Costa Rica’s Richness      14 Nights - 15 Days. February 1st- 15th

The Art of Bird Photography
A Journey with the rainforest birds of Costa Rica

Objetives: Capture Bird Images on its natural environment during its mating and reproductive season.

Solimar 01-02-03-04 February

Solimar Hacienda is a private preserve area in which thousands of birds inhabit during the migration from the north, also a fabulous place to find dry tropical forest specialities such as Thicket Tinamou, Long tailed Manakin, Lesser ground Cuckoo, and the rare Jabiru stork, but the north american migrant species find a suitable habitat on this seasonal swapms and marshes. The adjacent mangroves, dry tropical forest patches, shrubs, tall grasses and active pastures are incredible habitats for birding. Within a short drive Salinas, coastline, mud flats are found, and with those hundreds of new species could be easily access.

Species Highlights

Jaribu, Long tailed Manakin, Lesser ground Cuckoo, Yellow naped Parrot, Pacific screech Owl, Crane Hawk, Thicket Tinamou, Stripe headed Sparrow, Banded Wren, Three wattled Bellbird, Green breasted Mango, Crested Bobwhite, Lineated Woodpecker, Elegant Trogon, Boat billed Heron, Collared Forest Falcon, White collared Puffbird.

Boca Tapada 05-06-07 February

Laguna Lagarto nestled on the some of the more quite parts of Costa Rica and home base on Great Green Macaws. Located at Maquenque National Park, this secret gem of rainforest is the best destination to photograph macaws, parrots, toucans, aracaries, antbirds, hawks, king vultures, oropendulas and much more. Its pristine forest and immense trees make this destination favorite among travelers; its lake timing with wildlife it’s a true sanctuary for nature photographers.

Species Highlights

Sungrebe, Tawny faced Quail Dove, Agami Heron, Collared Aracari, Chesnut mandible Toucan, Montezuma Oropendula, Brown hooded Parrot, King Vulture, Ocellated Antbird, Great Potoo, Red lored Parrot and hundreds more.

Bosque de Paz 08-09-10 February

Bosque de Paz Lodge if your idea of birding is endless trail opportunities, uncrowded forests, great food, breath taking vegetation, appealing lodging and over 350 species to target! Then, Bosque de Paz is your gateway. Or if your idea of birding is to watch hummingbirds everywhere, friendly trogons, singing wrens, endemic jays, and the adore beauty of Resplendent Quetzals! Bosque de Paz is your destination. Juan Castro Blanco sits in a quite corner of the Central Volcanic Range, neighboring 2 active volcanoes and several more that are still dormant. Its evergreen forest cover with thick mosses, lichens, and orchids are a vivid sample of its complex biodiversity. Flowering bushes, tall trees and home of over 40 endemic species could be the birding place you have been looking for.
Species Highlights
Resplendent Quetzal, Black Guan, Red headed Barbet, Stripe Woodhaunter, Magenta throated Woodstar, Gray breasted Wood Wren, Azure hooded Jay, Collared Redstar, White bellied Mountain Gem, Long tailed Silky Flycatcher, Highland Tinamou, Golden browed Chlorophonia, Chesnut capped Brush Finch, Spotted Barbtail, Buff fronted Quail Dove, Great Black Hawk, Collared Trogon.

Sarapiqui 10-11 February

Sarapiqui is a real rainforest experience with vast areas to cover, primary rainforest, active and non active pasture fields, river edges, canopy bridges, thick understory, etc. Cotingas, macaws, oropendulas, guans, eagles, toucans are some of the many species to find. Around the lodge area some of the most beautiful birds are Green Ibis, Sunbittern, jacamars, tanagers, orioles, woodpeckers, tityras, euphonias, macaws, etc. Botanical gardens nearby offer great opportunities to spot a dozen or more species of hummingbirds and its adjacent forest always bring good surprises like Little Tinamou, Lattice tailed Trogon, Chesnut colored Woodpecker, Cinnamon Becard and much more. The Braulio Carrillo National Park is a real rainforest experience with the largest mixed flocks ever including favorites such as Sharpbills and Umbrellabirds.

