2 trips to Ecuador last year resulted in many photos of birds, some of which were ok. These are some of my favorites-proof that you need know very little about photography(as I do) to capture images that reveal the color and elegance of these dinosaurian descendants...
plate billed mountain toucan

very cool series joel. the long tailed sylph is my pick of the series. love that shimmering blue tail. amazing. looks like a few of those shots could be improved with a noise reduction software though. thanks for sharing.

- hung

H--thanks for the compliments and the criticism--yes NR would help--but I have a slow learning curve and the tapaculo shot, for example, was so badly mismanaged that I got a set of almost black frames out of the camera--I was happy to retrieve what I did--once I learn some more rudiments of PP I will revisit all my photos, including these, and redo them--hell, I didn't even have the in- camera noise reduction on for many of my 40D shots--I am learning--albeit slowly...

Thanks for sharing and the images in your site, you have the basis for some fine images. Looking to go to Ecuador in the near future and am just starting the groundwork on where to go etc. Read the manual!

These are magnificent birds. I'm with Hung on the Sylph, for "best in show." Thanks for posting these and leaving the link.

Dave I.

Wow! Great shots of beautiful birds. They're all fantastic. I don't believe that part about not being a good photog.

Thank you all--but my bird photography is really still just point and shoot(albeit with some relatively sophisticated(in some cases too sophisticated for me) gear)--I will be getting some good instruction the next few days at the Space Coast Birding and wildlife festival http://www.nbbd.com/fly/, and hopefully I can incorporate what I learn into my photography during our trip to Peru next summer(at 60 it's time to finally get to Machu Picchu and the Amazon).

But for anyone wishing to go or planning a trip to Ecuador--please email me and I'd be happy to share what I know-I have developed a minor network of friends/bird guides/lodge owners-and can give you the benefit of what I've learned during 2 trips there..

oops! left out one of my favorites altogether--the fabulous, or stupid looking ,cock of the rock--a much sought after bird in Ecuador, and the national bird of Peru--I was lucky to get this shot in broad daylight at a time and place where I had no expectation of seeing this bird...