Chiriqui Yellowthroat on a trip to Costa Rica (plus lots of other stuff)

Chiriqui Yellowthroat, San Vito Airport marshes, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Just back from another productive trip (Jan 15-25) down to Costa Rica with lots of good sightings plus a few good photos.  The highlight was finding a new warbler species, Chiriqui Yellowthroat, down near the Panama border near the town of San Vito...a species I have wanted to get down there and finally succeeded in finding.  Chiriqui Yellowthroat is considered a separate species by some sources (including myself) while others consider it a subspecies of Masked Yellowthroat.

Collared Redstart, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Collared Redstart, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Golden winged Warbler, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Black throated Green Warbler, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Wilson's Warbler, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Wilson's Warbler, Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Before going down to find the yellowthroat I spent a day in the mountains near the Savegre Lodge in San Gerardo de Dota where I had a number of warbler species including resident species as well as migrants spending the winter.  After a morning in the mountains it was time to make it down to Rio Magnolia Lodge for the remainder of the trip where more warblers awaited.

Chestnut sided Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 17, 2018

Chestnut sided Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 23, 2018

Mourning Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 23, 2018

Mourning Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Golden winged Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 23, 2018

Buff rumped Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 20, 2018

Gray crowned Yellowthroat, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 21, 2018

Yellow Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 16, 2018

Rio Magnolia Lodge was productive as always with a total of ten species of warbler including a new one for me in Costa Rica when I found a Worm eating Warbler in a mixed species flock.  The most numerous warbler species was about a tie between Tennessee Warbler and Chestnut sided Warbler (nice to see larger than typical numbers of Tennessee Warblers which corresponds nicely with the above normal numbers seen around here during the fall migration).  I also had a number of Mourning Warblers, Golden winged Warblers, Gray crowned Yellowthroat and Buff rumped Warblers as well as a few Black and White Warblers, Yellow Warblers and a Wilson's Warbler.

Chiriqui Yellowthroat, San Vito Airport marshes, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Common Yellowthroat, San Vito Airport marshes, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Chiriqui Yellowthroat habitat, San Vito Airport marshes, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Rufous capped Warbler, Casa Botanica, San Vito, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Slate throated Redstart, Casa Botanica, San Vito, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Black and White Warbler, Casa Botanica, San Vito, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

Blackburnian Warbler, Casa Botanica, San Vito, Costa Rica, Jan 18, 2018

On Thursday the 18th I met up with Andres very early for a trip down toward the Panama border near the town of San Vito. Early meant a very early wake up call to be out the door by 3:30 to meet Andres in San Isidro at 4:30 for a two hour plus ride down to San Vito. The main target of this trip was to find the Chiriqui Yellowthroat which is only found in a small portion of Costa Rica and nearby Panama. We made it to San Vito around six with our first stop being Casa Botanica (a small lodge with some trails) where we found a number of warbler species.  After a few hours we tried a few other spots but had no luck finding the yellowthroat so headed over to the small marshes near the airport in search of my main target.  We arrived at marshes past the small airport and noticed some great habitat for the yellowthroat but initially had some difficulty finding access until we came across a local family that had access to the marshes. Once we arrived at the marsh we quickly heard and saw at least three individuals which were quite vocal but would only pop into view briefly. Nonetheless I got a few shots of a male and looks at both males and females.  I also managed to get some recordings of some calls as the birds chased each other around.  I was very happy to finally catch up with this bird! They were also joined by a male Common Yellowthroat for part of the time too.

Sunset over the Pacific, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Jan 21, 2018

Overall warbler numbers for the trip totaled 20 species with one being a life bird and two being new for Costa Rica for me (the Chiriqui Yellowthoat and the Worm eating Warbler). The number of warbler species now seen in Costa Rica stands at 30 overall.  My total number of warbler species is now at least 69 species (plus Wrenthrush and Yellow breasted Chat..both of which may or may not be warblers)

Costa Rican trip produces a new warbler...Wrenthrush

Wrenthrush, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 16, 2016

Wrenthrush, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 16, 2016

Flame throated Warbler, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 16, 2016

Black cheeked Warbler, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 16, 2016

