Misty Mountains with endless jewels.

It wasn’t until about five years ago when I got my first taste of what the definition of “cloud forest” meant. Monteverde and Santa Elena are surrounded by, or more precisely engulfed by wet montane forest they call cloud forest. 

The exact definition of “cloud forest” is really a loose definition; it usually consists of forest types in elevations between 500-4000 meters, annual precipitation of 500 to 10,000 mm/year. There is seasonal cloud cover in the canopy cover, with fog persisting at a vegetation level and finally condensing on the floor below.  So in other words it’s a forest that is just perpetually saturated with water. The forest type always has this emerald sheen to it with a greenish glow; it varies across the spectrum of green hues to create this mosaic wall. 

 

Mosaic wall of green

It’s a breathtaking site to behold, I never get tired of walking around slowly, just gazing in amazement at the biomass of life surrounding me, everything is alive there and competing for resources.  Not a single tree is standing on its own, hanging from, growing on, or engulfed by; the trees get no break from other species trying to get towards the limited amount of sunlight.  Epiphytic plants are defined as plants that are non-parasitic growing on the limbs of trees; they ascertain the nutrients they need from the air, rain and sometimes debris that fall into the plants.

 

There are two reserves I’ve spent time in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, the former being world famous as a glowing spectacle of the vary illustrious definition of cloud forest. You enter Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve to a winding path of trails that lead you to sprawling views of the hilltop mountains that surround you, the further out you go the more primitive the trails feel.  Sometimes winding their way through lush patches of flowers, bromeliads, and epiphytic plants hanging from the giant trees. You surrounded by engulfing walls of green, the wind howls through the trees and water sprays from the drenched forest surroundings. Eventually you come out of the trails and you see a rush of light. The trees at the top of the hills become stunted with the high winds near the top, the forest becomes by definition, elfin forest.  A niche habitat type that only the hardiest or specialized of species can survive in. After walking along the trails with the trees only a foot or two higher than you, it emerges upon the top of the highest peak in the surrounding areas. On clear days you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean. You make your way back through the reserve transecting swinging bridges and large groups that hope to see the infamous Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno).

A look from a small opening in the mountain side

Outside the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a coffee shop and small store that goes under the accolade of the Hummingbird Gallery. It’s a small area that has around ten hummingbird feeders in a small open spot among the forest types. The best way I can describe the Hummingbird gallery and all the bird buzzing around; when you were a kid in rural backyards you watched in amazement as fireflies buzzed around illuminating your surroundings. The flashing lights moved around, as the flashed on and off, with the Hummingbirds they are flying around you and depending on the way they turn light reflects off their shimmering feathers. Some species like the Coppery-headed Emerald (Elvira cupreiceps) can look dull and drab from one angle, than turn and reveal a flash of mesmerizing green vibrancy.

Coppery-headed Emerald (Elvira cupreiceps) side view

Coppery-headed Emerald (Elvira cupreiceps) gorget displaying

Whenever I’m there I think of my time as a boy looking at fireflies with their blinking lights and directly correlate them with the hummingbirds flashing around in the trees illuminating the surrounding airways. There are numerous gorgeous species of gorgeous hummingbirds, who are for the most part specialized for this particular elevation and niche of plants they can feed off of. Some of the spectacular species include; Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus), Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus), Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula), and the Purple-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis calolaemus). 

 

Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)

Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)

Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird (Heliodoxa jacula)

Just like its name the Montaingem, is quite possibly the true star there. The males have these bicolored faces that can illuminate any areas. They are the lighthouses amongst the garden there, moving from side to side flashing their gorget feathers. 

Purple-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis calolaemus)

It’s a spectacular place to be, I never get tired of exploring the surrounding area. I’m going to write a second post about the other preserves and some natural history of the area.