mango
Puerto Rican Tody
Puerto Rican Woodpecker
Caribbean Elaenia
Lesser Antillean Pewee
Puerto Rican Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Loggerhead Kingbird
Puerto Rican Vireo
Cave Swallow
Northern Mockingbird
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Adelaide's Warbler
Bananaquit
Black-faced Grassquit
Puerto Rican Bullfinch
Greater Antillean Grackle
Orange-cheeked Waxbill- introduced

1

52

Puerto Rico, Day 3, February 1, 2012

Waking up at Maravilla was bitter sweet. I loved this place so much, I really hated to leave, but we had a lot of ground to cover. We did decide to look for the Green Mango again, before we left, as Martin had not gotten great looks. We went up to the area around the house and sure enough, a pair of mangos chased each other right over our heads! Unfortunately, neither of us got any photos, but it was still fun. A Puerto Rican Emerald did allow me to get a very poor photo, but it was better than nothing. I said good bye to the two horses that live at Maravilla and we were off.

We were going to hit both the north and south coast of the island, with stops along the west coast. We headed north first, to check out some cliffs where tropicbirds and Red-footed Boobies had been seen by a tour group. On the way up, I spied a Zenaida Dove sitting on a fence next to the road. We had been looking for since we arrived in PR; after I found the first one, they were every where! The drive north involved us getting lost a couple of times, but there were some great people who helped us. Finally, we arrived at Punta Algarobbo.

As we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed that the sky was really threatening. We got out and almost immediately it started raining. Luckily, there were trees along the cliff, which kept us relatively dry.  We started scanning the sky over the waves below us and saw White-tailed Tropicbirds every where! We figured there were between 30 and 40. The rain stopped pretty quickly and the sky started to lighten. I walked down a trail through the trees and found an overlook where I could see the beach. I added the Little Blue Hero, that was picking along the rocks, to my list. This really was a spectacular spot.

I started back to the spot where Martin was still scanning. As I walked down the path, I heard an unfamiliar warbler song. I stopped and "pished", and was thrilled when an Adelaide's Warbler popped out. I was worried that this endemic warbler would be elusive. I also thought we wouldn't even have a decent chance for it until we went to Guanica. I went and got Martin, and we returned. The warbler was still in the area and put on a great show. After getting some photos, we returned to the tropicbirds for a while, and then packed up to head south, via the west coast.

Our first stop was just north of Maraguez, at a river mouth, were rare gulls have been seen the past.  Unfortunately, the only birds loafing on the sand bar were Royal Terns. We did pick up several species of shore birds. Martin was distracted by a Mangrove Darner (a dragonfly.) A few butterflies flitted around, but we didn't find anything particularly unusual. We decided to push on.

One of Martin's target birds was West Indian Whistling Duck. It is estimated that there are less than a hundred left on Puerto Rico, though they are found on other Caribbean islands. I had seen one in the Dominican Republic two years ago. There is a good spot just north of La Paguera, where we were spending the next two nights. Laguna Cartagena turned out to be a problem to get to. Martin had printed out a map, which was great, until we got to the road into the refuge. Actually, the word road didn't really apply. It was more like a goat path with a branches and trash scattered over it. There was another way in, but it would involve back tracking, so we decided to leave it for another day.

We drove the winding streets of La Paguera, and found our hotel, Parador La Paguera. This hotel had looked really great on the web page. When we pulled up we were a little disappointed. I think some of that was our enchantment with Maravilla. The hotel sprawls down the street, with the parking lot being about a block from the entrance. It was quite a ways to drag all of our luggage. Ironically, when we got to our room, it was right next to the parking lot, but there was no way in. I will say, the grounds were beautiful, backing up to a gorgeous bay. The pool looked good and the room was clean and decent. It just wasn't Maravilla!

After we lugged our gear in, we left to get our next target bird, Yellow-shouldered Blackbird. This bird is listed as endangered. It used to be wide spread across the island, now it is very difficult to find, except for one spot, which is not what you would expect. There is a little hardware store in La Paguera where Yellow-shoulded Blackbirds congregate. The store owners put out water and bread and the blackbirds come to feed in swarms.  The workers at the store were great! They led us out to a little porch and put the bread out early for us. The birds were everywhere. I took more photos of them than all the other birds put together. It was really fun to watch. We got some cokes and snacks at the store and left, so we could be in time for our biggest target bird of the day.

