We know a guide in Costa Rica that we can recommend, also. We have been
there 3 times and would not hesitate to go back again. And it's in Iowa's
time zone.
Rejoicing, Sue Yeakel
----- Original Message -----
From: "IA-BIRD digest" <[email protected]>
To: "ia-bird digest recipients" <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 11:01 PM
Subject: ia-bird digest: March 02, 2010
IA-BIRD Digest for Tuesday, March 02, 2010.
1. Quad City Gulls
2. Costa Rica
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Quad City Gulls
From: [email protected]
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 16:36:37 -0600 (CST)
X-Message-Number: 1
Today at L&D 14 there were:
Glaucous Gull: two, one adult and one 2W
LBB Gull: one adult
Thayer's Gull: at least three adults
Many diver ducks as expected above the dam. I did not notice anything
remarkable but did not check them thoroughly.
Fifteen swans were on the ice on the Iowa side. Bill and forehead pattern
appeared to be Tundra Swans but views were distant and I could not see
yellow lores. Could be either Tundra or Trumpeter.
Cheers,
Steve Freed
Milan IL
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Costa Rica
From: Art Check <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 19:34:01 -0800 (PST)
X-Message-Number: 2
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
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My wife and I just returned from 8 days in Costa Rica.=A0 This was
intended=
as a vacation for both of us; not directly a "birding" trip.=A0 HOWEVER,
I=
figured this was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up, and while I
di=
dn't have an official guide the vast majority of the time, was able to
mana=
ge about 100 new life birds (still tallying everything).=A0 I'm sure many
o=
f you would have done much better in terms of numbers, but it was awesome
n=
onetheless.=A0 I had no idea the amazing beauty of so many different
tanage=
rs, trogons, and honeycreepers=A0that live there, as well as hummingbirds
a=
t close range of many varieties.=A0 The highlight for a first-timer to
Cost=
a Rica was of course the Resplendent Quetzal male.=A0 We saw at least 2
dif=
ferent nesting pairs, one with the nest about 20 feet from the road.=A0
Tru=
ly a surreal experience to watch those incredible coverts dangling more
tha=
n 2 feet behind in a bright emerald green as he came flying through the
trees to the nest.=A0 Also got a great look (lucky I think for the amount
=
of time we were there) at a Spectacled Owl which was a lot of fun to see.
Costa Rica was a great place to see some incredible birds, experience
great=
weather, and seems to be relatively safe for travellers.=A0 We will
return=
and I have no trouble recommending a trip there.=A0 I think going with
som=
eone who has been there or having a guide would greatly enhance chances of
=
seeing a larger # of species.=A0 However, I saw many groups that were
quite=
large and that didn't look very fun to me.=A0 I was fortunate to run into
=
a guide who was with a small group from Tennessee, and he was extremely
fri=
endly and helpful, and in fact encouraged me to tag along on a couple
short=
trips with him.=A0 He also gave me a tip on a nearby area that I birded
on=
e afternoon with great results (where we saw the owl).=A0 No one else I
tal=
ked to the rest of the week had seen any owls during their trip, so I felt
=
lucky.=A0 There are many guides available at reasonable rates.=A0=A0
Season=
ed birders I think would do well, but this guy was incredible with calls,
a=
nd
got his Swarovski scope on birds in the tree tops quicker than I could
get=
to it.=A0 I've got a ridiculous # of pics, only a few of which I consider
=
pretty good.=A0 If anyone's interested in seeing my marginally good pics
of=
the Quetzal let me know off list.
=A0
Art Check
Nevada=0A=0A=0A
--0-413824416-1267587241=:82890
Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<table cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0" ><tr><td
valign=3D"=
top" style=3D"font: inherit;"><DIV>My wife and I just returned from 8 days
=
in Costa Rica. This was intended as a vacation for both of us; not
di=
rectly a "birding" trip. HOWEVER, I figured this was an opportunity
t=
hat couldn't be passed up, and while I didn't have an official guide the
va=
st majority of the time, was able to manage about 100 new life birds
(still=
tallying everything). I'm sure many of you would have done much
bett=
er in terms of numbers, but it was awesome nonetheless. I had no
idea=
the amazing beauty of so many different tanagers, trogons, and
honeycreepe=
rs that live there, as well as hummingbirds at close range of many
var=
ieties. The highlight for a first-timer to Costa Rica was of course
t=
he Resplendent Quetzal male. We saw at least 2 different nesting
pair=
s, one with the nest about 20 feet from the road. Truly a surreal
experience to watch those incredible coverts dangling more than 2 feet
beh=
ind in a bright emerald green as he came flying through the trees to the
ne=
st. Also got a great look (lucky I think for the amount of time we
we=
re there) at a Spectacled Owl which was a lot of fun to see.</DIV>
<DIV>Costa Rica was a great place to see some incredible birds, experience
=
great weather, and seems to be relatively safe for travellers. We
wil=
l return and I have no trouble recommending a trip there. I think
goi=
ng with someone who has been there or having a guide would greatly enhance
=
chances of seeing a larger # of species. However, I saw many groups
t=
hat were quite large and that didn't look very fun to me. I was
fortu=
nate to run into a guide who was with a small group from Tennessee, and he
=
was extremely friendly and helpful, and in fact encouraged me to tag along
=
on a couple short trips with him. He also gave me a tip on a nearby
a=
rea that I birded one afternoon with great results (where we saw the
owl).&=
nbsp; No one else I talked to the rest of the week had seen any owls
during=
their trip, so I felt lucky. There are many guides available at
reas=
onable rates. Seasoned birders I think would do well,
but this guy was incredible with calls, and got his Swarovski scope on
bir=
ds in the tree tops quicker than I could get to it. I've got a
ridicu=
lous # of pics, only a few of which I consider pretty good. If
anyone=
's interested in seeing my marginally good pics of the Quetzal let me know
=
off list.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Art Check</DIV>
<DIV>Nevada</DIV></td></tr></table><br>=0A=0A
--0-413824416-1267587241=:82890--
---
END OF DIGEST
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Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members
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