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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/09/2026

Lots of birds have great camouflage. The Sunbittern looks like the boulders they traverse. You have to watch the river until you spot a boulder that is moving. And if you get lucky they will show you what they are hiding under their wings. #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #hummingbirds #nikon #z8

A Sunbittern steps out to stand balanced on a gray rock in the middle of a shallow, flowing stream. The bird is captured from the side, showcasing its slender neck, long legs, and intricate brown, gray, and black patterned plumage that blends into the natural environment.

Closer view of the Sunbittern as it walks across rocks to cross the river. The birds overall body is round gray with black and white markings to match the rocks of its environment. It has a long slender neck that is rust in color. Its head is gray with two white stripes that are above and below the eye. Its beak is long and black on top and orange below.

An adult sunbittern viewed from behind spreads its wings wide to reveal a dramatic, symmetrical pattern resembling giant eyes. The upper plumage of the back and wings features intricate, horizontal barred stripes of black, gray, and brown. When fully extended, each wing displays a large, vivid eyespot with a dark central circle rimmed in crisp white, surrounded by a broad band of rich chestnut-orange and bright yellow. The sunbittern's small head is looking straight ahead., and its long, slender tail is closed and mirrors the black and gray banding of the wings.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 24/08/2026

Second video of a Talamanca Hummingbird. At normal speed you just see the bird feed on the flower. In slow mo you see he makes three moves going higher each time. Also at the end you get a demonstration of how hummers can fly backwards. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #hummingbirds #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 24/08/2026

One objective on my Costa Rica trip was to capture video of hummingbirds that I could slow down. This is a Talamanca Hummingbird. Shot at 120fps and slowed down to 30fps. Looks like 1/3200 was not fast enough for their wings. #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #hummingbirds #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 22/08/2026

There is a reason they are nicknamed flying jewels. I’ve photographed Lesser Violetears 100s of times, but this male had the perfect perch to show off his iridescent colors. I genuinely thought it was a new hummingbird. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #hummingbirds #nikon #z8

Close-up of a lesser violetear hummingbird. The bird is looking directly at the camera showing its vibrant metallic green, blue, and purple plumage. The bird is sitting quietly on a flower stem behind bright pink flowers.

Close-up of a lesser violetear hummingbird. The bird is looking slightly to the left of the camera. The bird has bright metallic green, blue plumage and we can see the metallic violet feathers below the eye which gives the bird its name. The bird is sitting quietly on a flower stem behind bright pink flowers.

Close-up of a lesser violetear hummingbird. The bird is looking to the left of the camera. The bird has vibrant metallic green, blue plumage and we can see the metallic purple and violet feathers below the eye and extending to the neck. The birds long dark curved beak is slight raised. The bird is sitting quietly on a flower stem behind bright pink flowers.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 19/08/2026

Beautiful picture. I think it is a Coopers. I was taught that Coopers have a curved tail (curved is C for Coopers), and Sharped Shinned is squared or straight (S for Sharpie). Likewise, when not in flight, Coopers have a Cap and Sharpies are Smooth. At least, that is the mnemonic I was taught.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 04/08/2026

Green and Black Poison Dart frog with a tadpole on its back (bump at base of back). When eggs hatch on the forest floor, the tiny legless tadpoles wriggle onto the parent's back (usually the father) to get a ride to a safe pool of water. #herps #frogs #wildlife #CostaRica #nikon #z8

Over head image of a small green and black poison dart frog. The frog is overall black with iridescent green bars on its body and legs. This frog has a tiny tadpole on this lower center back that looks like a wart or bump. The frog will climb a tree and deposit the tadpole into a pool of water usually inside a bromeliad plant.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 02/08/2026

Tiny body, massive attitude! Pocket-sized Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in #CostaRica. Only 6 inches tall and 70 grams, but that fierce look & piercing eyes prove s/he is mighty. They hunt during the day so we get the opportunity to see that intense gaze. #birds #owls #birdsseenin2026 #wildlife #nikon #z8

A small, stocky owl with cinnamon-brown and white streaked plumage, round yellow eyes, sitting on a tree branch looking right at the camera.