We headed east to Guanica, where there is a beautiful reserve with dry, scrub forest. This is the best place to get Puerto Rican Nightjar. This is a very rare bird, thought to be extinct for over 70 years. The bird calls for less than half an hour at dusk and dawn. There are areas of the reserve, where the trees meet over the road, where the birds are most likely to be. There is also a nearby road where they are found. It is vital to be there at just the right time. We drove over to Guanica and parked at the entrance of the park. The gate is locked at 5:00 PM, but you can walk in.

The nightjars can be found in several areas of the park. One of the best is right at the entrance. We were there right at 5:00 PM, hoping to talk to a park employee, asking for directions to the best places. Unfortunately, the gate was already locked. We walked in and debated on where to go. We could stay at the entrance and wait, or walk in and see what else we could see. We decided to walk in. It was uphill. Boy, was it uphill! We were pretty tired from our day of birding and travel, but we persevered. I was surprised at how thick the forest was. It was not like our scrub forest at all. It was difficult to see into the woods. Birds called all around us, but they were tough to see.

It started to get close to the time for the birds to call, so we started slowly walking back. About half way back we finally heard a nightjar. Then two flushed from the trees and flew right over our heads. More were calling as we finished our walk down. Unfortunately, we couldn't get any photos, but we were thrilled to have seen them at all. We made plans to return for the dawn show.

Photos from the day-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629238230839/

Bird list for the day
White-tailed Tropicbird
Brown Pelican
Magnificent Frigatebird
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Spotted Sandpiper
Royal Tern
Rock Pigeon
Scaly-naped Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Zenaida Dove
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Puerto Rican Screech-Owl
Puerto Rican Nightjar
Green Mango
Puerto Rican Emerald
Puerto Rican Tody
Puerto Rican Woodpecker
Lesser Antillean Pewee
Puerto Rican Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Puerto Rican Vireo
Cave Swallow
Red-legged Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Adelaide's Warbler
Bananaquit
Black-faced Grassquit
Puerto Rican Bullfinch
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird
Greater Antillean Grackle
Shiny Cowbird
Greater Antillean Oriole
House Sparrow

Puerto Rico, Day 2, January 31, 2012

I had slept deeper and better than I had in ages. I stirred right before sunrise and heard the sound of the Puerto Rican Screech Owls. Martin was already outside, sitting on the porch. One of the owls had flown right over his head earlier. Other birds began their dawn chorus. I can't think of a non-cliched way to describe how it felt to be in that place. Paradise comes to mind.  I know, that is totally hokey.

I got dressed and we headed up to the main compound. Martin was already at the top. A Puerto Rican Oriole was singing nearby. We got a few glimpses, and then it was off. The evening before Martin had talked to Puerto Rican bird guide,  Gabriel Lugo, about where to look for one of our target hummingbirds, the Green Mango. Gabriel was extremely helpful and suggested we monitor the mimosas around the cottage. We got up to the top of the hill, when we heard a loud bird call which we did not recognize. Martin wandered around the back side of the tree it was calling from, to try and ID it. I stayed by the drive way, still working on waking up.

I saw a flash of movement and there was the Green Mango, feeding in some bougainvillea by the drive way. I got a good look at the bright green throat, the long de-curved bill and the wide tail. The bird was only there a few seconds and took off over the hedge. I called for Martin, who came running. Unfortunately, the mango was no where to be found. This situation was becoming an unfortunate pattern. There have been more a couple of times that I have found a hummingbird and it disappears before Martin can get there. We waited and waited, hoping it would return. It didn't. Martin went up to the main cottage and watched the mimosas, with still no luck.  I felt terrible for him. We did get better looks at the oriole, which was a small consolation. Finally, we decided we would go look else where.

The birding had been so good the day before in the Maricao forest, we decided to go back. There was a good chance we could find the Green Mango there and figured it was worth a shot. We parked at the forest headquarters again and walked up towards some antennas on the top of the hill. The ground was covered with Puerto Rican Calistos, an endemic butterfly. The wind was howling and there were rain showers off and on. The birds were not being very cooperative, so we started back down. Martin was a little bit ahead of me, when a pair of Green Mangos shot over his head. He didn't get a long look, but saw enough to ID them. I felt a definite sense of relief!

