Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Enroute to Savegre Hotel and Spa

I realize that I have enough blog material to last me awhile!  This is my third Costa Rica blog entry and I am still only halfway through the first day.  I haven't even fully reviewed all of my photos yet.  

Ours was the real deal birding trip; 6:00 am to approximately 6:00 pm and then often owling afterwards makes for a busy birding day with lots of photographs.  

After we left the Los Robles trail and lunch at the Paraiso Lodge we moved on the Savegre River area.  Without equivocation, this was an amazing birding location.  We would be here for two nights and two full days of birding.  Full of birders from many countries - Britain, Germany, Sweden, ... and others - this was a rocking place.


A charming house along our route.

But first we stopped at Dona Miriam's Restaurant, a sweet little roadside spot, not to eat but to bird along the deck stretched across the back of the restaurant.  The feeders kept by Miriam attracted great birds and opportunities for photographs.


Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of Miriam's restaurant, but I did get one of this sign across the road.  


Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), completely clownish, handsome and charming!


Yellow-thighed Finch (Pselliophorus tibialis).  Not a great view, but the best I have.  This is a unique and very attractive bird.  The bird's left yellow thigh is just barely noticeable in this photo.


Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata) - seen many times.


Cute, little Red-tailed Squirrel (Sciurus granatensis).  Beyond cute - adorable!


Displaying female Large-footed Finch (Pezopetes capitalis) above. How do I know this bird was a female?


Because soon after the male Large-footed Finch above swooped down to have a brief mating spell with the female flirter.  I missed the act with my camera.  However, after the act, the male bird just posed and posed at the end of this twig.  The above photo reveals how aptly named this bird is.  


We saw Sooty Thrush (Turdus nigrescens) a lot, but I had only one opportunity for good photos.  I got three of this bird and the one above was the best.


Arrival to the Costa Rican highlands birding mecca!


The Savegne Lodge gardens with the lodge rooms kind of visible.



Above and below, two views of the Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla).



White-throated Mountain Gem (Lampornis castaneoventris).  What a name!


Black Guan spotted by Matt high up in a tree then, as it flew down to the river, chased by all of us for photos.


Flame-colored Tanager.  Again?  Life is tough!


Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) - a beautiful, silver bird.


Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala).  

The highlands, to be continued ...


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