Crested Owl: Gualpies, Costa Rica, May 2025 — A highlight of any visit with Cope is a prowl around the local forest in search of day-roosting owls. Cope generally knows where the Spectacled Owls are, and some years, he has a line on the Crested. This year a Crested Owl is roosting at the edge of the pasture at his parent’s farm. Easy. Though still a challenge to photograph in the darkness under the banana leaves. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. The image, in order to show detail in the owl, is much lighter overall than it was to the naked eye. It really was dark in there. 🙂