Post by Ely Teehankee on Apr 25, 2012 14:31:01 GMT
Ariel was the first person that I know that posted the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) at the Philippine Bird Photography Forum. When I first saw it I was so amazed at how beautiful a bird could be. It only strengthens my belief that there is a God who made heaven & earth and everything that is in it. I had the opportunity to visit Costa Rica and it was a thrill for me to see the birds that Ariel has been posting in this Forum. I must have taken thousands of pictures and it was a delightful experience to see so many birds do different from each other. I met strangers that saw me taking pictures of the bird and asked if I could sent them a copy. I got their email address and asked for their patience as it would take me some time to sort out all the pictures. Now here are the pictures of what some people are saying as one of the most beautiful bird in the world if not the most beautiful.
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 300mm
f/2.8L IS USM with Canon Extender 2X II.
Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, Wimberley WH200 head. Manual exposure in available light.
It took us about 2 hours to get to San Gerardo de Dota where we will be meeting our bird guide Carlos at 6:00 AM of the Dantica Lodge Hotel. We took the Cerro de la Muerte highway passing thru the Pan American Highway which could lead you to Mexico and all the way to Texas, USA. We arrived at 5:30 and we could see birds starting to come out and looking for food to eat. Carlos showed up a few minutes after and we waited for some other people and off we went to
Parque Nacional de Quetzal. Carlos told us that we are very lucky because there is a nest. True enough there was a small hole on the trunk of a dead tree and the male's long tail was sticking out of the hole. By the way the long portion of the feathers originates from the bird's back and not from his tail.
1/160 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female arrives and perches on an open branch. She waits for the male to come out. The wait is not long as the male must also be hungry by now as it takes around 2 1/2 hours to 3 for them to take turns. They must have a way of communicating. It is very interesting to know that the male & female Quetzals take turn in incubating the eggs. So when one is nesting the other is out looking for food like avocados to eat. The fruit of the avocado is a lot smaller than the ones we have in the Philippines. They are very small that the bird can swallow it whole.
1/200 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
The male comes out. Only the head shows outside the hole plus the tail that was left outside when he first went in. The tail that was sticking out in the first picture stays out and it is only when the bird flies out of the hole does it come out of the hole.
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The male than flies out showing his beautiful feathers and long tail to perched on a nearby branch to the ooohs and aaahs of the bird watchers and photographers that were watching them.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female flies towards the nest and positions herself right below the hole.
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
She now climbs into the hole as she enters the nest for her turn to incubate the eggs.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
After 2 1/2 - 3 hours the male comes back and waits for the female to come out so he can take over the incubation of the eggs.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
When the female comes out of the nest it is the male's turn to go back to the nest. Here he positions himself before entering the nest.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The male starts to enter the nest for his turn to incubate the eggs. Because of the long tail, it is always left hanging out as in the first picture here.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female returns after a couple of hours and perches to the delight of the spectators below.
1/250 sec., f5.6, ISO 1600
She positions herself as she calls out to her mate.
1/250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
This cycle is repeated thru out the day. The male & female taking turns to incubate the eggs. After the female comes out of the nest the male flies to the nest and position himself. He too pauses for the spectators and delights them with his show of beautiful feathers.
1/125 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The following pictures shows one instance when the male came out of the nest he was regurgitating the seed of the avocado that he must have eaten earlier. Even as he was about to expel the seed he entertained himself and the crowd by playing with the seed before discarding it.
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 300mm
f/2.8L IS USM with Canon Extender 2X II.
Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, Wimberley WH200 head. Manual exposure in available light.
It took us about 2 hours to get to San Gerardo de Dota where we will be meeting our bird guide Carlos at 6:00 AM of the Dantica Lodge Hotel. We took the Cerro de la Muerte highway passing thru the Pan American Highway which could lead you to Mexico and all the way to Texas, USA. We arrived at 5:30 and we could see birds starting to come out and looking for food to eat. Carlos showed up a few minutes after and we waited for some other people and off we went to
Parque Nacional de Quetzal. Carlos told us that we are very lucky because there is a nest. True enough there was a small hole on the trunk of a dead tree and the male's long tail was sticking out of the hole. By the way the long portion of the feathers originates from the bird's back and not from his tail.
1/160 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female arrives and perches on an open branch. She waits for the male to come out. The wait is not long as the male must also be hungry by now as it takes around 2 1/2 hours to 3 for them to take turns. They must have a way of communicating. It is very interesting to know that the male & female Quetzals take turn in incubating the eggs. So when one is nesting the other is out looking for food like avocados to eat. The fruit of the avocado is a lot smaller than the ones we have in the Philippines. They are very small that the bird can swallow it whole.
1/200 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
The male comes out. Only the head shows outside the hole plus the tail that was left outside when he first went in. The tail that was sticking out in the first picture stays out and it is only when the bird flies out of the hole does it come out of the hole.
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The male than flies out showing his beautiful feathers and long tail to perched on a nearby branch to the ooohs and aaahs of the bird watchers and photographers that were watching them.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female flies towards the nest and positions herself right below the hole.
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
She now climbs into the hole as she enters the nest for her turn to incubate the eggs.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
After 2 1/2 - 3 hours the male comes back and waits for the female to come out so he can take over the incubation of the eggs.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
When the female comes out of the nest it is the male's turn to go back to the nest. Here he positions himself before entering the nest.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The male starts to enter the nest for his turn to incubate the eggs. Because of the long tail, it is always left hanging out as in the first picture here.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The female returns after a couple of hours and perches to the delight of the spectators below.
1/250 sec., f5.6, ISO 1600
She positions herself as she calls out to her mate.
1/250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
This cycle is repeated thru out the day. The male & female taking turns to incubate the eggs. After the female comes out of the nest the male flies to the nest and position himself. He too pauses for the spectators and delights them with his show of beautiful feathers.
1/125 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The following pictures shows one instance when the male came out of the nest he was regurgitating the seed of the avocado that he must have eaten earlier. Even as he was about to expel the seed he entertained himself and the crowd by playing with the seed before discarding it.
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600
1/125 sec., f/8, ISO 1600