Rich Hoyer from his on-going tour, Costa Rica.

Thus far we've touched on several unbelievably birdy Pacific slope sites. Resplendent Quetzals showed well at the Cerro de la Muerte region, as did most of the regional endemics including Ochraceous Pewee, Timberline Wren, and this most confiding of Volcano Juncos.

We saw several Tufted Flycatchers at very close range in the lush Costa Rican Oak forests.

Our days on the Osa Peninsula were packed with birds, despite the area being unusually hot and dry, even for this time of year. A Fiery-billed Aracari that found a crab high in the mangroves as we arrived in the area was a memorable sighting.

A female Black-hooded Antshrike foraged at arm’s length for several minutes one morning, providing for quite a photographic opportunity.

The many Band-tailed Barbthroats chasing each other and feeding from the giant prayer plants blooming in every wet spot were also a favorite.

One morning a large troop of Central American Squirrel Monkeys made the rounds right by Bosque del Rio Tigre lodge.

It’s been a terrific tour for owls, with nine species already, including this Pacific Screech-Owl on its day perch at Ensenada Lodge.

We’ve just arrived on the Caribbean slope, and it’s hard to imagine there could be any birds left for us to see, but it’s a totally new habitat and ecoregion, known for its high diversity. Stay tuned for the final report.