Species Highlights

Sunbittern, Great Green Macaw, Bat Falcon, Snowy Cotinga, Green Ibis. Fasciated Antshrike, Long tailed Tyrant, Spectacle Owl, Sharpbill, Bare necked Umbrellabird, Black bellied Wren, Dusky faced Tanager, Lattice tailed Trogon, Rufous Motmot, Great Tinamou, Cinnamon Becard, Bicolored Antbird, Pied Puffbird, Nicaraguan Seedfinch, Black crested Coquette.

Carara 12-13-14-15 ( Departure ) February

Carara is by far one the best birding places all year round in Costa Rica. With the phenomenal number of 587 species recorded!!! The national park protects the second largest population of Scarlet Macaws for Costa Rica, it’s easy access to all trails thru most of the year. Some of the ecosystems found within the park area are mangrove swamps, pasture fields and forest edges, secondary and primary forests. There are very few places in the country where more than hundred species can be found in one trail. Meandrica’s trail it has become an icon for quality and quantity of birding, tinamous, trogons, wrens, antpittas, manakins, cotingas, bellbirds, antshrikes are among the most common birds on this trail. The nearby forested edges give as a good number of open field birds such as jays, blackbirds, greenlets, rails, ground doves, motmots, hawks, parakeets, owls and many others is part of the avifauna is found in these habitats.
The mangroves at Rio Grande de Tarcoles are very rewarding on a good day along the river edges 5 species of kingfishers can be spotted, more than a couple dozens of shorebirds, herons, egrets are also easy to find but the most remarkable species are the ones with a restricted range or to the mangroves such as vireos, warblers, cuckoos, flycatchers, the elusive Rufous necked woodrail and the only true Costa Rican endemic Mangrove Hummingbird.

Species Highlights

American pygmy Kingfisher, Fiery billed Aracari, Riverside Wren, King Vulture, Yellow billed Cotinga, Orange collared Manakin, Streak chested Antpitta, Golden crowned Spadebill, Baird’s Trogon, Mangrove Hummingbird, Three wattled Bellbird, Scarlet Macaw, Northern Royal Flycatcher, Ruddy Quail Dove, Crane Hawk, Pale breasted Spinetail, Red breasted Blackbird, Turquoise browed Motmot, Spot crowned Euphonia, Red throated Ant tanager, Little Tinamou, Black striped Woodcreeper, Black and White Owl

Solimar 01-02-03-04 February
Arriva to Costa Rica pick up transfer to Guanacaste lowlands.
All meals included. (Meals schedule accordingly to hotel policies)
3 daily activities starting at 5:00 am everyday
Breaks between 1-3 pm (if need it)
Afternoon hikes
Sunset Photography daily (different subjects)

1. Sunsets and silhouettes
2. Birds on flight
3. Forest in flame (capturing sunset light the forest and its birds

Boca Tapada 05-06-07 February
All meals included. (Meals schedule accordingly to hotel policies)
3 daily activities starting at 5:00 am everyday
Breaks between 1-3 pm (if need it)
Afternoon hikes
Sunset Photography daily (different subjects)

1. Bird Photography
2. Birds on flight
3. Forest Untamed, exploring nocturnal creatures such as frogs, caymans, snakes, insects, owls, mammals, etc.

Bosque de Paz 08-09 February
All meals included. (Meals schedule accordingly to hotel policies)
3 daily activities starting at 5:00 am everyday
Breaks between 1-3 pm (if need it )
Afternoon hikes, rainforest, clouds, waterfalls, river photography
Orchid Photography (Macro)

Hummingbird Photography daily (different subjects)

1. On flight
2. Perched

Sarapiqui 10-11 February
All meals included. (Meals schedule accordingly to hotel policies)
3 daily activities starting at 5:00 am everyday
Breaks between 1-3 pm (if need it)
Afternoon hikes
Sunset Photography daily (different subjects)

1. Birds on feeders  (strategies and set ups to capture remarkable pictures in the comfort on a chair)
2. River Photography (motion, blur and colors)
3. Forest Untamed, exploring nocturnal creatures such as frogs, caymans, snakes, insects, owls, mammals, etc.

Carara 12-13-14-15 (Departure) February
All meals included. (Meals schedule accordingly to hotel policies)
3 daily activities starting at 5:00 am everyday
Breaks between 1-3 pm (if need it )
Afternoon hikes, along with boat tours
Sunset Photography daily (different subjects)

1. Macaws and its natural history
2. Sunset photography
3. Forest birds such as Trogons, Manakins, etc
4. Macro photography insects, flowers, frogs ( day time activity )