BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:cdbec1ce5cd3a3ed2ae95617b27328e4 CATEGORIES:Central America CREATED:20170802T115453 SUMMARY:Costa Rica DESCRIPTION: We invite you to explore Costa Rica’s scenic network of national parks and wildlife preserves from lowland rain forest to the northernmost páramo—or tropical alpine zone—in Central America. A population of nearly 100 Scarlet Macaws inhabits Carara National Park. Carara is also the home of Baird’s T rogons, Fiery-billed Araçaris, Orange-collared Manakins, and perhaps the fi nest lowland birding in the entire country. At our accommodations adjacent to Carara our groups are frequently treated to Scarlet Macaws flying overhe ad to roost in the late afternoon. High on the Cordillera Talamanca the Río Savegre has emerged as a reliable location for the Resplendent Quetzal. Pa st groups have had saturation looks of these fabulous birds, reputedly the most beautiful species in the Western Hemisphere. Aside from quetzals, at t he Río Savegre we’ll also search for handsome little Flame-throated Warbler s, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatchers, and elusive Wrenthrushes (or Zeledonias). Across the continental divide, Rancho Naturalista is located in the foothi lls on the southern Caribbean slope. Overlooking the Tuis River Valley, the lodge has earned a reputation as the best location in Costa Rica to see a Snowcap, a deep purple little hummingbird with a white crown and a white ta il. It is just one of 15 species of hummingbirds that exploit the Rancho’s feeders and lush plantings. Other birds we may encounter at Rancho Naturali sta include Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, Brown-billed Scythebill, Tawny-ches ted Flycatcher, White-ruffed and White-collared Manakins, and the stunning velvet black-and-crimson red Passerini’s Tanager (half of the former “Scarl et-rumped Tanager” complex). While at the Rancho we’ll also enjoy the thron gs of birds patronizing the fruit and rice feeders at sunrise. Great cookin g combined with great birding makes the Rancho the perfect base for explori ng the bird-rich foothill zone of the Cordillera Central. Some 400 species of birds are known from La Selva field station in the lowland Caribbean rai n forest, including Great Tinamou, Great Potoo, Long-tailed Tyrant, Gartere d (Violaceous) Trogon, and the beautiful Snowy Cotinga. Many of our groups at La Selva have been rewarded with views of both King Vulture and Great Gr een Macaw. At the Monteverde Cloud Forest, the “Blue-throated” subspecies o f Emerald Toucanets have to compete for attention at this Quaker sanctuary with a rainbow of hummingbirds and gorgeous array of orchids and tree ferns . Including the jewels at Monteverde, past groups have seen a total of over 30 species of hummingbirds along this route. Mealy Parrots, Chestnut-mandi bled Toucans, Blue-crowned Motmots, and graceful ballets performed by group s of Swallow-tailed Kites are just a few other examples of the bird riches we can expect on our trip to this enchanting Central American democracy. Ap proximately 880 species occur here, more than are found in all the United S tates, Canada, and Alaska combined—although little Costa Rica is only about the land area of two Arizona counties. Mammals we will look for include th ree kinds of monkeys, Coatis, Kinkajous, Agouti, Collared Peccaries, two di fferent sloths, Southern River Otters, and possibly Tamandua—the Saddle-bac k Anteater. Ungainly Iguanas are common in the lowlands and American Crocod iles are almost certain near Carara. Approximately 12 percent of Costa Rica has been dedicated to their National Park system, twice the amount protect ed in the United States. Our tour has been deliberately set during the “off -season” for tourists, when temperatures are 10-15°F cooler than the windy dry season that corresponds to the North American spring. Many of the resid ent tropical birds will still be breeding and others will be feeding newly fledged young. Our beautiful accommodations vary from backcountry lodges ad jacent to parks designed for ecology groups like ours, to modern hotels wit h full amenities. \nLeaders: Carlos "Charlie" Gómez (index.php?option=com_c ontent&view=article&id=16:carlos-gomez-nieto&catid=18:leaders-a nd-staff&Itemid=155) & John Yerger (index.php?option=com_content&am p;view=article&id=29:john-yerger&catid=18:leaders-and-staff&Ite mid=155) (index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:rick-tayl or&catid=18:leaders-and-staff&Itemid=155)\nCost of Costa Rica inclu des all accommodations, all meals, all transportation, and all entrances be ginning and ending in San José, Costa Rica—$4495.