Costa Rica Toucans and Hummingbirds 2020

Registration

Rick Bowers leads

February 8-21, 2020

The name Costa Rica conjures up visions of miles of sun-drenched beaches , exotic plant and animal life and steamy rainforests. Lush jungles, teak and coffee plantations, cattle ranches, banana and cacao plantations, and active volcanoes exemplify the diversity of this Central American country. From cloud forest sub-alpine dwarf vegetation to tropical beach, you’ll experience a dizzying array of climatic conditions during the course of our tour. Costa Rica is an exceptional place to study plant, butterfly and bird life (with approximately 12,000, 1,000, and 850 species known respectively). The climate is gentle, ranging from warm and humid (80º – 90º) in the coastal low lands to cool early morning temperatures (40º) near 10,000 feet. Our itinerary provides us visits to many of the country’s best birding areas. Exceptional natural beauty, combined with tropical birdlife famous the world over, make our Costa Rican adventure a birding and photographer’s dream.

We start our trip with three nights at the beautiful Savegre Lodge at 7000 feet.    The warm tropics give way to very cool mornings and very pleasant days searching the moss draped woodlands for Black Guan, Talamanca Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain-Gem, Resplendent Quetzal, Collared Trogon, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Mountain Elaenia, Yellowish Flycatcher, a slew of thrushes, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Yellow-thighed Finch and Collared Redstart.

Green Hermit

From Savegre we travel to the Arenal Observatory Lodge for two nights. The feeders at the lodge offer some great photo opportunities.  Expected species include Crested Guan, Great Curassow, White-necked Jacobin, Violet-headed and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, Gartered (Violaceous) Trogon, Broad-billed Motmot, Yellow-throated (Chestnut-mandibled) and Keel-billed Toucans, Red-lored Parrot, Dusky Antbird, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Stripe-breasted Wren, Costa Rica’s National bird the Clay-colored Thrush, Black-striped Sparrow and Montezuma Oropendola.

Yellow-throated (Chestnut-mandibled) Toucan

Next we move to the Atlantic Lowland Rainforest and the Laguna del Lagartos Lodge.  This lodge offers opportunities to photograph Keel-billed Toucans, Yellow-throated Toucans, and Brown-hooded Parrots like no other location! Of course the feeders and adjacent trails attract many other species including Pale-vented Pigeon, Groove-billed Ani, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Russet-naped (Rufous-necked) Wood-Rail, Black-headed Trogon, Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers, Hoffman’s Woodpecker, Red-lored Parrot, and Spot-breasted Wren. Another very special opportunity here is the dedicated King Vulture blind. Rather than seeing King Vultures soaring hundreds of feet up or perched a half mile away, you get to watch them feed just 20 feet away! An astounding experience and the photo ops are fabulous!

King Vultures of all ages pose for us at the King Vulture blind.

From Laguna del Lagartos we travel east to Sarapiqui.  La Quinta de Sarapiqui Lodge offers wonderful feeders as well as access to a huge variety of subtly different habitats that harbor a wealth of birds, mammals, and plants! Near the lodge we will look for Gray-headed Chachalaca, Bronzy and Long-billed Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy, Spectacled Owl, Gartered (Violaceous) Trogon, Collared Aracari, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Crimson-collared Tanager, and Orange-billed Sparrow. 

Crimson-collared Tanagers are a common visitor at the feeders at La Quinta de Sarapique.

Nearby we visit a feeders with a many different birds. Crowned Woodnymph, White-necked Jacobin, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Yellow-throated Toucan, Bananaquit, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, and Buff-throated Saltator.

White-necked Jacobin visiting a Heliconia flower.

Crowned Woodnymph male.

Our last stop will be the world-famous Monteverde Cloud Forest searching for Black Guan, Green Hermit, Lesser (Green) Violetear, Lesson’s (Blue-crowned) Motmot, Blue-throated (Emerald) Toucanet, Yellowish Flycatcher, Three-wattled Bellbird, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, and Slate-throated Redstart.

We return to San Jose for a last night in fabulous Costa Rica and the end of a memorable trip.

Day 1: Arrival in San Jose. Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica, at the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and transfer to nearby hotel Those arriving in San Jose today will be met at the airport by our driver. You will be met at the nearest point of public entry. The airport is small, and our meeting location is obvious. Those arriving in Costa Rica earlier can check in at the hotel at your convenience. NatureScape Tours will assist you with your travel arrangements in any way we can. Overnight San Jose.

