Costa Rica: Best of Fall Birding in Green Season
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This trip offers the chance to see up to 400 bird species in two weeks, or you can simply enjoy the shorter ten-day tour (which should get you over three hundred bird species).
More Details About this Trip:
Costa Rica in the fall (sometimes called the green season) offers less crowds and more solitude for birding. The country is the number one ecotourism destination for Americans, but the crowds are diminished from September to November. We will have more easy access and quiet when birding in the national parks and reserves.
The hotels on this tour enhance our birding experience with nice open areas around the hotel for birding, fruit feeders, and/or hummingbird feeders. A fine cup of coffee and tea can be enjoyed with the added pleasure of seeing life birds.
Pricing: $3,390 US Dollars, or £2,710 GBP for 10 Days and 9 Nights. Extensions are available.
Group Size: Most tours are viable at 6 participants.
Upcoming Dates:
September 25 to October 4 + ext.
October 30 to November 8 + ext.
As stated above, fall is sometimes called the green season, as Costa Rica (the country as a whole) does get more rain at this time. However, our tour is focused on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, where green season rain is more limited. We would expect rain on the extension trip; however, great birding can follow these afternoon showers. Please read more in the trip introduction.
RAIN DESCRIPTION:
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During the first ten days of the tour while we are enjoying the Caribbean side of Costa Rica (Arenal and other cloud forest and montane areas, and the Caribbean lowlands), we really do not expect any rain. The Caribbean side of Costa Rica has limited rain in the “green season”. Though no rain is expected, it may rain one or two times for a brief period over this ten-day part of the tour.
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For the rest of trip (the extension and mostly on the Pacific side of Costa Rica,) the mornings in this green/rainy season are usually free of rain; however, afternoon rain can be expected most days for two to four hours. Most of the rain in the rainy season comes at night, though we can expect to lose perhaps one full day to rain on about every other green season tour.
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Also, please note that rain on the Pacific side (extension trip only) of Costa Rica can help our birding. The occasional rain in late afternoon favors bird finding as birds are much more active after a bit of rain. Lowland birding is much more pleasant as the daily high temperature is cooler at this time of year. With these cooler temperatures and/or a bit of rain, we have an opportunity to bird more of the day.
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In fall in Costa Rica birds are starting to define their breeding territories, and this too will help our fall birding. More male birds will be singing from exposed perches and that will provide better chances for your expert local guide to find them "by ear" and set them in the scope for a comfortable viewing.
Birds
Lattice-tailed Trogon, Stripe-breasted Wren, Blue-and-gold Tanager, Black-and-yellow Tanager, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Dull-mantled Antbird, Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Black-throated Wren, Talamanca Hummingbird, Purple-throated Mountain-gem, Magenta-throated Woodstar, Black-bellied Hummingbird, Scintillant Hummingbird, Prong-billed Barbet, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Chiriqui Quail-Dove, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Black-breasted Wood-Quail, Streak-breasted Treehunter, Dark Pewee, Black-faced Solitaire, Flame-throated Warbler, Costa Rican Warbler, Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Volcano Hummingbird, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Large-footed Finch, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Sooty Thrush, Black-thighed Grosbeak, Peg-billed Finch, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Black Guan, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, White-throated Mountain-gem, Black-faced Solitaire, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Flame-throated Warbler, Ruddy Treerunner, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Dusky Nightjar, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, Cabanis's Ground-Sparrow, Coppery-headed Emerald.
Mammals
Three-toed Sloth, White-nosed Coati, Central America Agouti
Habitats and
Special Sites
Tropical forest, Cloud forest, Caribbean lowlands, Pacific forest, Rain forest, mangroves.
Other Attractions
Volcanoes, mountain scenery, very friendly local culture, fresh local fruit.
