The Flickr Westernmassphotographer Image Generatr

One of the most beautiful hummingbirds I have ever seen. Look at the blue! April 2023

Royal Sunangel - male

Impressive hummingbird found in stunted cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes in southeastern Ecuador and northern Peru. Adult male is entirely dark blue and has a moderately long tail. Immature male has some green mixed into the blue plumage, and may have a buffy collar. Female is mostly green with a buffy or whitish collar, belly, and throat. Her tail is blue and shorter than male’s. This species is very localized, and prefers shorter forest and scrub near ridgelines.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Every time it gets really cold (today it was 11 F for a high) I start missing the tropics. Right now I miss shooting hummingbirds. Here are some favorites from my April 2023 trip to Peru.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Every time it gets really cold (today it was 11 F for a high) I start missing the tropics. Right now I miss shooting hummingbirds. Here are some favorites from my April 2023 trip to Peru.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Every time it gets really cold (today it was 11 F for a high) I start missing the tropics. Right now I miss shooting hummingbirds. Here are some favorites from my April 2023 trip to Peru.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Every time it gets really cold (today it was 11 F for a high) I start missing the tropics. Right now I miss shooting hummingbirds. Here are some favorites from my April 2023 trip to Peru.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Juan Carlos Vindas of Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Last night I was determined to see Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). It is the brightest comet in 27 years and the first comet I have seen. It is estimated that the last time it was seen was 80,000 years ago!! It should be visible (may need binoculars or your cell phone) on clear nights for the next several days if you look to the upper right of the bright planet Venus, in the west not long after sunset. As the days pass, the comet will be appearing higher above the western sunset horizon.

The comet was shot from a West-facing pull off on Lebanon Mountain Rd (RT 20). With the help of a few other people, I was able to get on the comet. 7:34pm 10-16-24 Canon R5 w/ RF600f/4 + 1.4x tc. ISO 5000 f/5.6, .8s - no crop

Also last night, I snapped some pics of October's hunter's moon, the closest supermoon of the year. It will appear round through tomorrow morning. 8:10pm 10-16-24 Canon R5 w/RF600f/4 +1.4x tc ISO 400 f/8 1/800s - slight crop

Last night I was determined to see Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). It is the brightest comet in 27 years and the first comet I have seen. It is estimated that the last time it was seen was 80,000 years ago!! It should be visible (may need binoculars or your cell phone) on clear nights for the next several days if you look to the upper right of the bright planet Venus, in the west not long after sunset. As the days pass, the comet will be appearing higher above the western sunset horizon.

The comet was shot from a West-facing pull off on Lebanon Mountain Rd (RT 20). With the help of a few other people, I was able to get on the comet. 7:34pm 10-16-24 Canon R5 w/ RF600f/4 + 1.4x tc. ISO 5000 f/5.6, .8s - no crop

Also last night, I snapped some pics of October's hunter's moon, the closest supermoon of the year. It will appear round through tomorrow morning. 8:10pm 10-16-24 Canon R5 w/RF600f/4 +1.4x tc ISO 400 f/8 1/800s - slight crop

Today on my day off I was able to observe this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk in our backyard. I could tell he was in hunting mode. It was actively looking around for any movement. The first image was taken shortly after it captured a short-tailed shrew and the others at times thereafter. I will spare the more gruesome images for another day.

Full Frame

Pittsfield, MA
March 21, 2024

Today on my day off I was able to observe this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk in our backyard. I could tell he was in hunting mode. It was actively looking around for any movement. The first image was taken shortly after it captured a short-tailed shrew and the others at times thereafter. I will spare the more gruesome images for another day.

Pittsfield, MA
March 21, 2024

Today on my day off I was able to observe this beautiful Red-tailed Hawk in our backyard. I could tell he was in hunting mode. It was actively looking around for any movement. The first image was taken shortly after it captured a short-tailed shrew and the others at times thereafter. I will spare the more gruesome images for another day.

Pittsfield, MA
March 21, 2024

Medium-sized hummingbird with a rather limited range in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Unmistakable: mostly emerald-green with a purple throat and a blue forecrown. Also note the fairly short, straight bill. Sexes similar, but female is slightly duller. Occurs at forest edge and shrubby areas from around 1,800 to 3,300 m. Visits feeders.

Seen on a photo tour in April 2023 while in Northern Peru led by Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

A chunky little bird of lowland forest in northern South America. Male is distinctive with a black body and bright golden head. The duller female can be very difficult to separate from other female manakins, but note pale bill and very drab coloration. Most often seen around male display sites, where several individuals gather to display for females. Otherwise more difficult to find; singles occur at lower to middle levels of forest, sometimes around fruiting trees.

Seen on a photo tour in April 2023 while in Northern Peru led by Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Small hummingbird of humid lowlands. Males are iridescent green with bluish face and rich reddish golden rump and tail; females are similar but lack the blue face and are paler gray below. Usually found around forest edges and oxbow lakes; often one of the most common hummingbirds at feeders in their range.

