Blue Eyed Birder: Costa Rica for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - Day 12

After a very chilly night Bruce and I walked up to the top chalets at Savegre before we all met up, passing the fruiting tree with the Spangle-cheeked Tanagers and Black-faced Solitaires on the way. The big bank of cannas allowed us to get close to the Stripe-tailed Hummingbirds and Flowerpiercers and up at the top we could hear quite a few Rufous-collared Sparrows singing while Spotted Wood-Quails were just starting up way off in the trees.

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

We met the others by reception and walked out for our pre-breakfast walk down the road. A Yellow-winged Vireo was feeding from the hotel entrance sign by the bridge but the river was still raging and you could hear absolutely nothing. Unsurprisingly it started to rain and we sought shelter but a little kiosk. We suspected that the Torrent Tyrannulets would be away from the river given its fierceness and whilst waiting one appeared in the planted border of the lodge opposite before joining us on the concrete benches around our little shelter. It seemed to be finding spiders underneath with some ease and we were all pleased to see this engaging little flycatcher at such close range. A Spot-crowned Woodcreeper flew in to the nearest tree too and a pair of Black Phoebes were likewise not on the river but in the gardens. I wonder where the American Dippers were?

Yellow-winged Vireo

Torrent Tyrannulet

After grub we headed up and out of the valley and then climbed way up to reach The Masts. We already knew that there would be no chance of a view this time as we were completely in the cloud at 11,274 feet. Fortunately we picked up a pair of Volcano Juncos from the bus before we reached the top and then two more as we got out. As usual they showed very well and hopped around just a few feet away with their Angry Bird glowing yellow eyes. No colour rings this time but one had a metal ring. Fiery-throated and Heliotrope Volcano Hummers zipped around and a Slaty-Flowerpiercer popped up in front. A second bird appeared – a female Peg-billed Finch! Somehow we got everyone on to it as it faded in and out of view in the driving wet cloud! A proper bonus.

Volcano Junco

Peg-billed Finch

Two Band-tailed Pigeons shot over but there was nothing else and we were getting cold and wetter by the minute and retreated to the van and began our descent pleased with our success.

Castilleja irasuensis - I think

Clubmoss

Looks a bit like Self-Heal

Eryngium sp

A large Cenecio sp

Lobelia sp

Gaultheria myrsinoides

Hypericum irazuense

The Juncos were still feeding behind us

Two high altitude tracks were then attempted but the rain precluded long outside and we heard a few bits but saw very little and abandoned and made our way to Paraiso Quetzal where at least there was a chance of getting warmed up!

We walked through the warmth of the restaurant and I then opened the back door for the grand reveal of the Hummer feeders outside. Despite the now driving rain they were thrumming with windblown Hummers and I dread to think how many the lads took during our stay there. There were Fiery-throated, Heliotrope, Talamanca and Violetears in attendance as usual. Bit of an image splurge coming up. It is one of the very few time I use burst on my Sony RX10 IV. The light and rain were challenging but I am pleased with the results. Captured fleeting moments almost beyond the eye to see.

Fiery-throated

Talamanca

Fiery-throateds

Fiery-throated

Talamanca

Fiery-throated

Talamanca

Fiery-throated

Talamanca

Heliotrope Volcano

Talamanca

Heliotrope Volcano

Hot chocolate and the roaring log burner drew us back inside and during lunch you could barely see outside but at least it let up in time for us to walk around the grounds (although the forest trails were all closed).

Roger was happy too...

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrushes hopped around like the little Thrushes they are and Big-foots bounced through the borders. Golden-browed Chlorophonia was one of our targets and a pair obliged in all their ridiculously bright finery. Taking a picture of one without a berry in its bill was, as ever, almost impossible. Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers called around us and we found one perched up for a while (phew). With the weather holding we moved on once again and returned to the two tracks were tried earlier.

Golden-browed Chlorophonia

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush

Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher

Big-foot!

Rufous-collared Flycatcher

The first was far more successful this time and a big feeding flock contained Flame-throated and Wilson’s Warblers, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Black-capped Flycatchers and a couple of Black and Yellow Phainoptila. Grey-breasted Wood-Wrens were singing and several Zeledonia were also audible to those with good ears but although a couple were quite close we did not see one this time.

Another funky Clubmoss I think

A tiny native Small-leaved Fuschia

Nertera granadensis

Glossoloma ichthyoderma

The second track also produced singing Zeledonia and the similar flock make up here also added Ruddy Treerunners, Buffy Tuftedcheek and Black-cheeked Warblers. Timberline Wrens are tricky this time of year and we heard a couple call before a singing bird gave itself up briefly in a bamboo thicket.

There be Wrens in there, there be

A look at the crew said that we had all had enough of getting cold and wet and so we called it a day. The main road was still empty due to the onward closures and I even nodded for a bit before a shout from Ramon just in front of me of ‘Tapir!’ had me fully alert. A glance left as we went past and there it was in the verge. No traffic also meant that we could stop and so we got out as quietly as we all could and spent a couple of minutes watching this incredible beast munching in the roadside gully. Eyesight may be poor but it’s nose is excellent and the whiffly elephantine snout told us that it could certainly smell the stinky damp tourists at which point it thundered off back into the trees.

Baird's Tapir

Only then did we realise that there was second one just a few feet away which likewise turned tail and disappeared. We could not quite believe our good fortune! There was a chorus (once again) of ‘Good eyes Ramon!’ as we drove off.

A warm up then dinner and when we stepped back outside afterwards there was a strange orb in the heavens with a monster full moon shining in a cloudless sky directly overhead. It was too bright to look at and a quick scope glance was a foolish thing to do. Jupiter and Saturn were unhindered by any human glow and the smudge of Andromeda spoke of the possibility of distant worlds.

Ramon, Jose and I stood back and admired the heavens when the howl of Coyotes cut through the moment. Surely not – full moon – howling small Wolves? I laughed; it was the perfect end to the day and one of those special moments I will bore people with for years to come. A small dog down in the village attempted to join in, bless him.

Blue Eyed Birder

Sunday, 15 December 2024

Costa Rica for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - Day 12 - 15th November 2024

No comments:

Post a Comment