Las Cruces to Talari Lodge

 The ecotourism places we are visiting seem to be getting better and better,  and the overall quality is unbelievable. I would call Costa Rica another Switzerland, but I think it is actually better, except for San Jose.

The deck at Las Cruces allowed some further nice photos, before breakfast. My favourite is these double Motmots:



But there were lots more:

Like double Aracaris





Oropendula


And just at the exit of Las Cruces, that vacant hummingbird nest on the telephone wire had seen its owner return:




After leaving Las Cruces, we started out at a strip of old growth rain forest that had somehow been left in the middle of a Del Monte pineapple plantation. The target was the Rosy Thrush Tanager, a bird said to exist only in this little patch and in one other place in Mexico. Delmonte has graciously fenced off the strip, and one of their workers is a volunteer to oversee the place. When we arrived we found a father and son ready to come in with us. They were locals, avid birders. The son, Santiago, 14 was sporting a giant camera and I soon learned that he was not carrying this for Dad but rather ha been birding since age 3 and was now more knowledgeable and faster than Dad.

We set off into the jungle in a scene reminiscent of  Forrest Gump or something. Alex and the guy from Delmonte were playing the bird's song on their phones. After some time, they spotted it, and were quite ecstatic, since other experienced birders had failed here of late.


And not only did we spot this, but also the Slaty-tailed Trogon. We got some sort of pictures of both birds, but I am using here the best shots that anyone in our group got.

Bat Falcons along the way.

Into the jungle




Young birder


Don't get lost!

Santi and Alex. Santi is the new generation for guiding

Santi's dad, now surpassed by his son








Not sure what this confab was about.

Slaty Tailed Trogon 

Turquoise Cotinga

And finally, what all the real birders wanted to see:

Rosy Thrush Tanager,




Meanwhile a load of pineapples leaves the adjacent field




It was quite a long drive after that, on roads that endlessly curved and went up and down and up and down. We gave our driver a hand a the end of the day, because even for our brand new van, it was not an easy journey.


We stopped at a restaurant near Dan Isidro de El General. This is sort of the "base camp" for climbers (ok, hikers) who go up Chirripo, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. But we were at 4000 feet only, and still in jungle. The restaurant was another of the amazing Costa Rican businesses, with great premises and landscaping, and really excellent food. And as always with our tour policy, we could choose anything from the menu, and in any quantity.

At the restaurant deck:



Green Honey Creeper


Northern Emerald Toucanet


More twisting, climbing and descending, and we arrived at Talari Lodge. Again, a great place, set in the middle of dense jungle. We immediately spotted Three Toed Sloths. Credit here to Neil  from our group for his shot that got the little guy's face.

See those grippy claws!

 
Through the day Dodie has been capturing the amazing floral displays that are everywhere, not to mention the fields and mountains. There is not enough internet here to put them all up. For now here is a small selection from this amazing place:










Santiès camera!








Comments

  1. Scott AndersonDecember 7, 2024 at 8:58 AM

    Fantastic photos, and it’s nice to have a post where there’s no indication that you’re still feeling sick.

    And I love seeing a photo of the oropendula. We saw them in Belize years ago kayaking through the Jaguar reserve. One was perched on a snag high above, and I’ll swear he was doing donuts, pivoting to hang upside down with his wings outspread, crying noisily.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 7, 2024 at 2:57 PM

    Agreed with Scott! I recognize some of those big tropical flowers from my brother's in Hawaii... Reminded me of your Grampies go Hawaiian tour or whatever the title was. Just not as much nature there as you are seeing in Costa Rica!

    ReplyDelete

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