Seen on a photo tour in Northern Peru led by Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

Trying to get motivated to edit photos again. Here are a couple pics taken in April in Northern Peru.

Black-faced Dacnis

This small tanager is widespread and fairly common in lowlands across northern South America. Male is mostly cerulean blue with a black mask and upperparts. Also note piercing yellow eye. Most widespread population has white belly, but "Yellow-tufted" form in western Ecuador and Colombia has bright yellow belly and conspicuous yellow tufts under shoulders. Female is much duller than male: yellowish below with gray head, olive back, and a hint of a dark mask. Females also have a yellow eye. Typically found in pairs in the canopy of lowland forest and edges, often following mixed-species flocks.

Seen on a photo tour in Nothern Peru led by Neotropic Photo Tours and our Peruvian guide Steve Sánchez Wildlife Photography.

#westernmassphotographer #massachusettsphotographer #peru #canon #rf600mm #eosr5 #blackfaceddacnis #tanager

Staying with the endemic species of Puerto Rico, here is the Puerto Rican Emerald.

A lively inhabitant of most wooded habitats, coffee plantations, and gardens. The long-tailed male is distinctive in being entirely iridescent green, although can radiate blue at certain angles and lighting. Male Green-throated Carib and Green Mango can also appear entirely green, however both are larger, with longer and strongly curved bills. The female Puerto Rican Emerald is metallic green above, dingy white below, and has a relatively long, forked tail. Its face is typically blackish with a small white spot behind the eye. The similar Antillean Crested Hummingbird has a shorter bill, lacks the black in face and the spot behind the eye, and it has a rounded tail. The emerald's song is a rapid twittering and the common call is a high thin metallic "tsip" given singly or in series.

Another endemic of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican Spindalis

A somewhat small woodland bird that moves rather deliberately as it feeds on fruits and flowers and the occasional insect. Inhabits wide range of woodlands, though generally avoids mangroves. Male is dressed in bright yellows and oranges with a distinctive black-and-white striped head. Female is drab, but note distinctive whitish mustache. Calls include a variety of high-pitched squeaks and short whistles.

#westernmassphotographer #massachusettsphotographer #canon #R5 #rf600 #endemic puertorico #puertoricanspindalis #PR #jayuya

Another Endemic, this Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo was photographed while out with Gabriel Lugo Birding Guide. Gabriel has an amazing eye and ear for finding birds and with his help I found and photographed many species I would not have found otherwise.

An impressive long-tailed bird of wooded habitats including shade coffee plantations. Usually found in dense vegetation though sometimes found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, gray chest, and chestnut belly. The Mangrove Cuckoo is passingly similar but has a much shorter bill, a black mask, and lacks the red eyering visible on Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo. Secretive, but not shy, this species is often first detected by its voice. Song is a long, rapid, ratcheting “keh-keh-keh…” series that often accelerates and/or decelerates throughout. Other calls include a harsh, “craaa.”

Another Endemic, this Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo was photographed while out with Gabriel Lugo Birding Guide. Gabriel has an amazing eye and ear for finding birds and with his help I found and photographed many species I would not have found otherwise.

An impressive long-tailed bird of wooded habitats including shade coffee plantations. Usually found in dense vegetation though sometimes found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, gray chest, and chestnut belly. The Mangrove Cuckoo is passingly similar but has a much shorter bill, a black mask, and lacks the red eyering visible on Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo. Secretive, but not shy, this species is often first detected by its voice. Song is a long, rapid, ratcheting “keh-keh-keh…” series that often accelerates and/or decelerates throughout. Other calls include a harsh, “craaa.”

My wife and I got back at about 345am this morning from a week in beautiful Puerto Rico. Tops on my list of birds to see while in Puerto Rico was this species, Puerto Rican Tody. Fortunately for me, there was a pair that made the occasional appearance at the cottage we stayed in at Hacienda Prosperidad in Jayuya.

Puerto Rican Tody

A tiny, brilliant-green resident of wooded habitats. There are no similar species within its range. Typically perches at low to middle levels in the forest and sallies forth to snag insects from the undersides of leaves. When not actively pursuing a meal, sits rather motionless. Most active, and thus most easily seen, when the sun comes out following rain. Most often first detected by its voice: a loud buzzy “zhip, zhip.”

My wife and I got back at about 345am this morning from a week in beautiful Puerto Rico. Tops on my list of birds to see while in Puerto Rico was this species, Puerto Rican Tody. Fortunately for me, there was a pair that made the occasional appearance at the cottage we stayed in at Hacienda Prosperidad in Jayuya.

Puerto Rican Tody

A tiny, brilliant-green resident of wooded habitats. There are no similar species within its range. Typically perches at low to middle levels in the forest and sallies forth to snag insects from the undersides of leaves. When not actively pursuing a meal, sits rather motionless. Most active, and thus most easily seen, when the sun comes out following rain. Most often first detected by its voice: a loud buzzy “zhip, zhip.”