Cloud forest national park & butterfly farm

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Into the cloud forest today; we have been so lucky to not have rain. Even though it is the cloud forest, it is unlikely we would have seen the famous resplendent quetzal if there had been rain. We entered the cloud forest with our private guide, Carlos (he is seen in the Lodge video referred to on 20 May), and he was on a mission to have us see the quetzal. There is a bricked path through the forest which is a little difficult to walk on but helps you keep your footing. Carlos showed us many insects and birds, but always chasing the quetzal whose call he could easily identify. The guides all know all the individual bird songs and usually mimic them pretty well. If you call a bird, it will answer because most of them are territorial. The guides are also pretty good at focusing their scope on the particular bird then taking a picture through the scope so you can actually see what it is.

There is a hummingbird area just outside the park entrance which is where we saw the grey fox.

After lunch we went to the butterfly farm. Now the rains came and it looked like we were in the cloud forest; you are surrounded by clouds. The best part of the butterfly farm was the little room with an impressive collection of native insects - spiders, huge beetles, scorpions, etc. Our guide was most interested in this room - his lair I think - and his excitement was infectious.

Back at the lodge in the evening I sat outside under cover watching the rain and having a guaro sour (guaro a local potent vodka-like alcohol) when one of the lodge employees came by with a flashlight. Though I did not follow any of his spanish, I thought I understood from the sign language he wanted me to see something about the sloth. We coud not find him but it turned out he had seen the sloth moving among the tree tops eating which is a rare event. I'm sorry we didn't see it. We saw him resting in the treetops but to catch him moving would have been something.

The lodge employees everywhere were helpful that way, showing you something if you passed their way and there was something to see. Again, CRE is an extraordinary company.

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Photos

Our group
at the Cloud Forest with our guide, Carlos

Resplendent quetzal
Resplendent quetzal through Carlos' scope. Marc got a better photo which I will try to use here

Grey fox
at the cloud forest

Rhinoceros or
hercules beetle at the butterfly gardens