\nPhoto:  Red-eyed Tree Fr og\nPhoto by:  Rick Taylor\n (index.php?option=com_joomgallery&view=cat egory&catid=13&Itemid=169)\nView Photo Gallery (index.php?option=co m_joomgallery&view=category&catid=13&Itemid=169) X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Red-eyed Tree Frog. Photo by Rick Taylor. Copyright <strong>Borderland Tours</strong>. All rights reserved. We invite you to explore Costa Rica’s sce nic network of national parks and wildlife preserves from lowland rain fore st to the northernmost páramo—or tropical alpine zone—in Central America. A population of nearly 100 Scarlet Macaws inhabits Carara National Park. Car ara is also the home of Baird’s Trogons, Fiery-billed Araçaris, Orange-coll ared Manakins, and perhaps the finest lowland birding in the entire country . At our accommodations adjacent to Carara our groups are frequently treate d to Scarlet Macaws flying overhead to roost in the late afternoon. High on the Cordillera Talamanca the Río Savegre has emerged as a reliable locatio n for the Resplendent Quetzal. Past groups have had saturation looks of the se fabulous birds, reputedly the most beautiful species in the Western Hemi sphere. Aside from quetzals, at the Río Savegre we’ll also search for hands ome little Flame-throated Warblers, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatchers, and elus ive Wrenthrushes (or Zeledonias). Across the continental divide, Rancho Nat uralista is located in the foothills on the southern Caribbean slope. Overl ooking the Tuis River Valley, the lodge has earned a reputation as the best location in Costa Rica to see a Snowcap, a deep purple little hummingbird with a white crown and a white tail. It is just one of 15 species of hummin gbirds that exploit the Rancho’s feeders and lush plantings. Other birds we may encounter at Rancho Naturalista include Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, Br own-billed Scythebill, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, White-ruffed and White-col lared Manakins, and the stunning velvet black-and-crimson red Passerini’s T anager (half of the former “Scarlet-rumped Tanager” complex). While at the Rancho we’ll also enjoy the throngs of birds patronizing the fruit and rice feeders at sunrise. Great cooking combined with great birding makes the Ra ncho the perfect base for exploring the bird-rich foothill zone of the Cord illera Central. Some 400 species of birds are known from La Selva field sta tion in the lowland Caribbean rain forest, including Great Tinamou, Great P otoo, Long-tailed Tyrant, Gartered (Violaceous) Trogon, and the beautiful S nowy Cotinga. Many of our groups at La Selva have been rewarded with views of both King Vulture and Great Green Macaw. At the Monteverde Cloud Forest, the “Blue-throated” subspecies of Emerald Toucanets have to compete for at tention at this Quaker sanctuary with a rainbow of hummingbirds and gorgeou s array of orchids and tree ferns. Including the jewels at Monteverde, past groups have seen a total of over 30 species of hummingbirds along this rou te. Mealy Parrots, Chestnut-mandibled Toucans, Blue-crowned Motmots, and gr aceful ballets performed by groups of Swallow-tailed Kites are just a few o ther examples of the bird riches we can expect on our trip to this enchanti ng Central American democracy. Approximately 880 species occur here, more t han are found in all the United States, Canada, and Alaska combined—althoug h little Costa Rica is only about the land area of two Arizona counties. Ma mmals we will look for include three kinds of monkeys, Coatis, Kinkajous, A gouti, Collared Peccaries, two different sloths, Southern River Otters, and possibly Tamandua—the Saddle-back Anteater. Ungainly Iguanas are common in the lowlands and American Crocodiles are almost certain near Carara. Appro ximately 12 percent of Costa Rica has been dedicated to their National Park system, twice the amount protected in the United States. Our tour has been deliberately set during the “off-season” for tourists, when temperatures a re 10-15°F cooler than the windy dry season that corresponds to the North A merican spring. Many of the resident tropical birds will still be breeding and others will be feeding newly fledged young. Our beautiful accommodation s vary from backcountry lodges adjacent to parks designed for ecology group s like ours, to modern hotels with full amenities. 

Leaders: Carlos "Charlie " Gómez & John Yerger

Cost of  Costa Rica includes all accommodations, all meals, all transportat ion, and all entrances beginning and ending in San José, Costa Rica— $4495.

Photo:  Red-ey ed Tree Frog
Photo by:  Rick Taylor

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DTSTAMP:20260506T043929 DTSTART;TZID=America/Phoenix;VALUE=DATE:20180701 DTEND;TZID=America/Phoenix;VALUE=DATE:20180714 SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR