Kathy and Eric's blog: Costa Rica Dec 29, 2022-Jan 7, 2023

Dec 29: We checked out of the Enchanted Castle at about 3 pm. (We were due to leave on the 30th). Of course there was a small snag, I had ordered our mail to be sent on Dec 19, thinking 10 days would be long enough but I was wrong. USPS could not deliver the mail until Dec 30. We arranged to have a neighbor pick it up for us... what a pain but... we are on our way to Paradise.

Our flight from McAllen was delayed for 1 hour to Houston because of weather. United was offering $1000 voucher and a hotel for the night as they overbooked the flight. They canceled the early morning flight on Friday thus rebooking to the night before. Of course we did not bite.. We arrived in Houston at 8:00 pm.

Our luggage was the only ones at baggage claim! came pretty fast. We were staying the night at the Doubletree airport. We waited about 20 minutes for the shuttle, Wonderful room and had a small snack in the restaurant before retiring for the day.

Dec 30: We got up early for the 6:30 am shuttle to the airport. Since we upgraded our flight we were able to enjoy the United Club for a few hours before departing. Our plane was coming from Fort Lauderdale FL and was delayed because of weather. Our 9:30 flight departed at 11:40.

these seats were so comfortable and reclined flat!

Views from the plane, Volcano in Costa Rica

San Jose

Ukraine airplane

We arrived in Costa Rica at 2:50, We were picked up at 3:30 by our driver and delivered to our hotel at 4:00. Although we had delays, we had planned on "issues" thus was not stressed out by them.

Hotel Bougainvillea, the grounds are beautiful, the rooms are comfortable, large and overlook the gardens

We are ready to find birds! Our handy bird book and bino's is all we need.

our room is on the second floor with a nice balcony

our first Costa Rican Bird! the Lessons Motmot

After walking around the beautiful grounds we met up with our group for dinner at 7:00 pm. 12 tourists and 2 guides. Two of the other birders are from Kim Galen's park in Palmview Texas! We had met them at Fred's Birthday party a few years ago. What a small world. They had come in a few days early thus was not on our flights. While we were walking the grounds we did run into some other couples on our tour. We did get a number of birds on our own, but look forward to being with guides.

Dec 31: Up early to meet the group at 5:30 for a walk around the grounds before breakfast. Left the hotel at 8:15, sunny and 65F.

our transportation for the next week:

Our lodging for the week is about a 2 hour ride from San Jose to the east

Coffee!!

The bird everyone wants to see while in Costa Rica:The beautiful Resplendent Quetzal. It was in the woods right near our restaurant where we had lunch. the female was in there too but the photos did not come out..

We stopped a few times before getting to

At almost 11,000 ft elevation it was a bit chilly.

Beautiful vistas and a few birds! A few stops along the way including lunch

country beer: signs for Imperial Beer were everywhere

Blue skies and green rolling hills

wonderful lunch

We made a stop at Parisio at the town park for a few Owls! we also found a barn owl

then off to our Hotel Rancho Naturalista, where we arrived at 6:15 Cabin #14.

Dinner was Ham and Turkey and all of the trimmings for New Years Eve. We had a band too. bed by 9:00 pm! Long day....

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Jan 1, 2023: On the deck of the lodge by 5:30 for coffee and crazy birding. The hummingbirds were zipping all over the feeders, the tanagers etc were all going for the food put out by the staff down by the front.

We had a cute visitor at the feeding station. Tayra

Brown Jay, they were everywhere

Montezuma Oropendola

Breakfast served at 7:00, all meals are served family style. Since our ride yesterday was a long 2+ hours in the bus, we walked the property in the morning. lunch was delicious turkey soup at noon.

Map of Ranch Naturalista property

Our building

view from the deck

Our morning walk was past a few of the ranches cows!

me pretending to pet the cow!

Looking for the Lovely Continga... we did not find it!

lots of blooming plants and beautiful vistas

We took a little break then on the bus at 2:00 pm. to Casa Turrire Angostura where they had a small

lake. It was only about a 25 min ride. We were back by 5:50, dinner at 6:00, wonderful fish!

Jan 2: We woke up to rain, actually could hear it hitting the tin roof beginning at about 3:00 am. Met the group at 5:30 for birding and coffee on the deck.

After breakfast, the rain let up, we drove to Silencio Mountain Road

We ran into a few cows and horses

Before dinner we took a walk to the Hummingbird pool on the property

Dinner at 6:00

Bed by 7:30! as we have to get up at 4 am for a long ride to Centro Manu.

well my step streak came to an end today. 235 days in a row at 12,000+ steps. I knew it would end on the trip as we don't have control of our time or walking.. not bad for an old lady!

some of our beautiful hummingbirds on the deck

Jan 3: we began our day very early, up at 4:00 am Breakfast at 4:15, bus left at 5:00! For our ride to Centro Manu.

We did stop to find the Brown-throated 3 Toed Sloths and Mantled Howler Monkeys!

Our trail was about 2 miles long through the woods with lots of mud, rocks, tree stumps. in other words not an easy walk. Our local guide Kenneth was really good and very helpful helping us old folks navigate the trail.

we looked and looked for the Umbrella Bird with no luck!

We did find the Great Potoo

Black Crested Coquette

We went to a small business that has a wonderful bird feeding station. The owner, Cope, feeds birds and has a stream with lots of trees. a nice place to sit and watch the birds. We had our bagged lunch while watching the feeders and stream.

Orange Chinned Parakeet

Red-Legged Honeycreeper

Collared Aracari

Yellow Throated Toucan

He also took us to see the Spectacled Owl and the Crested Owl!

We returned to the lodge by 5:45. Quick showers and dinner!

Jan 4: As usual we met on the deck at 5:30 for coffee and birding. Breakfast at 7:00. Today was a bit easier, we walked to Rancho Bajo, (the owners of our lodge) for some beautiful hummingbirds.

We passed a worker on the road!

Orange billed Sparrow

Since our walk was all down hill, the bus picked us up to take us back to the lodge for lunch. We met again at 2:00 for a bus ride to the Center for Tropical Studies.

we found the Pale Billed Woodpecker

Masked Tityra

Jan 5: We met at 5:30 on the deck, then at 6:00 walked to the Moth Cloth where they had a light on all night to attract moths, and thus birds. It was on the property only about a 5 min walk. it was a pretty clean and cool night so not too many moths, thus not too many birds eating moths

At 8:00 we went to the Platanillo Marsh and to Rio Tuis Valley.

we were always walking uphill!

Olive-Backed Euphonia

Back at the lodge the Central American Agouti was not happy that the Tayra was so close

Big Dipper in full view

Full Moon going down behind the volcano during dinner

They make the best desserts here at the lodge and saved the best for last!

Jan 6: We left the lodge for the final time at 8:00 to go back to Hotel Bougainvillea in San Jose. We stopped a few times before getting to Rio Macho.

of course we stopped for lunch

We arrived at our hotel at 3:30, dinner at 7:00. the sounds are so beautiful, we met one last time to walk the grounds at 5:15.

Our tour guides were the best, our fellow birders were fun, our food was fabulous and our accommodations were very comfortable. Not much on repeats but would repeat this tour!

Jan 7: Oh what a long day. up at 3:00 am, on the bus by 3:20 for the airport, there were 5 of us catching the 6:30/7:00 am flights. Eric and I went to the Copa Club for coffee and breakfast. Not as nice as the United Club in Houston but quiet and good coffee! I did buy a pound of coffee in the airport. We flew home with Ann and Randy! Everything was on time. We stopped to pickup our mail at Victoria Palms, a quick stop at HEB for some groceries and "Home" by 3:00!

McAllen