A tiny rusty-brown Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl with bright yellow eyes perched alertly on a tree branch looking to the side

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 21/07/2026

Always a treat to see. Male Resplendent Quetzal. This one's fancy breeding tail had broken. The male and female were busy feeding young in a nearby tree cavity nest. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

Resplendent Quetzal at nesting cavity with a bug feeding young in the nest.

An adult male Resplendent Quetzal perched on a moss-covered branch. The bird has vibrant, iridescent emerald-green plumage, a striking crimson-red breast, and a fluffy crest on its head. Its iconic, graceful tail feathers—which can be up to 2 feet long—extend below the bird but are broken off (until next year).

The Resplendent Quetzal in flight. The male quetzal boasts a brilliant emerald-green crest, a crimson breast.

Male Resplendent Quetzal perched on a tree branch, viewed from behind to showcase its shimmering iridescent emerald-green plumage and blue-green coloring across its shoulders and back.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 19/07/2026

I know that they will also do a small group of just two people because that was our first trip to CR. Just my husband and I and a guide who was also the driver.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 19/07/2026

We numbered 7 and they provided a driver and a guide. All inclusive so hotels, food, and all park and reserve fees covered in the cost. This last was great because our group was family and friends so everyone knew each other.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 19/07/2026

We went with a tour company. I have travelled with them 3 times. Company is called Costa Rica Focus. Two trips to CR and one to Ecuador. Highly recommend. Their guides are outstanding. We have done their small group tours. This last was a private group with family and friends.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 17/07/2026

Just had a surprise visit. Sitting at my computer working on Costa Rica pics, when these little guys walked up to our screen door. Just passing through with mom. One is already learning how to stand up and intimidate humans. #birds #colorado #cobirds #birdphotography #nikon #z8

A tiny, fuzzy wild turkey chick (poult) stands facing the camera with its downy feathers puffed out and tiny wings slightly flared, giving it an adorably large, round appearance.

An adult wild turkey hen leading her small, fluffy brown chicks (poults) away.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 14/07/2026

Male Amazon Kingfisher tenderizing dinner in slow motion. Dinner looks big compared to his size but he got it down. Sorry about the vibration. The boat captain was fighting the river current to keep us in place so I could video. #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 30/06/2026

You head to Costa Rica with a bird bucket list. Then along comes a little bird you didn't even know existed and it takes your breath away. Meet the Sungrebe. It's not a grebe and it dislikes the sun. What's in a name anyway! #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

A small, duck-sized female Sungrebe swims on calm water. It has a striking blue/black cap, bright white stripes down its neck, and vibrant orangish-brown cheeks. Its stout bill is pointed, and its fanned tail rests on the water's surface.

Female Sungrebe identified by its orange cheeks. The male has white cheek patch.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 28/06/2026

A fancy Northern Jacana walking on some lily pads. Check out the toes. Slowed the video down since the bird was much quicker than this. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/06/2026

Our guide was using a pointer to show the area in the tree and it still took those of us on the ground with cameras several minutes to find the bird. They are incredibly still and just look like a branch. I was lucky that one started to wake up and shift around so I got movement in the video I took.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/06/2026

Great Potoo. Video shows the bird's gigantic, gaping mouth. Unlike nighthawks that fly around vacuuming up bugs, the potoo sits on a branch and swoops out grabs the bug, and returns to the perch to eat it; like a giant flycatcher LOL. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/06/2026

Great Potoo. Ebird describes as a monstrous nightbird and I can attest that they are very large. We were lucky enough to see two roosting during the day in a massive tree. Best camouflage ever! Will post video of the Potoo next. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

A Great Potoo sits perfectly still and upright on a lichen-covered tree branch during the day. Its mottled, pale gray and brown plumage perfectly camouflages it to look like tree bark. Its body is elongated with its neck stretched, head tilted upward, and beak closed, making it resemble a broken dead branch

A Great Potoo uses camouflage, perching upright on a tree branch during the day to seamlessly blend into its surroundings.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 16/06/2026

Not all singing in the rainforests of Costa Rica are birds. Here is a Strawberry poison dart frog singing his heart out. May 2026 La Selva Reserve. #herps #frogs #wildlife #CostaRica #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 06/06/2026

Long-billed Hermit. One came up to sit on a vine after diving into a stream for a bath. The other sitting on a nest woven on a leaf. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

A Long-billed Hermit hummingbird perches on a thin green stem. It has a long, sharply down-curved black bill, a bronze-green back, and a bold black-and-white stripe running across its face. Its long tail has striking white outer streamers that are blurred in the picture as the bird shakes off water from a bath.

A small Long-billed Hermit hummingbird sits quietly in its cone-shaped, mud-and-fiber nest, which is stitched to the underside of a large green rainforest leaf.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 04/06/2026

Closer video of the Rufous Motmot showing its serrated beak. It has a omnivorous diet and the serrations provide a firm grip on lizards, insects, and fruit. Guess he stopped thinking of me as a predator since he would not wag his tail. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 03/06/2026

Rufous Motmot swinging his racket tail like a pendulum to signal to predators that they have been seen. "I see you, so don't waste your time trying to get me." I think we might have been the "predators". Volume up to hear their call. #birds #birdsseenin2026 #CostaRica #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 02/06/2026

Just some monkeys hanging out in the trees. Mantled Howler Monkeys at La Selva Reserve in Costa Rica. #wildlife, #Nikon, #z8, #monkey

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 28/05/2026

One of my favorite birds in Costa Rica. A Northern Emerald-Toucanet showing us that he does not have a bad side. May 2026 #birds #Nikon #z8

Vibrant, grass-green overall, which helps them camouflage in the rainforest canopy. A large, colorful bill with a yellow upper mandible (maxilla) and a black lower mandible (mandible). Throat patch on this subspecies is bright iridescent blue.

A vibrant Northern Emerald-Toucanet perched on a branch facing away from the camera. Bird has bright green feathers, a yellow and black bill, and showing its chestnut-tipped tail feathers.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 14/04/2026

Back to editing Safari pictures from 9/2025. Extremely lucky on our last day. One final drive through Maasai Mara National Reserve on the way to the airport we finally saw a Leopard completing the Big 5 for the trip. #wildlife #leopard #nikon #z8 #safari #Africa #Kenya

An African leopard with a rosette-patterned coat and long whiskers, pauses in it walk through the grass in Maasai Mara National Reserve.

An African leopard with a rosette-patterned coat, turns and looks directly at the camera and proceeds to walk through the grass in Maasai Mara National Reserve.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 21/03/2026

This is not supposed to be here! Haha

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 18/03/2026

Digiscope video of Evening Grosbeaks. Day after the snow storm. Four males and one female. #birds #colorado #cobirds

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 11/03/2026

Hairy Woodpecker eyeing a suet feeder during a light snow fall. #birds #colorado #cobirds #birdphotography #nikon #z8

A male Hairy Woodpecker with a small red patch on its head clings vertically to a tree trunk. The bird has black and white plumage, and a long bill. The bird is looking over its shoulder at a feeder showing the white and black markings on the face and head.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 11/03/2026

The guide told us that their legs and necks will become much brighter pink during the mating season as part of their "breeding plumage".

