Female Scintillant and Talamancas Hummingbirds
Scintillant and Talamancas Hummingbirds: Batsu Gardens, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Not the best weather at Batsu Gardens today, but still there are few better places for hummingbird photography. Two high mountain specialist in a single frame. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Day of the Resplendent Quetzal
Resplendent Quetzal: San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2022 — It was the day for Resplendent Quetzals. We had at lest 3 males and one female at the usual December spot along the road above Trogon Lodge. We waited a long time and took a lot of photos when it was really still too dark…but were rewarded with some good shots in good light. One of my fellow travelers saw a painting of the bird here at the lodge last night and asked “does it really look like that!?” I assured her that, yes indeed, it does look just like that, and maybe even more impressive and beautiful in life. Sony Rx10iv at 561mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus .7EV.
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird: Las Cruses Biological Station / Wilson Botanical Gardens, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Not the best photo but a very good bird. We missed it yesterday…at least missed photo ops…so I was out at sun-up in the gardens waiting for it this morning and it came just as I would have had to leave to make it back for breakfast. One quick stop in the sun and it was gone again. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Golden-hooded Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager: Wilson Botanical Gardens, Las Cruses Biological Station, Costa Rica, December 2022 — One of my favorite Tanagers of Central America…especially when seen in good early morning light. Found on both slopes from lowlands through foothills. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th.
Grey-headed Kite
Grey-headed Kite: I spotted this bird sitting above the road as we traveled from Danta Corcovado Lodge on the Osa Peninsula to the Wilson Botanical Gardens in the southern foothills in Costa Rica today. I called it a White-hawk, but after we backed up far enough to see it properly, Mario (our guide) recognized it as a Grey-headed Kite. Though it has a wide range in the foothills and lowlands of both slopes in Costa Rica, it is listed as “uncommon”…so we were privileged to have spotted it. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5.6 and 4.5 @ 1/1000th.
Sunday Supplement: Squirrel Monkey
A troop of Squirrel Monkeys roost right over the dinning area at Danta Corcovado Lodge here on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, but they only appear when it is almost dark. We found this troop along the road into the Las Tardes Community Ecology Project at the edge of Corcovado National Park. They have to among the cutest of the primates! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos.
ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Scarlet Macaws
Scarlet Macaw: Playa Blanca, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — not the best bird of the day by far, but certainly the slowest! A large flock of Scarlet Macaws are attracted to the Beach Almond trees along the waterfront in Playa Blanca, not far from Danta Corcovado lodge here on the Osa Peninsula. We saw maybe a 8-10 there last year, but this year there were more than two dozen, maybe more, feeding in almost the same trees (between rain storms). It was a treat to watch and photograph these large spectacular…and very noisy…birds. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus .3EV.
Immature Long-billed Hermit Hummingbird
Immature Long-billed Hermit Hummingbird: Danta Corcovado Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — While we were waiting for our 4 wheel drive transport in to the very edge of Corcovado National Park, at the Las Tardes Community Ecology Project, this young Long-billed Hermit kept us entertained. Since its tail is not typical of the species we had some debate as to what it actually was…but settled on Long-billed…I mean, look at the bill! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Yellow Eyelash Viper
Yellow Eyelash Pit Viper: Las Tardes, Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — I know not everyone likes snakes, but I was delighted to visit Las Tardes Community Ecological Project at the edge of Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, where they pay local farmers to bring them the snakes they find while working their fields…rather than killing them. They then take them deep into the park and release them. This Yellow Eyelash Viper is one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, I think, and to see it up close and in good light was a real treat. We also got to see a second Eyelash viper…larger, older, and a different color altogether. One hatch can contain snakes of different shades from the bright yellow to bright green to duller browns…but the yellows are certainly the best known and the most often photographed. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ 4 @ 1/500th.
Green-breasted Mango
Green-breasted Mango: Hotel Bougainvillea, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Early in the morning, before breakfast, we were out in the gardens at the hotel looking for birds. This male Green-breasted Mango posed nicely…too far away, and not in good light…but still! A very special bird to start the day. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.