The Costa Rican weather in the first half of November may have tried its very best to thwart our ornithological endeavours but it failed. We began up at Arenal where the jungle provided a perfect introduction to the magic of birding here and even gave us such wonders as Umbrellabird, Black-and white Owls, Great Curassow and a host of colourful tanagers. The Celeste forests tested our resolve but gave us Motmots, Antbirds, Sloths and Toucans and even a Snowcap! Cano Negro was very wet indeed but we found our targets with scarce Crakes and Bitterns along with the Nicaraguan duo of Seedfinch and Grackle. Down to La Selva where an ant swarm gave us a trio of much desired Antbirds, plus Great Potoo and Crested Owls. while the fig trees were alive with birds such as Great Green and Caribbean Scarlet Macaws. The route to the wet Pacific coast gave us American Dippers and a host of new hummingbirds as well as bonus urban roadside Fiery billed Aracaris. We got fabulous views of Mangrove Hummingbird as well as Pacific Scarlet Macaws and even Lesser Nighthawks. We reached Savegre and it was as magical as ever with Quetzals, Hummingbirds, Chlorophonias, Volcano Juncos, Tanagers and a host of different Flycatchers. We even had Coyotes howling at the full moon and two roadside Baird’s Tapirs in daylight. Our last two days were spent at Quelitales, where the Scaled Antpitta showed well, Barred Parakeets whizzed overhead and Snowcaps danced.