Posts in Category: lizard
Basilisk Lizard
Basilisk Lizard: Pierella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — I first visited Pierella Gardens on my scouting trip in December 2024 with Victor of Tico Rainforest B&B, and was delighted to be able to include it in my March trip, along a whole group of Point’nShoot Nature photographers. It is truly a wonderful place. This is mature Basilisk Lizard, something I have never seen this close. You can really appreciate the colors and the dragon-like form. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. And this is a good demo of the subject identification, eye-tracking auto focus on the a6700 at work even in low light!
Little boy (?)
Young Green Iguana: Selva Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — I mentioned in yesterday’s a post that Green Iguanas are only really green when young, and that, after seeing the huge old orange male at the dinning hall at Selva Verde, I found a young one on the way back to our cabin. I am thinking that this is a male, due to the dewlap, but it is notoriously difficult to sex a young iguana without a really close examination (and even then). The green, however, is unmistakable. 🙂 The close up shows a bit of the real beauty of the animal. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm (as I moved closer). Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Big boy
Green Iguana: Selva Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Coming back from a excellent morning of photography at Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, we got to the dinning hall at the Selva Verde just in time for a visit from this huge Iguana. It had to be 7 feet long from snout to tail tip, and the body itself was at a least 3 feet long, and the size of a small bull dog. (It had that look too.) They are called Green Iguanas because the young are bright green. (I encountered one on the way back from lunch. Photos tomorrow maybe.) This big adult is more grayish orange and was after the remnants of the fruit put out that morning for the birds. I have seen iguanas like this high in the trees, but never this close. Impressive! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 226 and 585mm equivalents. (It is times like this when I really appreciate having a zoom.) Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Green in the night
Green Basilisk: Frog Heaven, Sarapique, Costa Rica, December 2024 — I posted some daylight photos (if you call under deep canopy in the rain, daylight) a while back…but this was a much larger and more mature individual we found at Frog Heaven on our night walk. Taken by the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 88 and 600mm equivalents. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. -1.3 EV exposure compensation. Processed in Photomator.
Green on green
Green Basilisk: Pierella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Not an uncommon lizard of the rainforest, but an uncommonly close view of one, and a daylight view at that. Our guide at Pierella found it for us while looking for Red-eyed Leaf Frogs in a damp spot in the forest. This is the Jesus lizard, so called because it appears to walk on the water…or run at least…it’s specially adapted feet and light weight not breaking the surface tension. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 477 and 231mm equivalents. (Like I said, a close view. :} Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
not-Green Iguana
Green Iguana: Caño Negro Wetlands Reserve, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The Green Iguana is only green when it is young. As adults they are various shades of bronzy brown and dull orange. This is, I think, a big adult male, lounging in the foliage along one of the many channels in the Caño Negro wetlands. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 246 and 600mm equivalents. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Wednesday extra: Monitor Lizard
Not our first Nile Monitor Lizard of the trip to Uganda in August…we saw one from the boat on the actual Nile in Murchinson Falls National Park earlier, but we were on foot for this one…beside the Kazinga Channel in the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Sony Rx10iv at 238mm equivalent (so close). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1.3EV.
Nile Monitor Lizard
Nile Monitor Lizard on the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, in August 2022. Africa’s largest lizard and one of the most effective predators in Uganda. 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.
Lizard edition: Agama Lizard
Agama Lizard: Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — There are several common lizards around the grounds of Pakuba Lodge where we stay in Murchison Falls National Park when we visit. The Agama is certainly the most colorful! Sony Rx10iv at 485 and 341mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 and 800 @ f4 @ 1/800th and 1/500th.
Cope’s Lizards
Big-headed Anole, Giant Green Anole, Brown Basilisk: Donde Cope, Guapiles, Costa Rica — in addition to lots of birds (and sometimes sloths), Cope always has a number of lizard species in his little sanctuary. This year they were particularly active…on the hunt…and we saw two with prey. I am not a lizard expert, by a long shot, but my best guess on the ids here is, as above, Big-headed Anole, Big-headed with prey, Giant Green Anole, Giant Green with prey, and Brown Basilisk. Sony Rx10iv at various zoom settings to fill the frame. Program mode with multi-frame noise reduction. Added light from flashlights. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos.