Author Archives: AWOlivieri

Save This Date: Sunday, February 22

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For something a little different, mark your calendars to join the SVBC for an unexpected evening treat: a MOVIE!

We will convene in the Reception Building’s Conference Room at Las Cruces at 5:00 pm for snacks and conviviality prior to a personal showing of ‘Flyway of Life‘ — a new film about migration by Tomas Koeck. (Do not be fooled by the date on the photo above: we will see it four Sundays from now: February 22, 2026!)

Tomas will be with us to introduce the movie and then answer questions and converse with us afterward.

The movie is in English — its only flaw for our showing — but the visuals are enchanting. And, if you are learning English, here is a good and entertaining practice.

The amazing guacamole from the kitchen of SVBC Member Terry Farling will be available along with other finger foods plus soda, beer and wine. And we’ll have a donation box where you can help us offset the cost of these comestibles.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A FUN AND FESTIVE EVENING!!

Happy Holidays to One and All

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It is a nostalgic time of year and of course we think of all our members — those from years gone by and current friends who accompany us on our twice-monthly Bird Walks at the beautiful and birdy Wilson Botanical Garden.

A Collared Trogon sporting traditional Christmas colors — unknown photographer

We wish you a fulfilling New Year with happy times and the birds of your dreams.

Meanwhile, SAVE THE DATE of February 22! We have a fun and exciting Annual Meeting planned for members.

Please do NOT forget to pay your Membership Dues. We have plans to: facilitate care and maintenance for the impressive Insect Museum in San Vito’s Cultural Center, support Finca Cántaros Environmental Association’s Detectives de Aves Education Program and more.

The dues are $30 per person and $60 for a family. You can send them via PayPal on the website or simply hand them over to one of us when convenient — by ‘us’, we mean Peter Wendell, Greg Homer, Lydia Vogt, Alison Olivieri and Helen LeVasseur.

We Have a Surprise for You!

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Our local members have undoubtedly noticed San Vito has no movie theaters, yes? So what happens? We watch movies on our TVs, desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. . . .

But on February 22, we can all watch a movie together — a beautifully-filmed, inspiring and timely film, The Flyway of Life by Tomas Koeck.

Yes, it is about birds (also other creatures), nature, the beauty found in nature, geography, landscapes, struggle, success and defeat. Some of it was filmed right here.

It is going to be an unforgettable evening and FREE to San Vito Bird Club members.

Please pay your membership dues today! You can do that by clicking on ‘Support the Club’ on the Home Page of this website if you want to use PayPal. Or you can pay by cash to Peter Wendell or Alison Olivieri: $30.00 (C15,000) Individual Membership or $50.00 (C25,000 Family Membership).

Be on the lookout! We want the fill the seats for this unusual Annual Meeting, Please join us — it will be astonishing! And we’ll have snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine at the event.

Stay tuned for more posts on this upcoming event.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend — Let’s Go Look for Birds!

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We’re thankful for birds so let’s go look for some at the Wilson Botanical Garden, Las Cruces Biological Station, Sunday, November 30.

We’ll meet at 7:00 am at the Reception Building, as usual, and have binoculars to lend so please invite your neghbors, friends and family.

The Walk, free as always, will take about an hour and be followed by a social hour in the dining room.

As grateful as we are for your attendance, we need your Membership Dues — $30 (C15,000) for individuals and $50 (C25,000) per family. Please help us with our 2026 budget as several exciting and compelling local projects stand to benefit from our support.

Are we a little crazy? Yes! Are we having fun? Yes! Yes!

Photo by Helen LeVasseur

Our Friends at Finca Cántaros Have an Offer for You: Check Out These Upcoming Webinars on Zoom — Using Birds to Inspire Environmental Education in Costa Rica!

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It is easy to sign up and then Watch! Listen! and Learn! all about the important work going on in San Vito thanks to the energetic and knowledgeable group at Finca Cántaros.

Monday, November 24th @ 7 pm:

At Finca Cántaros Environmental Association (fincacantaros.org) in Coto Brus, Costa Rica, environmental education and community engagement are at the heart of everything we do. Join us to learn how we use birds to engage youth to women from across our community in meaningful environmental education experiences. Our programs foster awareness and appreciation for birds, involve participants in hands-on habitat restoration that benefits both resident and migratory species, and builds local capacity for the co-production of scientific knowledge through bird banding and Motus Wildlife Tracking. We’ll share success stories from our partnerships with local schools using the BirdSleuth curriculum of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and you’ll discover how we are creating the spaces for women—a historically underrepresented group in ornithology—to empower themselves and become bird banders and educators, sharing their knowledge with participants in our Women Committed to the Earth program.  And of course, we’ll showcase plenty of stunning photos of the beautiful birds that call our backyard home—sure to inspire you to visit! Register to get Zoom link.  

