Michael´s Third Year

[PeterHG]

I had been away fromtge BY thread for some time and only now caught up with your Costa Rica birds. What a splendid collection in spite of the rainy conditions. The number of hummingbird species you saw and managed to take photos of is absolutely amazing. You are certainly showing your photographer’s skills there! In order to ‘save’ some likes for other contributors I did not ‘like’ every individual photo, but please consider them all liked twice over. Looking forward to more CR photos!

[Kitsafari]

congrats on hitting that 400th and what a stunning bird to do it with. 

[michael-ibk]

Many thanks everybody, much appreciated! 

 

Onwards to some less popular birds - Pigeons!

 

-/C94.) Feral Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) / Straßentaube

 

Somewhere on the road along the Carribean Coast, 24/7. Just including this for complecity´s sake. Took this photo because I was getting bored in a traffic jam.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

402/C95.) Pale-Vented Pigeon (Patagioenas cayennensis) / Rotrückentaube

 

Esquipulas, 3/8. A widespread species, from Guatemala to Argentina.

 

[michael-ibk]

403/C96.) Red-Billed Pigeon (Patagioenas flavisrostris) / Rotschnabeltaube

 

Arenal area, 16/7. Common but not very confiding. Reaching the Southern end of its distribution in Costa Rica.

 

[michael-ibk]

404/C97.) Band-Tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) / Nördliche Bandtaube

 

San Gerardo, 27/7.A highlands bird. Often seen flying but never a really close sighting. North America´s biggest Pigeon.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

405/C98.) Short-Billed Pigeon (patagioenas nigrirostris) / Kurzschnabeltaube

 

Arenal area, 17/7. A strictly Central American species.

 

[michael-ibk]

406/C99.) Ruddy Pigeon (Patagioenas subvinacea) / Purpurtaube

 

Bosque del Tolomuco, 28/7. Closely related to the Short-Billed Pigeon but living at higher altitudes.

 

[Dave Williams]

Must admit Pigeons and Doves don't really excite me and don't get the attention they should do. I have a feeling you are like minded Michael!

Edited September 27, 2018 by Dave Williams

[michael-ibk]

407/C100.) Inca Dove (Columbina inca) / Inkatäubchen

 

Isla Dama (Manuel Antonio area), 4/8. Despite being named after the Inca Empire, this species does not occur in any of the lands that once constituted that empire.

 

[michael-ibk]

1 minute ago, Dave Williams said:

Must admit Pigeons and Doves don't really excite me and don't get the attention they should do. I have a feeling you are like minded Michael!

 

You´re quite right Dave I only take pictures of them because I feel I have to because of the Big Year.

[michael-ibk]

408/C101.) Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti) / Rosttäubchen

 

Bosque del Cabo, 31/7. Probably the most common Dove we saw.

 

[michael-ibk]

409/C102.) White-Tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) / Blauringtaube

 

Esquipulas, 3/8. Had I followed the order of the bird book this would have been Nr. 400. As Dave has already established, my love for Pigeons is very limited so I decided to switch Parrots with them to get the Scarlet Macaw in place.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

410/C103.) Grey-Chested Dove (Leptotila cassini) / Cassintaube

 

Bosque del Cabo, 1/8. Cassin, which features in the scientific and the German name, was a famous American Ornithologist who first described 198 species. 14 birds in total are named after him.

 

[michael-ibk]

411/C104.) Smooth-Billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) / Glattschnabelani

 

Esquipulas, 3/8. Not very obvious from its appearance, but this bird belongs in the Cuckoo family. Not a parasite but a colonial breeder.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

412/C105.) Groove-Biled Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) / Riefenschnabelani

 

Alahuela, 15/7. Replaces its Smooth-Billed cousin in the North and on the Carribean side. Extremely similar but has some subtle striations on the upper mandible.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

413/C106.) Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana) / Eichhornkuckuck

 

Manuel Antonio, 3/8. Seen twice during the trip. A huge Cuckoo. Widespread, I remembered this one from the Pantanal.

 

Edit: Wow, this photo is huge now, sorry about that. We used to be able to choose different sizes for photos from the gallery but I can´t find this option anymore? Anyway, please click on the picture, then the format is better.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

414/C107.) Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus) / Nördlicher Violetter Trogon

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7. A stunning bird - but then all Trogons are. I only regret the perch this one chose. This previously was the Violaceous Trogon but now there are three different species, this one, the Guianan and the Amazonian Trogon.

 

[michael-ibk]

415/C108.) Black-Throated Trogon (Trogon rufus) / Schwarzkehltrogon

 

Bosque del Cabo, 1/8. I saw this bird on a jungle trail and blew the shots - extreme frustraton! But the bird had pity on me, flew after me and nicely perched for a few moments afterwards. Note the different colour of the eyering, an important fieldmark for Trogons.

 

[michael-ibk]

416/C109.) Baird´s Trogon (Trogon bairdii) / Bairdtrogon

 

Bosque del Cabo, 1/8. A CR/Panama endemic. Have to thank the lodge guide for that, he heard the calls and lead me to it. Difficult one to spot, likes to stay high up in the canopy.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

417/C110.) Slaty-Tailed Trogon (Trogon massena) / Schieferschwanztrogon

 

Sarapiqui, 19/7 (Male), and Esquipulas, 3/8 (Female). As with the Black-Throated Trogon, the colouration in the book seems to be a bit off, the bird looks very green there while it appears much bluer in the flesh.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

418/C111.) Lesson´s Motmot (Momotus lessonii) / Diademmotmot

 

Alahuela, 15/7. One of the very first birds I saw. Motmots are photographers´ friends, they often remain inactive for long times as they scan their surroundings for suitable prey.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

419/C112.) Broad-Billed Motmot (Electron platyrhynchum) / Plattschnabelmotmot

 

Bogarin Trail (Arenal area), 17/7. An incredibly patient bird, we were with a group, several kids among them, and it did not mind one bit. Again, please click the picture to get a more reasonable format.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

After looking at your excellent photos, @michael-ibk, I think we have had much better weather then what we thought when in the country !

[Galana]

21 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

. I have a feeling you are like minded Michael!

Count me in too. I have never even worked out the difference, if there is one, between a Pigeon and a Dove. Some share both just to confuse us. Viz.Wood Pigeon=Ring Dove.

 

Some lovely birds there again.