The Arenal area is dominated by its volcanic cone and the enormous lake beside it. I stayed at the Observatory Lodge, about 125 km from San José and 22 km from La Fortuna, on the ridge between the volcano and the lake, with forest trails, landscaped grounds and broad views right outside my room. The main viewing deck brings birds down to eye level at the fruit feeders, while nearby trees give them convenient places to gather before coming in. It is a much more accessible place to photograph birds than a dense forest walk, although the action can be just as difficult to follow.

The Red-legged Honeycreepers were particularly entertaining. They did not arrange themselves into neat portraits: they chased one another, left the feeder, changed height and crossed the frame in fractions of a second. I spent time watching which perch each bird used and where it went next, so that I could follow a sequence rather than guess at a single instant. Hummingbirds and a Gray-capped Flycatcher gave me further chances to catch birds leaving or passing through the viewing area.

On a guided walk, we also found a rare pair of Gartered Trogons. Our guide told me he had never seen one in Arenal before, and I was able to get shots of the male in flight, which was particularly pleasing. The album closes away from the feeders with two evening landscapes from the lodge: a golden view across Lake Arenal and a red sunset beyond the ridges and wind turbines.

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