We returned to the place where we had gotten the Elfin-woods Warbler the day before and quickly found the flock. The warblers were pretty cooperative, as were the spindalis, and other birds we had the day before. We didn't see any birds we hadn't seen the day before, but we were still happy.  We drove back to Maravilla, stopping for lunch in the town of Maricao. By the way, Puerto Rican food is amazing! Between the incredible sandwiches made on a crusty pressed bread and the bread pudding, it is a wonder I didn't gain 20 lbs!

We got back to Maravilla and did a little "canopy tower" watch on the roof of the cabin. It really was marvelous, being right up in the tree tops. Birds were constantly coming in to feed on a fruiting tree. Martin decided to walk one of the trails and I stayed behind. After a while, he returned, very excited. He had found a Lesser Antillean Pewee, up near the main compound. I followed him up the hill and we searched the area where he had seen it, but initially couldn't find it. We walked further down the trail, past the spot where he had last seen it. We were about 20 yards down the trail, when we heard it call. We back tracked and got good looks. Pewees of different kinds have been a bit of a nemesis on our recent trips, so it was good to find one.

We had brought a pizza back with us from town, so we settled down at the cabin and waited for the screech owls to call. They did fire up after the sun set, but again, they were absolutely invisible.  I don't know how they could be so close and not be seen.

Here are my photos from the day-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629225121077/

Here is my bird list-
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Rock Pigeon
Scaly-naped Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Puerto Rican Screech-Owl
Green Mango
Puerto Rican Emerald
Puerto Rican Tody
Puerto Rican Woodpecker
Lesser Antillean Pewee
Puerto Rican Flycatcher
Gray Kingbird
Puerto Rican Vireo
Red-legged Thrush
Elfin-Woods Warbler
Bananaquit
Puerto Rican Tanager
Puerto Rican Spindalis
Black-faced Grassquit
Puerto Rican Bullfinch
Greater Antillean Grackle
Shiny Cowbird
Greater Antillean Oriole
Antillean Euphonia

Puerto Rico, the Tropics without a Passport! Day 1, January 30, 2012

If you have followed my blog, you know that most of our birding trips are to South America. This trip was a bit different for us. We decided to visit Puerto Rico, which has the only tropical rain forest in the United States. There are 17 endemic species of birds, and a number of Antillean species. Martin and I have had limited experience in the Caribbean. We had one day of birding in Curacao, and I visited the Dominican Republic two years ago for a week. We knew we wouldn't get a huge number of life birds, but there were several that were "high value" birds for us, particularly the five hummingbirds.

We left our apartment at about 5AM on January 29. I spotted a "falling star', which fell slowly enough that I was able to say, "Martin, look!" and he actually saw it. We laughed and said it must be a sign, and hoped it was a good omen, though it might not be. After being thrown out of my seat onto the floor of the shuttle bus of the Parking Spot in Austin when the driver took a corner too quickly and having our first flight of the trip be canceled, we weren't laughing quite so hard! I do want to say, the only thing hurt by my fall in the bus was my pride and the airline accommodated very quickly. Neither of us is at all superstitious, but this did not seem good! Luckily, once we arrived in Puerto Rico, our luck took a dramatic turn to the better.

We started out early in the morning on January 30. We had spent the night in San Juan, but began our birding in the southwest part of the island. It was a pleasant surprise at how short a time it took to drive from one corner of the island to the other. The highway was every bit as good as any in the states. We did run into bad traffic in Ponce, but got through it fairly quickly with tempers intact. We turned north to the Maricao forest, where the roads narrowed, but were still quite good. The only problems we had were that the roads are not at all well marked in the smaller towns and we did have to ask for help a couple of times.

As we drove through Sabana Grande on our way to the forest, I got my first life bird, one I wanted very badly, Puerto Rican Woodpecker. This is a gorgeous bird, which looks like a cross between a Lewis's and an Acorn Woodpecker.  We also found an Antillean Mango, a hummingbird, which was new for Martin. I had seen several in the Dominican Republic, but who doesn't like hummingbirds?

