CR 10 parting shots

Well, ten days in Costa Rica and ten posts.  It was a lot, but it was a very extensive, and intensive, trip, and I hope those of you that indulged in seeing all those birds found it rewarding.  I would go back in an instant, especially to Savegre, with its very luxurious amenities, and beautiful gardens.
Here are a few shots, all taken with my I-phone, a summing up places visited, and great people.
An eco-tourism encouragement to any one who loves birds, and travel. 

Early AM, the valley below Rancho Naturalista

Rancho Naturalista deck, coffee ready at 5:00 AM

feeders already buzzing with hummers.

Pano shot of whole deck

Starting with me going clockwise, Luis Murillo, guide extraordinaire, who found me

my Pygmy-owl, Squirrel Cuckoo, Frederico the tarantula, etc;, then David, then Bridget,

then another guide (?), Lisa, the director of the lodge, whose parents founded Rancho Naturalista.

Looking back towards Rancho area

My cabin at Savegre Lodge

Looking for the Quetzal, 6:00 AM

"There it is!  There it is!"

Dave at breakfast, birders already at work outside.

Dave, the cabins, gardens

Marino, my guide through the forest, provider of many life list birds for me,

and another great look at the R. Quetzal

The salad buffet at Savegre Lodge.

The chef, a native of Belgium

I never met anyone who enjoyed his job more.

This is Matilda, Marino's daughter, who drove me up the

almost un-drivable road up to the Photographer's garden.

Pano of reception for Savegre Lodge

Juan Carlos Corvajal, great driver, who took us from San Jose to Ranch, then from

Rancho to Savegre, and then back to San Jose.  He also drove me to Pois

Volcano park, and here he is, standing before the abyss, totally clouded in before a breeze gave me a quick glimpse

of the caldera far below.

Pois Volcano

The Chinese contingent

Last morning back at Hotel Beaugainvilla, out in the gardens,

hoping for one last bird.

Proof!  Proof that I did practice on the trip, if only on my mouthpiece.

Final goodbye to Juan, who drove us to the airport.

CR9 Final bird shots

Light is everything in photography, and for most of this trip light was a real problem.  Fortunately, the last day in Savegre saw glorious sunshine, and at Batsu Gardens later in the AM I got what was probably my best photos, especially of the hummers.  You've seen most of these, but this was a day to really get much better pictures.  So enjoy.

White-throated Mountain-gem

Purple-throated Mountain-gem (f)

Black-faced Solitaire

Prong-billed Barbet

Violet Sabrewing

V.S.

Fufous-naped Wren

House Wren

Green Violetear

Acorn Woodpecker

G.V.

A.W.

Flame-colored Tanager

Volcano Hummingbird (f)

Magnificent Hummingbird

M.H.

Green Violetear

"You're in my territory!"

Wilson's Warbler

W.W.

Collared Redstart

One of the platforms at Batsu Gardens

Looking down at Savegre Lodge from Batsu

Looking back at the valley of Savegre Lodge

Pois Volcano

When we arrived  back to San Jose from Savegre, I hired our driver to take me that afternoon to

Pois Volcano Park.  I had never seen a volcano.

When we arrived, the entire crater was covered in cloud. I was prepared to be

disappointed, but then the clouds partially blew away, and we could see down into the

bottom where a lake has formed.  This volcano is very active.  The San Jose airport was shut town

several weeks before we arrived due to clouds of ash, and in fact the park was closed the next day after our visit because

of dense clouds of Sulphur.

One of the waterfalls on the way back to San Jose

On the way back to San Jose we stopped for a late lunch and watched as a group of

Chinese photographers with about $100,000. worth of equipment tried to get a group of toucans

which unfortunately didn't show.