Lesson’s Motmot: Hotel Bougainvillea, San Jose, Costa Rica. — I may have inadvertently used up my whole allotment of Motmot mojo for this two week trip to Costa Rica, right here in the gardens of our hotel on my first morning here in Costa Rica. I got out just as the sun was rising and walked the paths of the 100 acre garden at Hotel Bougainvillea in the hills above San Jose. I thought the bird of the day might be the Squirrel Cuckoo I had clear shots at early on, or what I think might have been a Yellow-headed Caracara balancing on the vent of building next door…but on my final before breakfast turn around the parameter walk in the garden, this Lesson’s Motmot flew up from the ground into a tree. I could still see it deep in the branches so I cautiously approached and worked my away around the tree until I had a clear shot. Not much light of course…there is never enough light under the canopy in the tropics…but it turned out to be a pair of Motmots! They were super cooperative, giving me lots of poses on one side of the tree and then the other, and even on the ground. One of them was still in the same tree when I finally realized I must have enough photos of this particular Motmot in this particular place and walked on and back to breakfast. Maybe rather than using up my Motmot mojo, I can take this encounter as a good sign for the rest of the trip. I can hope.
Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent (a bit wider on the pair). My special low light Program modifications, using Multi-frame Noise Reduction. That is pretty much my go to setting for under canopy shots in Costa Rica. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Multi-Frame Noise Reduction takes several rapid shots at a lower ISO and stacks them for the correct exposure. It works surprisingly well, even with active subjects. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/320th. +.7EV.