Cusinga, Birdwatching at Marino Ballena National Park

Cusinga - easily recognized by the black square spot on its breast

Birdwatching at Marino Ballena National Park and surrounding areas is an excellent activity for everyone!

Do not forget to bring your binoculars and cameras!

The ancient Egyptians represented feathered animals in their hieroglyphics. Biologists and naturalists worldwide were revolutionized in 1815 when a young Austrian named Voigtlander designed the first binoculars, introducing us to those beautiful animals with fascinating songs, colors, and behaviors.

A stay place perfect for birdwatchers

The grounds of Hotel Cristal Ballena and the Costa Ballena area are highly productive for birdwatching, with over 400 species of birds reported in the region, including some unique regional endemics. The hotel's location, nestled between the humid tropical forests at the foothills of the Fila Costeña mountains and the Pacific coastline, creates an excellent environment for observing forest and marine birdlife. Spanning 30 acres, Hotel Cristal Ballena is designed as a nature park, featuring abundant trees, a rainforest, and a nearby ecosystem, all supporting various bird species.

The boutique hotel reserve is home to more than 250 species of birds, and the range is more extensive when visiting the local birding hotspots. Local hotspots include the Marino Ballena National Park, especially for sea and shorebirds, and the Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands, home to the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird and the Yellow-billed Cotinga.

Birdwatching at Marino Ballena National Park

Anyone who has spent even a single day in Costa Ballena knows about the incredible variety of birds that inhabit the area. The diversity is astounding, from large to small, colorful to drab, and predators to prey. The cumulative total from all Christmas bird counts in the region amounts to 488 species, about half the number of bird species found in the United States and Canada combined.

By Christmas, all migratory species from North America have arrived in Costa Ballena. Many birders visit the area annually, especially from December to March, when the bird population is at its peak, along with an influx of birdwatchers.

Birdwatching and Ornithology at Marino Ballena National Park are worthy of reverence. In a three-hour walk, we can observe and listen to over 50 species.

We find handsome scarlet macaws, blue herons, frigate birds, and kingfishers of different colors and sizes near our beautiful beaches. We also see cormorants, bald red-lored parrots, laughing falcons, yellow-headed caracaras, and hummingbirds.

When we go up the Coastal Mountains on horseback, as we enter the lush forests, the temperature drops, and we find ourselves admiring the beautiful Laty-tailed trogon, the Pale-billed woodpecker, Cusingas, endemic of the South of Costa Rica and the West of Panama; also chestnut-mandibled toucans, and king vultures. Nearby, we hear the howler monkeys and the sound of clear water falling into natural pools; a funny white-nosed coati crosses our path, and then suddenly, the view opens over the “Whale´s Tail.”

Ballena Tales is an essential free digital magazine in Costa Rica, valid for travelers, residents, and investors covering Costa Ballena in the Canton of Osa in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. It is a fully bilingual, bi-monthly, and full-color digital magazine.

The magazine introduces the reader to the life of the local community, with interviews of pioneers, writers, and artists, as well as extensive information on restaurants, hotels, experiences, natural attractions, and wildlife of the South Pacific of Costa Rica.

We are not just a magazine; each edition (print and digital) is linked to a robust web platform; the editions are published online, and the advertorials are included in our blog and the brand in the commercial directory. We also add links to the advertising company's website and social networks. At this time, the openings of digital publications in all their expressions exceed 80 thousand openings, and the advertised brands have a global reach.

We have a loyal audience of over 8,000 readers in the South Pacific's Costa Ballena region who will view your news in each printed edition.

We prioritize our readers' satisfaction by delivering a variety of engaging content while showcasing the value of our advertisers' brands.

Buho ps

KURA^DENKA, the Footprint of the Jaguar

Melvin González Rojas (Kamel), alias KURA^DENKA, is a member of the Boruca community and the Commission for the Heritage of these indigenous peoples. He is a notable artist who stands out for his masterful carvings and his expressive and colorful paintings. He is a Boruca Major’s son who was a prominent educator, painter, and mask sculptor. Kamel has participated in different exhibitions, including the Art and Theater Festivals, the Festival de las Spheres, the National Theater, the Costa Rican Art Museum, and the Expotural in Madrid, Spain.

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LA PALAPA RESTAURANT

LA PALAPA RESTAURANT AUTHOR: Dagmar Reinhard Guillermo Saenz, alias Memo, is Chef at “La Palapa Restaurant”, Hotel Cuna del Ángel. Chef Memo has a long history as a gastronome, trained in Spain and Italy. He […]

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15 CR3 paolo 132

Everyone Has A Story

Everyone Has A Story – In 2012, one of my yoga students invited me to join her for an upcoming retreat she had planned. She was in a difficult position because her “Exercise Person” couldn’t join her, and she wanted me to go to complete her team. I asked her when and where this retreat would be happening. She replied, “Next week, in Costa Rica.”

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SURF SEASON ON THE BALLENA COAST

SURF SEASON ON THE BALLENA COAST

Much like our summer and winter seasons change, the seasons of big surf also changes. The summer months of hot sunny days are gone for now, and a more wet, stormy, and cooler season brings more gifts. Many refer to this wet season as “the green season.” As a surfer, I refer to it as “ the surf season.”

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RAFAEL STEYNERS HAS THE RHYTHM IN HIS BLOOD!

RAFAEL STEYNERS HAS THE RHYTHM IN HIS BLOOD!

Rafael Steyners was born in the land of the famous “Guajira Guantanamera”, in the picturesque valley of the city of Guantánamo, located in the Province of Guantánamo south of the Caimán Dormido, the beautiful island of Cuba.
At the age of three, Rafael danced and sang to the sound of a portable radio. His mother smiled when she saw him but she never gave it much importance, since another plan was in the works since then. She would rather see him become a doctor than an artist from stage to stage.

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The rain on a leaf

DANCING IN THE RAIN

Most tourists are scared off by the prospect of the rain, even though we have almost guaranteed bright blue skies and sunshine, until at least noon, all year long.
This is the time of year that we are more likely to travel, with less traffic and better deals in hotels, tours, and shopping specials all over the country.

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Dare to Discover and Enjoy…

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Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134