Thursday, January 19, 2023
This was an early morning as we had to depart for the Paraiso Quetzal Lodge at 5:00 in order to meet our hotel guide by 5:30. The hotel has a cooperative program with over 20 local farmers who maintain or improve habitat for Resplendent Quetzals, and in return the hotel brings guests to see them. Each morning they choose a farm based on recent activity, facilities, etc. and transport guests there for the opportunity to see and photograph Resplendent Quetzals, thought by many to be the most beautiful bird in the world.
We met up with our hotel guide and were taken to a local farm called La Esperanza. We arrived first and were taken up a trail to a seating area overlooking a fruiting little avocado tree with very nice artificial perches set adjacent to it on either side. It was a great photo set-up with the sun at our back, if the birds cooperate.
We were waiting quietly for the Quetzals to arrive when two small buses showed up and unloaded about twenty photographers. The group hiked up the hill and proceeded to set-up a line of tripods and gear right in front of where we were standing. Lots of chatter, messing with equipment, loud talking about settings, previous shots, etc.
This seems to have become the norm with this celebrity bird in Costa Rica. In 2008 when we first saw it we enjoyed it in a quiet place, with only a couple of other folks around. In 2018 our experience was on a public road with hundreds of folks bused in from nearby hotels for the experience. Most were not birders, and once the Quetzal showed up they were back in the bus to head off to their next activity. We’d hoped that this set-up would be better, and it was, but still not our favorite way to bird. One crazy thing was that several of the photographers were playing Solitaire or Candy Crush on their phones while waiting, rather than looking around and enjoying the scenery and other birds present, like the rare Spotted Wood-Quail and the Yellow-thighed Brush-Finch.
Before long a beautiful male quetzal flew down toward the tree, but immediately flared and retreated. Perhaps it had seen the large group of folks set up (too) close to its feeding area and decided to go elsewhere. Johan felt like that had been the case.
Our hotel guide had wandered up the hill behind the photo area and called Johan to tell him that Quetzals were feeding up there. We broke away from the group and headed up that way. It was very steep and difficult walking, but we got great looks at a feeding pair of Quetzals, and I was able to obtain decent photos. Not what we would have obtained at the photo set-up, but those folks ultimately packed up and left without having seen the bird, so we’d made the right choice to abandon the set-up and hike up the hill.
We returned to the hotel for breakfast (Americano for Teri, Huevos Rancheros for Mark) which was very nice.
The hummingbird feeders were absolutely crawling with Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, a species that we’d seen only poorly in the past and that I'd never managed to get a decent picture of. Problem solved!!
After getting our fill of hummingbirds we walked trails through the expansive gardens of the hotel, picking up some good birds including a nice pair of Golden-browed Chlorophonias.
We left the hotel at 10:00 and did some road birding as we worked our way toward our next birding area.
Next - Batsu Gardens
Glad you finally got your bird! Or birds! Beautiful pictures as always.
ReplyDeleteThe Resplendent Quetzal‘s are beautiful and unique. Great that you got to see them in a quieter environment.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOur guide was really looking out for us and working hard to get us the best possible looks at the birds.
ReplyDelete