Tag Archives: Birding San Vito Costa Rica

Celebrate Earth Day 2021 on Saturday, April 24 at Finca Cántaros

Posted on by

Join us on Saturday, April 24 for an Earth Day Festival at the Finca Cántaros Environmental Association from 9 am to 3 pm.

As you can see from the posters below, the team has created all kinds of activities including guided walks, workshops (How to Make a Vegetable Garden, Exploring Nature) and two science talks, one about bats and one about bird migration (The MOTUS Tower) PLUS the 1st Annual Science Fair for elementary school students!

Meet your new neighbors! Practice your Español! Bring your recyclable glass to trade for a glass! Buy treats at the Bake Sale* and enjoy live music and art presentations!

All activities will be outside and adhere to Covid protocols. This will be a fun-filled day in a strange and difficult time so please treat yourself by visiting the AAFC — Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros!

And here is the schedule:

*If you would like to buy virtual cookies and make a donation to the new Asociación, please go to your PayPal account and enter ‘Finca Cantaros’ or info@fincacantaros.

Tomorrow’s Bird Walk Postponed!

Posted on by

We are sorry to report we had no sign-ups for tomorrow’s Bird Walk at Las Cruces/Wilson Botanical Garden, so it is officially cancelled.

In two weeks, we will schedule a free Bird Walk at a different location and hope you will join us!

Meanwhile, Finca Cantaros will host an Earth Day Celebration next Saturday, April 24! We urge you to attend and meet the new team — your new neighbors. Details of the event will be posted here on Wednesday.

San Vito from the Finca Cantaros Mirador, photo by Alison Olivieri

Where We Bird — the Poro Road

Posted on by

Riverside Wren with nesting material. Photo by Sarah Beeson-Jones

Thanks to Julie Girard-Woolley, the SVBC has been birding this hidden road for a few years and found some pretty great birds there. Julie is a ‘walker’ (and an SVBC founder) and this spot is spectacular in March with a huge grove of blooming Poro trees. But we are not there for the trees — so let’s start with a bang: the Riverside Wren.

Endemic to southern Costa Rica and western Panama, Cantorchilus semibadius is one of many very loud wrens. 

Rufous-capped Warbler. Photo by Jo Davidson

Next up, we have not a migrant but a resident, Rufous-capped Warbler. Although ‘common’ in the northern Pacific, Central Valley and southern Pacific, it’s always a jolt to see that red head, white eyebrow and cocked up tail. Basileuterus rufifrons shares its genus with three other resident Tico warblers.

Here is another photo from Jo who has documented so many species in San Vito from her porch, she is admired far and wide. This is her Smoky-brown Woodpecker — just the head, but that is enough. Who doesn’t love woodpeckers? These are found in the northern half of the Caribbean slope and on the Pacific slope but are ‘uncommon’ in both locations. How did she get this photo? See below for a view you would be lucky to see in the field. Picoides fumigatus shares its genus with the Hairy Woodpecker, the Costa Rican race of which is smaller and darker than those in North America.

Smoky-brown Woodpecker by Jo Davidson

By now you will have noticed the photos are all out of synch with the text but it’s hard to resist including all these birds because obviously we are trying to entice you to visit us in San Vito, when you feel safe, and we will be here to welcome you.

One last bird — yes, we saved the best for last — and then the local spot where we go for breakfast when our walk is over. 

The last bird photo is a Double-toothed Kite and we saw two, building a nest, on one of our excursions to the Poro Road. It was pretty exciting! See below for a photo by Randall Jiménez Borbón who works as the Community Outreach Coordinator at the  Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros.

Double-toothed Kite, Harpagus bidentatus, by  Randall Jiménez Borbón, aka Ciccio

Double-toothed Kites often perch in the forest waiting for a troop of monkey to follow. They fly low to pick off any tasty critters the monkeys spook, like lizards and large insects.