Tuesday, November 25th @ 8 am:It’s one thing to talk about how FCEA empowers young women from rural communities to become bird banders, but it’s quite another to show you in action! Get ready to be inspired. Virtually visit the Finca Cántaros banding station and meet the team. Observe bird banding with both resident and migrant species, including the Golden-winged Warbler. Hear from NABC-certified bird banding trainer Holly Garrod and FCEA Director Lilly Briggs discuss the program’s impact on conservation, science, and education. Experience the event virtually and consider an in-person visit in 2026. Register to get Zoom link. 

The Bird Banding Team at Finca Cántaros

Bird Walk This Sunday, Nov. 16

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Please join us for a free Bird Walk at Las Cruces Biological Station/Wilson Botanical Garden. We will meet at 7 am at the Reception Building.

As is our wont, we have binoculars to lend and moderate expertise to share.

A Social Hour will follow the walk in the dining room. If you are feeling generous, bring some colones to put in the Tip Box for staff who clean up our cups and saucers.

Might see this one!!!!!

Gartered Trogon, photo by Helen LeVasseur

Bird Walk This Sunday, November 2

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Since it’s Halloween you might be forgiven for thinking these people are in costumes, pretending to be birders — hah! But you would be WRONG — they are enjoying a fruiting tree full of hungry colorful migrants including Summer Tanagers; Chestnut-sided, Tennessee and Black-and-White-Warblers; Swainson’s Thrushes and more that have arrived here for the winter.

Terry Farling and Kate Desvenain (left to right above), longtime members and supporters, joined us two weeks ago for a super birdy stroll through the Wilson Botantical Garden. Also with us: Tim Christopher, SVBC Bigwig Peter Wendell and two new members: Gabriel Ortiz and Dra. Lilliana Rivas Morales.

We are due for another one this Sunday so please mark your calendars and join us! Bring friends and neighbors — it’s free, open to the public and we always have binoculars to share.

Meet at the Reception Building at Las Cruces Biological Station at 7 am; I’m looking at YOU!

Top photo by Gabriel Ortiz, bottom photo by Alison Olivieri

Detectives de Aves Had a Great Year!

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As you can see by the exciting video below (just click on the image to play!), elementary and secondary students in San Vito and Sabalito had a banner year with Detectives de Aves classes taught by the wonderful people of Finca Cántaros.

The Finca Cántaros Environmental Association team reached 184 students: 81 primary students and 103 secondary students! This was accomplished by weekly visits to schools and through a pilot collaboration with the Sabalito Natural Reserve that funded site visits for several high school classes with mornings of ‘mini-modules’ and birding. Plans are in the works for continuing this successful model next year.

We’re sure we don’t need to tell you that costs are going up — even here in San Vito — and we want to help the FCEA continue teaching this amazing education program from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

You can send a donation directly to Cántaros. If you prefer to send it to us, we will make sure it gets into the Cántaros coffers immediately and will be earmarked for Detectives de Aves. Thank you, as always, for your generous support.

Bird Walk Sunday, October 19 — Hope to See You There!

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Please join us for a free guided Bird Walk at the Wilson Botanical Garden, aka OTS Las Cruces next Sunday, October 19.

We will meet at the Reception Building at 7:00 am and have binoculars to share.

After the walk, we will have a coffee/tea Social Hour in the dining room and make a bird list.

This beautiful photograph — of an even more beautiful bird — was taken by Eugenio Garcia, a longtime friend of the SVBC, natural history guide and nature photographer. If you can identify this bird, tell us at the Bird Walk and you might win a prize!

Name That Red: a New Birding Challenge!

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Introducing a Brand New Contest

You send us a list of all the birds you can think of with red-related names.

Rule #1: have to be real birds

Rule #2: doesn’t matter how weird the color sounds as long as it’s kinda red

Ready? Set? GO!

We will wait a week from the first submission and then announce the winner. A local winner will be treated to a fancy barista-type coffee; an international winner will receive some local coffee in the mail.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Bird FKA Cherrie’s Tanager — don’t even try this one; let us introduce you to George Kruck Cherrie (1865-1948) who endured upwards of 40 Central and South American expeditions, including Theodore Roosevelt’s South American Expedition of 1913-14. From 1889-1897, he worked as a bird curator at the Costa Rica National Museum in San Jose (!) and the Field Museum in Chicago . . . there’s more — he was busy.