Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 3

Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue.

As 2008 Birder of the Year, Connie Kogler of Loveland, Colo., received a Swarovski 8x32 EL binocular and an expenses-paid five-day trip for two to Costa Rica with Swarovski and WildBird hosts. She also received a Swarovski squall jacket as well as “The Songs of Wild Birds” by Lang Elliott and the fifth edition of “Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America,” provided by Houghton Mifflin.

Connie, her husband Al, Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik and I flew to Costa Rica in early June to bird for four days with Clay's Costa Rican colleague, Alex Villegas. Aided by our driver, Rafael, we covered a fair bit of ground starting on June 10.

After our refreshing stop at Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve on Wednesday afternoon, we drove to nearby La Selva Biological Station to explore the road that leads into the property. Originally a farm, the private biological station began operating in 1968 and typically receives more than 13 feet of rain throughout the year. Thirteen feet!


We leisurely strolled down the gravel road, absorbing the lush flora and the incredible birds. Much to Al's pleasure, we saw a nice trio of woodpeckers: Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker. We spied some juvenile Northern Barred-Woodcreepers, flamboyant Green Honeycreeper and zippy Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds.


Amid the excellent birds -- including Olive-backed Euphonia and Clay-colored Robin -- I enjoyed the extravagant vegetation. Can someone put a name to the silvery-green leaves above?


Those aren't levitating pieces of leaves above. Leafcutter ants are carrying those fragments back to their nest. The leaves provide food for the fungus that sustains the ants. I love watching the trails of farmer-insects as they carry leaves for what must seem like m-i-l-e-s. Here's a quick National Geographic video of them in action.


We ventured onto the station's grounds, spying Black-cowled Oriole, Bananaquit, Variable Seedeater and Gray-capped Flycatcher. Then we began walking this paved path...


where Rafael found a Black-throated Trogon. Our first day included two trogons -- excellent! What delights would we find on Thursday, when we joined a guide and explored more of La Selva?

Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 2

Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue.

As 2008 Birder of the Year, Connie Kogler of Loveland, Colo., received a Swarovski 8x32 EL binocular and an expenses-paid five-day trip for two to Costa Rica with Swarovski and WildBird hosts. She also received a Swarovski squall jacket as well as “The Songs of Wild Birds” by Lang Elliott and the fifth edition of “Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America,” provided by Houghton Mifflin.

Connie, her husband Al, Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik and I flew to Costa Rica in early June to bird for four days with Clay's Costa Rican colleague, Alex Villegas. Aided by our driver, Rafael, we covered a fair bit of ground starting on June 10.

After our successful outing with Alex Martinez to find Great Green Macaws, we climbed into the trusty Kia Bongo III and drove toward Chilamate, site of Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve next to Rio Sarapiqui.


See the white sign for the Costa Rican Bird Route? It's a relatively new venture -- a collaboration between Corredor Biologico San Juan-La Selva, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Rainforest Biodiversity Group -- that connects 12 sites, six long-established lodges/biological stations and six newer reserves owned by local landowners.


This mural decorates the reception area. Oh, those of us who must have Internet access can visit a computer room near the lobby, and wireless access also is available in the reception area and the bar. Walking from the lobby toward the bar and restaurant, we passed courtyards like this...


and interesting heliconia species like this: Heliconia vellerigera, common name "she kong." That looks kinda surreal, no?


We also passed a lounging iguana or two. It doesn't look like it's going anywhere, does it? Maybe it ate a few too many bananas.


I got such a kick out of the room key. How often do you get to carry a Violaceous Trogon in your pocket?


We ate a tasty and filling buffet lunch at the lodge's restaurant, joined by Andrea Holbrook, whose family created the lodge in the mid-1980s. She introduced us to Andrew Rothman, director of Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center, and Raquel Gomez Ramirez, Costa Rican Bird Route coordinator. We enjoyed a lovely chat and spied some howler monkeys across the river before leaving the center to continue our quest for more avian delights.

Birdseed tax to help wildlife habitat?

Can a 10 percent tax on birdseed raise enough money to save sizable habitat for birds and the birders who enjoy watching/finding them?

A recent article in Sherwood Gazette in Oregon discusses House Bill 3303, recently withdrawn but still considered a viable option by Rep. Chris Garrett and Scott Lukens, owner of multiple Backyard Bird Shops and former board member of Audubon Society of Portland.

More than 50 percent of Lukens’ sales come from birdseed, and he figures the tax would raise $150,000 from those sales alone.

Lukens realizes that without birds he wouldn’t have a business. “Birds don’t just stay in my back yard. They move around. We need to think about their habitat. We need to think about our children and their children,” he says.

What do you think? Would you pay more to feed the birds on your property if it meant that the birds also could find hospitable habitat away from your property?

