TRANSFER FROM RIO PERLAS HOTEL IN OROSI, TO ALAJUELA, SAN JOSE AIRPORT
Our morning walk produced very little in terms of numbers of birds it was very quiet as we walked along the main road outside of the hotel grounds. So we went for breakfast having listed about 10-15 species.
It was just before breakfast time that we had our last bit of excitement when one of the group found a pair of Sunbitterns in the hotel grounds. How fantastic, we all had great views of this mysterious bird, the male was calling whilst the female was collecting nesting material. The breakfast table was buzzing.
Our final exciting species at the hotel - the Sunbittern
Furthermore, Johan our guide, had one last trick up his sleeve during the journey to the Airport. He stopped the bus in the centre of Cartago and walked us to the main plaza which had several mature trees growing in front of the modern Catholic Church. He set his scope onto a Palm Tree where a hole contained a Barn Owl, unbelievable! A Barn Owl nesting in the centre of a huge city.
The Group, minus Lorraine, the wife of the prankster Peter, at the back
Next, we walked 20 meters or so and Johan showed us a pair of Tropical Screech Owls roosting above a busy walk-way. Truly amazing, a great bit of last minute birding. Just after that we set off again in the bus, we saw a Mourning Dove fly across our view, another trip tick bringing the total to 461.
We arrived at the airport in good time, Johan, Rommel our driver and three of the group (they were staying on for extra days and later flights) left with the bus, the rest of us said our farewells and entered the airport. The trip was over, everyone was safely delivered to the check-in desk, can’t wait for next year’s trip, come and join us!