birding in the tropics

Black-throated Trogon male, digiscoped Pipeline Road, Panama

One of the highlights for most people birding the tropics is getting into the tropical rain forests and cloud forests. As you traipse through these habitats you are always watchful for birds sitting motionless in and around the dense canopy and understory alike. Members of the Trogon family are large and usually noticeable yet they can also sit perfectly still for long periods and be surprisingly difficult to spot at times. Especially when scanning the understory and canopy and even the path ahead simultaneously, you can walk by a silent still bird hading amongst leaves.

Black-tailed Trogon male,

digiscoped with Leica APO Televid spotting scope and C-Lux 2 camera

Yes, even large, colorful birds like these can be missed if sitting quietly. Motmots are usually accommodating as well, but it is still amazing at how many more of these large flashy birds you may hear compared to what you see.

Broad-billed Motmot, digiscoped in Gamboa, Panama

Most Motmot species show the distinctive racket-shaped "paddles" on the end of their long central tail feathers. These are apparently preened and groomed into this unique shape. Since these birds are primarily cavity nesters though, it is not uncommon to see these tail tips worn or broken off.

Broad-billed Motmot with severely frayed tail, showing the

broad bill for which it was named. Canopy Lodge, Panama

Raptors are occasionally seen perched as you wander around as well and I was fortunate enough to get good views of the largest owl species in Central America, the Spectacled Owl. Finding a bird like this requires a bit of luck or local knowledge of a resident pair, sometimes both as they typically sit silently by day.

adult Spectacled Owl, digiscoped in Gamboa, Panama

One advantage of visiting the tropics during the breeding season is that the local birds are often more vocal and sometimes busily feeding youngsters. In some cases as with the Double-toothed Kite below, this can work to your advantage offering closer, extended views.

adult Double-toothed Kite with food for young, digiscoped Pipeline Road, Panama

Along with the Motmots and Trogons there are numerous other bird families that are unrepresented in the temperate regions of the US and Canada. One of these many intriguing families are the spectacular Manakins. Like so many other bird species, females tend to be rather drab and often difficult to separate from each other (like the female Red-capped Manakin seen on its meager nest below).

female Red-capped Manakin digiscoped on nest, Panama.

Sorry ladies, but the flashy male Manakins steal the show with their elaborate dances and lekking rituals. Some species will throw their wings up and make a loud "SNAP"ping noise which is very distinct. While easily heard, these colorful little birds aren't always as easy to find given their small size. We were fortunate enough to get good views of four different Manakin species on the Panama digiscoping trip: Golden-collared, Red-capped, Blue-crowned, and Lance-tailed!

male Blue-crowned Manakins don't do as elaborate of display as some others.

Other interesting families include the many birds that bear the word "ANT" in their names. Birds such as Antbirds, Antvireos, Antthrushes, Antshrikes, Antwrens, Antpittas, etc. seem like odd names to birders in temperate zones.

male Spotted Antbird digiscoped at Canopy Tower

Most of these birds make a living following Army Ant swarms through the forest. These swarms of ants eat everything in their path, so small insects and the like bolt out from under leaves as they approach. This is where many of these ant-named birds come into play.

female Western Slaty Antshrike, Pipeline Road, Panama

They will sweep down and catch the insects as they leave the cover of safety at the edges of the advancing swarm. Catching up with an active swarm of ants very often means good birding for tropical birders. Sometimes the numbers and diversity of birds in these flocks can be amazing!

Streak-chested Antpitta, digiscoped with Leica spotting scope & C-Lux2 camera

Maybe you'll even see the living puffball on stilts, the Antpitta! It was amazing watching as this bird inflated its stomach to twice its normal size before singing its flute-like descending call.

Canopy Critters from Panama

male Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth resting in a tree near Canopy Tower

In an earlier post I'd mentioned how Canopy Tower was an ideal location for digiscoping, but didn't explain fully perhaps as I've had some additional questions on why that is. I was hoping to explain that and share some of the many pictures I was able to capture from the tower as well! Let me backtrack and review a bit for those that are perhaps just joining us. Digiscoping (at least as I practice it) is coupling a digital point & shoot camera like the Leica C-Lux 2 that I use with a spotting scope. Again my primary aim here (pun intended) is to capture wildlife images with the spotting scope that I carry most of the time in my pursuit of birds and wildlife anyway. As such, by simply adding a tiny camera and digital adapter to a hip pouch I'm ready to take stunning images at a moment's notice!

(see http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2007/01/what-is-digiscope.html for more of the basics)

Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth in trees at the Canopy Tower

The Canopy Tower offers an ideal situation for digiscoping not only because you are in the tree tops in a safe, stable structure with the creatures that utilize the canopy, but because many of these creatures are anywhere from 50 to 150 feet away. With patience most will come close enough for standard SLR and telephoto lenses, but I tend to be impatient and love the fact that with my present digiscoping set up I can achieve the equivalent of a 6,000 mm lens!

Geoffrey's Tamarin digiscoped from Canopy Tower, July 2007

This allows me to get up close and personal with the wildlife even when it is farther away. The Geoffrey's Tamarin above was actually much closer but I still shot this at a 35 mm equivalent of a 1720 mm lens because I wanted to see it's whiskers! ;)

EXIF data:

35 mm equivalent on camera = 86 mm

scope zoom eyepice at 20 power

or 86 mm x 20x = 1720 mm equivalent lens.

Sloth hangs out at Canopy Tower

To put that into perspective, the longest telephoto lens readily available on the commercial market is an 800 mm lens. So even at nominal camera zoom I'm far exceeding the capabilities of most telephoto systems. The Sloth above was actually scratching but I've entitled this shot "the Thinker!"

