Panama - exploring around Brisa del Diablo

Olga recommended we explore a trail down from the village, which seemed like a good idea as clouds were billowing over the continental divide and it was obvious that it was going to be at best very cloudy up in the National Park:

It remained sunny and dry where we were though so we set off.   A surprise early sighting was this Acorn Woodpecker making the most of some fallen ripe fruit:

The walk went down a long winding path through the village and then alongside pasture and forest,  A long descent, which always means of course, a long ascent to follow.

We saw loads of birds though including Hepatic Tanager:

Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush:

Red-crowned Woodpecker:

A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak:

A Swainson's Thrush:

Both of these more familiar from North America than Central.

We concluded the walk a little sooner than we might as we were both still a bit under-the-weather though generally improving at this stage, and we were therefore worried abou the climb back to the village and the refugio beyond.

We tried heading up to the Park in the afternoon but were beaten back by cloud and rain, We did however encounter the bird guide from our trip to Darien at one point, he was with another couple on a birding trip.  It was funny to bump into them all on a random stretch of road at the top of a mountain ridge, but we bade each other good luck and headed on, stopping on the way back down to snap this rainbow:

Back in the gardens nursing another cold beer Lesser Goldfinch were twittering on the nearest tree:

Time for another feast and a chance to put back on some of the weight we'd lost.