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.

Resplendent Quetzal: San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2021 — This is, of course, the must see bird for any visit to Central America, and Costa Rica in particular, and the Savegre River valley near San Gerardo de Dota is the place to see it…or at least one of the best places. This was a new location in the valley for me this past trip and one I will be revisiting. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 2000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Resplendent Quetzal: San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2021 — It was getting on toward supper time when we finally drove down into the Savegre River valley (more of a gorge actually) and getting dark fast, but as we came around the corner where we see the Quetzals in the morning, our guide, Edwin, shouted “Stop” at the top of his lungs. Then he immediately hushed himself and hustled us off the bus in silence. There was a male Quetzal sitting in the usual tree…but at totally the wrong time of day. Evidently they had posted him there to welcome us to the the valley. 🙂 This is at about the low light limits of the Sony Rx10iv…using multi-frame noise reduction and some extra post processing. 600mm equivalent. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/320th. It was a life bird for two of the folks on the trip…and a life experience for the rest of us. What a welcoming party!

Resplendent Quetzal: San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2021 — It was getting on toward supper time when we finally drove down into the Savegre River valley (more of a gorge actually) and getting dark fast, but as we came around the corner where we see the Quetzals in the morning, our guide, Edwin, shouted “Stop” at the top of his lungs. Then he immediately hushed himself and hustled us off the bus in silence. There was a male Quetzal sitting in the usual tree…but at totally the wrong time of day. Evidently they had posted him there to welcome us to the the valley. 🙂 This is at about the low light limits of the Sony Rx10iv…using multi-frame noise reduction and some extra post processing. 600mm equivalent. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/320th. It was a life bird for two of the folks on the trip…and a life experience for the rest of us. What a welcoming party!