Day 2: San Jose to Savegre Lodge.  After an early breakfast we start our drive to Savegre Lodge.  We leave the middle elevations of San Jose and climb Cerro de la Muerte (Summit of the Dead!).  Along the way we will start to add birds and mammals to our list.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird is one of the most beautiful hummers in my opinion!

At lunch we will visit hummingbird feeders right outside the door of our restaurant that host the spectacular Fiery-throated Hummintgbird as well as Talamanca (Magnificent) Hummingbird and Scintillant Hummingbird.  Other birds around the restaurant include Gray Silky Flycatcher, Collared Redstart, Sooty Thrush, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Large-footed Finch. 

Arriving at Savegre Lodge we get settled in our rooms and then visit another set of feeders on the grounds of the hotel. Mountain Elaenia, Lesser (Green) Violet-ears, White-throated Mountain-gem, Talamanca Hummingbird, the diminutive Scintillant and Volcano Hummingbirds, Flame-colored Tanager, and Rufous-collared Sparrow are a few of our targets here.

Scintillant Hummingbird.

Day 3 & 4: Savegre Lodge. In the cool mornings we’ll shoot Slaty Flowerpiercers by our cabins, and the feeders will be busy with Lesser (Green) Violet-ears, Gray-tailed and White-bellied Mountain-gems, Talamanca (Magnificent), Fiery-throated Hummingbird and Scintillant Hummingbirds. We’ll have a search for the mystical Resplendent Quetzal. More possibilities are Black Guan, Ruddy Pigeon, Collared Trogon, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Spotted Barbtail, Ruddy Treerunner, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Dark Pewee; Boat-billed, Golden-bellied, Yellowish and Tufted Flycatchers. We’ll find Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Black-capped Flycatcher, Sooty Thrush, Flame-throated Warbler. Our nightjar and pygmy-owl search will be conducted after supper. Overnight: Savegre Lodge.

Sooty (Robin) Thrushes are common around Savegre Lodge.

Day 5: Savegre to Arenal Volcano Observatory. On the Tower Road at over 11,000 feet we will walk slowly in the thin mountain air. Fiery-throated and Volcano Hummingbirds, Timberline Wren and Peg-billed Finch are our targets in this bleak and often foggy paramo habitat.

La Georgina Restaurante on the highway will be a welcome stop for a hot drink and a bird or two.Leaving the higher elevations we will drop toward middle elevation forest at Arenal Observatory Lodge.  Sitting at the base of the Arenal Volcano our lodge boasts a wonderful set of feeders and fabulous grounds with beautiful plantings that attract legions of hummingbirds. If we can stay awake we will search for owls and nightjars nearby. Overnight: Arenal Observatory Lodge.

Day 6: Arenal Observatory Lodge.  — We’ll add to our list of photographed species on the grounds of Arenal Observatory Lodge. Some of our target birds are Gray-headed Chachalaca, Crested Guan, Great Curassow, Red-billed Pigeon, Green-breasted Mango, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Fasciated Antshrike; Dusky, Spotted and Bicolored Antbirds, Thicket Antpitta, Yellow Tyrannulet, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Cinnamon Becard, White-throated Magpie-Jay. Overnight: Arenal Observatory Lodge.

Collared Redstart

Day 7: Arenal to Laguna del Lagarto.  After a bit of shooting around Arenal, we will make our way to Laguna del Largotos near the Nicaragua border. This lodge offer some of the best photo opportunities for Keel-billed and Yellow-throated (Chestnut-mandibled) Toucans, Brown-hooded Parrots, and Montezuma Oropendola.  One blind is specifically built to photograph vultures and the king of the show is, of course, the King Vulture.  Most views of King Vultures are of birds soaring at great heights or perch on trees a quarter of a mile away.  Not here, the birds are just three to thirty feet away feeding on carrion and oblivious to our presence!  In addition there are many smaller birds to photograph at various feeders and even macro opportunities of frogs and snakes for those who wish.

King Vulture adult from the blind.

Day 8 & 9: Laguna del Lagarto. We will have most of two days to enjoy numerous photo ops at this wonderful lodge! One afternoon we will visit the manager’s home that is set up to photograph small birds as well as hummers.

Here is a short video about some of the animals and activities at Laguna del Lagarto Lodge.

