30 January 2026

I’m at home now in Pittsburgh after nine full days of birding in Costa Rica with Road Scholar. What a trip and what great friends we became! Today I’ll show you a few of our activities. In the days ahead I’ll describe the birds, mammals and much more. But first …

Special thanks to our Road Scholar guide Erick Guzman for his excellent leadership and for finding so many special birds for us to enjoy. Also a big thank you to our driver Chicho who carried us safely on all types of roads in northern Costa Rica and twice over the Continental Divide!

Every day (except one) the weather was hot — definitely short-sleeves-and-sandals. Here we stopped for gasoline and a group photo on our way from the Pacific to Atlantic watersheds and Caño Negro. (Sandy is taking the photo so she’s not in it.)

We traveled by bus …

… by boat …

… and on foot. (here: after a downpour on the rainforest SkyWalk at Arenal)

We learned from local experts about restoration of the land, the habitats and endangered species. Here Edwin tells us about the restoration of the land at Canto del Rio. The bird-filled forest behind us grew back in only 20 years.

Every evening we stopped to review the day and update our paper checklist. Erick also shared his eBird checklists to us.

We had three excellent photographers in the group. Our guide, Erick Guzman

… Iris Winslow from Port Angeles, WA.

and Gary Levinson-Palmer from northern California who used his Pixel 10 cellphone at 48x zoom(!)

It was a great and unforgettable experience.

Yesterday my trip home to Pittsburgh took almost 24 hours with an 11.5 hour layover in Miami airport(*). Today I woke up to brilliant sunshine, the remains of 12″ of snow and -8°F (-22°C).

I’ll be catching up on my sleep today … as I did during a break at La Selva Biological Station 😉

What a great trip with Road Scholar Birding in Northern Costa Rica. New friends, new birds, and a renewed appreciation for Costa Rica.

Until we meet again, my friends, Pura Vida!

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(*) My journey home: Yesterday I was awake almost 24 hours. Got up at 2:00am to leave Costa Rica; got home this morning at 1:30am. No travel difficulties, just the airlines sweeping up the remnants of cancellations and major delays caused by Winter Storm Fern at the beginning of this week.