Band-tailed Barbthroat

Gallery: AvianPosted March 27, 20081,608 views21 comments

Hi all,
I just returned from 2 months in Costa Rica, where I was taking a Tropical Biology graduate course through the Organization for Tropical Studies. They kept us really busy, but I still managed to escape long enough to do a little shooting. Here's a Band-tailed Barbthroat, a species of hermit, on its display perch at La Selva Biological Station.

All comments appreciated!

1D2n, 500/4 IS, 1.4x, 25mm extension
ISO 1000, 1/50s at f/5.6, flash at -2
Full frame

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Helge Sorensen on March 28, 2008 at 5:56 AM

Super details!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 186 Posts, 1526 Comments

Comment posted by Louis Blair on March 28, 2008 at 7:47 AM

Beautiful shot. Great composition and light. The bird really pop up against the nice background. Bravo

Registered on March 22, 2008, 11 Posts, 38 Comments

Comment posted by John Chapman on March 28, 2008 at 7:55 AM

Beautiful image Neil what a size of a beak.

Registered on June 19, 2004, 100 Posts, 1473 Comments

Comment posted by Balakumar Kaushik on March 28, 2008 at 8:19 AM

nice & optimal use of flash.
& at shutter speed of 1/50s, you have indeed done a good job in bringing out a sharp image.

TFS.

rgds,
Kaushik

Registered on January 4, 2008, 98 Posts, 1403 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on March 28, 2008 at 9:33 AM

Welcome back, Neil! This is a beautiful image and I am looking forward to seeing all you got!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 28, 2008 at 11:39 AM

Well done Neil - I like the pose with the beak open and the background esp.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 28, 2008 at 11:59 AM

Nice photo under tough conditions... welcome back, Neil!

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on March 28, 2008 at 1:07 PM

This is beautiful Neil. Nice detail in the bird and the background compliments it well.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on March 28, 2008 at 10:15 PM

very nice ...

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 29, 2008 at 5:54 AM

Great shot and what a beak!

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Shelton on March 29, 2008 at 10:47 PM

Very nice job, especially in low light.

Registered on October 2, 2007, 14 Posts, 1029 Comments

Comment posted by Harsha Jayawardena on March 30, 2008 at 8:39 AM

Super shot. Love the deatils and BG

Registered on April 2, 2005, 7 Posts, 47 Comments

Comment posted by Marco Marchelli on March 30, 2008 at 1:39 PM

Very nice, great capture.

Registered on December 25, 2007, 13 Posts, 526 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 30, 2008 at 11:55 PM

Welcome back Neil, great shot of an amazing bird in tough conditions, congrats

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Inglis on March 31, 2008 at 7:23 AM

Hi Neil,

Very nice capture!

Registered on October 23, 2007, 26 Posts, 2832 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 31, 2008 at 9:51 PM

Congrats on the EP - nice!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 31, 2008 at 11:57 PM

Excellent, Neil. And congratulations on the EP!

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Patrick Lor on April 1, 2008 at 12:42 AM

Hi Neil,
I missed this one. What a neat bird.
Congrats on the EP!
I'm sure you had a great time down there. Did you get any dartfrog/herp photos?

Registered on January 15, 2006, 91 Posts, 2052 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on April 1, 2008 at 2:30 AM

Hey, that beak is as long or longer than its body! Amazing little bird and great shot.