Chris H Petersen Photography

06/10/2026

With that impressive long bill it's not hard to figure out how this bird got its name.

You can tell from that beak it is a "king fisher". While this one is in the shade, you can see the sparkle from the emerald green feathers that gives it its name.

This is a female Green Kingfisher. She has green and white on her breast. In this species it is the male that has a large rufous patch across their breast.

There are six kingfishers in Costa Rica. This is one of the smaller ones (8 in.). The Green Kingfisher is found in southern Texas and southeast Arizona.

Like other kingfishers, the Green have two forward facing, partially fused toes. They use them to push out dirt from a burrow when they lay eggs on bare soil.

This photo was captured on the boat safari at Cano Negro Costa Rica.


Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 100-500@500mm, distance 15.7m, f/7.1, 1/320, 0 EV, ISO 5000

06/09/2026

It can be hard to get a "seat" in a popular restaurant, especially at dinner time!

The "eye candy" of this photo is the beautiful Roseate Spoonbill trying to land in the middle of a feeding group of egrets. Another Roseate Spoonbill is in the water.

This photo is more about the context of the rivers and wetlands of Costa Rica, and why you book a "boat safari" to enjoy a different experience.

Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge is a huge national park in Costa Rica. Wetlands attract a host of wildlife. The challenge is that you can't see anything with all the trees.

The Cano Negro Boat tours take you on the rivers and backwaters. You can get reasonably close to photograph birds and their natural behavior.

It was a cloudy afternoon and this was captured near dusk. There was a feeding frenzy in the shallows. There were more birds than we could possibly count.

The tallest bird in the center is a Great Egret. That bright orange bill and touch of green by the eye is breeding plumage. The other white egrets came to steal fish.

The other four white birds are Snowy Egrets. They have yellow feet and black bills. The three blurry brown blobs in the back are Black Belly Whistling Ducks.

We can find all of these birds in the gulf coast area of the U.S. But it s a very special experience to be able to sit in a boat and photograph at eye level.


Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 200-500@500mm, distance 55.8m, f/7.1, 1/1600, 0 EV, ISO 6400

06/08/2026

You have to look close to find the orange on the "chin" of this parakeet.

Costa Rica is home to 17 species of parrots and parakeets. Macaws get a lot of attention. But there is also beauty in species like this Orange-chinned Parakeet.

If you look closely at the bird on the left, you will see just a touch of orange under the lower beak. The patches on the wings also have a tinge of orange.

The rest of the Orange-chinned Parakeet is a wonderful blend of greens, yellows and blues. Got to love that pink beak and those pink feet!

Unlike the big Macaws, these parakeets are small, about 7 inches. Yet you can see from that strong beak they can readily crack seeds and nuts.

These Parakeets were captured in the wild. They are very social and typically travel in pairs. Not sure how to distinguish sexes, I'm assuming that this is a bonded pair.


Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 100-500@500mm, distance 8.3m, f/9, 1/1600, 0 EV, ISO 5000

06/07/2026

The "little gem" of the forest. What it lacks in size it makes up in brilliant colors!

The Yellow-throated Euphonia is one of my favorite birds of Costa Rica. It is about the same size as a large hummingbird, only 4 to 5 inches long.

It is hard to miss that brilliant yellow breast! And they have a matching yellow cap on their forehead that compliments the rich blue black color on the back and wings.

Fortunately, Euphonia are primarily fruit eaters. They are attracted to ripe bananas placed in many feeding areas. They also thrive on mistletoe berries.

The Yellow-throat is one of the most common of the 20+ species of Euphonia. I happily photograph them any time I find them at a stop along the way.

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 200-800@800mm, distance 6m, f/9, 1/500, -0.3 EV, ISO 4000

06/05/2026

This sounds insane, but there are bees that literally "drink crocodile tears"!

If you follow my posts, you know there is always a "rest of the story". Grab a beverage of choice, this one is a doozy. My most incredible experience so far.

Let's start off with the proper identification. This is NOT a crocodile. It is a very large and toothy caiman that lives in fresh water. Caiman are relatives of alligators.

We booked the Cano Negro Boat Tour to capture photos of all the birds living along the river. We also saw lots of Caiman and some fresh water Crocs as well.

When you look at the first photo on the left, this Caiman looks p*ssed. Looks like he has opened those big jaws so he can eat that buzzing insect above him.

Turns out that buzzing insect is a special kind of solitary bee called Aethyctera. They engage in "lachryphagy". They literally "suck out" tears from caiman eyes!

Enlarge and look closely at the second photo. You can see the bee inserting its proboscis (drinking tube) into the upper eye just below the lid.

The bee is not being kind or harmful. It is after the salt and minerals missing from its diet. Tears have high concentrations of essential minerals and proteins.

If you do a search you will find a well-known YouTube video showing a butterfly and a bee lapping up tears from a Caiman. Other insects also seek reptiles to sip tears.

Never would I ever have expected to witness and photograph a wildlife moment like this! In fact, if it hadn't been for our Guide, we probably would have missed it.

So birder friends, sorry if I disappointed you in this post. Not everything that flies has feathers. I had to share my "Sir David Attenborough moment" from Costa Rica.

