Birding for Life

On December 9, we left our little spot of paradise on the Caribbean coast and started towards Yorkin where we would spend the night in the Bribri indigenous village, which can be reached only by boat.  We traveled up the Yorkin River in a long wooden dugout canoe with a motor assist piloted by Bribri men who were highly skilled in navigating the fast-flowing river.  It took about an hour for the travel up the rock-filled Yorkin River which runs along the border with Panama.

Traveling up the Yorkin River

After we climbed up the riverbank trail, we were immersed in the culture of the Bribri people.  We would not have Internet or electricity for our nearly 24 hours there.  But, those things were not missed at all as we explored the grounds, ate simple meals, and learned all about chocolate and how to process it into an edible form.  The best part of the chocolate demonstration was the taste-testing at the end – absolutely delicious!  

Our home for the night

The Bribri support their village mostly by farming bananas and cocoa, but they have also begun allowing visitors.  The added income from tourism is helping the village to be self-sufficient and maintain their traditional way of living.  

I particularly enjoyed the “pets” of the Bribri village – a Crested Guan and several parrots.  The guan was quite bold and even came into the thatched huts, where he was promptly shooed outside.

Crested Guan

The parrots were quite tame and allowed me to get close for photos.

Red-lored Parrot

Crimson-fronted Parakeet

Birding was not our main reason for visiting the Bribri village, but we did see birds. Perhaps most exciting were two Short-tailed Nighthawks flying around just before dark.  The time went quickly and after breakfast and a little birding around the village the next morning, it was time to head back to civilization.

The beautiful Yorkin River

On the way back, the boat suddenly stopped and the boatman pulled us over to one side of the river.  None of us had noticed it, but the sharp-eyed Bribri man had spied a Gray Hawk in a tree on the side of the river and he knew that we would want to see it.

Gray Hawk

The afternoon brought our drive to Turrialba with a pleasant stop for lunch at Restaurante Mirador Sitio de Angostura where we had a nice meal and saw a few birds including the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and the Common Today-Flycatcher below. 

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Common Today-Flycatcher

Later that afternoon, we arrived at Guayabo Lodge, where we would spend the next two nights.  The lodge was inviting and comfortable and the gardens surrounding it were beautiful and birdy.  I loved mornings at the lodge; we had coffee on the veranda while we watched birds.  The day after our arrival, we went to Guayabo National Monument.  My favorite bird of the morning was a female Golden-olive Woodpecker working on a nest.

Golden-olive Woodpecker (female)

That afternoon back at the lodge was one of my favorite times of the entire trip.  We casually birded the hotel grounds, sometimes together and sometimes drifting apart.  I enjoyed close-up looks at common birds like Great Kiskadee, Social Flycatcher, and Rufous-collared Sparrow as well as the less familiar Melodious Blackbird, Brown Jay, and Scarlet-rumped Tanager – all of which came to the fruit feeders.  One of my favorite birds that came to the feeder was this Barred Antshrike.

Barred Antshrike

The Mistletoe Tyrannulet did not come to the feeders, but it was quite cooperative and I was happy to get my best looks ever at this species.

Mistletoe Tyrannulet

I was enjoying watching and photographing these accommodating birds so much that I stayed in the gardens when the others went for a hike to a nearby waterfall.  Suddenly, Paul came running back and breathlessly said, “Come quick, we’ve got a Laughing Falcon.”  Paul and I ran as fast as we could for the 200 or so meters back to where Amanda was still watching and photographing the falcon.  It was closer than any of us had ever dreamed we would see one.  It continued to stay a while longer, moving its head and looking around, but otherwise appearing relaxed.  We were all thrilled to see this gorgeous bird so close.

Laughing Falcon

I fell asleep that night listening to a Common Pauraque calling outside my hotel window.  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.