8th February - Curi Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica

We had arranged to meet with our guide at 7.30 outside the reserve at Curi Cancha, so were able to get some breakfast before walking up the hill to the reserve.  Back in 2017 we were alerted to this reserve after visiting and being disappointed with the walk around the Monteverde Cloud Forest.  We were told the entrance to the reserve was near the Monteverde Cheese Factory and we walked down.  Then it was only a few blue huts and we were fortunate to get a guide to take us around.  Today as we walked up there was a huge visitor centre with cafe and toilets.  Back in 2017 there was not a recognisable car park, today there was a huge open space and there were so many cars turning up, with guides and people everywhere.

Curi-Cancha Reserve is located in the Arenal-Tempisque conservation area in the heart of Monteverde. It protects 205 acres of 50% virgin forest, 45% secondary growth, and 5% open pasture. The altitude ranges from 1450 metres to 1615 metres with 40% Lower montane wet forest and 60% Premontane wet forest. Seven kilometres of natural trails allow visitors to explore the flora and fauna of the tropical cloud forest.

The lower portion is drier, with few epiphytes, but the upper portion is cloud forest. While the forest is not quite so pristine as Monteverde, the most spectacular birds are much easier to see.

As we waited for our guide there were Amazon Parrots in the trees around the car park.

We set off on the main trail and quickly came out into the open.  There was a mixed flock of birds moving around on the edge of the trail.  This Slaty-throated Redstart flicking about along the moss covered old trunks.

Tennessee and Golden-winged Warbler were also seen, but eluded me.  Our guide then pointed out this Eye-ringed Flatbill, a sort of flycatcher with a distinctive bill.

 

And a Lesser Greenlet a member of the vireo family.

We turned off the main trail and through some trees that opened out into a wonderful pasture, reminiscent of the Shires we saw last year in New Zealand.

A House Wren, very similar to our European Wren was singing from the base of this bush

As I have mentioned Curi Cancha is very popular and the majority of people come to try and see the Resplendent Quetzal, and all the guides are geared up to find one, a bit like the Big Five in Africa.  We stopped at a large Avocado tree, but there were only several Crested Guan, walking around to the next trees, our guide finally found a Quetzal and it was pandemonium.  It was only a female, I hate to think what would happen if it had been a male.

It was tucked away in the middle of the tree and very difficult to see.  The strong wind blew the leaves and this would expose it then cover it up once again.  As you can see they were not the best views.

There was one American who just could not see it and was so desperate he even asked me to take a photo, unfortunately his camera setting were so obscure I couldn't help him.

Just to add to the craziness the guide then found an Emerald Toucanet, again almost impossible to see.

We finally left the Quetzal and continued the walk around a trail.  We passed high trees with Yellow Crowned Euphonia and this Boat-billed Flycatcher.

Then a good view of a Lesson's Motmot.

We came across a large group of people and rightly assumed it must be another Quetzal, it was and again a female, but this time showing a little better, unfortunately the American had chosen to stay put back at the first tree.

Also in the same tree a Squirrel Cuckoo.

We dropped down into denser forest and found a Collared Toucan, unfortunately it was high in the trees and it was impossible to get a view of the head.

But the female was close by and she was more obliging.

There were Yellow-throated Toucans calling above us and the Trogons continued to be elusive.  The trail took us around to another open area and I felt as if I had been here before.  Seven years ago I had a Coppery-headed hummingbird here and again this morning there was one in almost the same place.

On that last visit I had managed to photograph a Blue Morpho, there weren't any today but there was a Monarch that flew off as I got close.

We headed back into the forest on the trail and came across this Lesson's Motmot.

As we watched the Motmot there was movement beneath and this turned out to be some absolutely stunning shots of an Emerald Toucanet.

It moved towards us and like all toucans did that slow movement of the head as it looked for a suitable piece of fruit amongst the flowers.

And it found one.

Then tossed it up and swallowed it.

While we watched the Toucanet, the Motmot stayed in place and even turned around for another view.

We walked through the forest hearing Rufous breasted and Rufous and White Wren and getting some brief views and also a couple of Kentucky Warblers.  Alongside the trail the trees looked immense towering above us.

With many Strangler Figs.  These trees begin life as a sticky seed on a tree branch high up in the canopy and are usually left there by an animal or bird.

As the young strangler fig grows, long roots grow down along the trunk of the host tree, eventually completely engulfing the host tree trunk. Once these roots reach the ground, they enter the soil. At the same time, the strangler fig grows leaves.

The growth process of strangler figs can be murderous, leading to the death of its host, and earning it the Spanish nickname, ‘matapalo’ (tree-killer). The roots constrict the trunk of the host tree and surround the host tree roots, cutting off the nutrient and water supply. Its thick fig foliage high up in the canopy can also steal sunlight. 

Strangler figs are not just destructive parasites; they are very ecologically important in tropical areas.

The hollow centre of strangler figs provides habitats for a number of animals including bats and birds. They are also known as ‘keystone species’, as their fruits provide an important source of food to a variety of animals.

The aerial roots of strangler figs may attach to surrounding vegetation on the ground, stabilising the host plant and making it less likely to become uprooted. The leaves of the fig may also help shield from wind by closing up the forest canopy. Finally, the root networks surrounding the host tree trunks may provide a scaffold and support the trunk.

We made our way back to the Avocado trees in the hope that a male Quetzal might be there.  There wasn't one and I wasn't that despondent because I had amazing views of this wonderful bird on our last trip here in 2018.  All that could be found around the trees was a Black Guan, a lifer, and another Coppery-headed Hummingbird.

Walking back to the visitor centre we stopped at another Strangler Fig that was reportedly 500 years old.  It was possible to squeeze through the roots and look up in the centre of the tree.

The walk back to the hotel was traumatic, not least the last part, a steep climb up the road to the hotel.  I stopped for this Hoffmann's Woodpecker.

During the afternoon the wind eased at it was very hot and sunny, but still with a wonderful view over the hotel gardens all the way out to the Gulf of Nicoya.

I enjoyed Curi Cancha, but was also a little disappointed that it has become so large and popular.  For us it will always be the little reserve next to the Cheese Factory and today it was just another commercial tourist enterprise, I wonder how many walking around were really birders.

The trip list advance once again to 150 with another 13 lifers taking that count to 55Sla