Posts in Category: Costa Rica
Costa Rica! Not cooperative
Squirrel Cuckoo: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — We (Victor and I) found this Squirrel Cuckoo among the palms in a neighbor’s yard just down the road from Tico Rainforest B&B…not a cooperative bird at all…it stayed mainly hidden in the palm fonds in somewhat harsh direct sun and consequently deep shadow. This as the best I was able to do. They are, I think, called Squirrel Cuckoos because they look like Squirrels as they run along the branches of trees. There may be a more scientific reason, but if so, I am not aware of it. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Another unexpected
Yellow Tyrannulet: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — another unexpected bird found foraging in the same field as a flock of mostly Variable Seedeaters. Not a seed eater at all, it was undoubtedly hunting the insects the seed eaters were stirring up. It is quite a common bird, but one with a highly fragmented range down through Central America and over much of South America. It has 5 regional subspecies. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Odd bird out
Morelet’s Seedeater: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — In a field full of Variable Seedeaters, this bird stood out. Formerly the White-collared Seedeater until split, it is another seedeater of the fields and savannas from the US boarder with Mexico down through all of lowland Central America, including Costa Rica. This is, apparently, a non-breeding male, and is a particulary bright specimen at that. It is uncommon enough in Sarapiqui so that Victor, my host at Tico Rainforest B&B, had to consult with experts to identify it. This was distant for such a small bird and both shots are heavy crops. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Smokey-brown
Smokey-brown Woodpecker: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — on my first morning at Tico Rainforest B&B, my host, Victor, took me for a walk around the neighborhood and on his property looking for birds. We saw a lot of Seed-finches, and then this Smokey-brown Woodpecker, eventually finding a spot where we could see the bird through the tangle of vegetation along the edge of a field. The smallish, plain colored woodpecker, though common all through Central America and down into South America, was a first for me. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! The other Barbet
Prong-billed Barbet: Mirador y Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The male and female Red-headed Barbet were not the only Barbets in Cinchona the day we visited. This is the Prong-billed Barbet…and the last photo I took at the Soda that day. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 449mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Quail Dove
Buff-fronted Quail Dove: Mirador ye Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Quail Doves of any kind can be hard to see. They tend to stay on the ground, under the lowest vegetation, and are quiet, both in motion and in vocalizations. This one walked up the foot bridge that serves the fruit feeders at the Soda in Cinchona, and perched momentarily just off the rail of the deck. Not the best light for photography (still raining, so ISO 25600), but the best views of this shy bird that I have ever gotten. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 327mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Olingo
Olingo (or bushy-tailed Olingo, or Northern Olingo, three names for the same animal): Mirador ye Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — I know it sounds like a language learning program, but the Olingo is a arboreal member of the raccoon family, along with the Coatimundi and the Kinkajou. It looks very like a Kinkajou, but Kinkajous have a prehensile tail that tapers, and are primarily nocturnal. The Olingo prefers the night but is also more active in the daylight hours, especially when folks will put nice bananas out for the birds. Still, this was a rare enough sighting so that the young lady who keeps the fruit feeder stocked at the Soda for passing photographers had to be convinced that this critter was stealing her bananas. There were at least two of them. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 217 and 178mm equivalents. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Coppery
Coppery-headed Emerald Hummingbird: Mirador ye Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — One of only two endemic hummingbirds of Costa Rica, and the only one that I have seen…almost exclusively at Mirador ye Soda Cinchona. The relatively small Coppery-headed Emerald is closely related to the Snow-cap and some authorities place it in that otherwise lonely genus. This one only showed up after we had pretty much packed up to leave. I am glad we delayed just a little longer. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Violet is the color
Violet Saberwing Hummingbird: Mirador ye Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The Violet Saberwing is among the largest hummingbirds in Central America, and in the world. Surprisingly it does not dominate the feeders where other species overlap, which is almost everywhere in its range. It is a bird of the foothills and mountains of Costa Rica. There is noting to match its deep rich iridescent purples or the flash of its white tail. Again, these shots were on our rainy afternoon on the deck in Cinchona. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600, 423, 474mm equivalents. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Brilliant!
Green-crowned Brilliant Hummingbird: Mirador ye Soda Cinchona, San Jose, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The whole family…an adult female, immature male, and two shots of the adult male. They were never in sight all at the same time, but in 90 minutes on the deck at the Soda in Cinchona, we saw all three. The females were by far the most numerous, everywhere in the bushes around the deck, I did not identify the immature male for what it was until later that evening, and we did not see the male until we were packing up to go, but see them all we did. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent for all but the full body shot of the male, which was at 471mm. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.