See below for another photo we hope will be of interest: the Soda La Negra where we often go for breakfast after a Poro Road bird walk. Highly recommended are the scrambled eggs, rice and beans, sausages, tortillas and the coffee. The interior of this welcoming place is full of plants for sale, too, so you can augment your garden or your porch with some nicely potted flowers after breakfast.

Soda La Negra, just below the San Vito Hospital. Photo by Alison Olivieri

 

Zooming With Owls — Part 4

Posted on by

Tropical Screech-Owl, Megascops choliba, photo by Randall Jiménez Borbón, aka Ciccio

Of the five species of Screech-Owls in Costa Rica, we are lucky to have two in our corner of the southern Pacific: Tropical Screech-Owl and Chocó Screech-Owl. Fairly commonly heard (and seen) in San Vito is the Tropical, with two color variations. Seen here is the gray version (of four sightings spread over 20 years, the author claims three of them were the rarer rufous morph). An important field mark is the facial disk outlined in black.

These endearing creatures are small, about 9″, and can be found in forested areas along with gardens and city parks. They pounce on prey from bare, low branches favoring large insects, spiders and scorpions (!).

Chocó Screech-Owl, photo by Pepe Castiblanco

Chocó Screech-Owl (Megascops centralis) is harder to find and was formerly known as Vermiculated Screech-Owl. With some perseverence, you might find one a little lower down the ridge toward Cuidad Neily. A good field mark for the Chocó is its lack of a distinct facial disk and less vertical streaking on the breast.

When we asked the Screechies if they found it difficult to sleep during the day, the Tropical said (click here and press play to listen), “Yes, because you humans are constantly taking pictures of us” — in Owlish, of course. On the other hand, the Chocó (click here) said, “No, because we know where to hide.”

Zooming With Owls — Part 3

Posted on by

Striped Owl, photo by Randall Jimenez Borbón, aka Ciccio

The Striped Owl is a favorite — just look at that photo! Considered “local” and “uncommon” in the Coto Brus-Terraba region, they can be found perched on roadside utility wires at night. Let’s say, for example, you are driving home to San Vito after a weekend at Manuel Antonio National Park. You see an upright figure on a wire ahead and it’s getting dark so you slow down to see what this might be: a Striped Owl! What a prize!

The ear tufts are reminiscent of Long-eared and Short-eared Owls of North America but hunting techniques differ in that the northern birds tend to fly over large, open areas like salt marshes whereas ‘Stripeys’ favor roadside edges of forest or rice or palm plantations, often near lights, where they can dive for prey that includes small mammals, large insects, amphibians and occasionally small birds. 

We wanted to know more about “owl pellets”, so fascinating to nature centers around the world, so we decided to ask ‘Stripey’: why do you all cough up those (potentially) gross detritus-y balls of ??? and this is the answer (click here and click play). The bird didn’t really answer the question but we were happy to hear a recording from so close to home.

This Striped Owl comes to us from the extensive nature photography collection of Randall Jimenez, a Detectives de Aves teacher, who works at Finca Cántaros as the Coordinador de Alcance Comunitario, i.e., the public face of the new Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros.

Randall can be found on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms and, should you wish to visit Cántaros, please contact him.

Zooming With Owls — Part 2

Posted on by

 

Mottled Owl, photo by Pepe Castiblanco

Everybody loves owls, no? Yes! They are particularly endearing and, with their round heads, round bodies and big eyes, they almost look like Bobblehead Toys. The problem is we need to go out at night to see them or have a spectacular bit of luck on a daytime bird walk.

Mottled Owls are the most commonly heard of them all in San Vito. You can often hear them start to call at dusk or later into the night and they sound a little bit like dogs in the distance until you accustom yourself to their voice. They start breeding in February and, when two of them get each other wound up — calling back and forth — it makes a big, kind-of-scary, duetting racket!

Apparently there is a question on the correct scientific name of this owl. According to the Taxonomy Seer of the SVBC Jo Davidson, in Costa Rica we use Ciccaba virgata. You will see it referred to as Strix virgata in the links below. In either case, or both, Mottled Owls are found from Mexico to Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina.

