Our base of operations in Chiriqui was Los Quetzales Lodge and Spa in Guadeloupe. We stayed in the Lodge which turned out to be very spacious and comfortable. There are smaller rooms available for backpackers as well as larger suites. Meals at the restaurant were excellent and they packed us some great lunches as well. They also have cabanas higher up in the La Amistad National Park, which looked terrific and which were well equipped with hummingbird feeders. I would recommend this lodge very highly. (more…)
The Los Quetzals Trail runs from Cerro Punta to Boquete, and part of it goes along the ridge of Volcan Buru. We parked our car near the entrance at Cerro Punta and immediately heard Resplendent Quetzal calling. We soon spotted a male and female and another pair a bit later. As we watched, a raptor drifted over the treeline, a Hook-billed Kite . The inevitable Black and Turkey Vultures were also drifting past. A male Flame-colored Tanager showed his colors with a Blue-gray Tanager , a Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager , Silver-throated Tanager , and a Spangle-cheeked Tanager were found. (more…)
The Chiriqui Highlands are situated in Panama near the southern border of Costa Rica. They are the southern portion of the Endemic Bird Area (EBA) called the Costa Rica-Panama Highlands which stretches from just south of the Nicaraguan border in Costa Rica almost to the Panama Canal. It is comprised of mountains and foothills over 1,000 m. in elevation to the highest part of the mountains at 3,800 m. It includes both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes. There are 49 species of birds endemic to this area as well as many subspecies. A summary of these species follows:
Following is a list of the 49 species recognized as endemic to the Highlands of Costa Rica and Panama. Additionally there are a large number of subspecies found there. (Based on information from Endemic Bird Areas of the World by Statterfield, Crosby, Long and Wege )
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Near the town of Volcan, there are three small lakes at about 1,300 m. The road into the lakes passes old orchards and small farms where I was surprised to see a snow bunting singing on a fence post. On stopping, we found it to be a leucistic Rufous-collared Sparrow , a beautifully plumaged bird. We proceeded past an old airfield and more abandoned orchard, where we found a Roadside Hawk surveying the area and a group of Scaled Pigeon flying past. A Gray-headed Dove moved leisurely down the road in front of our car, and a Pale-breasted Spinetail flew across. Tropical Kingbirds were plentiful, and where joined by Boat-billed , Streaked and Social Flycatchers , and Lesser Elaenia . Familiar northern birds were Eastern Meadowlark and Baltimore Orioles . In the middle of a twiggy shrub, a Snowy-bellied Hummingbird groomed itself. (more…)
We had started out from Guadalupe early to go to Finca Hartmann , not far from the Costa Rica border. Carlos at Los Quetzals Lodge had arranged for Eto of Karitos Tours to act as our guide.Finca Hartmann is a coffee growing plantation which has operated a shade grown production very beneficial to birds. (more…)
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