Uganda Edition: Rwenzori Batis
Rwenzori Batis: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Unlike the last two birds from Mgahinga, we had to dig this Rwenzori Batis out of the thich undergrowth tangle and it was not in the sun. It lurked about 4 feet inside the tangle and was only visible in little windows through the foreground vegetation. This one is, I think, a feamale…the males have a more yellow eye-ring. The Rwenzori Batis, is, as the name suggests, another Albertine Rift endemic. Sony Rx10iv at 580mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/250th.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Fork-tailed Flycatcher: Calle Gamba, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Our plan was to bird Calle Gamba on our way from the Osa Peninsula to the foothills around San Vito, but we got pretty much rained out. Calle Gamba runs away from the highway through wet pastures to a section of forest…all of which can be very productive on a good day. We didn’t get the day. This Fork-tailed Flycatcher was pretty much the highlight of out visit. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Dusky Crimsonwing in the sun!
Dusky Crimsonwing: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — The Regal Sunbird was not the only bird that hand been challenging at Bwindi that was easy at Mgahinga. We also had Dusky Crimsonwing out in the sun just beyond the ranger station…in the same tangle of brush as the Regal, only lower to the ground. Still skulking and still moving to fast to for great photos…but I caught one! (Crimsonwing, not great photo 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Yellow-throated Toucan
Yellow-throated Toucan: Danta Corcovado Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — We were on the van leaving Danta Corcovado Lodge to travel to Las Cruces Biological Research Station and the Wilson Botanical Gardens for the next adventure, but we did not get out of the driveway before we had to stop for this Yellow-billed Toucan eating palm nuts right beside the road…in the open…in the sun! Needless to say, we all piled out for some photos. Toucans, when you come right down to it, are not “nice” birds…they raid the nests of their neighbors for both eggs and chicks…but they certainly are big and bold and colorful. That bill is a hollow, fairly fragile, shell…otherwise they would be even more aerodynamically challenged than they are. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th.
Regal Sunbird in the sun, singing
Regal Sunbird: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Of course you will never forget your first sighting of a Regal Sunbird, especially when you slithered down the side of mountain to get it, and Bwindi will always have that honor for me…but here we are a day later, just beyond the ranger station at Mgahinga National Park, and we have one singing in the sun! Each of these photos deserves a closer look. Such a bird! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 640, 500, and 400 in the changing light @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Sloth down low
Two-toed Sloth: Playa Blanco, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — While we were watching the Macaws, folks at the house at the end of the long drive shaded by the Beach Almond trees were watching us. We were on their property, and it did cross my mind when a young lady and gentleman came walking up toward us that we about to the “told off”, but, of course, being Costa Rica, they actually wanted to invite us down to the house where they had a sloth low in the tree that shaded their picnic table. Did we want to come take photos? Well, yes, thank you! Really low as it turns out…just at eye level for the taller among us. The young couple enjoyed watching us ooh and awe and snap. It was the home of the young lady’s uncle, and yes, she had grown up right there in Playa Blanca. The young man was less talkative, but all smiles. You don’t often see a sloth so close, and in such good company. Sony Rx10iv at 300mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications with multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 5000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Rwenzori Chameleon
Rwenzori Chameleon (Johnston’s Chameleon): Mghinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — This rather large and rather amazing chameleon was there to greet us right outside the ranger station at Mghinga. I would say this one is at the upper range the likely length for species. The more common three-horned chameleon is the Jackson’s, which is found throughout most of East Africa (expect Uganda, Rwanda, and Bhrundi) and is problematically invasive in Hawaii, Florida, and California. The Rwenzori or Johnston’s Chameleon is endemic to the higher altitudes of the Albertine Rift, and is apparently somewhat of a tourist attraction. We were blessed to see this one as easily as we did. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
One last set of Scarlet Macaws
Scarlet Macaws: Playa Blanco, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — One last set of Scarlet Macaws before we leave Playa Blanca and the beach behind. This bird was in a tree on the ocean side of the road, right on the beach, and more exposed to the winds off the water. More light, not necessarily better light. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus .3EV for the backlight.
Uganda Edition: Kandt’s Waxbill
Kandt’s Waxbill: Mghinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Moving on from Bwindi to Mghinga National Park. We were scheduled for the Golden Monkey trek at Mghinga, but considering our trail experiences at Bwindi, I made an executive decision to forgo the trek in favor of some birding around the trailhead and up the trail for a mile or so. For one thing, close encounters with the Golden Monkeys had been rare for the past few days, with some groups not seeing them at tall, and for another, we were all pretty tired after Bwindi, and, I was assuming the Golden Monkey Trek would easier…no so! All in all it was a good decision. We saw lots of birds, many right around the ranger station. There was a flock of Kandt’s Waxwings…not easy to photograph because they are so active…but in great light! 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.
Double-toothed Kite
Double-toothed Kite: Playa Blanco, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — It is, according to the field guides and eBird, rare to see a Double-toothed Kite perched…and I would guess even rarer to see one perched in amongst a flock of noisy Scarlet Macaws, but this bird was perched on the lower branches of the same tree the Macaws were in…bold a brass! The guides also say it can be “quite tame” when perched and it certainly was. It allowed us to move around under it and take as many photos as we wanted. I have included a deep crop of the head to show off the double-tooth, which again, according to the field guides, is “rarely seen.” It is pretty clear in this shot. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 640, 400, and 500 in the shade dappled light @ f4 @ 1/500th.