COSTA RICA MARCH 2004 TOUR NEWS Leaders: Steven Easley and Vaughan Ashby

Birdfinders fourth tour of Costa Rica was a record-breaking one with an amazing 504 species seen in two weeks despite losing some time because of rain. It is very difficult to pick highlights with so many species seen but, 38 species of hummingbird and 15 species of wren have to be two of them! Some of the rarely seen and difficult-to-find species included Highland and Thicket Tinamous, Masked Duck, Tiny Hawk, Black-breasted Wood-quail, White-throated Crake, Collared Plover, Red-fronted Parrotlet, Gray-chested Dove, Chiriqui and Purplish-backed Quail-doves, Striped Owl, Central American Pygmy-owl, Dusky Nightjar, Lattice-tailed Trogon, Gray-throated and Tawny-throated Leaftossers, Dull-mantled and Spotted Antbirds, Black-crowned Antpitta, Lanceolated Monklet, Thrush-like Schiffornis, Nightingale and Timberline Wrens, Ochraceous Pewee, Tawny-chested and White-throated Flycatchers and White-naped Brush-finch. Species seen every year but are none-the-less spectacular included Scarlet Macaw, Snowcap, Resplendent Quetzal and Flame-throated Warbler. A full report of this tour can be found under the tour reports section. At £2,450 for 500+ species with excellent accommodation and first-class leaders, this tour represents superb value.

All photos copyright Steven Easley.