Just got back from Costa Rica and Panama. There are two birds I did not recognize and haven't been able to ID yet. Hoping someone knows?
Number 1 is not a great shot. This one was having a bath, so all you can see clearly is the head. Shape of the rest of him isn't easy to see. He's fairly large, probably 15" or so. The vines and sucn were pretty thick so I had trouble getting shots. Anyway, perhaps someone will know.
Thanks,
Deb
This is bird #2. These were everywhere. Very vocal. About the size of a cardinal.
Thanks again,
Deb
Hi Deb. We went to Costa Rica bird watching several years ago and have the CR bird bible (Skiles & Skutch), so I took a look. The first one looks like it might be a Brown Booby. :-) Try googling that and see if it matches to what you remember. If not, I'll look some more.
Still looking for #2 - at first I thought the coloring matched a common warbler there, but it's too small.
Didn't you love CR? Our favorite vacation ever. We spent 10 days at eco-lodges, mostly with guides, and saw so much.
Oh Deb Lucky You!!! Please do tell us all about your trip and I am hoping you have more bird pics??
Deb,
Try looking at pictures of Tropical Kingbirds for #2. Other than grackles, they were the most ubiquitous bird in CR, as I recall. My book has drawings rather than photos, and I often have a hard time matching them.
Kathleen
Thanks Kaperc; I'll check your suggestions. I did love CR. Didn't see enough though. We spent a week sailing up the Pacific coast. I'd like to go back and stay on land and get some more rain forest time. :)
Pelle: I will post a few more bird pics when I've had a chance to sort through the hundreds of pics I took!!
Deb
Definitely worth going back. We saw a little bit of rain forest, some Caribbean & Pacific coast, marshland, and volcanoes - and that was just a sample of what's available. Sailing sounds great, though boats and I don't get along too good. For active people, I hear the white water rafting is good, too.
Unfortunately, we had a new camera we weren't familiar with and no telephoto, so our pictures leave a lot to be desired. I look forward to what birds you were able to capture.
#1..Gray-necked Wood-Rail
#2..One of the Oporornis Warblers-maybe a Mourning Warbler (?)
This message was edited Jun 25, 2007 10:52 PM
I think OldNed has it for #1!
Here's a link to some photos of CR birds - Tropical Kingbird is in the third row.
http://www.danheller.com/cr-birds.html
Helps if you put the link in the message! :-(
This message was edited Jun 26, 2007 7:55 AM
Agree with OldNed on both
Resin
Help me understand the ID of #2, Resin & OldNed. From the general shape I thought warbler, too, but Deb said the size of a Cardinal and the warblers I find are a fraction of the size, so that's where I was looking. ?
Gray-necked Woodrail
Mourning Warbler
Kaperc: It's possible I mis-judged the size of #2, since I could never get very close to one. May have been a bit smaller, but certainly not tiny. Possibly the size of a goldfinch or pine warbler?
You guys are definitely right on #1. Rail was what came to mind at the time I saw it and based on that pic OldNed, that's him!
I'll go look up the mourning warbler.
Thanks!
Deb
This message was edited Jun 26, 2007 1:23 PM
Size is notoriously difficult to judge in an unfamiliar habitat where you don't have the clues one usually uses to compare size (e.g. leaves of plants one knows well).
Resin
Ah, I was taking things too literally again. Also, the mourning warbler is supposed to be there fall-winter. Silly bird is behind schedule! Thanks, Resin.
I know what you mean, Deb. I've got photos taken from boats, etc., that I have to search to find out what on earth was in all that greenery that I was trying to get a picture of! LOL Sometimes there's actually something there, like a sloth or shadow of a howler monkey.
Kathleen
Yo Deb and kaperc.....
Resin's right. Bird apparent-size away from home territory can be tricky. Deb-you were just right (spot-on Res?) estimating the Woodrail's size.
Do you like the clever way I hid the Morning Warbler behind the davesgarden copyright stuff? Actually, that's the way you usually see this guy...hiding behind something and not moving.
Ned
The Wood Rail is a lot better looking in the book! lol
Yes, Ned, very clever - his cuteness shows through, though.
Yes Ned, your pic looked exactly as I remembered seeing the little fellow. Obscured. However, I went and looked elsewhere and it sure looks to be that warbler.
Kaperc - the site I looked at said they migrate north in late spring - so I had the same thought as you - guess the little tweeter doesn't own a field guide!
Deb
PS/ (And all the pics I took of sloths and howler monkeys look like foliage.)
LOL! And do you know I NEVER saw a toucan? Well, I caught a glimpse of what looked like a flying banana once, but that was it. Our guides went out of their way trying to find one (we could hear them in the lagoons) - it was a matter of pride to them!
