Posts in Category: Pierrella Ecology Gardens
Jacamar again
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Once the Jacamar had finished the Blue Morpho butterfly (see yesterday’s post for that story). It sat on an open perch, again, right in front of us…perhaps hoping for another. I always think Jacamars look like huge hummingbirds. For me at least, it is a bird, and this was an experience, that had me jittering on the edge of too much wonder to contain. I am sure I was grinning ear to ear, and so were all those with me. And, while I was disappointed to find my camera in the wrong mode when I finished…still, I have a record of that wonder. Goes to show you. Goes to show me. It is not really about what I do…it is about what the birds are doing. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my macro modifications (by mistake). Processed in Photomator.
Jacamar
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — The husband of our guide, who. with our guide, owns and operates Pierrella Butterfly Farm, got involved in our tour when it was time to locate the resident Rufous-tailed Jacamar, one of the more spectacular birds of the rainforest. He found the pair, deep in the undergrowth, then found us to send us there, and went running off, who knows where. He returned with a big Blue Morpho Butterfly, so obviously he had been to the butterfly enclosure. The butterfly was caught carefully between the fingers of one hand. “Watch” he said, “Be ready!” Then he released the butterfly and the male Jacamar swooped from its hidden perch and caught the Morpho in the air, then landed on perch right in front of us to dismember it and eat the good parts. Totally astounding. The closest I have ever seen a Jacamar, and to see it in action! What a treat. Of course, it turned out that I had not reset my camera to my birds and wildlife modifications after taking some insect macros, so these shots might have been better…but still! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications (f16…as I say, by mistake). Processed in Photomator.
Common Paraque
Common Paraque: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Both time I have been to Pierrella Ecology Gardens, the guide has been able to show us their roosting Common Paraque. It, of course, roosts in the deepest, darkest spot it can find so it pushes the limits of any camera, but it also roost fairly close to the trail, which is nice for a change. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Pushed to the limits. ISO 25600 at 1/60th. Processed in Photomator.
White-whiskered Puffbird
White-whiskered Puffbird: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — It as hard not to be infected by the infectious excitement of our guide at Pierrella Ecology Gardens, who happened to be the wife in the couple who owns and manages the property. Each bird was the best bird yet, and she showed us each one as though it had be specially created just for us this moment, and as though she knew the artist personally. Something like that. And I totally get it. This is not a bright flashy bird by any means, but it is a very special bird, and one I don’t think I had ever seen before…and there is was on the branch of a coffee tree, deep in old plantation by the trail. Such a treat! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
White-collared Manakin
White-collared Manakin: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — there is noting much more fun than watching, and listening to, a male White Collard Manakin on his lek. They make a lek by cleaning a small patch of rainforest floor, about 3 feet in diameter, of very twig, leaf, and sapling plant to create a bare patch. They then sit at one edge and sing until a female responds. At that point they raise their wings up over their back so the tips, which have a velcro like structure, stick together and snap them apart fast enough to break the sound barrier (that is faster than the speed of sound), which creates a loud pop…like the cracking of a whip. The pop propels them back and forth across the lek, edge to edge almost faster than the eye can follow. He might pop back and forth a half a dozen time before moving back to a perch. The hope (both on our part and the male’s) is that a female will come and join in…popping back and forth across the lek in time with the male. We did not get to see that, but we got to see the male do his thing many times. The leks are always in deep foliage, and deep shadow, so managing photos is always a challenge. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Cinnamon Woodpecker
Cinnamon Woodpecker: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Pierrella Ecology Gardens is the only place I have ever seen anyone put out coconuts for the birds! I apparently works, at least for woodpeckers, as the always have Cinnamon Woodpeckers around the dinning area. Such a handsome bird. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
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!
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.
Red-throat
Crested Guan: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Pierrella Ecology Gardens is the public facing effort of a family owned commercial butterfly farm. They raise and ship tropical rainforest cocoons to butterfly gardens and research centers all over the world. Most of the cocoons are raised right in the forest, in mobile enclosures, so the heath of the forest is essential, and a healthy forest attracts a wide variety of all kinds of interesting birds, frogs, lizards, mammals, and other insects. All of which makes a tour of the gardens a special treat. This is the Crested Guan, a near threatened species similar in size and habits to the North American wild turkey (at least a hen turkey). The bright red waddle really sets of the speckled black plumage. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600 and 382mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.