Hi birders. With all the recent talk about birds and shade-grown coffee...and particularly with Josh's mention of San Ramon, Nicaragua and its connections to Durham, NC via the Finca Esperanza shade-grown coffee plantation...thought some folks might be interested in the birds that have been found in that part of Nicaragua. The Finca Esperanza is an eco-tourist coffee plantation that has been set up by a group out of Durham as a way to help the locals in San Ramon improve their economic situation while promoting sustainable agriculture and protection of natural resources. I have taken 2 excursions to the Finca, last year leading a group of 7 Audubon birders in late February. It is exciting and educational to live within a shade-grown coffee plantation and see first-hand how it operates and accomodates many species of animals. We identified over 160 species of birds including Toucans, Motmots, Parrots, Bellbird, Manakins, 7 species of Humminbirds...along with 25+ neo-tropical migrants. Orioles, grosbeaks and many of our warblers drinking nectar from the blossoms of Erythrina trees.We also saw many mammals and herptiles. I mention this because Dave Davenport, an expert Naturalist with extensive international experience, and I are leading another birdwatching trip to San Ramon this spring...April 4-13. These are low cost trips (~$2000) with the bulk of the money staying with the locals as they try to build an Ecotourist business. We still have a few spaces so if you are interested let me know. I can e-mail you our bird list. To find out more about the Finca Esperanza project...visit their website@ <http://www.durham-sanramon.org>. Thanks, John Connors @ NC Museum of Natural Sciences.