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 11/03/2026

Ostriches walking in Maasai Mara National Reserve. #birds #nikon #z8 #safari #Africa #Kenya #wildlife

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 04/03/2026

Video from our Safari back in Sept. This is a group of spotted hyenas that stole a lion kill. Video is a bit shaky since it was hand held with a long telephoto. Sound up to hear the hyena laugh. #Africa #Tanzania #wildlife #nikon #z8

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 23/02/2026

Some still images of the Rosy-Finches. These guys have been a bucket list bird for me for many years thus lots of posts. Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is endemic to #Colorado reaching a bit into WY and NM. Gray-crowned have a larger range from NM to AK and out to the coastal mountains. #birds #cobirds

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch with the most restricted range in Colorado and northern New Mexico. Body is milk-chocolate brown with pink highlights in the wings, tail, belly, and indistinct grayish-brown crown.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch most widespread rosy-finch. Body is the color of milk chocolate with pink highlights in the wings, tail and belly. Two different variations of this finch. Pictured is the plain Gray-crowned variety with the gray forming a ring around the crown.

Pictured is a second variation of the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. This is the Hepburn's variety with the gray extending down over the cheeks of the bird.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 23/02/2026

A wider video view of Rosy finches. Got some good close up images that I will post next. The birds sit up in a tree all together and then swarm down grab some seed and then back up to the trees as a group. Feeder visit lasts 15 secs but the visiting lasts all day. #birds #cobirds #colorado

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 23/02/2026

Out birding for Rosy-Finches. Found Brown-Capped & Gray-crowned. They breed at the highest elevations of any birds on the American continent at 14,000 ft but in winter they drop down to 11,000 feet in large flocks. Video of part of the flock we saw which we counted at 400. #birds #cobirds #Colorado

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/01/2026

Thank you so much Mark for the kind words.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 25/01/2026

Sorry, I should have added that it's nicknamed Thor's Helmet

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 24/01/2026

That does seem like a better name right?!! I always see a flowing dress and the arms of a Flamenco Dancer.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 24/01/2026

Since Jan 14th I have been working on imaging NGC 2359. Seeing conditions have been spotty. I collected over 21 hrs of data, but only used 15.4 hrs of data tossing the rest due to poor seeing. I have to say this is better than any previous attempts with OSC camera. #astrophotography #colorado #ZWO

Thor's Helmet Nebula (NGC 2359), a cosmic cloud of gas and dust shaped like a winged helmet, glowing with blue and red/pink emissions. RGB or stars. Equipment: RC 6 with ZWO ASI1600mm. Bi-color image with Ha and Oiii data. Processed in Astro Pixel Processor, Seti Astro Pro, and Photoshop

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 14/01/2026

Captured this Common Hoopoe in Maasai Mara National Reserve. He very obligingly posed for us in the evening sunlight. #birds #nikon #z8 #safari #Africa #Kenya #wildlife

A Common Hoopoe (African subspecies) perched on a branch. The bird has cinnamon-colored plumage, a long down-curved bill, distinctive zebra-striped wings and a tall erect "crown" of feathers with black tips.

Common Hoopoe perched on branch looking down at the ground for insects. It uses its long curved bill to probe the ground for insects.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 02/01/2026

Wrapping up post on data collected before Christmas. Pleiades open star cluster taken with ASI 1600mm and William Optics z63. 4 hrs of LRGB data. #astrophotography

A bright open star cluster, known as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters, featuring several prominent blue stars surrounded by faint, wispy blue reflection nebulosity.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 29/12/2025

Continuing adventures with mono. Took a bit since I was fighting cloudy nights; thought I would never get my Oiii data. And post processing can be a major time sink hole. I have 4 different color versions of this target. Attached are two. #astrophotography #colorado

A false-color image of the Seagull Nebula using the SHO palette, where sulfur is mapped to red, hydrogen to green, and oxygen to blue. The "head" of the seagull (NGC 2327) appears as a bright, dense golden-yellow cloud at the top. Its massive "wings," spanning 250 light-years, stretch across the frame in a blend of amber and gold. The center of the nebula glows with turquoise hues where oxygen is most concentrated.

A wide-field view of the Seagull Nebula in alternate Hubble palette colors. The gas clouds form a celestial bird with outstretched wings. the head and wings are shown in a a pale tan/red color with the central body a vibrant blue.

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Ann @stellarpics.net · 18/12/2025

Thank you. I was pleased to see how well the gopro captured the night sky.

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