Fun at Miriam's

Miriam's restaurant is a small lodge/restaurant set-up a little outside of the Savegre Valley that we've visited each time we've gone to the highlands.  This year it was as active as I've ever seen it.  The low sun starting to dip closer to the mountains behind the vantage point creates excellent lighting.

I've never gotten tired of seeing Flame-colored Tanagers there.

 The first bird is probably a first winter male; his ground color is still yellow-orange.  The next bird has the full flame color though is in the shade.

Acorn Woodpeckers are the dominant woodpecker in the highlands.  They were fairly vocal as well.

A lot of the Chiriquí endemics can be found here like Sooty Thrush,

the ever cute Black-billed Nightengale-thrush,

 and the Yellow-bellied Siskin.

This was the best look I'd had at this species which is usually more common in the treetops.

 

Mountain Elaenia is a more widespread bird found at higher elevations throughout Central and northern South America.

I didn't remember these flowers in years past at this location.  I'd threatened to photoshop the hummers at Paraiso like in the banner on the blog; none was required here with this magnificent.

or with a small Selasphorus, Volcano Hummingbird.

The Volcano Hummingbirds in this section of Costa Rica have a fairly unique grayish-lavender gorget.  I'd gotten distants shots at adult males in the past, this was the first time I'd been close to one however.

On some of the other volcanos they have pinker or rosier tones.