Photo: While the group wiews a Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Edwin closely watches for a good view of a Blue-crowned Manakin. Photo by Susan Stern
Our Majestic Feathers February tour did not beat our all time total for the number of species seen (please see blog entry February 13, 2011) in fourteen days but they did establish the total to beat for future groups that go with us for 17 days of birding in Costa Rica, a total of 436 species seen. At the end of day fourteen their total was 412 species which is 15 species shy of the record held by the March 2009 tour of 427 species seen by the end of day fourteen. They came wonderfully close to meeting or exceeding this total and of course they had no idea that they were even in such a hunt…admittedly it is me that is the one interested in these numbers and even at that I am most interested in the quality of their over-all experience. From the sound of it they had a great time as they moved about the country seeking out the winged wonders of many types of habitat and I couldn't be more delighted for them.
I have received numerous emails from the February participants and here are a few samples sharing about their Majestic Feathers adventure with Edwin Ramirez.
Photo: The sign at "Los Cusingos" the refuge established by Alexander Skutch. Skutch a botanist and ornothologist acquired the land that is now known as Los Cusingos in 1941 and he lived and studied here until his death in 2004,just a week shy of his 100th birthday. Photo by: Susan Stern
3/1/11 Dear Kathleen,
We wanted to convey to you that we had a marvelous trip to Costa Rica with Edwin Ramirez and Enrique Gomez (our bus owner and driver). They were a great team and both of them are wonderful individuals and we think of them daily.
Edwin was incredible as he led us to 436 species of magnificent birds, 301 of which were life birds for us. In addition, his comprehensive knowledge of the total ecology of each life zone, the history and culture of the country and his obvious love, dedication and passion for his work overwhelmed us. Thank you for all that you did to make this trip-of-a-lifetime possible.
During conversations with Edwin, we got the impression that he may also guide trips to Peru and Ecuador. If these trips are done through Majestic Feathers, please keep us informed because we would be very interested in participating.
Once again thank you,
Paul and Nancy
California
2/23/11
Kathleen,
This is to let you know that the Costa Rica birding trip met all our expectations. Edwin is the consummate leader with expert birding skills and perceptive people skills. He was joined by his good friend, Enrique (Kike) Gomez, as our delightful driver.
The accommodations were fine and Edwin modified the itinerary as necessary - taking the birding opportunities and the participants' needs into consideration. Thanks for your role in organizing and planning the trip.
Edwin wore one of your Majestic Feathers hats in gray (with the toucan on the front) on some days. I would love to buy one if they are still available.
Pura Vida
Susan and Maury
Photo: With Edwin's assistance Susan Stern got this shot of a Great Green Macaw through Edwin's scope.
3/2/11 Kathleen:
I am writing you to thank you for the wonderful trip planning for my recent trip to Costa Rica. I tagged along with my sister's Audubon Club from California and had a once in a lifetime experience. You have located a diamond in the rough with the tour guide, Edwin! He has such a dynamic personality and exudes positive energy.
I would also like to add that the driver for our tour was the best too! Enrique Gomez was so attentive to our needs and concerned for our safety and welfare. These two men together made this trip so memorable. I know they have been close friends for many years but they work so well together---it makes it appear as though this is not a JOB to them!
Please add me to the ongoing communications about the Majestic Feathers trip upcoming trips to Galapagos, Ecuador and Peru with Edwin. This would be another place that I would love to experience and I cannot imagine going with a better guide. If I can’t work out going this year, I certainly would line it up for 2012. Please keep me posted.
Again, I thank you for all the hard work and orchestrating all the details! I am looking forward to my next trip!
Thank you,
Con mucho gusto,
Terri
Atlanta, GA
Photo: It is chilly in the cloud forest and Susan Stern snapped a shot of Edwin all bundled up to prove it!
2/24/11 Hugh’s Costa Rica Memories
The gardens at the Hotel Bougainvillea ● Nature Air flight to Palmar Sur ● Round rocks “ancient spheres” and birds in the nearby park ● Two owl species in the park—Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and a pair of Tropical Screech-Owls ● Old steam locomotive across the street from the park ● Cherrie’s Tanagers copulating and a Lineated Woodpecker excavating a hole near the “footbridge” on the way to La Gamba ● Green Vine Snake in Esquinas ● Baird’s Trogon pair at Esquinas ● American Pygmy Kingfisher at Esquinas ●Gray-necked Wood-Rails copulating at Esquinas ● Hot walk up a canyon for the endemic Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager ● Fiery-billed Aracari copulation at Esquinas ● A Tamandua Anteater at Esquinas ●Trip to Crested Oropendula nests and birding on the La Gamba Road ●Bar Los Cotrillos at La Gamba ● Platform Feeders at Wilson Gardens, Silver-throated, Speckled and Golden-hooded Tanagers ● Food and service at Talari with feeder platforms, Red-legged Honeycreeper ●Pearl Kite eating a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird near San Isidro de General ● Alexander Skutch’s House ● 11,000’ mountain pass above Georgina’s restaurant and hummingbird feeders ● The drive down to Savegre ● The news of Eugenia during our