The article raises the habitat contributions by hunters and fishermen.

Money derived from hunting and fishing licenses provides the bulk of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s budget. Yet 88 percent of the species the agency is charged with protecting are non-game critters.

“Less than 2 percent of the ODFW budget goes to those species,” Sallinger says. “Hunters and anglers have said for years they were contributing more than their fair share of the budget and they have a point.”

Sallinger began to wonder why birders weren’t “putting their money where their binoculars were,” especially at a time when bird populations are declining.

Many birders think likewise. What do you think?

Outdoor cats and wild birds: a video discussion

Many birders know that pet cats allowed to roam outdoors as well as feral cats often prey on wild birds. Information from various sources, such as National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy, reinforce the negative effect that outdoor cats have on native wildlife. The topic's been a lightning rod for decades and likely will remain so, because humans place different priorities on domesticated cats and wild birds.

Cat Fancy - a monthly national magazine focused on responsible pet care - advocates indoor-only cats. Susan Logan, the editor, invited me to join her in a video discussion about wild birds and outdoor cats. We talked about various aspects of the situation, including trap-neuter-release programs and the effectiveness of TNR.

You'll find the video here, and I'm curious about your reactions to it.

Also, how would you reply to someone who says "We love the birds but the cats have to eat also"? Do you talk about this topic with friends and relatives who allow their pet cats to roam outdoors?

Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 1

Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue.

As 2008 Birder of the Year, Connie Kogler of Loveland, Colo., received a Swarovski 8x32 EL binocular and an expenses-paid five-day trip for two to Costa Rica with Swarovski and WildBird hosts. She also received a Swarovski squall jacket as well as “The Songs of Wild Birds” by Lang Elliott and the fifth edition of “Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America,” provided by Houghton Mifflin.

Connie, her husband Al, Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik and I flew to Costa Rica in early June to bird for four days with Clay's Costa Rican colleague, Alex Villegas. Aided by our driver, Rafael, we covered a fair bit of ground starting on June 10.


From my window seat, I could see the sunrise as our 12:30 a.m. flight from Denver approached San Jose (SJO). Connie, Al and I flew south on the same plane, making it easy for Clay, Alex and Rafael to collect us and begin our adventure. In the trusty Kia Bongo III, we emerged from morning traffic and traveled northeast through Braulio Carrillo National Park before stopping for breakfast.


The delicious buffet included fresh fruit and filling vittles that revived our sleep-deprived bodies. Then we began birding in the parking lot of course! I enjoyed peeks at Palm Tanager, Tropical Kingbird, Blue-gray Tanager and Social Flycatcher before we piled in and continued on the highway.


In Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, we stopped at Posada Andrea Cristina to collect Alex Martinez, a dynamic and energetic fellow. Alex told us about his work to conserve trees for Great Green Macaws and led us to a site where we might see the endangered parrots.


Along the road, we stopped to look more closely at Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Orange-chinned Parakeet and the long, hanging nests built by Montezuma Oropendola. Such a cool species with its two-toned bill.


Then we trooped off into the fresh green land to see if we could find some macaws. During our quest, we also spied Tropical Pewee, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Thick-billed Seed-Finch...


Piratic Flycatcher, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Blue-black Grassquit, Passerini's Tanager, Groove-billed Ani, Great Kiskadee, White-winged Becard, Violaceous Trogon... and then


Alex found a tree (not above) in which many macaws were feeding. Oh my word! I soaked in good looks at three elusive creatures as they maneuvered through the branches. A sudden commotion sent the birds into the air -- four away from us and four across our field of view. What magnificent colorful parrots!

Thrilled with our luck, we also spied Masked Tityra and enjoyed a little more time with Alex Martinez before resuming our journey. Different habitat and new species awaited us!

Is birding still under the radar as noteworthy ecotourism?

This article in Florida Today -- "Ecotourism economics: Brevard's natural attraction comes cheap, but it sure boosts the economy" -- cites various ecotourism companies that lure visitors and their disposal income.


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The article doesn't, however, appear to mention the only reason that I'm familiar with Brevard County: the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival. Attendees came from 37 states, and almost 1,180 individuals registered for field trips, workshops, seminars, keynote speeches and kayaking tours.

Each year, the festival organizers prepare an after-event report that focuses on the festival attendees' economic impact. The report states, on page 5:

PRÆCIOIO EFS estimates the impact of SCBWF activities on Brevard County, during the 2009 event, to be $996,679 in sales output, equivalent to the creation of 14.2 full and/or part-time jobs. Additionally, about $386,000 in labor income was generated, and over $104,000 in government tax revenues were accrued.

Not bad for an event that focuses on birds, right?