Day 10: Laguna del Lagartos to La Quinta de Sarapiqui. After a last morning photographing toucans and parrots we will head to the Caribbean lowlands near the town of Sarapiqui.  This is one of the most biodiverse areas of Costa Rica and we will sample many different habitats and their many inhabitants.

Day 11: Sarapiqui area. This morning we will make a short drive to a farm where the owner has acclimated Great Green and Scarlet Macaws that nest on the farm to come in to natural perches.  In addition to perched shots we should have opportunities at flight shots of these wonderful birds.  What a morning it will be!

Scarlet Macaw

 

Day 12: La Quinta de Sarapiqui. Much of today will be spent at a nearby ranch setup for photography. We will shoot numerous thrushes, tanagers, honeycreepers, oropendolas, hummingbirds, motmots, and toucans and aracaris as well as more work with our high speed hummer setups. The question here is – where do I point my camera?

Day 13: La Quinta de Sarapiqui to San Jose. After an some final shooting around the hotel and breakfast we start our drive to San Jose. We will make a couple stops along the way including a hummingbird garden where we will have opportunities to photograph a couple new species such as Black-crested Coquette and Snowcap.

Day 14: Flights home.  Please plan your flight home anytime this morning out of Juan Santamaría International Airport.  Rick will drive everyone to the airport for your flights home.  In addition to your luggage, you should have loads of great memories and tons of images to enjoy!

Keel-billed Toucan.

 

TOUR PRICING AND INFORMATION

THIS TRIP IS STRICTLY LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF FOUR PARTICIPANTS WITH ONE LEADER AND SIX PARTICIPANTS WITH TWO LEADERS
 
EXTRA LOGISTICAL SERVICES: Should you wish NatureScape Tours to put arrangements in place for an early arrival prior to the tour’s start or extend your stay after the tour’s conclusion, please contact our office prior to your tour’s scheduled departure date as far in advance as possible. Such arrangements could range from nights at our first hotel of the tour to an extended stay of a week or more. Our staff can easily make seamless arrangements for you that could include transfers, hotel rooms, transportation and excursions. We can often provide these services at our contracted group rates — as long as we receive your request far enough in advance. 
 
All amounts are quoted in United States dollars and are based upon double occupancy. 
 
TOUR COST: Tour – $4495.00   Single Supplement – $595.00
 
COST: The cost of this trip, based on a minimum group size of FOUR is $ 4495  from San Jose, Costa Rica. If the final group is smaller than four participants, a small group supplement may be charged.
 
REGISTRATION: A non-refundable deposit of $500.00 and completed registration form are required to confirm space. Without these, no one is considered registered. Registrations are taken on a first-come first-served basis with priority based on the postmark date.
 
COST INCLUDES: Accommodations based on two persons sharing a two bedded room. We select good hotels convenient to our birding destinations. For single rooms a single supplement will be charged. We try to supply roommates when possible, but we can’t always find one. If we cannot find you a roommate, you will be charged the added cost of single accommodations. Expert guide service. All transportation, including internal segments described in the itinerary. Transportation may be by private or chartered car, station wagon, van or bus, and by canoe, boat or ferry. Taxes & Local Fees. All group admissions, park entry fees and access fees are included in the tour price.
 
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: Not included are transportation to or from San Jose, Costa Rica, excursions not included in the itinerary, meals away from breakfast at some hotels, tips for restaurant wait staff, laundry, personal tips, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, juices, mineral waters and other beverages away from included meals, room service charges, souvenirs, insurance of any kind, telephone calls and use of TV not included in the room rate and overweight baggage fees.
 
MEAL COSTS: Only meals indicated in the itinerary are included in the cost of this tour (included hotel breakfasts). Because a person can eat quite well for as little as $25 per day or they can choose to spend three or four times that amount for a single day, depending upon your choices, we do not include meals where we cannot control the costs. NatureScape Tours has a policy of NOT overcharging one person to cover another’s POTENTIAL meal choices—which we would have to do if all meals were budgeted into the cost of this tour. 
 
TIPS: All expected gratuities encountered during your tour (luggage porters, bus drivers and local guides) is included in the cost of your tour. However, if you feel your NatureScape leader, local guide or lodge personnel have given you exceptional service, it is perfectly suitable for you to bestow any gratuity you elect. We strongly stress that such tips are completely optional and solely at your discretion.
 
UNANTICIPATED COSTS: Rarely we have had unexpected costs. Cancellation of a flight or train has required staying in a hotel an extra night, hiring vehicles for extra excursions and other services. At times schedule changes or route changes have been necessary. If such changes are proposed and accepted by participants, it is with the understanding that they accept the obligation to pay any extra unanticipated costs.
 
On all of our tours, participants are responsible for any extra expenses incurred from deviations to our scheduled tour itinerary which result from events out of our control (additional hotel nights, transfers and transportation by air, water or ground). During Spring in the western mountains this could be a rare weather related event (heavy snows are possible into July!), or could be a result of flight or rail cancellations, labor strikes, acts of God and the like. 
 
DATE OF COST QUOTATION: January, 2019
We can only quote current costs. Tour planning begins more than a year before the tour runs. While we try to arrive at our best estimates, we can’t predict fluctuation of currency exchange rates, increases in hotel or vehicle rates outside of our negotiated contracts, etc. Therefore, we reserve the right to increase the tour cost when there are justifiable reasons. However, we make a sincere effort to arrive at the closest possible estimate and have even absorbed small increases at times to avoid raising tour costs to participants. Many of our suppliers have gone to surcharges in their contracts with NatureScape Tours as a means to offset the uncertainties inherent in such long distance planning. The two most prevalent are:
 
FUEL: In today’s volatile oil market, it’s difficult, nay, impossible, to accurately project fuel costs into the distant future. Prices for our tours are based upon fuel rates reasonably expected at the time of your tour’s start. While NatureScape Tours does everything possible to maintain the quoted price of your tour, with a dramatic shift in fuel prices, it may be necessary to charge a fuel surcharge. If such a surcharge is levied, every effort will be made to minimize the cost passed along to you. In almost all cases, these are additional charges being assessed NatureScape Tours by our service suppliers and vendors who have exercised their right, under their contracts with NatureScape Tours, to increase prices caused by substantial changes in their cost of fuel. 
 
EXCHANGE RATES: As with oil, it’s impossible, to accurately project foreign currency exchange rates into the distant future. Prices for our tours are based upon the rate of exchange reasonably expected at the time of your tour’s start. While NatureScape Tours does everything possible to maintain the quoted price of your tour, with a dramatic shift in exchange rates, it may be necessary to charge a surcharge. If such a surcharge is levied, every effort will be made to minimize the cost passed along to you. In almost all cases, these are additional charges being assessed NatureScape Tours by our service suppliers and vendors who have exercised their right, under their contracts with NatureScape Tours, to increase prices caused by substantial changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
 
PLEASE NOTE: In more than 30 years of running tours, we’ve NEVER had to assess an additional charge or surcharge to a client. We feel strongly that our staff’s careful planning and negotiation will continue our unblemished record. 
 
TOUR CANCELLATION: Our cancellation policy is generous. We negotiate with each of our service providers and have contracted payment dates directly with them. Accordingly, all payments received by us, less your non-refundable deposit of $500.00, will be returned to you in full if we are notified in writing at least 121 days prior to tour departure date. 
 
Due to contractual obligations with our hotels, trains, bus and van rentals, boat charters and other costs where we have contracted payment dates there are no refunds for cancellations within 120 days prior to tour departure. 
 
Payments made on your behalf to purchase nonrefundable but changeable tickets may result in the loss of that cost should you decide to cancel. In some cases, if you can find a replacement to take your spot on your tour, we can change the name on such tickets at a lower cost than purchasing a new ticket. In these cases, the difference could be refunded to you provided enough notice has been given.
 
Some participants have lost substantial sums when illness or other circumstances prevented them from taking a tour or forced them to depart a tour early. We can’t offer refunds for unused portions of a tour unless agreed to before the tour. Trip cancellation insurance may reimburse you for your losses if you must leave a tour early for illness or other valid reason.
 
Therefore, we strongly advise you to buy trip cancellation insurance which may reimburse you the entire unrecovered amount if it becomes necessary for you to cancel, shorten or change your participation on your tour.
 
UNUSED PORTIONS OF A TOUR: We can’t offer refunds for unused portions of a tour unless agreed to before the tour. If you fail to show up to meet the tour or leave the tour early, regardless of the reason, we are under no obligation to provide any refund. Trip cancellation insurance may reimburse losses if you must cancel or leave a tour early for illness or other valid reason.
 
COMPLETION OF PAYMENT: Foreign travel agents, hotels, tour and boat operators, etc. require advance payment. We can offer better rates on our tours because of contracted payment dates and your cooperation helps avoid problems with your arrangements. For this tour we require final payment to be received in our office by February 1, 2019.