Wednesday, May 7, 2003  Wilson Botanical Gardens (aka Las Cruces)

Our itinerary for the day read as follows:  After breakfast, you will start your drive on the way South to San Vito de Java and Las Cruces Biological Station.  You will stop on the way at Finca Los Cusingos

  This day came to be known as the “Day of Spectaculars.”  Right after breakfast, as we were loading up to depart, Jim ran back up the hill to take one more look for the quetzal.  It was waiting for him.  What luck!  So he got a bit more footage on the video before it flew. 

As we wound our way up out of the Savegre Valley on the bumpy dirt road, we ran into a light rain shower.  It was just enough to cause the formation of a complete rainbow because the sun was shining at the same time.  Such a good omen!  Reaching the Pan American Highway we headed south.  At one point along the way, IF the weather is clear, one is able to see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  The operable word here is IF and today it was crystal clear!  Not only could we see both oceans but on the Pacific side we could see all the way south to the Osa Peninsula.  Even Charlie was excited because he said it was the first time he and Nino had ever seen the Osa Peninsula from that vantage point! 

The "Vista del Valle" was well-named.

We stopped at a little roadside café called “Vista del Valle” for a bathroom and Coke break.  There was a spectacular view as far as the eye or binocular could see.  Lots of birds there as well as a small collection of orchids to admire.   

San Isidro de El General was the city where we left the Pan American Highway and headed off on a less traveled road.  This was the way to the little settlement of Quizarra de Perez Zeledon and subsequently the road to Los Cusingos.  Yes, I’m hearing your inquisitive minds asking the question, “What is Los Cusingos and why is it so important?” 

This tiny building on the grounds of Los Cusingos was Dr. Skutch's study. The home is in the background.

Los Cusingos is a magical place.  Los Cusingos is a haven for birds and creatures.  Los Cusingos is a place of natural wonder.  But most of all, Los Cusingos has been the home of Dr. Alexander F. Skutch since 1941.  Dr. Skutch, or Don Alejandro as I prefer to call him, is a renowned neotropical ornithologist who was born and educated in the state of Maryland but has lived all his adult life in tropical Central America - most of it in Costa Rica.  Author of more than 30 books and untold contributions to journals and magazines, Don Alejandro is probably best known as one of the co-authors of The Guide to Birds of Costa Rica or “Stiles and Skutch” as it is known in birding circles.

 Although he is 99 years of age, Don Alejandro spends six to nine hours a day reading and studying!  His body is weakening and his hearing has deteriorated, but his mind is still “steel-trap active.”  When he is able, he receives guests on the front porch of his little board-and-batten home he built many years ago.  Since the death of his wife, Pamela Lankaster, two years ago, he has had a local couple living with him.  Charlie went ahead of us to check on Don Alejandro’s condition and came back with a big smile on his face.  We were really, really blessed.  He was in his office and willing to see us. 

As we gathered in front of the porch, Don Alejandro’s attendant wheeled him out.  He was dressed in a freshly ironed long sleeve white shirt, gray sweat pants and Keds.  Charlie positioned himself on one side and motioned for me to come stand on the other side of his wheel chair.  I had brought gifts: one of our trip T-shirts, a khaki long sleeve work shirt and a box of English shortbread, which Charlie had told me was a favorite.   

He commented on each, saying of the khaki shirt, “This is the type shirt I favored for field work.  They are very durable.”  

All of a sudden he turned, looked at me, and said, “This is Ruth Marie?”  I answered, “Yes Sir, I am Ruth Marie.”  Then he said, “Thank you for the cards! I like getting mail.”  Smiling I replied, “I’m so glad they got to you.”  To which he answered, “They are all on my desk!”  The look in his eyes when he made the connection between me and the cards I’d sent was priceless and so very touching!  He was, at that time, less than two weeks from his 99^th birthday, which was May 20th! 

Prior to arriving we had discussed whether or not to ask him to sign our books.  The decision had been made that we would not request that because we did not want to tax him unduly.   Well, the next thing he said was, “Are there any books for me to sign?”  Dick and I had brought ours along just in case.  It was laborious work for him but his signature is legible and when he handed the book back to me, he said, “It’s not very good but it’s the best I can do at my age.” 

