We packed up, ate breakfast and headed out from the Savegre Mountain Lodge this morning - but made one more attempt at seeing the Resplendent Quetzal. We hiked up the mountain one more time, and had to wait for a backhoe doing road work and blocking our way. We persevered and got around him to continue our trek into the cloud forest to search for the illusive Quetzal that we were beginning to think was only a myth.
But then...
an iridescent blue-green tail was hanging out of a hole in a tree 20 feet high.
The male was taking care of the babies while the female was out getting their breakfast. We waited at least 30 minutes, staring at that tail sticking out of the hole in the tree. Then total silence as the female showed up with a small avocado (not the kind we eat).
It probably took 5 minutes for the female to gradually move toward the nest. Then the male stuck his head out to see if it was okay to leave.
The shift change occurred quickly. Too fast for my camera skills. I caught him flying, but the light wasn't right for his color in flight. They are beautiful birds, and well worth the wait to see them.
We drove back to San Jose, stopping at a coffee plantation on the way. Faron was in heaven. He had to taste 5 different blends of coffee before deciding what to bring home. The plantation was nearly 200 years old, owned by the same family, and using the oldest wet mill in Costa Rica. It was a nice tour and we learned more about coffee than we ever knew was possible.
Now it's time to repack to fit the goodies in the suitcases, and then back home tomorrow. Goodbye Costa Rica, and ...
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