Our last leg of the Costa Rican journey was to the remote Osa Peninsula, and we couldn’t have been more ready. We can’t say enough about Costa Rica Vacations, the tour group that helped us customize a perfect trip. They arranged for our driver to pick us up at the Hotel Si Como No, and after a relatively short ride, we arrived at a group of businesses on a river, with no resort in sight. Our driver saw our confusion and pointed to a small boat that would take us the rest of the way.
Our captain, a true local, made good use of his time and picked up supplies for the resort before we were on our way. He was an excellent host, and once he saw our binoculars, he was happy to point out birds and bring us closer for a better view. Some of the best sightings on the river were a Gray-breasted Martin, a Whimbrel, and a Common Black-hawk.
An Osa Welcome
On arrival, we were greeted by our host, Carlos, and his dog, Coco, at the Aguila de Osa resort. Our room had a wonderful view of Drake’s Bay. Before dinner, Carlos took us for a walk across a hanging bridge, where we saw our first-ever Black-crowned Tityra. Coco joined us but was more interested in the Howler Monkeys than the birds! We then took a sunset boat ride before enjoying cocktails and appetizers, a chance to meet the other guests. Dinner was amazing, and we loved meeting the kitchen staff and picking out a great wine.
In Search of Rare Birds
We were up early the next morning to explore the beautiful grounds. Right outside our room, a pair of Red-legged Honeycreepers and several hummingbirds were quite entertaining. We took another hike with Carlos, our birder friend, who put us on four hummingbird and three trogon species.
On the way back to the resort, we found a Black-striped Sparrow and several Capuchin (white-faced) monkeys, including a baby clinging to its mother. Carlos proved to be a fantastic birder, and we saw 54 species on our walk, with the highlight being a brief glimpse of the endemic Buff-rumped Warbler.
After a quick swim and a siesta, it was time for Mike’s birthday dinner. A thrilling moment occurred on the steps to the dining room when we spotted a snake. Carlos, without hesitation, carefully caught the boa constrictor and brought it back to show the other guests. The dinner that night was extra special, with fresh local fish and a birthday cake!
A River and Ocean Odyssey
Our third day was a chartered birding boat ride with two other guests. Our first stop was a small island off the Osa Peninsula with an incredible rookery of 200 Magnificent Frigatebirds, 40 Brown Boobies, and five life birds: Red-footed Boobies.As we traveled up the river, we got another lifer, a Collared Plover.
Further up the river, we entered the mangrove canals, where we saw the male Yellow Warbler with its chestnut head, locally known as the “Mangrove Warbler.” Carlos and the captain were a great team, showing us a nesting pair of Scarlet Macaws and Mike’s target bird, the Common Potoo.
We stopped at the docks where our journey began, and a quick chat with the locals confirmed the location of a pair of Tropical Screech-Owls. We saw so many great birds on the way back, including all the herons and shorebirds, but a standout was the Yellow-headed Caracara.
Our final breakfast at Aguila de Osa was outstanding, with the best huevos rancheros we’ve ever had. We even saw a few bats hanging from the thatched roof. Our last walk of the grounds rewarded us with a great look at a Cocoa Woodcreeper.
After breakfast, it was another boat ride to the village of Drake’s Bay for a “wet landing” onto the beach. A cab was waiting to take us to the smallest airport we have ever seen, where each passenger and their luggage had to be weighed before the flight. Once the eight of us were onboard, it was time to taxi down the one-mile strip and fly out over the beautiful water (see cover photo).
We were sad to leave Costa Rica and the Osa Peninsula, but we had made memories to last a lifetime. In all, we found 171 species with 99 life birds!
Trip Summary:
Trip Birds: 98
Life Birds: 24
Total Costa Rica Birds: 171 (click her for a list)
Total World Life Birds: 99
Next up: Christmas Bird Count
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