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.
Lady Anhinga
Anhinga: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025. I am not sure what is going on here…whether that hank of shredded rope or fabric in her beak is nesting material, or if she has a fishhook caught. The light on our first sunny afternoon was glorious by the time I got to the little pond by the rest rooms. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 415mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Dusky-faced Tanager
Dusky-faced Tanager: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This is a bird I had not seen in 10 previous trips to Costa Rica, and Victor, my host at Tico Rainforest, said that it is one of the main attractions for photographers at his place. Though it bears the Tanager name, it is not one of the true tanager family. It and 3 other tanager species were placed in their own family in 2013. It ranges through Central and north west South America, but evidently is not all that easy to see in Costa Rica. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Strutting
Tricolored Heron: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — For the second year in a row, the Tricolored Heron was by far the most numerous of the heron tribe on Black Point Drive. There were, of course, more Great and Snowy Egrets by far, but of the dark herons the Tricolored took the crown. This one was pretty full of itself. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-cowled
Black-cowled Oriole: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Early in the morning from the deck at Victors B&B…my first and only sighting of the Black-cowled Oriole on this trip. I have only seen this bird once before in Costa Rica, though it is not an uncommon bird at feeders. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Learning the craft
Immature Reddish Egret: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — This Reddish-egret, just coming into adult plumage, was hunting along Black Point Drive on our first sunny afternoon. Backlit of course, but it was fun to watch. All Reds are awakward hunters, striking often improbable poses, but this immature was still obviously learning the craft. Still, I love the light through the wings. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Red-eye
Red-eyed Leaf Frog: Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — No visit to the lowlands of Costa Rica would be complete without an encounter with the Red-eyed Leaf Frog…perhaps the most emblematic of non-bird species in the American Tropical Rainforest. I already posted shots from my first daylight encounter with this frog, and of course I had to ask the guide at Frog Heaven to find me one before we were done there. Taken in the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight and from a light-weight travel tripod. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 382mm. Aperture preferred with my macro modifications. ISO 12800 @ f16 @ 1/15th. -1.3EV Processed in Photomator.
Looking a bit rough!
Tricolored Heron: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2025 — Looking a bit rough after several days of rainy, cold, weather…not quite dried out on the first sunny afternoon is quite a while. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Splendid!
Splendid Leaf Frog: Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — I posted a photo of this Splendid Leaf Frog while I was still in Costa Rica in December and told the story of Frog Heaven’s efforts to entice the frog back to their property after it’s nesting tree blew down. They discovered that for it to thrive it needs an elevated spawning pool that has been “poisoned” for other frogs by the secretions of the host tree. No really, poisoned. The tree releases a toxic compound into the water that kills the tadpoles of other species of frogs, but not the tadpoles of the Splendid Leaf Frog. (I am not sure what the frogs do for the tree in return…if anything.) At any rate, Frog Heaven installed 50 gallon drums well off the ground and put cut branches of saplings of the host tree to soak in the water…and the Splendid Leaf Frog has returned. And Splendid it is. Just look at those colors. Taken by the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 327mm equivalent. Aperture mode with my macro modifications. f11, -1.7 EV, ISO 12800. Processed in Photomator.
Pink overhead
Roseate Spoonbill: Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, Titusville, Florida, January 2025 — This is pretty much a full breeding plumage male Roseate Spoonbill coming over fairly close on Black Point Drive in the full Florida afternoon January sun. Does not get much better! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. 1/2000th. Processed in Photomator.