Bocuare Birdwatching tour?

[Marie213]

Has anyone done a birdwatching tour from Puerto Limon? We are interested in seeing the birds in the wild. The ship tour goes to Bocuare wildliife preserve. I can't find any information about this place. Does anyone know where it is or anything about it? The description says we will walk across a hanging bridge, ride a wagon to the hummingbird garden, and see a colony of Boat Billed Herons. Thanks!

[judytata11]

I'm interested in this tour also... can anyone out there help us?

[birdergal]

My DH and I are planning on taking the shore excursion to Bocuare next month. Would love to have some feedback if anyone has done this. We enjoy birdwatching and hope to see some interesting ones. Actually spent a week in Costa Rica last June for this purpose.

[Marie213]

We plan on doing this excursion in March. I would love to hear about it when you get back, birdergal. You've already been to Costa Rica! This will be our first trip and we are really looking forward to it. We are also considering a birdwatching excursion through Shoretrips at Grand Cayman.

[birdergal]

Will be glad to fill you in when we return Marie213. Especially love the varieties of hummingbirds in Costa Rica. The Boat Billed Herons are also quite a sight to see. I was surprised that there was actually a shore excursion offered for bird watching. Hope it's a good one!

[Marie213]

Thanks, birdergal! I would really love to hear how the birdwatching excursion goes for you. I'll keep watching this thread for your return or you can start a new one with birds in the title and I'll find it! Have a great cruise! Marie213

[klingoncruiser]

We just got back on the Galaxy at Xmas and did this tour. The preserve is very close to Cahuita National Park. The drive takes only a little more than an hour and is VERY scenic. The preserve is very nicely done. The grounds are a mix of jungle, swamp and well groomed plantation. You stop at a large Palapa where you can have a pottie break and get something to drink and munch on. We were broken up into two groups of about 12 people each and off we went. Nice touch as it it hard to seem any birds in giant groups of people. (Ours started out walking, the other got driven to another site and started walking there) I would say that we saw about 25 species of birds in our group and about the same in the other. Some were very familiar (little green heron, black vulture) and others completly new. (Ani, Bananaquit, Northern Jacana, Ani, Toucan and many others) We then stoped for about 30+ minutes to sit and watch for humming birds. I saw at least three species on these. Boy are they hard to keep up with! We also stopped to look at a Two Toed Sloth (Got within about 6 feet of it! Boy are they neet close up.) and the everpresent Iguana. Then we headed to another palapa where we had a fruit snack and sat on top of a hill and looked out over the mountains of Coasta Rica and jungle. Finally they pried me out of the hammock and they showed us how they pressed Sugar Cane. I have had Sugar Cane before, but it was still a nice touch on the tour. Finally we wandered back to the main Palapa where they served us lunch and had some local dancers intertain us. This is one of the most laid back tours I think I have ever been on. We had plenty of time, never felt rushed and were sorry to leave. I would highly recomend this tour! I would go again in a heart beat! Any question, don't hesitate to ask.

[birdergal]

Thanks for all of the helpful info on this tour. I'm anxious to experience it myself. Did you visit the Boat Billed Heron Colony? Were there any monkeys in this reserve? I'm glad to hear you recommend this. It sounds like a lot of fun!

[klingoncruiser]

Hi birdergal. Sorry, but the boat billed herons are there only part to the year. I think he said that they are there only in the Spring and Summer. So, we did not see them. Also, this is a place that is a mix of cleared land, planted land and some forest reminants. So, there is no solid forest which means no monkeys. HOWEVER on the way there, you will pass through and area that has a troop of Howler Monkeys and you should stop for a quick look at them.

[birdergal]

Thanks Klingoncruiser. Now I'll be prepared to be disappointed that we won't be seeing the boat billed herons. We actually saw a couple last June when we were in Costa Rica and they were quite a unique bird. Was looking forward to seeing a colony of them. Also we had enjoyed seeing and especially hearing the howler monkeys on our trip. Hopefully we'll see the troop that you mentioned. If not, we are taking the Monkey Watch in Panama so should come across some there. We're really looking forward to our cruise. We leave for Miami 3 weeks from today! Happy New Year!!

