PART II: Montana Savegre and Quetzales 

Monday, May 5, 2003  Albergue de Montana Savegre  (aka Cabinas Chacon)

Our last time on the balcony for coffee and birding at Rancho.  I was sad to leave as it had been a lovely stay, but we were headed to the Chacon Family’s place which was my favorite in 2001.  

We pulled out at 7:15 a.m., (ahead of Charlie’s schedule).  Nino negotiated the Cartago traffic with ease but once we got on the Pan American Highway we got stuck in a huge traffic jam of large transport trucks.  There were lots of curves, twists and turns as we climbed into the Talamanca Mountains so passing was often not an option.  The Pan-Am is only two lanes in this area which makes it slow going.   

A male quetzal was waiting for us as we neared Chacon's.

Turning onto the gravel road that would ultimately take us to Chacon’s, we began birding again.  A Sooty Robin was spotted, then several other interesting birds and THEN WOW!  Right beside the road - a pair of Resplendent Quetzals!!!  They were sitting on fence posts practically posing for us.  The male’s tail streamers were a good length and in the sun their iridescent colors were spectacular!  How fortunate for us to see them almost immediately upon arriving in their habitat.  Now Charlie can breathe easy because the main reason to come to Chacon’s is to see the quetzals.  Mission accomplished so everything else we’d see and do would be just frosting on the cake.  

We arrived about 11:30 a.m., got our rooms sorted out and went to lunch.  There is always the option of having freshly caught trout when you stay at Chacon’s because they have a trout farm.  The kitchen staff knows just how to prepare it to perfection.   

Out at 2:30 p.m. to attack a trail that we did not do two years ago.  It was a bit muddy in places but otherwise not difficult.  It led us into the misty beautiful cloud forest and ultimately to a small waterfall.  We had a few drops of moisture but only when we were almost back did it really start to rain.  

A malachite lizard is as colorful as many of the birds.

6:15 p.m. saw us gathering for drinks in the lounge and to mark our bird lists before dinner.  Because it was low season, we practically had the place to ourselves.  There was a young Chinese photographer and a Japanese couple in addition to our group.   

Click thumbnails for larger photos

 On to Wilson's Botanical Gardens
On to Talari and Villa Lapas
On to Waterfall Gardens and Poas Volcano
On to Arenal Volcano and More Adventures
Back to Rancho Naturalista (Part I)
More about the group
Costa Rica bird list (3 trips)
Previous CR trip ... 2001

A rainbow arched over the mountains as we left Savegre.

After dinner we asked Charlie to tell his hilarious story about a gift of wild rice sent by a friend from the U.S.,  and at the conclusion, (EDITOR'S NOTE: One needs an import license to bring rice into CR, but wild rice is actually a seed ... take it from there) Mary and I presented him with packages of wild rice.  The tale is a tour de force about dealing with bureaucracy and the lengths one sometimes has to go to prove a point.    

Tuesday, May 6, 2003  Albergue de Montana Savegre  (aka Cabinas Chacon)

Up at 5 a.m. as usual, out on my own at 5:30 for an hour or so of birding before breakfast at 6:30 a.m.  Ran into Charlie and then Dick and Gloria so we headed into the apple orchard to look for the Quetzal that we’d heard was resident there, but he was somewhere else at the moment.   

A four-wheel drive vehicle driven by one of Don Efrain Chacon’s grandsons made two trips up the mountain road to take us to the staging point for our morning hike.  This was a trail that Charlie did not attempt with us two years ago, but this time he thought that we might find it workable.  It was through a beautiful stretch of primary forest.... a bit tough in places for a few of us but we found it a lovely challenge.  After reaching the top of the mountain we then made our way back using the mountain road we had come up in the vehicle.  It was very steep in places which put quite a strain on my bad knee.  Seeing my difficulty, Charlie suggested that I “tack” my way down.  This helped tremendously.  

After lunch and a 90-minute  rest, we began by searching once more for the quetzal but he wasn’t there.  So we continued and picked up the road that lead toward the log bridge that had been my nemesis two years ago!  

The birding was good and then it began to drizzle.  That does not drive the birds away.  They just get further back in the trees for shelter.  One tree we passed was full of small birds feeding together.  Charlie called it the McDonald’s of the birds because there were so many different species.  

This is our last night here and tomorrow promises to be a wonderful day because of where we are heading - Los Cusingos!  

These colorful angel trumpets are among the many beautiful wild and cultured flowers at Chacon's.

On to Wilson Botanical Gardens

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