Bob Barnes & Associates presents Costa Rica Birding

Costa Rica is the perfect country to visit for an introduction to tropical birding and natural history. It is diverse, beautiful, safe, provides excellent tourism support services, easy to get around with our expert driver, and is geared to and welcoming to birders and natural history buffs from around the world.

BOB BARNES and ALBERTO VARGAS have put on their creative hats to come up with birding and natural history trips that in combination separates them from all others.

Features of Every Trip:

*** Fifteen day trips w. four day extensions

*** Pacific NW tropical dry forest, SW tropical wet forest, mid & high elevation Pacific slope forest, mid elevation Caribbean Slope forest, Caribbean coastal plain tropical wet forest

*** Twelve participant limit (Six participant "break even" minimum)

*** $500-$1000 less than major tour companies (c. $215 per day vs. $270 per day)

*** American leader throughout

*** Costa Rican expert leader throughout

*** Costa Rican youth leader throughout (Youth Development Program)

*** Local Costa Rican expert leaders at major locations throughout

*** Bus driver/tour operator who is a birder and expert bird spotter throughout

*** Boat trip on Gulfo de Nicoya (plus several more on Tortuguero NP extension)

*** Multi-day stays at fewer stops (vs. many tours)

*** Net profit from trips is fully tax-deductible as allowed by law (receipt provided per person)

*** Tax-deductible donation funds Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Willow Flycatcher research at the Kern River Preserve in the South Fork Valley of the southern Sierra Nevada

*** Generous profit sharing with your local non-profit for bringing three or more participants per tour

IN ADDITION, Alberto and Bob will work with you to put together and lead customized trips to fit your wishes. We will work with you on theme, style, length, cost, and profit-sharing for your group - large or small.

Alberto has been organizing and leading trips of all types for nearly two decades ... general touring, agriculture, birding, climbing & hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hummingbirds, national parks & volcanoes, natural history, and whitewater kayaking & rafting. Check us out to see if we can help organize your trip.

AMERICAN BIRDING & NATURAL HISTORY TOUR LEADERS: Bob Barnes, Les Chibana, Rich Cimino, Stacy Jon Peterson (hummingbirds), Alison Sheehey (natural history), David Wimpfheimer

COSTA RICAN BIRD TOUR LEADERS: Jose Castillo, Mario Cordoba, Dimeiston Penaranda, Edwin Ramirez, Jesus Toledo, Alberto Vargas

Costa Rica - Jewel of the tropics

	great birding
	friendly people
	conservation of natural resources.
	Visit five of the most diverse habitat & birding locations in Costa Rica:
	The Atlantic slope mid-elevation tropical rainforest at Arenal Volcano
	The dry tropical forests of the northwest at La Ensenda
	The Pacific slope coastal rainforest and tidal area in and around Carara Biological Reserve and the Rio Tarcoles
	The high mountain cloud forest, elfin forests, and deep canyons & valleys near San Gerardo de Dota
	The Atlantic slope coastal rainforest around La Selva OTS Research Station and the Rio Sarapiqui

Although birds will provide the focal point, this trip to Costa Rica will offer a wide range of natural history and cultural experiences.

SPONSORED BY:

Bob Barnes, Southern Sierra Research Station, and Alberto Vargas's Travel & Tour Agency

COST: includes all meals, lodging, transportation on a chartered bus within Costa Rica, entrance fees, and a tax-deductible donation to the Southern Sierra Research Station. A deposit of $500 is required to reserve your space. Reservations will be accepted after this time, as space permits. The balance is due

AIRFARE (not included): Airfare from Los Angeles should run between $450 and $800. It may be more expensive from departure points farther east in North America. Different carriers will be lowest at different times and prices fluctuate wildly.

PARTICIPANT LIMIT: Twelve plus leaders

GENERAL: This trip to Costa Rica is geared for those who want to get to know each area we visit and for those who want to see a wide diversity of areas of the country, yet go at a slow enough pace that it does not all become a blur. There will be time off most afternoons to sit by the pool (or river), read, write, or explore on your own. That's not to say that we won't see lots of birds; 300-400 species are expected. We will see lots of everything,...tinamous & anhingas, herons & egrets and other large waders, ibis & ducks, vultures & hawks, guans & quail, rails & shorebirds, gulls & terns (Well, not many of those!), pigeons & doves, parakeets & parrots, cuckoos & owls (and, maybe a potoo!), nightjars, swifts & hummingbirds (25-30 species of the latter, maybe more!), trogons & kingfishers, motmots & puffbirds, barbets & toucans, woodpeckers & woodcreepers. antshrikes & antwrens, antbirds & ant thrushes (a few), becards & tityras, manakins & flycatchers, swallows & jays, wrens & thrushes, vireos & warblers, blackbirds & orioles, euphonias & tanagers, saltators & grosbeaks, seedeaters & finches, brush finches & sparrows,...but not everything (Costa Rica has over 800 bird species!). Although there are no absolute guarantees, prior trips have turned up species including Great Currasow, Sunbittern, Black-and-white Owl, Turquoise Cotinga, Snowy Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Three-wattled Bellbird, Azure-hooded Jay, and Black-thighed Grosbeak. We will, of course, stop and enjoy the monkeys, armadillos, and sloths that cross our path as well. Because we will be out and about for two weeks plus, we are bound to see and experience much of what Costa Rica has to offer.

We will focus on five major locations in fifteen days and sample a wide variety of habitats at each location. Habitats will include: dry tropical forest, mangrove swamps, high mountain cloud and elfin forests, lowland Pacific-slope forest, lowland Atlantic-slope forest, and mid-elevation tropical rainforest. There will be an American leader, a Costa Rican leader, a Costa Rican youth leader, a driver, and a maximum of 12 participants. Local experts will be used as well at particular locations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Bob Barnes P.0. Box 953, Weldon, CA 93283.

Bob Barnes & Associates • PO Box 953, Weldon, CA 93283 • E-mail: Bob Barnes

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This page was last updated on Saturday, August 25, 2007