Panama - Los Quetzales Trail, top-end

For our last full day birding in Panama we decided to head to the Volcan end of the Los Quetzales trail, which is basically a long-steep climb.  Quite a beast at that altitude but worth it.

As we started the walk mist closed in and the air grew colder and damper.

We saw a Rufous-browed Peppershrike in a tree next to some farmland early on in the ascent:

Dahlias grew by the side of the road:

We reached the top of the trail cold and damp in persistent drizzle.  The building on the right is the deserted station for the trail, the track on the left is for a local research institute:

We paused at the top of the trail watching White-naped Brush-Finch on the ground:

and a flock of Sooty-capped Bush-Tanagers in the shrubs alongside the building grounds:

We started the descent on the other side, down towards Boquete but the drizzle became rain, as illustrated in this picture of a Volcano Hummingbird:

So we walked down, noteably quicker than we'd climbed, jumped in the car and drove out from under the cloud and back for our last afternoon in Cielito Sur.

More species showed-up including a Magnificent Hummingbird:

and i finally managed a snap of the ever-present but fast moving Violet Sabrewing:

We really did enjoy our stay in Volcan but it was time alas to turn and head back, all the way back to Panama City.