We started our day with an early walk in the lush green of the grounds of Hotel Villa Lapas.

Cashew nuts in the shell on the ground

A view of the canopy at Hotel Villa Lapas, Costa Rica

Flowers at the end of our row of rooms at Hotel Villa Lapas, Costa Rica

Back view of juvenile Baird's Trogon

Female Slaty-tailed Trogon

Female Slaty-tailed Trogon

Northern Waterthrush

Underside of a Lesser Greenlet

Yellow-throated Euphonia

Yellow-throated Euphonia

Yellow-throated Toucan with a fruit in its bill

Strange-looking flower on the grounds of Hotel Villa Lapas, Costa Rica

Male Slaty-tailed Trogon

Male Slaty-tailed Trogon

First peek at the Fiery-billed Aracari

Steely-vented Hummingbird

Steely-vented Hummingbird

Common Tody-Flycatcher with nesting material

Better look at the Fiery-billed Aracari

Pacific shore, looking across the bay to the town of Jaco, Costa Rica

Big iguana on the cliff above the shore at Jaca, Costa Rica

Sign for Jaco, Costa Rica, in a roadside park overlooking the bay

Mary and Steve at the sign for Jaco, Costa Rica

Steve, Carolyn, Vickie and Andy got off the bus along the highway to get closer looks at the Double-striped Thick-Knees that our driver Enrique spotted as he was driving down the road.

One of two Double-striped Thick-Knees spotted by Enrique as we road down the highway.

Double-striped Thick-Knee

Double-striped Thick-Knee

A roost of egrets along the highway

Male Cherrie's Tanager that Steve spotted behind the roadside store where we stopped for a break.

Male Cherrie's Tanager

We stopped for lunch at Soda La Vuelta

We could see the feeders next to Soda La Vuelta from the deck where we ate lunch and watched birds.

Jerry, Erick (leaning on the rail), Terri (facing away), Barbara (seated), Steve (seated, facing away), Catherine seated in foreground), Keith (at the rail in back), Carolyn and Andy--eating and taking photos from the deck at Soda La Vuelta, Costa Rica

The valley below our eating spot

A 'sponge' tree that caught Mary's attention is actually the Monkey Comb tree according to Erick (Apeiba membranacea).

Fruit of the Monkey Comb tree

Fruit of the Monkey Comb tree

More of the Monkey Comb at Soda La Vuelta

Monkey Comb tree

Monkey Comb tree

Monkey Comb tree

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Elaenia checking us out from a bush next to the covered deck at Soda La Vuelta

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

House Wren on the chain link fence at Soda La Vuelta

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Red-crowned Woodpecker at Soda La Vuelta

White-crowned Parrot in a tree outside the San Isidro water treatment facility

White-crowned Parrot

White-crowned Parrot

Least Grebe in the San Isidro, Costa Rica, water treatment facility lagoon

This odd duck at San Isidro water treatment facility is a Mallard, according to Erick

Female Great-tailed Grackle on the far edge of the water treatment lagoon at San Isidro, CR

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at San Isidro, Costa Rica, water treatment facility in the drizzle

We stopped at a gas station in San Isidro and saw this wet Tropical Mockingbird on a sign in the lot.

We stopped at La Georgina restaurant to see the birds on their property and at their feeders; they had a beautiful garden with interesting flowering bushes and plants.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird at one of the feeders out the window at La Georgina

Sooty Thrush on the grounds at La Georgina eatery near Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica

Rufous-collared Sparrow at La Georgina, CR

Slaty Flowerpiercer

Slaty Flowerpiercer

Slaty Flowerpiercer in the bushes on the grounds at La Georgina

Slaty Flowerpiercer

Scintillant Hummingbird with orange on its flanks at flowers of bush on the grounds at La Georgina, CR

Scintillant Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird with greenish flanks resting on a wire of the border fence at La Georgina

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

Sooty Thrush

Rufous-collared Sparrow on the roof at La Georgina

Talamancan Hummingbird
formerly Magnificent Hummingbird

Talamancan Hummingbird

Scintillant Hummingbird

Western Hairy Woodpecker on the grounds at La Georgina

Large-footed Finch

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Lesser Violetear
formerly Green Violetear

Talamancan Hummingbird

Talamancan Hummingbird

Lesser Violetear (background) and Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Lesser Violetear

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush

Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush

A pair of Large-footed Finches

From La Georgina, we proceeded to the top of Cerro de la Muerte, the highest peak in the region, where many microwave towers are located. It is said that you can see both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans from this location on a clear day.

One of our target birds was this Volcano Hummingbird.

Volcano Hummingbird

Our second target bird at Cerro de la Muerte was this Volcano Junco.

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

Steve, Andy and Carolyn on the road at Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica, aiming to get a photo of the Volcano Junco

This youngish-looking Volcano Junco kept moving among the rocks and high-altitude plants toward us till it was almost too close to photograph.

Volcano Hummingbird

Volcano Hummingbird

We got back on the bus and continued toward Savegre. Just before we arrived at our destination, Erick got out to look for the Resplendent Quetzal.

Erick and Enrique looked in the area of a known quetzal nest, but to no avail.

While we were stopped, we saw several other birds along the road, like this Black-cheeked Warbler, which is endemic to Costa Rica and Panama.

Black-cheeked Warbler gaining its balance by flaring its wings and tail

Black-cheeked Warbler

Black-cheeked Warbler

The Mountain Thrush has a black bill.

High up the hill beside the road, Erick spotted this White-throated Mountain-Gem on a bare branch.

Female White-throated Mountain-Gem

Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Yellow-thighed Finch showing how it got its name

Back in the bus, traveling the last mile or so to our lodge, we saw this Broad-winged Hawk sitting on a wire across the road, welcoming us.

A few of us took a quick walk while accommodations were being settled and found this Flame-colored Tanager taking a bath in a small stream.

Flame-colored Tanager

Flame-colored Tanager taking a bath at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica

Flame-colored Tanager, San Gerardo de Dota, CR

Flame-colored Tanager bathing at San Gerardo de Dota, CR

Male White-throated Mountain-Gem

Male White-throated Mountain-Gem

Male White-throated Mountain-Gem on a bush outside the dining room at San Gerardo de Dota, CR

Male White-throated Mountain-Gem

Male White-throated Mountain-Gem

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Female White-throated Mountain-Gem

Female White-throated Mountain-Gem

Female White-throated Mountain-Gem

Female White-throated Mountain-Gem

Male Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher

Male Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher

Male Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher our first evening at San Gerardo de Dota, CR

Male Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

Stripe-tailed Hummingbird

The National Bird of Costa Rica, the Clay-colored Thrush

Silver-throated Tanager

Silver-throated Tanager singing out

Silver-throated Tanager taking a bow for its performance

Flame-colored Tanager

Flame-colored Tanager our first afternoon at Savegre Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica