Post by Ely Teehankee on Sept 14, 2012 12:49:44 GMT
This trip was a two hour river tour of the Tarcoles river which is quite populated with birds and crocodiles. The birds are on the trees, by the shore but not one on top of any crocodile as one would see in the Philippines with birds perch on top of a carabao. Their instinct for survival probably deters them from doing that. One of the highlight of the tour is for the captain of the boat to wade into the river with a piece of chicken.
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.
This is how the river boat looks like. It seats 4 in a row with an aisle in between. This picture was taken from our boat which had just a few passenger and I was able to take the front seat with my tripod and not getting into anyone's view.
Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus) 13 inches (33 cm) The first bird that I saw and even if it was 46.4 meters I took a shot at it and this is how the bird looks.
1/160 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 24 inches (61 cm) This is a lifer for me. Come to think of it, all the birds that I saw in Costa Rica were lifers. LOL.
1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO 400
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 24 inches (61 cm) At 24 inches in length I was puzzled why it is called Little Blue Heron only to find out from the guide that there is a Great Blue Heron.
1/1000 sec., f/5.6, ISO 400
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 18 inches (48 cm) This bird is similar to the Little Heron that we see in the Philippines except that it has green feathers.
1/1000 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 46 inches (117 cm) If my ID is correct this is the Great Blue Heron which is almost twice the size of the Little Blue Heron.
1/500 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) 35 inches (89 cm) Anhinga are similar in appearance & habits to cormorants. My friend Roger Burnard who vacations in Florida during the winter season and goes back to Washington for the summer, sent me a picture of this bird and when I saw it on top of the tree I recognized the bird and remembered Roger and his beautiful shots of this bird. I was using my 300mm with a 2X TC attached. Because of the strong current on the river the boat moved closer than we wanted so I have to be contented with this picture with his tail out of the picture.
1/500 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
This is a common sight of crocodiles bathing in the sun. You would also see some swimming in the river but they don't looks as furious as this one on the shore with it's big mouth open.
1/1600 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) 5 inches (13 cm) This bird landed on the front end of the boat. It was only 3.24 meters from where I was sitting. No time to move back and its a good thing that I did stay where I was as it stayed just for a few seconds. The feathers are green and white.
1/3200 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) 7 inches (18 cm) The most common kingfisher in CR but a very shy bird compared to some of the kingfishers seen in the Philippines.
1/250 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) 9 inches (23 cm) The toes are so amazingly long.
1/400 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) 14 inches (36 cm) This is a South African species that migrates to Costa Rica. It has red eyes and bright wing colors.
1/800 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) 30 inches (76 cm)
While waiting for the crocodile man to feed the crocodile, I chance upon this bird on the shore just 11.3 meters. The bird being 26 inches just barely fitted into the frame.
1/80 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 23 inches (58 cm) Another bird on the riverbank that gave me the opportunity to take his picture.
1/500 sec., f/8, ISO 400
The boat captain would get off the boat and he would wade into the river. He would periodically slam the piece of chicken leg and thigh on top of the water to attract the crocodile that he has food and come and get it. He certainly has a lot of courage and skill to be doing this. When asked about it, his reply was that he is used to it.
Here you can see the crocodile with the head out of the water and the crocodile man would even make him come nearer with the chicken meat. This is what I would categorized as living dangerously.
When the crocodile is right in front of him he would make him go up and drop the chicken when the crocodile open its mouth.
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.
This is how the river boat looks like. It seats 4 in a row with an aisle in between. This picture was taken from our boat which had just a few passenger and I was able to take the front seat with my tripod and not getting into anyone's view.
Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus) 13 inches (33 cm) The first bird that I saw and even if it was 46.4 meters I took a shot at it and this is how the bird looks.
1/160 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 24 inches (61 cm) This is a lifer for me. Come to think of it, all the birds that I saw in Costa Rica were lifers. LOL.
1/2000 sec., f/5.6, ISO 400
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) 24 inches (61 cm) At 24 inches in length I was puzzled why it is called Little Blue Heron only to find out from the guide that there is a Great Blue Heron.
1/1000 sec., f/5.6, ISO 400
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 18 inches (48 cm) This bird is similar to the Little Heron that we see in the Philippines except that it has green feathers.
1/1000 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 46 inches (117 cm) If my ID is correct this is the Great Blue Heron which is almost twice the size of the Little Blue Heron.
1/500 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) 35 inches (89 cm) Anhinga are similar in appearance & habits to cormorants. My friend Roger Burnard who vacations in Florida during the winter season and goes back to Washington for the summer, sent me a picture of this bird and when I saw it on top of the tree I recognized the bird and remembered Roger and his beautiful shots of this bird. I was using my 300mm with a 2X TC attached. Because of the strong current on the river the boat moved closer than we wanted so I have to be contented with this picture with his tail out of the picture.
1/500 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
This is a common sight of crocodiles bathing in the sun. You would also see some swimming in the river but they don't looks as furious as this one on the shore with it's big mouth open.
1/1600 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea) 5 inches (13 cm) This bird landed on the front end of the boat. It was only 3.24 meters from where I was sitting. No time to move back and its a good thing that I did stay where I was as it stayed just for a few seconds. The feathers are green and white.
1/3200 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) 7 inches (18 cm) The most common kingfisher in CR but a very shy bird compared to some of the kingfishers seen in the Philippines.
1/250 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) 9 inches (23 cm) The toes are so amazingly long.
1/400 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) 14 inches (36 cm) This is a South African species that migrates to Costa Rica. It has red eyes and bright wing colors.
1/800 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) 30 inches (76 cm)
While waiting for the crocodile man to feed the crocodile, I chance upon this bird on the shore just 11.3 meters. The bird being 26 inches just barely fitted into the frame.
1/80 sec., f/8, ISO 400
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 23 inches (58 cm) Another bird on the riverbank that gave me the opportunity to take his picture.
1/500 sec., f/8, ISO 400
The boat captain would get off the boat and he would wade into the river. He would periodically slam the piece of chicken leg and thigh on top of the water to attract the crocodile that he has food and come and get it. He certainly has a lot of courage and skill to be doing this. When asked about it, his reply was that he is used to it.
Here you can see the crocodile with the head out of the water and the crocodile man would even make him come nearer with the chicken meat. This is what I would categorized as living dangerously.
When the crocodile is right in front of him he would make him go up and drop the chicken when the crocodile open its mouth.
