The weather redeemed itself today rewarding us with a double rainbow as we boated off to the north. The United Fruit Company, which marketed Chiquita Bananas, built a 7-mile long, 6-foot deep canal in the late 19th century to transport bananas for shipments abroad. For all the work, it was only used for seven years, then railroad transport prevailed. The canal makes for a great lazy boat ride spotting birds, forest on both sides. A picnic lunch at the mouth o...

In heavy gray clouds at dawn, we board the boat back to Punto Robalo. It's been a continual guessing game about the weather. Our goal is a day spent traveling up and down the Fortuna Road, a famous birding locale for forested areas at different elevations, catching mixed species flocks. Unfortunately the rain did not cooperate. Bands of heavy rain/drizzle/mist cycled through all morning and into early afternoon. Miserable, frustrating conditions, teasing out a f...

Our planned walks this morning came under a rain delay. We tried to wait it out on the porch of our cabin, seeing a few good birds. The birds are so happy getting their first baths in a long time; it's the end of the dry season. At breakfast, the banana feeders attract a flock of bright yellow Prothonotary Warblers. Two Capuchin monkeys conspire to reach a branch laden with bananas. They shake, reach, and finally jump, successfully gathering up as many bananas ...

Tuesday, March 1 - Our walks today retraced previous steps , seeing a few more target birds, with a closer Bellbird and Quetzals. Good exercise, but not much new. Time to move on from this comfortable lodge. Wednesday, March 2 - Early morning departure from Mount Totumas, dawn greeting us as we drive back down to Volcan, transferring to a large van that could accommodate three times our size group. We can spread out for the daylong trip over the Continental Div...