Black-and-white Owl, photo by Yeimiri Badilla

The larger Black-and-white Owl is far less common but has been reliably seen and heard near the forested area around the Las Cruces Biological Station. It takes bigger prey than its cousin, feeding on small rodents and bats in addition to large insects favored by both.

You won’t be surprised to learn these owls are in the same genus with their similarly rounded shape, no ear tufts and prominent, fancy eyebrows. Ciccaba nigrolineata is the Black-and-white found from Mexico to Venezuela and Peru.

Let’s see what they have to say for themselves when asked about swiveling their heads around to nearly 180 degrees: is it fun? It looks like a conjuring trick! Click the link here and press play to hear the Mottled Owl’s reply. It sounds like it is saying, “Wow, wow, wow!” And the Black-and-white had this to say: click and press play. This sounds like “Just who are YOU?” to us.

And finally here are both of them arguing over the answer; see if you can tell who is calling by clicking here!

Just one more view of the Mottled Owl from Pepe Castiblanco’s collection.

 

Cotinga and a Coffee — Part 2: Interview with Cholo

Posted on by

Interview with Cholo, owner of Mercado Viriteca, Sabalito

Written by Dr. Lilly Briggs

Cholo at work! Photo by Lilly Briggs.

1. When and why did you open Mercado Viriteca?
Four years ago, the existing business in this location was about to close because it wasn’t working with just the sale of fruits and vegetables. As the tenant, the owner of the building, Abinal Rojas, gave me the opportunity to take on the Mercado Viriteca project to reinvent it. My goal has been to create a place that benefits the community and the environment. I buy vegetables, fruits, cheeses, eggs and more from local producers, which also gives local consumers access to fresh produce without having to go to the supermarket. The creek out back was filled with garbage, so I committed to cleaning it. I’m still committed to maintaining it that way, which helps the environment and allows me to offer a relaxing space for clients who come to eat and drink coffee.

2. Where do you think your conservation ethic come from?
The previous generations, like that of my grandfather, were taught that land was more
valuable if it was cleared for raising more cattle or planting more coffee. But I saw the
beauty and the fun in Nature, and our collective responsibility to protect it. I also saw the
tangible benefits to protecting Nature; for example, there is a direct connection between
protecting an orange tree, and then having oranges to eat.

3. What have been some of the challenges since you opened?
We have faced a new and different challenge every year! Since we opened our doors in
2016, there has been Hurricane Nate, the nationwide teachers’ strike, and the introduction of the IVA and the factura digital. We were finally getting things going, and finding our rhythm. But then in 2020, as we all know, something very different happened: the Covid-19 global pandemic. It’s hard with a small business because the expenses are always going to be the same. We depend on our regular customers to earn a living. So when the rules are changing every day, like they have been during the pandemic, and we can’t open consistently, clients start to get frustrated.

4. And then along came the Cotinga! Tell us about this experience in the context of some of the previous comments you expressed about your conservation ethic and the challenges of running a small business during a pandemic.

Birders at the Mercado Viriteca in Sabilito. Photo by Lilly Briggs.

I hoped that by protecting the forest and creek out back we would attract birds for the clients to enjoy, and I was expecting birds like Trogons, which are much more common. When the Cotinga first showed up I didn’t even know what it was! So I sent a photo to Bley (one of the Pajareros del Sur), who asked if he could share the photo in birder WhatsApp groups. And suddenly so many people started coming to see this bird, not just from the local area but from as far away as San José! It has really helped save the business during such a difficult time economically.

