p.1 #1 · First Post Pandemic Trip - Guess Where - Ecuador Of Course
Congratulations to kdacharya for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 3 votes - View Previous Winners
I hope you all have been behaving while I was gone over the last few days Just kidding, I am sure you were not
My tax season gets over on October 15th each year, with all the extended returns etc., and I hadn't done any photo trip since Jan 2020. So got in touch in August/September with my friend Luis, who runs The Magic Birding and Bird Photo Circuit of Ecuador https://www.facebook.com/magicbirding. My son and I had done a trip with him in 2019 and we became good friends.
So away I went to Ecuador and spent some time in the Amazon rain forest and did some very different shooting this time around and was able to get additional species that are endemic to the rain forest (Geoff hope you are keeping count). The shooting conditions were also very different, since it involved shooting from Canopy top towers that ranged in height from 30 meters to 80 meters. Many of the shots are through the foliage and in the canopy, hence could be termed as environmental shots
I did try to isolate the subject in some instances. Please do let me know which ones you like
Before this trip I was struggling with many health issues such as a heel spur, pinched nerve, lack of physical activities of the past almost 2 years. In short I was a mess. Louis helped me in every stage of the trip and made it happen, help in terms of medication, carrying gear as needed, ensuring that I was eating right, stay hydrated and do not overdo any of the activities. In short now he is a brother to me. I came back from this trip 10 lbs lighter and certainly in a much better shape. Thanks so much Luis bro.
BTW no trip to Ecuador is complete without hummers
p.1 #2 · First Post Pandemic Trip - Guess Where - Ecuador Of Course
batch 2 - some details on the underlying shots
13- Each day the macaws, parrots and parakeets come down to the ground level for a drink of water at the clay lick, especially on hot days when the sun has evaporated all the water from the leaves.
In addition, they use the clay filled water to help get rid of toxins in their bodies from certain nuts that they consume.
“The cobalt-winged parakeet is a species of bird in the Psittacidae family, the true parrots. ... They and the Orange-cheeked Parrot regularly visits clay banks (or licks) to consume the soil, an antacid-like dense soil which neutralizes toxins taken in by the parrots during their daily feedings.”
One such species to do so are the cobalt winged parakeets. Here are some that are shot at somewhat slow speed. As you will see that the still sitting ones on the clay lick are absolutely tack sharp in focus.
14. black tailed ti_yra (please note that I have to leave a blank in the word, since FM protocol deletes my post if I put the other t in it )
this was a very difficult bird to take pictures of since it was visible for a very short time and with the vivid contrast in the whites and the blacks and the reds
p.1 #4 · First Post Pandemic Trip - Guess Where - Ecuador Of Course
What an incredible set - you’ve done it again, KD! The bird species are awesome, and as usual, your exposure, composition, background rendering, etc are all spot-on or should I say, winners. Really hard to pick the ones that I like as I like them all! But I am particularly drawn to 1, 2, 5, 7 and 13. Voted!
p.1 #11 · First Post Pandemic Trip - Guess Where - Ecuador Of Course
bobbytan wrote:
What an incredible set - you’ve done it again, KD! The bird species are awesome, and as usual, your exposure, composition, background rendering, etc are all spot-on or should I say, winners. Really hard to pick the ones that I like as I like them all! But I am particularly drawn to 1, 2, 5, 7 and 13. Voted!
thanks Bobby, it was a different sort of trip, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.
p.1 #15 · First Post Pandemic Trip - Guess Where - Ecuador Of Course
KD - These are fantastic! As always your work is stunning. I really, really enjoyed these. Sorry to hear about your health issues, but glad you are doing better. Hope you have some more to share in the future from your trip.
YGMY. Can't pick a favorite, I like all of them. Thanks for sharing.
Just kidding, I am sure you were not 