We moved further up into the mountains. Martin had done a lot of research for this trip and knew of a spot 11 kilometers from Sabana Grande. We found the pullout and stopped. A Puerto Rican Vireo was singing loudly. Almost immediately Martin spotted one of our main target birds, Elfin-woods Warbler. This is an endemic species that wasn't discovered until 1971. It has a small population and can be hard to find. I didn't see it right away and started getting that panicky feeling. We worked really hard and finally I did see it and even got a poor photo. I found this bird one of the most difficult to photograph. It is unbelievably active and fast moving.

This spot wasn't just good for the warbler. Two Puerto Rican Tanagers were eating berries. We got good looks at the vireo. Pearly-eyed Thrashers zipped through. The tanager was joined by a Puerto Rican Spindalis. Then I found what was one of my favorite birds of our trip, Puerto Rican Tody. I do not care for the word cute, but I don't know any other way to describe todys. They are tiny little jewels, bright green, white and glowing dark pink. I had seen two species in the Domincan Republic, and was ecstatic to add a third.

It was hard to leave, but we had other spots to check. The headquarters of Maricao forest was nearby.  It is a lovely spot, with an amazing view of the Caribbean below. A Loggerhead Kingbird was singing on a tree branch just above eye level. His cooperation more than made up for the Elfin-woods Warbler camera shyness. We walked up the hill, but it had become really windy and the birds were all hunkered down.

We decided to drive up to the place we were staying at for the next two nights. In the past, most birders visiting this area stayed at Hacienda Juanita, just outside of the town of Maricao. We tried to book a room here, but discovered that the hotel was closed. This was disappointing for a couple of reason; first, the location was excellent for birding the forest. and second, it was a good birding place on its own, with Puerto Rican Screech-owls on the property. Maricao is a beautiful town, but it lacks hotels. I found a place called Maravilla Guest House, about a half hour north. It looked very interesting and had fabulous reviews on Trip Advisor. It is a very small facility, with a small cabin and a cottage, with a room. Margo, the owner, usually cooks vegetarian meals, but was not able to do that for us.  We booked the cabin and were anxious to see the property.

The drive from the main road to the guest house was a little bit rough, but doable in a regular car. We pulled in and were greeted by Elise, who was working on the property. She took us down the hill to the cabin. It could not have been better! Very isolated from the cottage and the other buildings, the cabin sat on a hillside in the midst of thick forest.  The top floor is still unfinished, with concrete walls, windows, but no roof. There are stairs up and an open porch. It put us right into the canopy.  Birds were singing all around us! The location is too low for the Elfin-woods Warbler and the Puerto Rican Tanager, but all of the other birds we had in the forest were there. 

The living level is extremely open, with a kitchen, two bedrooms and a bath. The cabin does not have electricity, but there are battery powered lanterns and a propane overhead light. A hot tub is right outside the door. There is hot water. We didn't need air conditioning, the temperature was actually very cool in the evening. We were very pleased that there were no mosquitoes. I spent a little time in the hammock, while a Puerto Rican Emerald fed in the flowering tree above me. I can not say enough good things about this place! There is a small building up the hill from the cabin, with a stove, microwave and fridge. I would suggest, if Margo is not cooking for you, pick up food supplies before you arrive. The selection at the super mercado in the nearest town is extremely limited.

As it got dark we had invisible visitors near the cabin. Several Puerto Rican Screech Owls started calling. They were quite close, and made some incredible sounds. Unfortunately, despite our searching with the spot lights we brought, they remained invisible. The every present "coquis", small frogs that loudly say their name, called all around us. It was so cool and breezy, I had to use two blankets. I slept better than I had in weeks!

I didn't take as many photos as usual on this trip, but here is a link to the ones I did take the first day-
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sngcanary/sets/72157629209018791

And here is my bird list for the day -

Magnificent Frigatebird
Cattle Egret
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Rock Pigeon
Scaly-naped Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Key West Quail-Dove
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo
Smooth-billed Ani
Puerto Rican Screech-Owl
Antillean Mango
Puerto Rican Emerald
Puerto Rican Tody
Puerto Rican Woodpecker
Gray Kingbird
Loggerhead Kingbird
Puerto Rican Vireo
Cave Swallow
Red-legged Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Elfin-Woods Warbler
Bananaquit
Puerto Rican Tanager
Puerto Rican Spindalis
Puerto Rican Bullfinch
Greater Antillean Grackle
Shiny Cowbird
House Sparrow
Nutmeg Mannikin- introduced species