Workshops
Fiona's a Costa Rican wildlife expert of 30 years, offering an authoritative experience like no other.
Not content with a day visit? Perhaps you'd like to join Fiona and other international experts on one of the themed bioblitzes or workshops below. Still looking for something a little different? Don't hesitate at all to contact us to organize something a little more bespoke, from night walks to a themed tour of your own.
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Herpetile Blitz 3
January 8-15, 2024
Our THIRD herp blitz with the amazing TWAN LEENDERS! We will explore the river, low forest and upland forest in search of reptiles and amphibians. On previous trips we have recorded over 50 species, including 6 species of glass frogs! We will visit Culebra Creek, Bothrops Beach and Glass Frog Alley, all of which have provided us with good diversity of species. We will take two day trips, most ikely to Wilson Botanical Gardens and the Finca Bellavista treehouses. We will spend our last night in Sierpe, in a hotel overlooking the vast Terraba estuary, and later to go out with Raby Nuñez of sierpefrogs. This allows us to see an even greater variety of species. Free time for swimming is allowed too!
Cost: $1,750 US per person, shared accommodations.
Leader: Twan Leenders, author, photographer, leading herpetologist for Costa Rica. Co-led and organized by Fiona Reid.
Sorry, this workshop is sold out for 2024
Les: Any trip to the wildlife paradise that is Sylvan will leave you wanting more. From glass frogs and party lizards, to fer-de-lance and poison dart frogs, the 2023 herp trip with Fiona and Twan was a blast. Over 50 species of amphibians and reptiles were observed, but that’s only the beginning. We saw many birds, bats, monkeys, and insects while hiking the many trails in the area. Highlights of the trip were Glass Frog Alley, Culebra Creek trail, and of course swimming in the waterfall pool with the biting fish (a must for every visitor to Sylvan).
Bridget: I was a total newbie to Costa Rica and to ecotourism when I joined a herp blitz at Sylvan in January 2023. What a fantastic time I had! Fiona and Twan were fabulous and very knowledgeable and the food was amazing! I cannot say enough good things about my stay and plan on returning as soon as I can.
Tropical Field Sketching
February 3-10, 2024
This is our second workshop led by outstanding artist DEBBY KASPARI. It includes 9 classes on sketching from life in a complex, tropical environment. We also have excursions to other habitats to enjoy birds and wildlife, as well as different art challenges.
Classes include: the six foot landscape, focusing on a small section of habitat; rendering light and shadow using toned paper, pencil and white pastel; sketching water in motion, and many more. Participants will learn how to sort out and simplify complex rainforest subjects, how to keep a nature journal, drawing trees, and how to make quick thumbnails of compositions. You will even have a chance to draw a cane toad from life! In addition to exploring habitats at Sylvan we will visit a huge wetland at Coto 47, reach a higher elevation at Wilson Botanical Garden, and explore a permaculture and wetland reserve with semi-tame birds. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a pristine natural environment and learn how to portray it yourself. Trip starts and ends in Golfito or Rio Claro.
Cost: $1,650 US per person, shared accommodations.
Leader: Debby Kaspari, nature and landscape artist with many years experience painting in Panama, the Amazon and all around the USA:
Co-led and organized by Fiona Reid.
To register please contact Fiona:
Catherine: Thank you, Fiona, for everything you did for the trip and for sharing the jaw-droppingly wonderful Sylvan. It was a perfect trip!
Sue: Debby is patient, thoughtful, and funny. Her classes each day were well planned and the workshop was very well organized. She and Fiona worked together behind the scenes to make sure each lesson offered something unique, both in terms of art and the variety of habitats we visited.
Bat Studies
February 27 to March 19, 2024
Three bat researchers will be on-site and this is an opportunity for you to help them as much or little as you wish. We will spend our nights catching bats in different parts of the property. We have some new property to explore, and also the option to take hammocks to a distant ridge and spend the night in the forest in search of rare species. By day we will look for bat roosts, bat tents, and other flora and fauna. Free time for swimming, birding and hiking is allowed too!
Your exact dates are flexible, and prices depend on the length of your stay.
Cost: Please contact Fiona for costs
Biologists: Phil Oelbaum and Jerrica Jamison from University of Toronto, Ronnie Hall from Merced University, California
Co-led and organized by Fiona Reid, who has staked out bat roosts and activity hotspots in anticipation of this trip.
Kathy: it is a wonderful vacation paradise, and seeing so many bat species was thrilling!
Birds/General Nature Tour
Not offered in 2024. Please contact Fiona for dates in 2025.