Posts in Category: Sarapiqui
Pensive
Mantled Howler Monkey: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — On my last morning with Victor at Tico Rainforest B&B, we got to enjoy a troop of Howler monkeys working the lower canopy in Victor’s little photo glade in the rainforest. There were at least 20 individuals. Photography against the canopy is a challenge, but I had lots of opportunities. They were aware of me, down there on the ground below them, but not worried about me at all. These are three males. They always look to me to be deep in thought, and not very happy about the state of world…or at least their little patch of rainforest. But then, I know better than to project myself on to the facial features of any other species…these guys could be expressing delight for all I know. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Difficult bird!
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The Rufous-tailed Jacamar was one of the first birds we heard on my first morning at Tico Rainforest B&B, and one the last birds I saw on my last day at Tico Rainforest B&B…and I did not see it until that morning. They tend to say low in the undergrowth, and if my experience is anything to go by, low down in overgrown gullies and washes at that. This bird sat against a busy background in deep shade, with no completely clear line-of-sight. Not easy! I am happy to have gotten what I did…but I long for an easy Jacamar on one of these trips. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Dusky-faced Tanager
Dusky-faced Tanager: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This is a bird I had not seen in 10 previous trips to Costa Rica, and Victor, my host at Tico Rainforest, said that it is one of the main attractions for photographers at his place. Though it bears the Tanager name, it is not one of the true tanager family. It and 3 other tanager species were placed in their own family in 2013. It ranges through Central and north west South America, but evidently is not all that easy to see in Costa Rica. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Black-cowled
Black-cowled Oriole: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Early in the morning from the deck at Victors B&B…my first and only sighting of the Black-cowled Oriole on this trip. I have only seen this bird once before in Costa Rica, though it is not an uncommon bird at feeders. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Red-eye
Red-eyed Leaf Frog: Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — No visit to the lowlands of Costa Rica would be complete without an encounter with the Red-eyed Leaf Frog…perhaps the most emblematic of non-bird species in the American Tropical Rainforest. I already posted shots from my first daylight encounter with this frog, and of course I had to ask the guide at Frog Heaven to find me one before we were done there. Taken in the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight and from a light-weight travel tripod. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 382mm. Aperture preferred with my macro modifications. ISO 12800 @ f16 @ 1/15th. -1.3EV Processed in Photomator.
Splendid!
Splendid Leaf Frog: Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — I posted a photo of this Splendid Leaf Frog while I was still in Costa Rica in December and told the story of Frog Heaven’s efforts to entice the frog back to their property after it’s nesting tree blew down. They discovered that for it to thrive it needs an elevated spawning pool that has been “poisoned” for other frogs by the secretions of the host tree. No really, poisoned. The tree releases a toxic compound into the water that kills the tadpoles of other species of frogs, but not the tadpoles of the Splendid Leaf Frog. (I am not sure what the frogs do for the tree in return…if anything.) At any rate, Frog Heaven installed 50 gallon drums well off the ground and put cut branches of saplings of the host tree to soak in the water…and the Splendid Leaf Frog has returned. And Splendid it is. Just look at those colors. Taken by the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 327mm equivalent. Aperture mode with my macro modifications. f11, -1.7 EV, ISO 12800. Processed in Photomator.
Smoky no more
Savage’s Thin-toed Frog: Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — This used to the Smoky Jungle Frog…just way better than Savage’s Thin-toed Frog. Way better! Therefore I will continue to call it the Smoky Jungle Frog, thank you just the same! Fascinating creature by any name. We found this one right beside the trail at Frog Heaven, not at all bothered by our flashlights. I love the natural look of the light from my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 327mm equivalent. My macro modifications to Aperture preferred mode. f16 at 25600 ISO. Processed in Photomator. (Gotta love the colors at this high ISO on the a6700.)
Glass Frog
Fleischmann’s Glass-Frog (I think): Frog Heaven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — I asked our guide at Frog Heaven to find me a glass frog. Glass frogs are a family of frogs with semi-transparent skins so that you can actually see the organs inside. He came back with the smallest, tiniest glass frog I have ever see. Cute. This guy was less than 1/2 inch tall. The best I can do on an id is Fleischmann’s…which is likely as they are pretty common in Costa Rica. Just generally much bigger. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 120mm equivalent. Aperture preferred program (my macro modifications) at f16, -2.7EV, ISO 25600 at 1/15th. In the light of my Ulanzi Photo Flashlight. Tripod. 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.
Scarlet
Scarlet Macaw: Pierella Ecology Garden, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Scarlet, and yellow, and blue…with some pink in there around the eye. There are not many more colorful, or more intensely colored, birds than the Scarlet Macaw. When we had finished with the Great Green Macaws, a guide called us back to the same trees to see a small flock of Scarlets feeding. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.