Daily Archives: February 11, 2022

Collared Redstart: Man’s Friend

Collared Redstart: Savegre Mountain Resort, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica — We generally take the jeeps up to the higher elevations into the old growth cloud-forest above Savegre Mounatin Resort when we stay there, to walk in this unique forest. I have also seen the Collared Redstart around the Lodge itself. It is a gregarious bird, with little to no fear of humans, and will, in face, approach humans and human stuff looking for forage. That is where it gets its local Spanish name of “friend of man”. It seemed to be interested in its reflection in the windshield of the jeep, and I caught it again as it hovered around us on the trail. Like most of the Redstart clan, it has no red on it at all, but is still a very striking little bird, and one you are likely to get nice close looks at…though photographing it is still challenge, as it never sits in one place for more than a second. Sony Rx10iv at 547mm equivalent. On the jeep: Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. On the trail: Program mode with wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 1600 @ f4 @ 1/500th and ISO 6400 equivalent @ f4 @ 1/250th.