If you work on a birding festival, do you trumpet its economic impact to local media and government agencies?

Why not allow airplane passengers to bring small beverages on board?

Have you encountered this scenario? At the boarding gate in San Jose, Costa Rica, airport personnel conducted a second screening and prohibited liquids, such as coffee cups and water bottles. That's a first. It didn't make sense, as I had to discard a mocha and a bottle of water before walking onto the plane on Sunday morning.

Today, I sent an inquiry to U.S. Airways customer relations staff and wrote:

I travel often and, after going through the x-ray security checkpoint, sometimes purchase bottled water or another beverage to drink on the plane or fill a water bottle at a water fountain. Why would the gate staff prohibit beverages from entering the plane? Why make us depend on the flight attendants to remain hydrated during the five-hour flight? Thank you in advance for explaining that policy.

The airline replied this afternoon: "In response to your question, it may have had to due with weight and balance of the aircraft. If the load master indicates that extra items such as drinks are asked to be discarded they are."

Drinks, such as water bottles and in-hand coffee beverages, can affect the weight and balance of the aircraft?? It still doesn't make sense.

Ornithology world loses L.A. icon Kenneth E. Stager

From Los Angeles Times:

Kenneth E. Stager, emeritus senior curator of ornithology and mammalogy at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, has died. He was 94.

Stager, a West Los Angeles resident, died of age-related causes May 13 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said his wife, Erika. [Below, he holds a wombat.]

"To me, it's like the end of an era in that he really personified the period during which the major collections of birds and mammals were amassed through expeditionary collecting," said Kimball Garrett, the museum's ornithology collections manager. ...

Stager's greatest and most enduring contribution to the museum and to the fields of ornithology and mammalogy, according to the museum, "was the substantial acceleration of expeditionary collecting work under his curatorial supervision."

He organized or participated in numerous major, privately sponsored expeditions, including trips to Barranca del Cobre and Islas Tres Marias, in Mexico; Queensland, Australia; Brazil; India; east Africa; Clipperton Island and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific; and the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

During his 1958 trip to Clipperton Island, 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, Stager succeeded in eliminating the feral pigs that had devastated the tiny atoll and collected a specimen of the South American cuckoo bird (Coccyzus melacoryphus), which was the first to be taken in North America.

The specimens Stager collected during his heyday from the 1940s through the '70s have been invaluable to researchers, Garrett said.

"Many of the collections he made are in areas that have seen large-scale deforestation or other habitat change, and therefore, he's left us with a really irreplaceable record of how things used to be," Garrett said.

Thank you very much, Mr. Stager.

Do you write about a nearby birding festival for local media?

Birding festivals do more than bring birders together for field trips and camaraderies. The events infuse the local economy with dollars spent on lodging, food and often gasoline. Festivals also give birders a chance to tout this hobby/sport/lifestyle to the mainstream public.


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The Jamestown Sun ran two articles yesterday that mention the Potholes & Prairie Birding Festival, occurring now. Those articles (one is hidden by a registration screen) were collected into a Google news alert and disseminated to anyone who registered for alerts with pertinent keywords -- like "bird" and "birding" -- so the potential eyeballs on those articles extends beyond the Sun's readership.

Does a festival occur near you? Do you contact the local newspaper and television stations to ask if they received word of the event? Do you offer to help with information provided by the festival organizers? In essence, are you a birding ambassador?

World Environment Day: June 5

Every year on June 5, World Environment Day tries to focus attention on the environment while encouraging us to take action. On a personal level, you'll find Daily Do Something Tips that touch on your home, your commute to/from work and your workday habits.

You'll also find 12 Steps to Unite to Combat Climate Change, an alphabet of tips and ideas, 17 videos and photo galleries that include birds.

Are you celebrating World Environment Day this Friday, or do you already celebrate the environment every day with via choices similar to the Do Something tips? Enjoy your world, and go birding!

Tufted Puffins return to Oregon nest site

From an Associated Press article:

A pair of tufted puffins is nesting on Elephant Rock off Bandon for the first time since 2001.

"Local puffin watchers are really excited to see these birds return," said Dave Ledig, South Coast refuge manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It is unofficially thought of as Bandon's official bird. A local lounge is even named after it.

More than a dozen pairs regularly nested on the rock formation during the 1970s and '80s. It is believed that foxes may have been partly to blame for their absence in more recent years-along with changing climate conditions and additional city lights at night.

Fish and Wildlife Service studies indicate Oregon's tufted puffin population has declined by about 75 percent over the past 20 years.

Last season, about a dozen birds were spotted on the rocky formations on the Bandon coast, but it was not apparent if the those birds were nesting. Elephant Rock is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds' profile for Tufted Puffin appears here.

Photo courtesy of Mike Boylan/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service