December is just not the best month for chook counts, not less than not in Costa Rica. Sure, we do have heat, tropical climate and a flowery assortment of resident and wintering species. Neither is there any trudging by way of snow seeking further hardy species or visits to feeders with the hope of discovering a grackle or Pink-winged Blackbird that did not fly south. Nevertheless, in Costa Rica, regardless of being splendidly heat in December, the birding isn’t as easy as one would possibly count on.
You see, December can also be when chilly fronts are inclined to soak the Caribbean facet of the nation. Whereas heavy rains can’t examine with blizzards or the dearth of species within the frozen lands, fixed rain does current challenges to chook counts. Even so, we nonetheless handle to discover a heck of plenty of birds, even on counts the place fixed rain may be very a lot anticipated.
One such occasion is the chook depend at Arenal, a day sometimes replete with various levels of rain. The moist climate is predicted and but this 12 months, maybe as a result of the depend was held a bit later than common, we lucked out with a scorching, sunny day! Given the rain dodging we have now needed to do on previous Arenal chook counts, I admit that it was a bit unusual to protect the eyes from goold outdated helios whereas on the lookout for warblers within the cover. It was bizarre to place ourselves with the solar behind our backs so we might get higher seems at dozens of low flying swifts. It was a pleasant change from needing to plan the depend day round when and the place the rain would fall.
Seemingly due to different chook counts being held across the similar time, we had fewer members in 2022. This ignored of a route or two and will have contributed to a decrease general species complete than anticipated however we nonetheless managed to report greater than 300 species, we nonetheless noticed a number of nice birds on a memorable day of birding within the Arenal space.
These had been among the highlights.
The Depend Assembly
The night earlier than the depend takes place, we all the time have a gathering. This can be a mini occasion replete with espresso, pastries, and some distributors promoting tremendous cool chook artwork, shirts, earrings, and posters. A few displays had been additionally given; one by Diego Quesada of Birding Experiences relating to depend routes, and one other given by Juan Diego Vargas of Lifer Excursions that offered fascinating and novel details about the depend species, the Keel-billed Motmot. This latter speak was wonderful, Marilen and I had been sorry to have to go away early so we might have sufficient meal time and early loads of sleep earlier than an extended day of birding.
Rufous-vented Floor-Cuckoo
This mega lastly made it onto a depend day record when two had been seen by native information Beto Palma at a big ant swarm at Pocosol within the Kids’s Everlasting Rainforest.
Quail-Doves
All doable quail-doves had been discovered. After we consider the sneaky, shy nature of those stunning little doves, that is fairly the accomplishment. These species can be:
- Ruddy Quail-Dove- a chook of humid lowland and foothill habitats not encountered fairly often round Arenal.
- Violaceous Quail-Dove– a uncommon and elusive chook that might flip up however isn’t anticipated. This was one we discovered and perhaps one of the best species of the depend.
- Chiriqui Quail-Dove– a chook of center elevation habitats. No less than one was recorded by the courageous of us who trekked up and into the humid forests of Cerro Perdidos.
- Purplish-backed Quail-Dove– A foothill species and the one most anticipated at a number of websites close to Arenal.
Raptors and Swifts
24 species of diurnal raptors had been recorded together with Bicolored Hawk, each Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks (uncommon birds in Costa Rica), and Black and Ornate Hawk-Eagles.
The swift motion was additionally wonderful, not less than on our route. Within the morning and even throughout mid-day, dozens of swifts coursed by way of the skies. White-collared was the commonest however we additionally had many superb seems at Chestnut-collared together with a couple of Grey-rumped, two Lesser Swallow-tailed proper on the finish of the day, and views of each elusive species- White-chinned and Spot-fronted Swifts!
16 Hummingbird Species
Fairly a couple of hummingbirds had been round. These had been principally Rufous-tailed however we additionally had Black-crested Coquette, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, and different species together with the one White-tipped Sicklebill of the depend. No Snowcap however not less than there have been a number of different good birds to take a look at.
Finca Luna Nueva and the Soltis Heart
As they’ve all the time achieved on previous counts, Finca Luna Nueva graciously offered our crew with room and board for an evening. Staying in a cushty room and having fun with wonderful, domestically offered wholesome delicacies is a uncommon deal with for a chook depend! I can’t categorical sufficient how good the meals is at Luna Nueva. The encircling habitat can also be good for birds and as common, we recorded greater than 100 species by breakfast together with Pied Puffbird (new for the depend record), Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Inexperienced Ibis, Scarlet Macaw, and numerous different species of humid second development and rainforest.
Many thanks additionally go to the Soltis Heart for permitting us to enter and chook the foothill rainforests of this wonderful website. Earlier than coming into the forest, we watched the hummingbird motion at Porterweed bushes and flowering timber and picked up hovering Barred Hawk, Quick-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and Black Hawk-Eagle. Contained in the forest, we did nicely with discovering a gaggle of White-fronted Nunbirds flocking with Scarlet-rumped Caciques, Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, Rufous Mourner, and some different birds. Then, we did even higher by discovering a primary for the depend and uncommon Violaceous Quail-Dove!
Lack of time meant we couldn’t search for Lanceolated Monklet on the waterfall space however we nonetheless did nicely.
Depend Totals and eBird Journey Report
The ultimate complete for all routes was 307 species and our crew had 152 species together with 12 not recorded on some other route. Congrats go to the depend organizers and all of the members who helped make the 2022 Arenal Depend an exquisite and memorable day of birding. For those who go birding in Costa Rica, you’ll see so much round Arenal!