Yellow-throated Toucan: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 —After hanging out in tops of the trees over the crest of the drop to the river below, the Yellow-throated Toucans finally came in to the bananas hanging on the jungle vine right in front of us…so close I could not use the full 600mm reach of my Tamron lens. Magnificent, if somewhat clowny looking, birds. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 513mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Green Honeycreeper: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — This is the female Green Honeycreeper, and obviously the bird that gave the species its name. If you will remember, I posted Mr. Green a few days ago, and he is more turquoise than green. (His eye is redder too. 🙂 Still, you rarely see a bird as green as the female green honeycreeper. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Female and Male Olive-backed Euphonia: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — The Euphonias are small colorful finches of the lowland forests of Central America…looking and acting a lot like our Goldfinches…except that they eat more fruit and are even more varied in color. As you might guess from the name, they are all sweet singers. These two Olive-backed, likely a pair, not the brightest or most colorful of the clan by far were coming to the bananas young Dave put out next to the photo area. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Red-throated Ant-tanager: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. March 2025 — So, being me, I had to see if I could find out why it is an Ant-tanager? It seems they get the name from their habit of following ant swarms or ant trails to pick off other insects that are disturbed by the ants’ passage, and from their resemblance to tanagers. They were once placed in the “true tanager” family based on that resemblance. Some, like this Red-throated Ant-tanager, are now thought to be more closely related to the cardinals. (Maybe one day they will be the Red-throated Ant-cardinal? ) This is the best look I have ever had at this bird. Generally, as the name suggests, they are skulking around on the ground in dark corners under bushes where the ants live. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Green Honeycreeper: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — For any photographer who loves birds, it does not get much better than this. Dave and Dave have the ideal setup for photography…great light, great birds, great backgrounds. This male Green Honeycreeper, with its bright red eye and amazing yellow gape, and super fine plumage, is just about the perfect subject as well. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Golden-hooded Tanager: Dave & Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Dave and Dave are a father and son who have transformed an old palm plantation on the bluff above the Sarapiqui river into a bird watcher’s and photographer’s paradise. Due to their elevation above the river, they get Toucans, Tanagers, and Hummingbirds of both the undergrowth and canopy of the Rainforest. This is the Golden-hooded Tanager, one of the standout birds of the lowlands. It is called “siete colores” (seven colors) by the locals. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Scarlet Macaw: La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — We were on our way to Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park when the bus came to a more or less abrupt stop in front of little roadside stand or store. Mario, our guide was out the door in an instant, with a single word for us. Macaws. And indeed there were two in a huge dead tree in the field behind the store. The store owner was nice enough to open his gate for us and let us walk closer to the tree. The blue sky came and went as we watched, as clouds moved behind the tree. There is nothing quite as brilliant as a Scarlet Macaw. And these were healthy birds. This shot shows off the full plumage range. I will post a few others over the next days to show the interaction between the pair. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.