Those following me know that I'm working my "BIG Year Album for 2026". A "BIG Year" is usually associated with a list, or in my case, a collection of bird photos.

So the question is, should this experience be included in my 2026 BIG Year album?

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 200-800@432mm, distance 10m, f/13, 1/4000, -0.3EV, ISO 5000

06/04/2026

The iridescent Talamanca Hummingbird of Costa Rica.

The original name is the perfect description of this insanely bright and colorful hummingbird!

In Costa Rica it is now a subspecies called the "Talamanca Hummingbird" based on the mountain range region where it is found in cloud forests of Costa Rica.

Regardless of what you call it, the colors are spectacular! The male's gorget (throat) is a bright metallic blue, with a violet purple patch on the forehead.

From the side this one looks black! The reason is that the colors are not in the feathers. The colors result from microstructures in feathers that refract light.

Normally I try to photograph hummers inflight facing the camera. The light in the cloud forest was so poor, we reached a compromise ~ a "takeoff" shot.

06/04/2026

No, it's not a type of Cardinal. It is a female Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher.

These Silky-Flycatchers are about the size of a North American Cardinal. And, they have similar upright crest. They also like eating berries like those in this tree.

But the Silky-Flycatcher has a dramatic ruby red eye and a bright yellow eye ring.

Silky-Flycatchers are found in Costa Rica and Panama in the highlands where many hummers and Quetzals are found. This one was at an elevation of over 8,000 feet.

Both sexes look similar. The male has a gray/blue belly and a yellow crest. The female is more subdued and you can see how well she blends in with her habitat.

You can't quite see all of the "Long Tail", which give it part of its name. But if you enlarge you can see the very fine feathers that gives it the "Silky" part of its name.

If you look closely above the top berry you will see that the Flycatcher's main food source liked the berries as well. Not sure what type of insect that is.

This is one of the great joys of an international safari. It is a thrill to photograph a new species right off of the deck at the Paraiso Quetzal Lodge in Costa Rica.

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 100-500@500mm, distance 5.8m, f/7.1, 1/5000, 0 EV, ISO 2500

06/03/2026

One "badass" big bird that roars like a tiger when Photogs invade its space!

The Bare-throated Tiger Heron does in fact have stripes down the back of its long neck. That is part of the origin of it's name. But it has another tiger like quality.

This Heron does not have a "call". It has a Roar! During mating season the males boom out a hoarse "hrrrowwwr! horrowr! hrrrowwr"! Very gutteral and very loud!

In comparison, a Great Blue Heron is taller, slimmer, with longer legs. The Bare-throated Tiger Heron is stocky with a more sturdy build like a football linebacker.

Talk about "badass", check out that throat! It is totally bare skin with no feathers! And it is bright yellow/orange to boot. And this Heron has a pose with swagger!

Herons stretch out that long neck to fish. They also stretch it and puff it out to intimidate intruders - like Photogs trying to capture its portrait.

There is a very special place called Cano Negro Wildlife Area in Costa Rica. This photo along with many other wading birds was captured on the boat safari there.

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 200-800@300mm, distance 11.8m, f/9, 1/250, +0.3EV, ISO 10,000

06/02/2026

A sleepy Mottled Owl resting in the bamboo grove.

Played a game of "Where's Waldo", searching to find a Mottled Owl in Costa Rica!

Many birders land in the capital of San Jose when flying into Costa Rica. The is near the airport and has wonderful gardens with many birds.

Upon checking in, the Reception said "You should go photograph our owls". Nothing like that to get you fired up to go find birds after a long flight.

I'm have searched for Barred Owls in the U.S. I was told that the Mottled Owl looks very similar, only slightly smaller in size. Mottled and Barred Owls could be cousins.

We tend to do what we know. I search the limbs and crotches of the large trees where I typically have seen Barred Owls. No sign of anything "owl-like".

Fortunately I have a great Bird Photog Partner. He finally found a Mottled Owl adult asleep in a very dense grove of bamboo that was at least 40 feet tall.

Like Barred Owls, Mottled Owl feathers create the perfect camouflage for their surroundings! Always hard to find a narrow opening where you can get a shot.

Enlarge and you will see two eyes cracked open to keep tabs on two Old Photogs'

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 100-500@200mm, distance 4m, f/7.1, 1/100, 0EV, ISO 6400

06/02/2026

Looks like Fabrege' created this hummingbird encrusted with crystals and gems!

Violetear Hummingbirds are medium-sized hummingbirds native to Mexico and Central America. They are about 4.5 inches in length.

They are named for the iridescent purple or violet patch of feathers on the side of their head which looks like an "ear" when they hold it out from their neck.

The Violetears are found in the highland forests. They prefer cool climates and high humidity. For photographers, that means low light and tough conditions.

I captured some photos inflight, but the iridescent greens and violet ear only show up when the light is at the right angle and refracted from the feathers.

I wanted to capture a photo showing the glowing colors of the bird, and how the feathers lay like "shingles" in layers to shed the rain.

Violetear Hummingbirds are a rare find in the U.S. they have been spotted in eastern states, but Texas is the best place to potentially find one.

Photog Nerd Data:
Canon R5mkII, 70-200@189mm, distance 1.1m, f/4, 1/2000, 0 EV, ISO 1250