Posts in Category: animals
Costa Rica! Two toed (not!)
Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — The two sloths found in Costa Rica, Hoffman’s Two-toed, and the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth. are not actually closely related…they descend from two different ancestors, but are very similar in both appearance and behavior. The Two-toed is the slightly bigger and slightly more active of the two, but that is not saying much when talking about sloths. They both eat a low energy, hard to digest, diet of leaves. And, of course, they both have 3 toes…but the Hoffman’s has only 2 fingers. This Two-toed was resting in a tree about 25 feet up, just at the edge of Victor’s little patch of second growth at Tico Rainforest B&B. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm 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.
Yellowstone! Mule Deer in the morning
Mule Deer: Pebble Creek Campground area, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Yesterday’s Mule Deer family was from further up toward Silver Gate. We found this family the next morning down my Pebble Creek. They were feeling a bit frisky in the cool morning air. These fawns are pretty well grown to still be nursing and I am sure the doe will not indulge them much longer. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di 3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Mule Deer
Mule Deer: near the Silver Gate gate, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — We saw surprisingly few Mule Deer in Yellowstone when we were there, and no bucks. The does we saw though, all had well grown fawns, generally twins. This is a late in the day, almost sundown shot on our way back out of the Lamar Valley to our lodging in Silver Gate. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Coyote afternoon prowl
Coyote: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Late in the afternoon after a full day in the park, headed back to Silver Gate for the night, we found this Coyote prowling along the road as we left the Lamar Valley. Beautiful light. Beautiful animal. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Yellowstone! Last of the red dogs
American Bison: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Now that I am back from Costa Rica, it is time to finish up the photos I took in Yellowstone in October. We were there just in time to see the last Red Dogs of the season…calves born late and still in their reddish-brown coats. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Splendid!
Splendid Leaf Frog: Frog Haven, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Not your typical Costa Rican Leaf Frog shot…which are generally the Red-Eyed Tree Frog. The Splendid Leaf Frog is more rare, especially this far north in Costa Rica. It is much more common in Columbia and Ecuador. Frog Haven have installed a water barrel with in which they soak branches of a local toxic plant, to create an environment in which only the tadpoles of Splendid Leaf Frog can thrive. After a long absence they are coming back to the area. This is a juvenal male. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di3 at 162mm equivalent. My Ulanzi photo led flashlight. Program mode with my macro modifications. ISO 12800 @ f16 @ 1/25. -1.7EV
Yellowstone! Parking attendant
Raven: Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — Another parking lot/roadside pull off attendant Raven. Sitting on the pull out sign waiting patiently for car jockey to empty their cheeto bag onto the ground. Or someone to leave the lunch cooler unattended in the back of a pick-up. Can’t have that you know. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Roadside Bison
American Bison: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — On our first several visits to the Hayden Valley we saw none of the usual Bison. They were evidently still up high. On this swing through the valley though we saw numbers, and by the next day there were herds all along the river. This bison was right beside the road. These shots are at 178 and 444mm equivalents…so you can only imagine how close. Shot out the open window of the car, of course. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di3 as above. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Papa Moose
Moose: Upper Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — The young bull disappeared into the willows at one point, and we all heard a mighty clashing of antlers, so we knew there was another bull in there somewhere, and sure enough, eventually he emerged at the east end of the willow stand. He was not the largest moose you will ever see, but he was impressive, with an impressive rack. Good enough for me! Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400Di3 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife medications. Processed in Photomator.