Sandhills in the sky
Sandhill Crane: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, January 2025 — Florida Sandhill Crane in the clear blue sky over Orlando Wetlands. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-throated Trogon
Black-throated Trogon: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — On this December trip to rainforest Costa Rica we encountered 4 different species of Trogon, 3 at Tico Rainforest B&B and another at Caño Negro. This Black-throated Trogon was the least likely of the 4 for us to see, so, of course, it is the most special. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Breakfast
Red-shouldered Hawk: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — As I mentioned yesterday and in a post a while ago, the Red-shouldered Hawk we encountered along the berm at Orlando Wetlands dropped down right in front of us for a morning snack. If you look closely at the image you will see the last bit of a lizard’s tail disappearing down the bird’s throat, and that strange bulge in the throat is its body as it is literally swallowed whole. What a treat. Both for the hawk, and for the photographers watching. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
In the Water Apple tree
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Eventually the troop of Howlers moved over us to the Water Apple tree at the back corner of Victor’s photo glade, just where the property slopes down to the Puerto Viejo river. Water Apples attract both birds and wildlife when they ripen. I hear mixed reports from humans as to the taste, but some apparently quite like them. The Howlers certainly did. However Howlers often seem to take a bite out of the fruit and then drop it. I am not sure what that is all about. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk: Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, Florida, USA, January 2025 — We had a much more promising morning for my second Point and Shoot Nature Photography workshop at Orlando Wetlands…still unseasonably cold, but at least the sun was shining. We started out toward the end f the boardwalk, and just as I was thinking I should be looking for the Red-shouldered Hawk that hangs out there, one of my participants spotted in a tree right overhead. Facing the wrong way…but after swooping down to take a lizard right at our feet, it presented us with a nice belly shot at a slightly greater distance. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with by bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Pensive
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — On my last morning with Victor at Tico Rainforest B&B, we got to enjoy a troop of Howler monkeys working the lower canopy in Victor’s little photo glade in the rainforest. There were at least 20 individuals. Photography against the canopy is a challenge, but I had lots of opportunities. They were aware of me, down there on the ground below them, but not worried about me at all. These are three males. They always look to me to be deep in thought, and not very happy about the state of world…or at least their little patch of rainforest. But then, I know better than to project myself on to the facial features of any other species…these guys could be expressing delight for all I know. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Mean Green
Green Heron: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — It is very rare for me not to see a Green Heron around the pool at the rest stop on Black Point Drive. I have seen as many as 3 different ones on a single stop. This year they were playing difficult…being mean to me. 🙂 The only one I found was this one, and it stayed well buried at the base of the mangroves right above the water line. Still, I always enjoy seeing green. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Difficult bird!
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The Rufous-tailed Jacamar was one of the first birds we heard on my first morning at Tico Rainforest B&B, and one the last birds I saw on my last day at Tico Rainforest B&B…and I did not see it until that morning. They tend to say low in the undergrowth, and if my experience is anything to go by, low down in overgrown gullies and washes at that. This bird sat against a busy background in deep shade, with no completely clear line-of-sight. Not easy! I am happy to have gotten what I did…but I long for an easy Jacamar on one of these trips. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Hung out to dry
Anhinga: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — The same female Anhinga as yesterday’s post, but this time in the classing drying the wings pose. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 300mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Youngster
Immature Montazuma’s Oropendola: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This Oropendola, photographed off Victor’s second floor balcony, is at that awkward stage of molting into adult plumage. Still beautiful…in some ways more attractive than the adult. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600 and 450mm equivalents. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.