Sharon Stiteler
My trip to Guatemala was a life changing experience. My first day at Finca El Pilar was rough, I was just getting over the flu and feeling sorry for myself. As our tour group climbed higher, I stayed with the bus to rest. I suddenly heard the most beautiful bird song a person can hear, the Brown-backed Solitaire, and it didn’t matter how sick I was, I knew the rest of the trip would be fabulous. That bird song still haunts me to this day.. The rest of the trip offered stunning views of volcanoes, especially at Los Andes Quetzal reserve. I remember standing at the base of the trail just as the sun was rising, a volcano released smoke, silhouetted against the orange sky. All around us we could hear motmots waking up. The birds are incredible and seem to dreamed up by amazing artists: Pink-head Warbler, Magnificent Hummingbird, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl are just the tip of the ice berg.
