Patrick O’Donnell is the author of "How to See, Identify, and Find Birds in Costa Rica", and an invaluable birding identification app. Robert Dean is the illustrator of "The Birds of Costa Rica, a Field Guide" the premier book on Costa Rican birds.
While we have had different guides in the various parts of the country, Patrick O’Donnell is our main guide and we always count on him to be there for us.
Patrick is a serious expert when it comes to the World of Birding in Costa Rica and in the world. Patrick has been our guide for the last 10 years. Part magician and part biologist, Patrick is truly an expert at spotting and identifying the 900+ species in Costa Rica.
His ability to identify birds, not only by sight, but also by their song continually leaves us stunned.
On his website, he tells us a little bit about himself. This from a posting quite a few years ago:
"After several visits to Costa Rica since 1992, I finally moved here. I am recently married to a Tica I have known since 1994. Any day now, we will have our first daughter! Although It will be her decision, I will try my best to raise a kung-fu practicing birder like myself."
After you have visited our BCCR Adventure pages, we are sure you will want to also know more about this very special guide and the work he is doing. If you are interested in knowing all there is to know about where to go in Costa Rica to see birds, look for his book How to See, Identify, and Find Birds in Costa Rica
To visit his website, go to:
http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/
Essential to our birding experience is The Birds of Costa Rica written by Richard Garrigues and illustrated by Robert Dean. This is the book that we use at the end of each birding trip to compile the list of birds we have seen and heard.
In addition to the Birds of Costa Rica, Robert Dean has published bird books on birds from many other parts of the Americas.
It is always a special privilege when we have Robert accompanying us on one of our trips.
Rainforest Publications tells us a bit more about him:
"After a successful music career Robert Dean moved from England and has been living in Costa Rica since the early 1990s.
At that time he was relatively new to birding but took to it with a passion and learned to express that passion through art.
Robert is currently undertaking a new book on the Birds of Costa Rica, "Birds of Costa Rica". He has completed over 1600 illustrations for the book. He believes that to do the birds justice, it is imperative that they are observed in the field, which he endeavors to do at every opportunity. His Costa Rica birdsighting list stands at over 756 species.
Robert resides in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Robert has illustrated several bird guides for Rainforest Publications."
The Birds of Costa Rica
A Field Guide
Illustrated by Robert Dean