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)