There’s a term in sports photography, nature photography, current event photography and probably all photography–The MONEY Shot.  In sports, the money shot could be the wide receiver catching the game-winning pass; in nature photography, something like the Humpback whale breeching up out of the sea; in current events, a fireman walking out of a burning building holding a child.

Bird photography is the same.  When photographing a Slaty Spinetail, the ‘money shot’, as you might imagine, comes in capturing the distinctive spiny tail!  Gail Hull, of Finca Cantaros, has done just that.  In photo #1 below, we see the bold rusty and black coloration of the Slaty Spinetail as it is facing us.  In photo #2 we get the Slaty Spinetail ‘money shot’…a good, close look at that distinctive spiny tail as the bird is facing the other direction.  Well done.

We have three different spinetail species down here in the south; the Slaty Spinetail, the Pale-breasted Spinetail and the Red-faced Spinetail.  All three are quite secretive.

(both photos taken at Finca Cantaros, Sept. 2018 by Gail Hull)

Our two birds for this POW were taken in the small town of Caracol, near Rio Claro.  The great husband and wife team of Yeimiri Badilla and Marilin Saldana brought us these amazing photos.

Photo #1: You should recognize this bird from all of our San Vito Bird Club publications, t-shirts and coffee mugs; it is the Turquoise Cotinga!  Taken in their front yard.

Photo #2: Taken in the palm plantations near Caracol.  Palm oil plantations often contain a surprising variety of bird species.  This young Striped Owl was probably in search of small rodents who feed on the palm nuts.

Normally, our two Photos of the Week (POW) are somehow connected.  (See last week…both birds have streaked breasts.)  This week I’m challenged to find a clever connection between these two birds; Olivaceous Piculet and Sulpher-winged Parakeet.  Sure, they both have feathers, a cloaca and lay eggs but I’m looking for a CLEVER connection!  Your help appreciated.

Photo #1: Olivaceous Piculet.  Courtesy of Gail Hewson-Hull

Photo #2: Sulpher-winged Parakeet.   Courtesy of Alison Wickwire Olivieri (taken at Las Tablas)

Our first streaky Photo of the Week comes from Finca Cantaros duena Gail Hewson-Hull.  This streaky-breasted bird is a Sulpher-bellied Flycatcher.  One of our larger tyrant flycatchers, the Sulpher-bellied is more often seen feeding on fruits than catching flies.

Our second streaker comes from SVBC President Emeritus Alison Wickwire-Olivieri.  Many birders who come down to the southern zone have this bird, the Streaked Saltator, on their must-see list.  FYI: that bill is heavy and powerful!  Distinctive and musical song.

Photo #1 comes to us from long-time SVBC member Jo Davidson.

Photo #2 comes to us from recent US visitor and SVBC member Troy Edsen-Smith.

Congratulations Gail Hull and me (sort of)./Felicidades a Gail Hull y yo (mas o menos).

THEME: Migrant birds; early arrivals./Migrantes temprano.

PHOTO #1: A Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher.

(photo courtesy of SVBC member Gail Hull; taken at Finca Cantaros)

Photo #2: Baltimore Oriole. I didn’t actually get a photograph of this bird.  What you see is merely an artist’s rendition.

Congratulations/Felicidades a Gail Hull y Jo Davidson!

Theme: Bien venido a San Vito!/Welcome to San Vito!

Photo #1: Tropical Mockingbird (taken on the terrace of Las Cruces).  Photo courtesy of Jo Davidson.

Photo #2: Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (taken on the lake a Finca Cantaros).  Photo courtesy of Gail Hull.

Congratulations/Felicidades a Gail Hull y Jo Davidson!

Theme: Adios San Vito; hasta el proximo septiembre!

Photo #1: Scarlet Tanager (courtesy of Jo Davidson)

Photo #2: Northern Waterthrush (courtesy of Gail Hull)

Congratulations/Felicidades a Pepe Castiblanco y Casa Botania!

Theme: Something special this way comes.

Photo #1: Black-chested Jay–a very rare sighting in Coto Brus./Black-chested Jay–un ave muy rara en esta zona.  (photos courtesy of Pepe Castiblanco and: casabotaniabedandbreakfast.com)

Congratulations/Felicidades a Gail Hull y Sarah Beeson-Jones!

Theme: Easy to ID vs. Hard to ID

Photo #1: Rose-breasted Grosbeak–easy to ID (photo by Gail Hull)

Photo #2: Empidonax flycatcher; possibly/probably? White-throated Flycatcher–hard to ID (photo by Sarah Beeson-Jones)