Pura Vida - Costa Rica

We have returned from the Highlands to San Jose from where we are taking a two day birding break to La Fortuna on the Lowland Caribbean slope.
A few species to finish our two months of birding and banding for Costa Rica Bird Observatories.
Where migrants meet residents in the Highlands

Flame-throated Warbler, a resident.

An adult male Golden-winged Warbler, a migrant. Always amazing to see the species above together in the field or in a mist net.

This Gray-cheeked Thrush a scarce bird outnumbered by the Swainson's Thrushes here at 2400m.

Plenty of pollen on this juvenile Mountain Gem sp, but this season the Highland's shrubs seemed to be later in flowering and fruiting.

The smallest Hummingbird  species we ever see - this a 2.3g adult female Scintillant. The eight-ish species of Hummingbirds that we find around our Highland station really are like the Tits at home in Wales.

A male Lesser Violetear, previous name Green Violetear, a very vocal species.

A juvenile Slaty Flowerpiercer, a species often in combat with the hummers at flowers.

Both Wendy and I gave talks on behalf of Costa Rica Bird Observatories, the BTO and the San Vito Bird Club and helped at the VIth Partners In Flight Conference in San Jose, where we met some of the main Pan American researchers from both the academic and observatory world.

The theme of Wendy's presentation.

We led bird walks for 5 mornings in the local park, managing to find a total of 53 species by day 5. Following the conference Eric and Laura, researchers from Mexico joined us for two days at Madre Selva.

We were also joined by fellow Brits for some pre-breakfast banding...Paul and Rachael Eele, pictured  above with their guide.

A juvenile Barred Forest-Falcon.

An adult Yellowish Flycatcher, two species banded after Paul and Rachael left us....but Paul did process a Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush that we had banded in October 2012.

Common Chlorospingus - formerly Common Bush-Tanager.
Six years ago on our first visit these were more common than their close relative Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, then for the mid years the reverse true and this year a rise in the Common Chl.
All great population study stuff....

 Finally a couple of our less numerous Lowland Caribbean forest Woodcreepers

A Plain Brown Woodcreeper at our Parque Nacional site, our first since 2012

This Northern-Barred Woodcreeper, the second largest Woodcreeper in Costa Rica.

We have nearly finished our two month spell with Costa Rica Bird Observatories having renewed old friendships and gained new friends and contacts in the Pan American birding scene. We have seen an amazing variety of species as on our previous visits. Our thanks as ever to Pablo Elizondo and CRBO, also to San Vito Bird Club for their hospitality and banding experience.

Richard and Wendy