Collared Redstart, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 16, 2016

Just back from another trip down to Costa Rica (my tenth!) and it was once again a great trip away from the cold weather at home.  One night was spent around San Jose, another night up in the mountains at Paraiso Quetzal Lodge and the remaining nights at the spectacular Rio Magnolia Lodge (with a day long side trip down to Buenos Aires).  On December 16th I met Andres at 6 am to guide me around the area of Paraiso Quetzal Lodge and hopefully find some of my target birds.  My number one target was a Wrenthrush, which is oddly neither a wren or a thrush but is a wood warbler species endemic to Costa Rica and Panama and one of only two species of breeding warbler in Costa Rica I had not yet seen. Wrenthrush is a small, dark bird with a burnt orange crown that inhabits dense growth within the forest and is much more likely to be heard then seen.  Although there was a glimpses of sun early on, the clouds quickly filled in and the drizzle and light rain picked up and continued for most of the mornings. Andres and I still managed to find some good birds despite the weather including a lifer for me, a Black Guan plus a number of other highland specialities.  After a brief stop to eat we headed back out into the rainy weather and started walking some of the trails within the forest. Andres had a tip on where we might find a Wrenthrush and after a slippery walk down some muddy trails we arrived at the location and almost immediately had brief looks at a couple of Wrenthrush. They moved just way to fast to get photos but I managed to get some recordings as they called from the deep undergrowth. We never got another look at them in that location but we decided to move further down the trail in hopes of finding them further down slope where the trail curved back toward our current location. Sure enough we caught back up with one of them and had brief but very close looks as it foraged among some roots. I tried again for photos with my big camera but it was just too dark and the bird was too fast. I eventually tried my luck with my cellphone camera and I managed a few identifiable photos. I was very happy to have not only found the bird but to have seen it well, managed some recordings and got some photos. We continued our walk until a little before 10:30 when we had to head back to pack up and check out for 11am.  Despite the less than stellar weather I was very happy to find a new species of wood warbler.
Videos of a Wrenthrush:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31100738344/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31568054430/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31568070770/in/dateposted-public/
Videos of Wrenthrush calling: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31101237734/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31568210590/in/dateposted-public/

Marsh where a Masked Yellowthroat should have been, Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Dec 20, 2016 

On December 20th I once again met up with Andres plus another guide that he knew. I met them in San Isidro at 5am (requiring a wake up at 3:30am to make the hour drive down). We then headed south toward the Buenos Aires to explore a variety of locations over the course of the entire day. Although I had a variety of possible new birds in this corner of Costa Rica I have never visited before, my main target was another warbler, a Masked Yellowthroat. This subspecies of Masked Yellowthroat only occurs in a small portion of Costa Rica and nearby Panama and is likely a separate species and known as Chiriqui Yellowthoat. Unfortunately we missed finding the warbler but we were really not quite far enough south to guarantee seeing it as the area we visited was at the northern extreme of its range...I will have to try again next time I come down but will just have to go further toward the Panama border.

Mourning Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 21, 2016

Golden winged Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 19, 2016

Chestnut sided Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 19, 2016

Tennessee Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 19, 2016

Yellow Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 21, 2016

I managed to find a total of 13 species of warblers during the trip with the vast majority being Chestnut sided and Tennessee Warbler as well as Collared Redstarts (only up in the mountains).

Videos with a calling of Buff rumped Warbler: https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31100784644/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54277284@N05/31101143054/in/dateposted-public/

End of year update

Black and White Warbler, Amherst, MA, Apr 25, 2013

 

Yellow Warbler, Amherst, MA, Apr 27, 2013

Chestnut sided Warbler, Pelham, May 17, 2013

Cape May Warbler, Amherst, MA, Sep 23, 2013

 

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin, MA, Sep 21, 2013

Tennessee Warbler, Amherst, MA, Sep 23, 2013

Collared Redstart, Paraiso Quetzal Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 23, 2013

I have not posted here in quite a while as I have been busy updating my other page throughout the year but I thought I would post something for the end of the year to summarize a bit.  I found a total of 36 species of warbler this year in both the local area and in trips to Florida and Costa Rica.  In the local area I had another great year with warblers, managing to find 31 species.    The fall migration produced a larger than normal number of a few species including Cape May, Bay breasted and Tennessee Warblers.  These three species appeared to have had a very good breeding year likely due to a spruce bud worm outbreak.  The trips to Costa Rica in April and December produced a total of 17 species of warbler with five of those not seen in the United States earlier this year.