Results - March 7 Golfito pelagic

Wedge-tailed Shearwater, photo by Juan Diego Vargas.

On March 7, 2009 a pelagic birding trip took place aboard the "Reina del Sur" (25 foot covered ferry-panga type boat with 175hp outboard) from the dock at Mar y Luna, Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Birding particpants: Andrew Robertson, Alison Olivieri, Julie Girard, Dionisio Paniagua, Victor Pérez, Carlos Gonzalez, Janet Peterson, Juan Diego Vargas, Jim Zook. 06:10-15:05. Farthest point out into open ocean was 41.7 kms (25 miles) SW of Cabo Blanco (tip of Osa Peninsula/mouth of Gulfo Dulce). We had planned to be out until 16:00 but decided to cut it short because of wind and a choppy sea. Overall it was pretty quiet. We saw very few marine mammals, though perhaps the best sighting of the trip was a female Orca (Killer Whale). Also no fisihing boats. We had good looks at all species except for the Bridled Terns and some flying Phalaropes. Here is the species list: 10 - Wedge-tailed Shearwater 4 - Audubon's Shearwaters 14 - Brown Booby 17 - Brown Pelican 9 - Magnificent Frigatebird 3 - Phalarope sp. 43 - Laughing Gull 2 - Bridled Tern 126 - Black Tern 14 - Sandwich Tern 36 - Royal Tern 6 - Barn Swallow

Tropical Mockingbird in Santa Ana, March 8, 2009

A Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus) hung out in my backyard in Santa Ana (Valle del Sol, Lindora) all day today. I heard it singing earlier in the morning (I was able to get some song recordings). It continued to sing until early afternoon.

I'm not aware of a Mimus gilvus sighting in the Central Valley. Does anyone else have a report of the mockingbird in the Central Valley?

Lance

March 8, 2009

Golfito Pelagic trip - Mar.7

(Red-necked and Red Phalaropes seen off Osa Peninsula, Apr.7, 07. Photo by Juan Pablo Elizondo)

March 4 - The boat has been filled. Thanks to all those who inquired about participating. Results will be posted here shortly after March 7. Thanks, JRZ.

There will be a full day pelagic birding trip out of Golfito on March 7, 2009. The trip is being organized by the San Vito Bird Club and will be led by Jim Zook. There are still four spaces available (out of 8 total birders). Cost is $100 per person. Beverages will be provided but everyone will need to bring their own food/lunch. We will be taking a typical 30-35 foot sport fishing vessel captained by fellow birder Andrew Roberston. We'll hope to get out into deep water 30 miles or so off the S tip of Osa Peninsula. Based on past trips around this time of year we can expect to see Audubon's and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Black Storm-Petrel, Brown Booby, Red-necked Phalarope, Black and Bridled Tern, Brown Noddy, Sabine's Gull, Pomarine and Parasitic Jaeger. Possible also would be Least, Leach's and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Red-footed and Masked/Nazca Boobies, Red Phalarope and other migrant gulls and terns. Costa Rica's first Black-vented Shearwater was seen in waters off the Osa Peninsual this past November so there's always a chance for the unexpected.

If you are interested in reserving a space (with a $50 deposit) please contact Julie Girard at girardwoolley01@sympatico.ca for further details.

Swainson's Hawks wintering in Guanacaste

During a recent two week trip to Guanacaste I ran across a group of 102 Swainson's Hawks sitting on the ground in a recently tilled field that was being flooded by irrigation waters. This was on February 11 in the rice and sugar cane fields just West of the entrance to Palo Verde NP. The wind was really blowing hard and the birds appeared to be resting more than looking for food. I see Swainson's Hawks regularly in this area during the winter months but usually in flocks of 10-20. Never seen a group this big outside of migration periods. The majority of these birds appeared to be dark morph individuals. In early January Richard Garrigues sent me a note he received from a visiting Canadian birder (Ian Platt) who on January 1 saw a group of 35 mostly light morph birds kiting and circling over the east end of the Liberia airport.

There were also a good number (15+) of Tree Swallows mingling with hundreds of Barn Swallows over the flooded rice fields near the entrance to Palo Verde NP, a fairly unusual sight.

Where, When and How of the swifts of Costa Rica

Hi all,

I regret my lack of spanish. But I am on a quest to see all the species of swift in the world. I've taken a look at the Lista Oficial of Costa Rica and here are the swifts that I'd like to maximize my chances of seeing:


Cypseloides cryptus White-chinned Swift R
Cypseloides cherriei Spot-fronted Swift R
Streptoprocne rutila Chestnut-collared Swift R
Streptoprocne zonaris White-collared Swift R

Chaetura fumosa Costa Rican Swift R
Chaetura cinereiventris Gray-rumped Swift R
Panyptila cayennensis Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift R

I will be in the country for about 10 days, will have access to a car and will focus my efforts in the Central Valley and the Pacific Slope. The timeframe for my visit will be Feb 21-Mar 1. I request info on the where, when and how of searching for swifts in Costa Rica:

1) Where should I look? I have made a editable map which can be found here: Please feel free to make notes and such on the map. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=9.748917,-83.753428&spn=3.918901,8.344116&z=8&msid=105619599557126271692.0004607670e5411890ec7
2) When should I look? For example, "in the evenings these birds roost behind the waterfall." would be a great note.
3) Identification: I understand the _Cypseloides_ are cryptic and any tips on how to ID them would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any assistance. I too will research and be making annotations to this map.

Elias Elias
Arcata CA USA
fabflockfinder@gmail.com

Zona Sur Hawk

On the 22nd of December I saw a juvenile hawk in the same rice field near Playa Zancudo where I saw an adult Savannah Hawk last April. I described it to Kevin Easley, who said it was probably a juvenile Savannah Hawk.

Jerry O'Donahoe

Lista Oficial Aves de CR Actualización 2008

Hola a todos,

El Comité Científico de la Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica desea informarles que ya pueden bajar información en nuestro sitio web sobre la última actualización de la Lista Oficial de Costa Rica. Entre la información disponible podrán encontrar:

Cambios para el 2008 (Zeledonia 12,2)
http://avesdecostarica.org/revista.htm

Lista Oficial 2008 (Excel)
http://avesdecostarica.org/listas.htm

Nuevos registros fotográficos aceptados para la Lista Oficial 2008
http://avesdecostarica.org/Page582.html

Les recordamos que ya esta abierta la recepción de formularios y nuevas evidencias fotográficas para la actualización 2009. Para obtener el formulario y más información pueden visitar este enlace:
http://avesdecostarica.org/Page486.html

Suerte a todos,

Gerardo Obando
Comité Científico
AOCR