We lay in bed listening to a very vocal buff rumped warbler leading the dawn chorus - I saw it on the bush outside our cabin door but it flew before I could get my camera out.
Today I got up extra early, at 0530, as it was a travelling day and our bags had to be at the bus by 0630 - I thought this would give me ample time for my swim -but imagine my surprise when I got to the pool and it was empty - no water --zilch, zippo, nil----they clean the pool every 6-8 days and sadly this was the day.So back to the cabin for an earlier than anticipated shower!
With the bus loaded up and breakfast eaten we set off at 0745 for our next stop - the cloud forest in the Savegre valley.
We stopped several times enroute for loos, ATM, photos - great shots of mountains, sugar cane and pineapple plantations all in one, and a supermarket - this was in a small town and included other shops - we used the time to buy two doughnuts to eat with morning coffee which we were promised was 20 minutes out of the town and had great views - which it was and had!
Just before we got to the hotel we stopped at a local house in the Savegre valley where a lady attracts birds to her garden by putting food out - we saw acorn woodpeckers (today's photo), rufous collared sparrows, a robin, flame headed tanager ....and several other species including a very healthy looking squirrel.
We arrived at the lodge in time for a nice buffet lunch - the afternoon was relaxing- I went to the spa at 4pm- used the jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, then relaxed while using their wifi before having a lovely massage at 6.15pm and then rushing to dinner at 7.20pm ( they so say stopped serving at 7.30pm) luckily the buffet was still going strong and I didn't starve. After dinner we went back to the room and got all our stuff ready for tomorrow's 0530 meet to go in search of the 'resplendent quetzal' - this is the best place to see this magnificent bird and we must maximise our chances....hence the early start.