Galápagos penguin swimming in the waters around Isabela Island in the Galápagos.

Galápagos Penguins on Isabela Island: Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay

Overnight, the boat moved from Puerto Ayora to the west coast of Isabela Island. The ride was a little bumpy at times, but nothing too uncomfortable. We didn’t take any seasickness medication or use bands and felt fine by morning. Our first stop of the day was Moreno Point, a lava field coastline on Isabela […]

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Collared Aracari landing on a branch with wings spread and colourful chest markings visible.

From Costa Rica to the Galápagos Islands via Quito

Our last morning at Laguna Lagarto started with a little more bird photography around the lodge before we packed up and began the journey from Costa Rica to the Galápagos Islands. The original plan was to spend the morning at the feeders and return to San José in the afternoon. Our itinerary had some buffer […]

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Red-eyed tree frog perched on a branch while being photographed during a herping photography session at Laguna Lagarto, Costa Rica.

Snake and Frog Photography at Laguna Lagarto, Costa Rica

The plan for today included snake and frog photography, or “herping” at Laguna Lagarto. But we’d had another sleepless night. Andy’s legs were covered in more bites than I could count, and mine had turned into bullet-shaped three-dimensional protuberances. The bites had also gone from a personal problem to a group-wide issue. Several others were […]

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King Vulture coming in to land with wings spread near Laguna Lagarto in Costa Rica.

King Vulture Photography at Laguna Lagarto, Costa Rica

After breakfast, we drove about five minutes down the road from Laguna Lagarto for a king vulture photography session. The vulture photography hide is owned by the same people as the lodge. The walk in was muddy, and our group split between two hides. We chose the one slightly farther in and off to the […]

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Black-mandibled Toucan perched on a moss-covered branch in the rain

Birding at Laguna Lagarto in Boca Tapada, Costa Rica

The plan for today was a short drive to our next lodge and some afternoon birding at Laguna Lagarto We were at the Selva Verde feeders by 6 a.m., and no, we were not the first ones there. The highlight of the morning was a motmot, which felt like a good way to start the […]

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Close-up portrait of a Yellow-throated Toucan showing its bright yellow throat and large yellow-and-maroon bill in Costa Rica.

Bird, Frog and Macaw Photography in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Our next stop on the tour was Selva Verde Lodge in the Caribbean Lowlands, where we hoped to photograph frogs, macaws in flight, and, of course, more hungry birds. The three-hour drive from Rancho Naturalista was uneventful, with the exception of a roadside sloth spotting. Arriving at Selva Verde Lodge It was raining when we […]

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Nectar-feeding bat near a banana flower during a night photography session at Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica.

Snowcap Hummingbirds and Bat Photography at Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

The plan for today was to make our way to Rancho Naturalista, where the main event would be something completely different from the bird photography we’d been doing so far: photographing bats in flight. We were also hoping to photograph snowcap hummingbirds. But first, some time at the feeders before breakfast. The drive took us […]

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