meetings with her ● The whole Savegre experience, especially the Resplendent Quetzal and Costa Rica Pygmy-Owl ● Afternoon birding in Savegre rain ●Miriam letting us use her bathrooms and then selling us coffee and rolls! ●Long-tailed Silky-Flycatchers ● Lunch at La Foresta Nature Resort in Quepos ● The Pauraque dance at Villa Lapas ● A Coatimundi seen at Carara NP and other places ●Mangos and watermelon after Carara●Boat ride on rio Tarcolis with mangroves—a 5-Kingfisher day ● Prothonotary and Mangrove Warblers, Northern Waterthrushes on the banks of the Mangrove channel ● Hundreds of Spotted Sandpipers moving down the Mangrove channel as the late afternoon tide rose. They were standing wall-to-wall on a rocky bar out by the river mouth of the rio Tarcolis ● Waiting in the bus at night for Edwin, during “Owling” after the boat ride—a family looking at us from their front door, a drive-by recorded public announcement of a calendar girl show for the following night ● Visit to the cattle ranch with Snail Kites, crocodile with iguana in its jaws, Spectacled Owls, Jabirus on nests with young ●“Crocodiles swim better” ● Breakfast on the way to the cattle ranch ● Late afternoon walk up the hill to the Sky Walk gate at Villa Lapas after the cattle ranch trip ● Sitting in the chapel at Villa Lapas with the frog pond altar ● Pale-billed Woodpecker above Villa Lapas during early birding ● Edwin singing—“Don’t give up your day job”● Mola Shopping ● Meal experience at Rancho Naturalista ●The bus ride with Hazel to see afternoon birds ● Hummers at Rancho Naturalista and Valentine’s Day ● Relaxed atmosphere of Sueno Azul ● Hot, humid walks with Rudolfo in La Selva, cold Coke with lunch ● Sloths—look for two or three toes on their fore paws ● Cinnamon Woodpecker excavating a nest, White-necked Puffbird pair doing the same, Jacamar, watching soccer on a wet field, Sungrebe, Semi-Plumbeous Hawk, the tallest tree in La Selva, a 52-meter Cola de Pavo ● My question to Edwin, “Do Puffbirds suffer from a higher cancer rate than non-smoking birds?” ●Northward Turkey Vulture migration seen from La Selva ● 2nd morning early birding alone at Sueno Azul, Ringed Kingfisher, Short-tailed Nighthawk, a rainbow ●The Howler Monkey alarm clock at 5:20 AM ● The Arenal Hanging Bridges ● An Eye-browed Pit Viper (brown) on the Sky Walk ● Emerald and Rufous-winged Tanagers, Purple-crowned Fairy from a suspension bridge ● Arenal Volcano ● Walk at Arenal Observatory Lodge and the hummingbirds, especially the Violet-headed Hummingbird on her nest ● Camaraderie with Edwin, Kike and Kike’s brother, Ricardo, Corazon de Leon ● Plants growing on plants, fecundity of the forest—flowers everywhere ● Meeting Edwin’s wife and daughter ● Thanking the cooks at our birding places—Esquinas, Wilson Garden, Talari, Villa Lapas, Rancho Naturalista, Sueno Azul ● Farewell to Edwin ● “Que pais!”—“What a country!”
Pura Vida!
Y mas.
Hugh
California
Photo: Susan's shot of a Rufous-tailed Jacamar.
3/8/11Hi, Kathleen:
I still have a little Costa Rica in me, and that’s a good thing. The tropical rainforest was kind of sensory overload, but I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. I feel so lucky to have had Edwin for a guide; he must be the nicest guy in Costa Rica. The driver Enrique is a close second. Couldn’t have been better and worked really hard to get us the birds. Edwin is so very knowledgeable about so many things, and so very personable. Just a great time!
I learned something about myself: seventeen days of birding is too much for me! Galapagos sounds so interesting, but I don’t do boats. And my next birding trip needs to be shorter. But I would not have traded the trip and meeting Edwin for anything. Thanks so much for putting the trip together. I will be happy to recommend Majestic Feathers to anyone. Pura vida!
Nancy
California
From Me:
To all of our Majestic Feathers Friends that toured with us from February 4 to 20 a huge you are very welcome and it was my pleasure to organize and coordinate the tour. I was so unhappy that I was not able to go along and co-lead this trip! I knew from meeting the majority of you in California that I was missing being with a great bunch of birders that would be a lot of fun to be with! I hope that we can share a birding experience at some point in the future, maybe Galapagos and Peru wouldn’t that be big birding fun!
Thank you for joining us in Costa Rica, Edwin told me to be sure to convey to you from him how very much he enjoyed being with you and to thank you for letting him share his country and glorious birds with you. I shouldn’t forget as well to remind you all that a percentage of your tour fee has gone to Edwin’s forest restoration project; The Foundation for the Protection of the La Paz River and Forest. This money goes directly toward the tree nursery, maintenance of fencing that keeps cows out of the restoration project, and many other important aspects of this valuable project.
To date, 100 acres of forest have been restored and in the future the final corridor connection will establish a land bridge allowing animals to move all the way from the Arenal Volcano National Park to the Los Alpes Private Forest Preserve. The corridor connection in the La Paz Forest will result in 2,000 acres of connected forest benefiting Tapirs, Pumas, Ocelots, Resplendent Quetzals, and many, many more species.
There are two Majestic Feathers tours with Edwin Ramirez guiding and I will be assisting coming up; July 8 to 21, 2011 (please refer to my blog, February 16, 2011) and our Galapagos and Peru trip which will start on August 30, 2011, we are still finishing up the details on this trip and will be announcing them very soon.
For information about these tours or with your questions: Email me
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