Tractor pulling us in

Hummingbird nest Our guide had quite the eye as this was well hidden!

 One of many waterfallsThe Splendid Quetzal

…..too many too count and too many to photograph with an iPad….hope you see one!

………is jointly administered by Costa Rica and Panama and encompasses 401,000 ha.  It is a designated UNESCO world heritage site and is home to some of the last remaining highland virgin forests.  The Panamaian section covers approximately 207,000 ha and over 400 bird species inhabit the park including Eagles, quetzales, crested Eagles and bare necked umbrella birds…….none of which I really know anything about other than Eagles.  I sure paid attention, however, when I read that Jaguars also inhabit the park along with roughly 100 other mammals.  In Panama there are three entrances to the park and one is in Guadalupe and usually used by guests of Las Quetzales lodge and because we were staying there we received a guided tour.   The tour began at 8:30am when nine of us boarded into what I can best describe as the back of a truck that was being hauled up into the park by a tractor with those very large tires which were so desperately needed.  The ride up into the park took about an hour and then we hiked around for an hour and a half looking to spot the splendid quetzal……..too bad I didn’t know what I was looking for!   Truly it didn’t matter as they are hard to spot with the naked eye but our guide kept calling much to the delight of the two American binocular laden birders.    We finished the hike without any sighting and then the guide  walked us up to one of the lodges I had mentioned previously and there we met a couple of other birders.   Our very patient guide continued to call the quetzal and his persistence paid off much to the delight of the birders……..and to us!  What a beauty which we all got to see through the binoculars…….and later one of the birders, Ashley, sent me the photo shown here.