Mantled Howler Monkey (male) hangs down to get to Cecropia fruit

There were always a good assortment of mammals "hanging out" in the trees surrounding the Canopy Tower. Both of the aforementioned sloth species, preferred the loner approach but the troops of Monkeys always came through en masse. The small Tamarins were less numerous and came and went quickly during our stay, but the Howlers seemed regular and numerous throughout our stay. I was told that the large wound on the male above was a Bot Fly by one of the guests but don't know this for certain. Seems plausible. He explained that Vampire Bats can often make the initial wound and allow the Bot Fly to get under the flesh. Makes for a good story but I can't say for certain if this is the case. Anyone reading know more about this relationship or hypothesis... would love some feedback.

male Howler Monkey stares intently at some distant subject

The ever vociferous and social Howlers were a treat to watch. Even though they are a common species throughout much of the Neotropics, I don't see these in the wild here in Florida so it was a great treat.

female Howlers with tail at the ready feeds on tree top fruit

The female Howlers were notably slimmer and smaller than the mature males lacking the distinct "mane" shown by the latter. The animal above was taking full advantage of fruiting Cecropia that surrounded the Tower. It is also worthy of note that this is not a tower in the typical sense (a narrow spire sticking up) but more of a very wide 4 story building with large observation deck ringing the top. This also allows panoramic viewing options in any direction which is also advantageous to viewing the birds and wildlife moving through the tree-tops. It's a very unique and beautiful perspective.

Mantled Howler Monkey digiscoped July 2007, Canopy Tower

So far I've just seen some of the MANY images I was able to get on our 8 day trip. I will share more never fear, but for now I'll wrap it up by saying the trip was more fun than a Barrel full of Monkeys (or better yet a wild troop in their natural habitat), and we are already planning on offering this workshop again next year.

I can't wait!

Leica introduces new products!

As I mentioned in my last post, my purpose for visiting the UK (British BirdFair) was to be present at the public announcement of upcoming new products in the Leica Sport Optics range. The first of these announcements was for the new Ultravid HD binoculars (expected delivery beginning in late October.)

Leica 7x42 Ultravid HD

Externally the new Ultravid HD look nearly identical to the present Ultravid line, except for the letters "HD" on the strap lug. However, there are as many as 200 different changes over the entire line which will include all of the popular full-sized Ultravid models: 8x32, 10x32, 7x42, 8x42, 10x42, 8x50, 10x50, & 12x50. The new HD line offers a 3% increase in light transmission over the current Ultravid line, all models will contain fourite-ion lenses to aid in reduction of chromatic aberration (offers improved color rendition), and will have a modified focus mechanism. However, one of the greatest advantages for a birder like me is the addition of the new AquaDura TM hydro-phobic lens coatings.

AquaDura lens coatings (right) shown without (left)

This new coating allows water to run off the lens reducing the effects of water spotting in the field. It also makes the lenses easier to clean because dirt, dust, and oily residues (e.g. that pesky thumb print) will no longer adhere to the lens surfaces.

note how the water clings to the rubber armoring but sheets off the lenses above!

It rained throughout much of the Birdfair so I had ideal conditions to give the new AquaDura coatings a true birder's field test. I donned my rain coat and mud boots at hit the trail purposely leaving the lenses on the Ultravid HD's exposed to the falling rain. When I came across a pocket of birds I was able to easily clear them almost entirely with a purposeful snap of my wrists as I brought these to my eyes! As I soaked up my life views of Sedge Warblers, Long-tailed Tits, and the like I was happy to find the lenses were not soaked at all and the views were nearly spot and streak free (without resorting to the old cleaning cloth)! This is a fantastic advantage to a birder like me who doesn't have sense enough to get out of the rain (or sea spray, or splash zone at the bow of the boat while on a pelagic) when the birding is good.

Leica APO Televid 82 spotting scope

The other exciting announcement was the new line of Leica Televid spotting scopes due mid 2008. Unlike the Ultravid HD these products appear vastly different from the current Televid spotting scope line. Available only in the black, rubber armored version seen above, the new Televids will feature larger objective lenses (82 & 65 mm compared to current 77 & 62 mm models) and will feature the same AquaDura coatings as the Ultravid HD line. Through use of new lighter weight components like a magnesium housing, the APO Teleivid 82 will be a full 20% shorter and lighter weight than the current 77 mm APO Televid model.

Leica APO Televid 65 mm spotting scope

The more compact 65 mm models will have the same focal range as the larger 82 mm models (e.g. eyepieces will offer the same magnification on the 65 and the larger 82 mm). The scopes will also feature a newly designed focus system, still maintaining the popular dual-focus wheels. The new wedge shaped foot will mount directly to all Bogen/Manfrotto tripod heads without the use of the quick connect plate. Plus the scope body will have a built in lock to insure all eyepieces will mount securely with no chance of accidently twisting or falling off.

Leica 25x - 50x WW asph. eyepiece

Just like the Ultravid HD line though, there is one advancement that stands out (in my mind) above all of the others. This is the introduction of a revolutionary new zoom eyepiece design. Through the use of precisely crafted aspherical lenses, Leica will soon offer the first zoom eyepiece that provides a wide-angle view throughout its range (>60 degrees). No other manufacturer has ever been able to achieve this and it will offer the versatility of a zoom with the ease of operation and wide field view of a fixed-power eyepiece. As a digiscoper , I'm also very excited about the prospect of a zoom lens that will offer no vignetting!.... I just wish I didn't have to wait until the release date now.