The Hallowed Honeymoon Hummingbird Hunt - Costa Rica - Part 9 - San Gerado De Dota - Savegre

We were again up at dawn and drove up the private track from Savegre Lodge to the cloud forest trails associated with the lodge, seeing birds such as Black Cheeked Warbler and Silver Throated Tanager as we went.

 Black Cheeked Warbler

 Silver Throated Tanager

 Volcano Hummingbird

This stunning adult male Volcano Hummingbird was also present just outside our cabin and was easily the best representative of his species we saw.


 Flame Coloured Tanager - Female

 Yellow Thighed Finch
Up on the trails we began to see birds such as Black Billed Nightingale Thrush, Spotted Woodquail and Flame Throated Warbler.

 Black Billed Nightingale Thrush



 Spotted Woodquail




 Spotted Woodquail









 Collared Redstart - A truly stunning warbler

We returned to the lodge for breakfast and whilst enjoying the full buffet ticked our first Tropical Mockingbird outside the restaurant


 Tropical Mockingbird

Checking out of our cabin, we ran into a pair of Emerald Toucanets. This was a species we had badly wanted to see and they gave point black views as the waited their turn to feed in a nearby fig tree. Incredible looking birds.


 Emerald Toucanet




We then moved onwards, back up the valley stopping off at feeders behind Miriam's Quetzals Cafe. This had good coffee and a comfortable bench to watch the birds at close range.

 Large Footed Finch

 Flame Coloured Tanager

 Yellow Thighed Finch

 Volcano Hummingbird

Acorn Woodpecker was a species I had wanted to see ever since David Attenborough's "Life of Birds" aired in the 90's, so seeing them like this was another dream come through. These woodpeckers were charmers, full of character and we spent some time here with them.



 Acorn Woodpecker



 Flamer Coloured Tanager - Male

The males of the Flame Coloured Tanagers were also spectacular here. 

We then moved further on again, right to the top of Cerro De La Muerte, "The mountain of Death". We did not die. We did tick Volcano Junco though. Personally I think it would be much cooler if things were named "Blah blah of Death", especially in birding. You would get a lot more customers at the "Bird Obs of Death", than a run of the mill bird obs name I reckon,



 Volcano Junco

It was just a short drive from here to the Cafe at Restaurante y Cabinas Georgina where another much desired species of Hummingbird was waiting. Fiery Throated Hummingbirds were here in numbers, and did not disappoint. What a superb looking bird.




 Fiery Throated Hummingbird

 View as we descended down from the mountains

From here it was a long drive on towards San Vito and Las Cruces, seeing birds like Zone Tailed Hawk en route.

We arrived at our Bed and Breakfast to find that they had zero clue we were coming. The booking website had failed to contact the establishment, and on this particular night they had no space. They were exceptionally accommodating however, and the owner kindly paid for our night's stay in another nearby bed and breeakfast, promising to have a nice room ready for us for the following two nights. Result! Free digs.

We made a quick stop at a local marsh, but it was not as productive as perhaps it once was in the past according to the guidebook, and we saw just a few Little Blue Herons and added Solitary Sandpiper to the trip list.

We availed of some cheap food, and settled in for the night

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