15th. January, Ara Ambigua
The route to the first lodge was quite scenic driving over a pass at 2,200 m. The country is very green still with lots of forest and large trees even in more cultivated areas. The driver stopped for me to view two impressive waterfalls and have a coffee in a restaurant at the second one. There I first saw a banana bird feeder visited by many colourful birds including aemerald green toucanet and some blue-chested humming birds. It is relatively easy at such bird feeders to have good close-up views.
The Ara Ambigua lodge is attractively set at the edge of the forest about one kilometer from the main road. The rooms are laid out in short rows surrounded by lots of flowering tropical plants and there is a swimming pool at the upper end of the grounds. As at the stop by the waterfall a bird feeder provided the best photographic opportunities with: Silver throated Tanager, Black and yellow Tanager (female), Blue-grey Tanager, Clay-coloured Thrush, Black-thighed Grosbeak and Great Kishadee. I walked up the hill on some trails in the forest but did not see anything larger than a large cricket.