5. Tell us about the kinds of comments and conversations the Turquoise Cotinga has inspired.  Some of my regular clients started asking me: “who are all of these people? They look like they are from National Geographic!” because of all the equipment—binoculars, telescopes, and cameras. It’s been exciting to see how people who might not have had any interest in birds before are asking lots of questions now. For example, one if the cheese vendors asked if I could show him the Cotinga. Some community members have commented that they used to see more Cotingas when there were more Aguacatillo trees because the Cotingas love their fruit. I’ve had an opportunity to talk to people of all different backgrounds about the connection between protecting the environment and supporting the local economy. There are some people I used to just say hi to casually, and now I’ve been able to connect to them on a deeper level through this experience. And I believe many people have changed their mind about the accessibility of birding as an activity that everyone can enjoy—you don’t necessarily have to go very far or have all the equipment that makes you look like a National Geographic explorer!

6. Do you have any final points you would like to make?
Money is important because we all need it to live, but for me it’s equally important that I
help leave the environment even better than I found it. I want the next generation to have the same opportunities to learn more about the wonders of Nature, including a bird as special as the Turquoise Cotinga. This is especially important among a younger
generation like today, which is very attached to the phone and social media. Meaningful
experiences with nature and its species can inspire them to take care of our planet.

Lilly Briggs, PhD, Director of Finca Cántaros Environmental Association

San Vito de Coto Brus, Costa Rica

Facebook and Instagram: Finca Cántaros

It’s Almost Halloween — Let’s Zoom With Owls!

Posted on by

We have several species of owls living here in San Vito so let’s have a chat with them. After all, Halloween is just around the corner and owls are prominently featured during this holiday as costumes, pumpkin carvings, cookie decorations and more.

Barn Owl of San Vito. Photo by Angelo Altamura.

First we look to the Barn Owl, Tyto alba, thought by many to be the origin of ghosts. Imagine yourself, crossing a meadow at dusk and flushing this big owl — seeing its soft beige and white, heart-shaped face. With its wings stretched out in flight, it’s the same size as a human child with arms spread wide! Let’s not pretend that wouldn’t give you a fright.

They nest in barns, under bridges and in buildings where human activity is at a minimum. This one  lives in the bell tower of a family chapel. With a diet of small mammals, including mice, rats, shrews, bats and even sleeping birds and large insects, they keep their surroundings vermin-free and are considered farmers’ friends.

Owls in the belfry. Photo by Angelo Altamura.

As to our Zoom call, first we asked this owl if it thought its kind IS the original human ghost story.  Now turn up your volume and follow the prompt to hear what it said: click here to hear. Spooky, right?

Then we asked where they used to live, before humans started building barns, bridges and belfries and it said, click here to hear that. We don’t know about you, but that kind of sounded to us like “None of your business — go away now”.

Special thanks to Angelo and Julia Altamura, new Honorary Members of the SVBC, who generously allowed us to use these wonderful photos.

A peaceful chapel, perfect for Barn Owls! Photo by Angelo Altamura.

Cotinga y el Café — Parte Uno

Posted on by

Autora Lilly Briggs, PhD

Versión en español

La palabra esperanza esta surgiendo mucho en el 2020. O desesperanza. O a veces las dos palabras, en una misma hora. Los motores de nuestras montañas rusas emocionales incluen: la pandemia global, incendios forestales fuera de control, y fuegos aún más feroces e inestables en la escena politica de los Estados Unidos, que tienen impactos geopolíticos trascendentales.

Es crítico enfocarnos en ejemplos pequeños, con igual de importancia, a nivel local y que día a día nos dan esperanza dentro de tanta incertidumbre. Personalmente no puedo pensar en un contrapunto mejor al caos que la historia de la Cotinga y el Café.

Turquoise Cotinga, foto de David Arias Rodríguez

La Cotinga Turquesa, una especie “casi endémica” es codiciada por las pajareras y los
pajareros, tanto nacionales como internacionales. No solamente se debe a que tiene una distribución limitada a Costa Rica y Panamá, sino también porque es simplemente una especie espectacular. Su apariencia sugiere que salió de las exuberantes aguas del Pacífico, revestida en ese turquesa brillante que da origen a su nombre, en combinación con el violeta rico de su pecho. Luce esos colores tan bien y con tanto brillo que su aparición podría provocar derramar el café caliente sobre su regazo.

