One of the most obvious attractions when visiting San Gerardo are the amazing varieties of birds – their resplendent plumage and captivating birdcall from dawn to dusk. I’ll never forget on the first trip seeing a neighbour’s bird feeder table piled high with bananas, and visiting every minute or two the scarlet and black tanagers with their equally beautiful but different mates, the “siete colores” – all azul blue, green, yellow, black white…and finches – yellow ones and budgerigar blue.

Another time we ran straight into an emerald toucan, sitting only a few feet above our heads in a tree in the Talamanca Reserve. It didn’t move – I was sure it was fake! Plastic or something! But after zapping photo after photo it leisurely took off and I was left with that “Ahhhhhhhhhhh” feeling – the one you get when you know you have just had an experience you’ll never forget.

Now I am here through the seasons I am able to observe the birds more thoroughly and get to know their feeding patterns; who’s around and who’s taken off. So a week ago, when a flock of parakeets landed on a fruit tree outside my kitchen window I felt I’d won the lottery! I should explain – for some reason I dote on parakeets – I call them paraquetes but the real name here is periquito (I just never learned it and the other one has stuck!). From my first visits flocks of sulpher-winged parakeets would fly over in early morning calling their unique parroty type song one to another as they found their favourite fruit trees. Then on one visit to San Jose my partner and I found scores of them in the parks and surrounding roofs of buildings – a bit like exotic pigeons! Their brilliant green and yellow plumage light up my day and to have them right outside my window is such a treat.

Toucans – they rob other nests of eggs and can attack small monkeys and other birds with no remorse. But they are indeed beautiful. A gang of them have been hanging out along the riverside outside my house for the past two months. Twice we also saw the Aracari – a yellow and red toucan with a bill to match his cousins but much taller and dramatic in his colourings.

Little birds – tanagers are like sparrows here, kiskadees – brilliant yellow underbody and distinctive calls, are common. There’s hummingbirds (colibris) of every colour that come in the house if you aren’t careful, and a pair of honeycreepers that visit regularly. The key of course is to share your fruit – bananas, plantain, oranges, mango and guayaba – as well as those tiny fruit I have no clue are worth eating but the birds love. This keeps the little birds coming back day after day.

Of course San Gerardo is also a great place to spot quetzals – especially in Cloudbridge Reserve (www.cloudbridge.org), Motmots perched majestically, Bellbirds, and hawks (gavilan) of many varieties. The abundance of insects means that carpinteros (woodpeckers) are easy to spot and the rivers have kingfishers and swallows. I hope some keen ornithologists will add to this list – and I encourage you to visit the website of Glenn Bartley (www.glennbartley.com) who spent considerable time here in San Gerardo photographing the birds with fabulous results.

Tour guides in San Gerardo are prepared to lead individuals or groups wanting to bird-watch and photograph. Whether you want to take on a strenuous hike to encounter birds of the cloud forest, or want to identify all the colourful birds of riverside and finca, your holiday will be enhanced with a knowledgeable guide. Contact us here to help you arrange your visit!