[Marie213]

Thanks so much, Klingoncruiser, for describing this excursion for us! It definitely sounds like what we would like to do in Costa Rica. Thanks for letting us know the location. I'll look for it on the map now. I'm impressed that you would get to sit so long and watch the hummingbirds. It really must be a birder's tour! I can't wait to go. I wonder if the boat billed herons will be there by March 14?

[klingoncruiser]

ummm...... birdergal..... um...... The Monkey watch tour was the first tour we took in Panama 4 years ago. ( This was our 4th Xmas to do this cruise) and that tour was the worst I have ever been on. They "found" some white faced monkeys on an island. (Yeah right, they came down to be fed) and then we "found" some howlers in the tops of some trees. Oh did I forget to mention that they all take a nap at around noon? Sheese, what a rip off that was. Rush around in a boat with a crummy guide who I had to identify a Snail Kite to. Then back to a fancy club to do some shoping there. I have yet to find a really TOP NOTCH tour in Panama. I did the fishing thingy this year and did have the best tour I have taken there. We sat and watched a group of 3 howlers feeding in the top of some trees while we fished. Good luck on the monkey tour. I hope it has changed after we wrote the darn thing up and demanded our money back on it.

 

Just a note... We did Cahuita Nationa Park on our own one year and got there first thing in the morning. We had dozens of white faced monkeys in the trees overhead and saw several howlers as well. Later in the day, they had all moved on.

[birdergal]

Geez - Klingoncruiser. You're making me wonder if I should reconsider the Monkey Watch. There was actually a good review for it not too long ago under the Panama board. We've seen both types of monkeys close up on some of our other trips so this sounds like it may be a bit of a disappointment. Thanks for filling me in.

[lizalex]

Costa Rican tours are top notch. Bocuare is great. The guides did not rush us, had good spotting scopes and were knowledgeable. I felt as though I had sufficient time to 'watch' and to listen to the birds in addition to adding many new ones. We are letting the secret out!

 

I agree with Klingon about the monkies in Panama but being on Lake Gatun and seeing the hotel the tours depart from are great. The tour stinks if you have seen howlers awake! Enjoy the pier shopping in Panama especially the booths on the open dock beside the ship, which are actually located past the 'fancy' shops.

 

Have a great time in Bocuare and Panama.

[birdergal]

It's great to have a couple of good recommendations for the Bocuare trip. Looks like we made a good choice! Doesn't sound that way for the Monkey Watch in Panama. We've seen howler monkeys awake and "howling" before. Quite a sight! Is there any other wildlife to see on this trip besides monkeys, lizalex? How about birds?

[lizalex]

Have seen several different birds while on Gatun. I have enjoyed the Embera (sp) Indian tour so much I have taken it twice. From the lake, kites and frigate birds, from the canal there should be green parrots in the trees, toucans on starbourd in the forest and there is an area along the entrance before entering the locks to sometimes see crocodiles to port. This year we saw one swimming across the canal (prior to the locks) behind us. Panama is an interesting place to bird as many are brightly colored. I bought A Guide to the Birds of Panama by Robert S. Ridgely, John A. Gwynne which includes birding in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. It sure helped even though it can be hard to find and takes awhile to be shipped. Lake Gatun is beautiful; enjoy the ride and sites. Have fun, wish I could pack along with you. :)

[birdergal]

Thanks for the info lizalex. I'm getting very anxious! Only 11 days to go until our cruise!:)

[Marie213]

Yes, thanks so much lizalex for your information about this tour and the birds in Panama, too! I hope we are lucky and see as many different kinds of colorful birds, too. We will keep our eyes open for birds and animals while we pass through the locks. Thanks for that tip!

 

Have fun, birdergal. Only a few weeks for you. Let us know how your trip goes! We have to wait until March, boo hoo.

[birdergal]

JUst returned yesterday from our cruise to the Panama Canal. We did do the trip to Bocuare and klingoncruiser described it very well. I don't have a lot to add. Unfortunately it rained through our entire tour - I mean torrential downpours! That didn't stop them from taking us on the tour. My DH and I had taken raincoats and we were still completely drenched by the time we were done! We didn't see the variety of birds we were hoping for due to this, but still were able to see a few and enjoyed them. We didn't make a trip to the hummingbird garden - only saw one hummingbird on the trip. We also weren't shown how they press sugar cane. We did visit the boatbilled heron colony but there was only one there and we had to view it through a scope. It was very difficult to see.

