by Todd Gustafson

This morning we tried to find Scarlet Macaws before heading for the mountains and Savegre where the Quetzals live. We started early (5:30 AM) so we could get to the Tárcoles River in time to see the macaws fly from the mangroves to the forest to feed. Behind us were the mist shrouded mountains and in front of us the river lands turned to gold as the sun came up. As hoped for, the macaws flew across the river in pairs. What was unexpected was them landing in the very tree we were under! Four of them dropped in to feed on ripe fruits. They gave us 20 minutes of heavenly photography before flying to the forest. On our way home we found their nests where four more macaws were building, flying, and eating.

We returned to the hotel for breakfast and our drive to Savegre. One of my favorite things to do in Costa Rica is travel from one habitat to another. The scenery and the abundance of wildlife make every drive an adventure. Today we traveled from the Pacific coastal region, winding our way up to the highlands and the Talamanca Mountains. As soon as we left the coast and started through the rainforest we found three-toed sloth feeding on the tender new leaves of a Cecropia tree. We photographed him for a half hour until he put his head behind a leaf and hid from us.

We ended our day 7,500 feet above sea level at Savegre, in the heart of Quetzal Valley. I’ll put on an extra blanket and sleep well tonight.

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