¿Qué tiene que ver el Café con la Cotinga?
En tiempos de COVID, negocios pequeños en todo el mundo han estado golpeados
fuertemente. Pero la luminiscencia de la Cotinga Turquesa destaca el hecho de que
cultivando la ética de conservación y apreciación por la naturaleza, puede verse
beneficiada la economía y el medio ambiente, aún durante una pandemia.

“Cholo”, el dueño de Mercado Viriteca en Sabalito de Coto Brus, hizo una decisión
consciente en nombre de la conservación al abrir su negocio en medio de una intersección llena de bullicio. Al frente de una antigua estación de servicio en el centro de Sabalito, es un lugar improbable para encontrar un río y una exquisita vegetación que su local protege. Cuando tomó posesión del local hace cuatro años, dedicó tiempo y energía a limpiar la quebrada. Los Aguacatillos contribuyen a crear un ambiente bonito y relajante para la clientela, y sus frutos son tan atractivos para las aves (no solamente para la Cotinga, también a otras especies especiales como el Quetzal, el Guácharo y el Pájaro Campana), como los granos de café son para los humanos.

Recientemente, el fruto de esta labor del Mercado Viriteca se manifestó con los frutos del Aguacatillo de su patio, para el deleite histérico de la comunidad de pajareras y pajareros locales y más allá. Los Pajareros del Sur cuentan entre la multitud de gente juntándose para fotografiar a la Cotinga comiendo de estos preciados frutos. La cafetería al aire libre y el espacio entre sillas, ofrecen un lugar perfecto, en esta época de distanciamiento social, para poder disfrutar de un buen pinto y la vista de un buen pájaro. Cholo dice que ha hablado con mucha gente de sectores sobre esta increíble especie, acerca de porque los esfuerzos de conservación son tan importantes, y en cómo han ayudado a su negocio.

Es importante de entender las fuerzas grandes estructurales que impactan el mundo entero hasta nuestros contextos locales. Pero es de igual importancia enfocarnos en las acciones positivas que empiezan en nuestros contextos locales, que causan una reacción en cadena, para tener un impacto al revés: de local a global. Entonces, cuando usted empiece a desesperarse sobre las próximas elecciones o debido a
las aves migratorias muertas por causa de los incendios forestales, los animo a recordar también historias como esta. Cómo la Cotinga y el Café han unido a personas que les importa la conservación y la comunidad. Esta historia representa un llamado de esperanza, en un año tan diferente como lo es el 2020.

¡Próximamente compartiremos una entrevista que hicimos con Cholo!

Lilly Briggs, PhD

Directora, Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros 

San Vito de Coto Brus, Costa Rica

Facebook y Instagram: Finca Cántaros

 

Migration Is On: Sweepstakes Early Spotting Prize to Judy Richardson!

Posted on by

Judy Richardson, photo by Juan Carlos Calvachi

Herewith we announce the Early Migrant Sweepstakes winner: Judy Richardson!

Wait, what? You didn’t realize we had a Migrant Sweepstakes going on? Neither did we until a minute ago. Never mind, we have it now and the first bird reported was a beautiful Orchard Oriole.

Orchard Oriole, photo by Mark Garland

Judy found him in early August at Hacienda Pino Collina, next door to the Wilson Botanical Garden; her home in San Vito where she’s been passing Covid-19 pandemic time birding, gardening, reading and cooking.

Let’s get into the swing of this people! How about we run a Migrant Spotting Contest from now until September 30? Just go outside with your phone and the two apps from Cornell, Merlin and eBird, and get started. Send your list to our Birder-in-Chief Greg Homer at: eltangeral@gmail.com by September 30, 2020 and we will see who finds the most waterthrushes, warblers, flycatchers and more.

Or, if you’re still operating like it is 1970, take a pencil, notepad and the Garrigues and Dean field guide outside and get going with those.

We will give you a prize, promise!

Judy is going to have one of her favorite desserts: Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream — delivered to her door. Just think what you might win?! Yum yum!