When we left for Costa Rica at the end of January, my plan was to bird nerd my face off while enjoying time with Stan (my adventure partner for life) and making new tree friends in the cloud forest. Monteverde did not disappoint! It was a wonderland of natural beauty, from the adorable coati to the otherworldly ficus trees.
The one thing I was really hoping for during our time in the cloud forest was to see a Resplendent Quetzal in the wild! 🤓
For our first full day, we went to the Curi-Cancha Reserve, searching for one on our own. Within an hour, we ran into a fellow bird-lover gentleman who had seen one earlier in the day. He showed us the video he had taken, which made me nearly as green with envy as those brilliant feathers I was searching for.
Further into the reserve, we encountered another couple searching for a Quetzal in a wild avocado tree, which they’re known to love. Apparently, this was the spot because there was even a viewing area set up with a row of benches! I searched the branches with my tiny binoculars for a splash of red. There were a few Crested Guan roosted in the branches, but no Quetzal that I could see.
After coming up empty on our first attempt, I decided to join a guided group for our first couple of hours at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on our last day in the area. We set an alarm and showed up at the visitors center bleary-eyed. You know this was serious business because I skipped my morning mug of fresh Costa Rican coffee for this little bird. All my hopes were riding on this outing, unbeknownst to our small group and guide, Jose.
Jose was thin and wiry, the kind of person who looks like they have to work hard to gain weight. Though he seemed to be in his mid-twenties, he was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the ecosystem and its conservation. He came equipped with a superzoom scope that, I hoped, would allow us to see things we would never be able to spot on our own.
Our trek started slowly. We stopped under the dense canopy to talk about the history of the area and the difference between a cloud forest and a rainforest while other groups passed by with their guides. It was wildly fascinating, and I began looking at the surrounding forest with a different perspective! However, I was also eager to continue my Quetzal quest that no one but Stan even knew I was on.
We wandered through the network of trails, admiring the diversity of life around us. Every once in a while, a single red flower would burst out from the endless sea of greenery, beckoning a hummingbird to feast. Jose knew where the little wonders were hiding, like a tiny hummingbird nest and a colony of bats sleeping inside a hollow Ficus Tree, but there was no sign of the Quetzal.
About an hour into the hike, we came to a spot where many other guides and their groups were stopped, crowded around their scopes. Someone had spotted the signature red chest in the highest part of the canopy. My excitement was palpable! Jose set up our scope with expert efficiency, and it took all my self-restraint to keep from elbowing the other group members out of the way so I could get that first look before our Quetzal friend moved on.
Looking through the scope, I was able to see the male bird’s bright red chest, black head, and cute little yellow beak in exquisite detail. Though I only had the scope for a few seconds (I wanted to give everyone else a chance to look too–I’m not that much of an asshole!), I burned the image into my memory. I could hardly believe I was lucky enough to see this little bird that most of the eight billion humans in the world will never lay eyes on.
Mister Quetzal didn’t hang out for long. Our little feathered friend took flight, and we had the pleasure of watching him traverse the canopy with his signature long tail feathers floating behind him like a ribbon.
It was one of those truly magical moments when the wonders of Mother Nature left me awestruck. Just a couple of months before, this trip was a wisp of an idea, and there I was, living out a dream. It was barely 9 a.m., and after that microburst of splendor, all the other marvels of the day felt like icing on the cake.
There’s absolutely no way I would have spotted that little guy up in the canopy on my own, even knowing all the other groups gathered around were looking at him. It was well worth the $35 per person price tag to spend a morning learning from a young man who spent most of his life in this forest, even if we hadn’t seen the Quetzal.
Food for Thought
It’s interesting to notice the fleeting moment of spotting a rare little bird in a tree is an absolute standout moment in the four days we had in Monteverde. Is that because it was a rare opportunity that many people don’t get? Certainly. Is it because I had a desire fulfilled? For sure. But that’s not the whole story.
The feeling of satisfaction also comes from a moment of wonder shared with my fellow humans. In that moment, we were united in our quest. We had a common dream! When it came true, there was a collective appreciation for Nature’s wonder and a reminder of the magic that is Life on this planet.
The moment was all the more joyful because I had zero control over the outcome. I did what could to improve my odds of success by hiring a guide, but the rest was out of my hands. Having it all come together boosted my sense of trust that I’m exactly where I need to be.
Have you every had a moment like this? What was the most satisfying part for you? I’d love to hear about it! Share your story in the comments!