 
Ruth Marie gets her Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica signed by its revered co-author.

When he finished Dick’s, he asked if anyone had any questions. You could see that he was enjoying having us standing in front of the little porch like a group of students.  So we asked what was his favorite bird.  He told us that the Golden-naped Woodpecker was his favorite because of the way they took care of their young.  He also said that he did not like birds of prey except for the Laughing Falcon.  On his farm birds of prey often killed songbirds for food but the Laughing Falcon took out the snakes, which also went after the small song birds. 

His books are wonderfully written and cover both natural history and philosophy.  Most widely known is A Naturalist on a Tropical Farm, in which recounts how he came to live in the valley and start Los Cusingos.  He tells about sitting in his blind for hours on end watching a particular family of birds, making notes and drawings to include in other books, about walking in the forest and the birds that would accompany him.  There is an especially enticing chapter about an antbird who would always go with him on the trail because his footsteps stirred up the insects that the antbird ate. 

We took a short walk in the forest on one of the trails - one that Charlie had done many years ago when, as a university student, he came with Gary Stiles to work with Dr. Skutch on the book.  It was a real walk down memory lane for him.  We had good luck with a manikin and an  antbird, the kind that used to accompany Don Alejandro on his walks in the forest! 

We returned to the caretaker’s cottage where the bus was parked and had our picnic lunch.  There was far too much food so Nino collected the fruit, packets of cookies and containers of juice that remained and then left the group for a few minutes.  As the bus pulled out onto the local road to leave Los Cusingos, we passed a tiny house.  There on the porch, waving to us and enjoying juice and fruit were three small youngsters.  This was not the last time we would experience what a great guy Nino was. 

We continued south to the town of San Vito and Wilson’s Botanical Gardens, our home for the next three nights.  It was drizzling rain as we pulled into the property.  Charlie got our keys, found out that we were practically the only visitors and gave us about an hour to rest before it would be time for dinner. 

Our accommodations were named after tropical plants instead of being numbered.  With lovely hardwood floors, tile baths and balconies that face into the mid-level of the forest, what more could we wish for.  There was time to share a pre-dinner drink across the balcony railing with Mary and Jack as we watched numerous birds coming in to roost for the night. 

The dinner-plate-size bloom, left, on the vine on the way to the dining room smelled like rotting meat. The passion flower vine, right, was more inviting.

Dinner, marking bird lists and off to bed.... it’s been a long and marvelous day and we’re up at 5 a.m. again tomorrow.  It should be another interesting day because we will meet Alison and Michael Olivieri, friends of Charlie who have retired and moved from the US to San Vito, Costa Rica. 

Thursday, May 8, 2003  Wilson Botanical Gardens (aka Las Cruces)

The Botanical Gardens has a great terrace outside the dining area with a marvelous view and a railing where Charlie placed cut papayas and bananas to entice the birds to come.  Most of us were there by 5:30 a.m. to enjoy a cup of coffee and the birds.  It was magical, to say the least. Many birds arrived including tanagers we had not seen before as well as a pair of Green Honeycreepers who were spectacular. 

Up at dawn, to check what fruit brought to the patio. And here is some of what we saw.

Breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and Alison arrived at 7:30 a.m..  She is a volunteer guide for the Botanical Gardens so she will lead our walk this morning.  Accompanying her were Linda and Larry, friends who were visiting.  Michael will arrive in time for lunch. 

Alison and Nino.

Walking the paths in the gardens was a delight because along with all the birds there were wonderful plants and flowers to view and photograph.  We were even allowed in the greenhouse where the carnivorous plants are kept along with some rare ferns and orchids. 

 


Some of the colorful flowers and fungi in the gardens.

The weather didn’t quite cooperate and by the end of the walk we were all soaked.  Everyone headed to their rooms to put on their “Chasing Birds With Charlie” shirts because Alison had volunteered to make our group photo after lunch. As they were departing after lunch, Alison invited the group  to come for coffee the next afternoon and see their new home, designed by Charlie’s cousin, Javier, who is an architect.  We readily accepted!   

This afternoon the rain came down in buckets.  The plan was to head to a marsh for birding but Mary and I opted out for an afternoon of independent study.