Category Archives: Articles

A Visit from Three Wise Men (actually storks)

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In an earlier post…of a couple of weeks ago…I mentioned the arrival of some unusual big birds (BDBs or Big Damn Birds) that have shown in up lately:

The American Flamingo…over on the Caribbean coast last year.

The Sandhill Crane…currently in some rice fields between Tarcoles and Quepos.

The Jabiru Stork…in the wetlands of Coto 47, maybe or maybe not still around.

Here’s a fourth one but it is much closer to San Vito. This species is NOT a rare bird, oh no. This species is commonly found, even abundant, around the the rice fields of Las Pangas and Coto 47. I refer to the Wood Stork (see below).

The Wood Stork is a very successful and wide-ranging bird, found over much of North, Central and South America. However, the Wood Stork, to paraphrase Eliza Doolittle, ‘…stays mainly on the coastal plain.’ Three Wood Storks are currently paying us a visit up in the foothills. Where are they?

Three Wood Storks were spotted in our very own Humedal de San Joaquin. Look for them behind the Marisqueria Restaurant on the road to Sabalito, near the San Vito airstrip. Peter Wendell tells me he saw it the three Wood Storks ‘…behind the church in the same area.’ These birds are unmistakable; very big, standing about a meter high.

Will the three Wood Storks stick around for a while? Who knows, who can say. All I can say is, if they are smart Wood Storks, they will stick around. Who wouldn’t want to spend some quality time, some relaxing time in San Vito?

Wood Storks; photo courtesy of Peter Wendell

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.

Congratulations to the Coto Brus Christmas Bird Count Team

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The Magic Road delivered one-hundred and one Christmas presents (and by ‘presents’ I mean bird species) on Saturday, Dec. 20th to the Coto Brus Christmas Bird Count Team.

The Christmas Bird Count is a world-wide annual event, sponsored by the Audubon Society. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica always shines brightly in the Bird Count.

The Magic Road is a wonderful place to watch birds; check it out.

The San Vito Bird Club wishes all of our readers a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and Happy New Year.

Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, one of the 101 species identified during the Christmas Bird Count. Photo from eBird.

A Third BDB (Big Damn Bird) Shows Up

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BDB #1: Fourteen months ago the first ever American Flamingo showed up in Costa Rica; on the Caribbean mudflats near Limon. You can find an article on this bird by searching our website.

BDB #2: Less than a month ago, in November, a good friend of the SVBC Pat O’Donnell, discovered the first ever Sandhill Crane in Costa Rica while on boat cruise of the Rio Tarcoles. This Sandhill Crane is still around.

BDB #3: Just yesterday, a Jabiru Stork was spotted down in the rice fields of Las Pangas, near Coto 47. The Jabiru Stork, a MASSIVE bird, is a regular species up in the far north rice fields of Guanacaste. So far as I’ve been able to find out, this is the first one seen in our area.

Sandhill Crane photo by Henri Sandi Amador. Jabiru photo (from video capture) by Noel Urena.

You WILL See the Forest

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On Saturday, July 19th a group of about twenty-five thoughtful, robust and dedicated citizens of Coto Brus put their shoulders together and began work on a most worthy goal; the creation of a forest in a spot where a forest does not currently exist.

Under the guidance of David Rodriguez Arias and Lilly Briggs and their Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros (AAFC), over 150 small trees were planted in a tract of pasture that will soon become part of the Bosque Magico.

To paraphrase 16th century writer John Heywood, ‘You can’t see the forest…yet…but keep watching and you will.’

You can help:

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‘How the Tropical Kingbird Became King of the Birds’

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(From an early legend)

The Council of Birds met and decided that a King of the Birds must crowned, both to increase greater efficiency of bird affairs and because all the birds had been expressing a desire for a King. Birds, it seems, just like people needed someone to look up to.

A general meeting of all the birds was held and nominations for King were opened up to all.

The first candidate to fly up to the podium was the Harpy Eagle.

‘My fellow birds, I am the obvious choice for King. I am the biggest, strongest and most impressive of all the birds. No one would dare to challenge any of my rulings.’

The Harpy Eagle then went on to give a long speech, listing what he would do to improve their lives, how he would go about doing it and trying to energize the vast audience with his words.

Next, the Resplendent Quetzal flew up to the podium and addressed the throng:

‘I am clearly the most beautiful of all the birds. Who could be but overwhelmed with pure awe when in my presence.’

The Quetzal then proceeded to give an even longer speech to the gathered crowd.

The Scarlet Macaw next flew up to the podium.

‘I am the wisest of all birds. My knowledge and wisdom are known to you all.’

The macaw then gave an even longer speech than the other two.

At the end of the macaw’s speech, the three candidates met together to debate the issues and to see which of them should be the victorious candidate. During this lengthy debate period, the vast gathering of birds patiently waited but soon became restless and bored; bored with the talk, bored with sitting around and bored with the process in general.

At this point, the Tropical Kingbird flew up to the podium.

‘My friends,’ said the TK. ‘We all have our lives to live and we all wish to get back to them, eh? So if you’re all agreed, I will be your new King of the Birds. Call me if there is anything I can do for you.’

All of the birds in attendance unanimously threw up their wings as high as they could and with great gusto and glee cheered the Tropical Kingbird as their new King.

The Tropical Kingbird almost never got any calls to do anything, since the rest of the birds got along just fine on their own. And everyone…except the Harpy Eagle, the Resplendent Quetzal and the Scarlet Macaw…lived happily ever after.

San Vito Players Present–‘Inside ROY G. BIV’

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Please join the San Vito Players theater group for our presentation of:

‘Inside ROY G. BIV’; a one-act play (about 35 minutes worth).

Cascata del Bosco–Saturday, March 8th at 5:00pm and a matinee on Sunday, March 9th at 12:30pm.

This event is free to all, suitable for kids. Your support of Cascata del Bosco (in the form of beverages and food) is always appreciated.

2025 SVBC Annual Meeting: Once Again…What a Show! Part II. (plus a bonus photo)

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Many, many thanks to everyone who attended the 2025 San Vito Bird Club Annual Meeting. Great fun, great fellowship, great sharing of experiences.

Juan Carlos Mena Burgos (shown below) gave us a great talk on the future of tourism in Coto Brus; hint…it’s pretty exciting, oh yeah.

Maria Sandi (shown below) and Dr. Lilly Briggs shared with us the excitement that comes with learning the art/science of bird banding and of reminding us about the importance of Citizen Science.

The wonderful…amazing…skillful Aleman family!

Bonus Photo (totally unrelated to the San Vito Bird Club)

The speedy and powerful Paul Guindon, proudly displays his four aces during our regular Sunday afternoon poker game.

Contest Reminder: You SHOULD Be Bird Watching on Your Porch This Week

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We are now within the confines of the of week Feb. 23-March 2.

A WEEK UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

During this very week the San Vito Bird Club asks all members to count bird species they see while sitting on their porch.

Sure, this sounds exhausting but…

…if you come to our Annual Meeting (Sunday March 2nd from 7:30am to around noon at Cascata del Bosco) AND if your list of porch birds has the most species, AND if you get that list turned in to Alison, Peter, Lydia or Greg before 8:00am, AND if we can read it, AND if you stick around till the end of the meeting (right before your complimentary brunch!)………

You’ll win a PRIZE! Perhaps not a devastatingly exotic or life-changing prize but a prize nonetheless.

The bragging rights for winning this contest?

PRICELESS.