 

We really enjoyed the lunch and the dancers. The scenery was very pretty even in the rain. My DH would love to go back there. Only bad aspect to the trip was the drive to Bocaure and back. The roads are in very bad condition. We were constantly driving around potholes (major craters). They drive all over the road trying to avoid these. Had some close calls a couple of times.

 

I would still highly recommend this tour. Just pray for a nice day!

 

If anyone has any more questions, feel free to ask.

[Marie213]

Thanks, birdergal for your report! I am so glad to hear back from you. We are signed up to do this tour in March. I do have a few questions for you. Do you think it rained on all of the tours from Limon that day or just where you happened to go?

 

What type of vehicle did you travel in? A bus or a van?

 

I'm worried that this tour will be cancelled from lack of interest. How many went on your tour? And did you hear of another tour that includes lots of birds/nature that might be a second choice?

 

Thanks so much!

[birdergal]

It rained in Limon from the time we docked until we left that evening, Marie213. Our guide said a cold front had moved down from Mexico which was causing the rain. I guess this is unusual because it is their summer - the dry season. The rainy season actually runs from around May to Nov. We spent a week in Costa Rica last June and only had one bad rainy day. It usually rained at night.

 

I don't think they cancelled any of the tours. I didn't hear anyone mention that it hadn't rained on theirs. On of our tablemates said they saw a group come back from the zipline and they were drenched and covered with mud. At least we were clean!

 

We only had 2 other couples in our group and traveled in a van. Our guide was Mariano and he was very proficient in indentifying the birds. We also had a very good driver. It's some of the other ones on the road that can make you a bit nervous.

 

Another couple we spoke with did a 10 hr excursion which included the Tortuguero Canal and the Aerial Tram and made a few other stops. I'm not sure what it was called. I have the Excursion brochure from the ship and it looks like it may be "Adventure In Costa Rica". They said they thoroughly enjoyed it, saw a lot of wildlife (they're not into birdwatching though so I'm not sure what they saw), and didn't get very wet.

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

[Marie213]

I'm so glad to hear that the tour wasn't cancelled. Hopefully, there will be a few others interested in seeing the birds on our cruise, too. Was the meal included in the tour price or extra? We eat no meat and so usually don't find much to eat at the provided lunches. Maybe we can bring some snacks to have. I'm getting so excited about seeing Costa Rica and Panama, of course.

[birdergal]

Yes, the meal was included in the price. Actually while we were walking the paths, we stopped at a shelter and had a snack of fresh fruits, hot chocolate, and juice. I'm not sure if they always offer hot chocolate or just did that because of the weather. It was very good. We had lunch at Bocuare also. They have an open-air dining area which is covered.We had a couple of small salads to begin with. I'm not sure what they were. One looked like coleslaw. Someone thought the other one was made from plantains. The main meal was a piece of chicken, rice and beans (very good and a large portion) and plantains (they tasted like sweet potatoes). It was pretty filling. I think you should have plenty to eat. You might mention to the guide that you don't eat meat. Maybe they'll give you bigger portions of the side dishes.

 

Hope this helps you out!

[Marie213]

Hi, again. Thanks for answering my questions. I thought I'd ask a question for someone on our roll call who is interested in this trip. Do you think this tour would be suitable for someone traveling alone with a walking difficulty? The brochure says there will be about 2 miles of walking. I'll pass on the info anyone who has been on this tour gives me. Thanks!

[birdergal]

I would say it might be a bit difficult for someone with a walking difficulty. It seemed rather hilly and the paths were a bit uneven. Also we crossed two hanging bridges which tend to move a lot when people are on them. Could be a bit of a balance problem.

 

You can see a variety of birds from the pavilion where we had lunch. Also the scenery is very pretty around it. We actually saw our toucan and hummingbird at this location. The pavilion is where you first arrive so no walking would be involved if they just wanted to stay there while the group walked the trails. Also they have wagons which drive you places. We were actually picked up from the trail and driven to the spot where we had our fruit and drinks (but I think we volunteered to do this instead of continuing on the trail because it was pouring). Maybe the person could get a ride on this wagon when they bring the snacks to this other location. It is on top of a hill though and involves a small climb but if I remember correctly, there were steps. The view from here is also very beautiful.

 

Hope this helps.