This species was one of our main targets. Although we couldn’t get close, it was a joy to watch it swimming around the same area for quite a while. It is a wonderful bird, though I truly hope to see it perched in the future.
With four days remaining, our count is currently at 360 species photograph. Everyone is feeling the exhaustion from the constant rain and trekking. I hope we all stay strong and healthy to push through these final four days.
This is the second Manakin species we have encountered, and watching its display was truly amazing. While we didn’t manage to record a video of the performance this time, we will try to share its unique calls and movements with you in the near future.
This bird was at the top of my wish list, especially because I wanted to see its famous moonwalk display. We were fortunate to witness it at eye level in a pristine environment. Although we were at an excellent feeding station with great opportunities to photograph owls, toucans, and other species, we chose to skip those to focus on this Manakin. While we were on the jungle trail, heavy rain forced us to stop and wait in silence. Fortunately, the rain ceased after about ten minutes, and we immediately heard the bird calling from the exact spot where we had taken shelter. Shortly after, Raul signaled us over, and there it was. We had an incredible session capturing both video and photos of this amazing creature.
This bird was one of our trip’s main targets! We initially found one on its nest, but everyone was hoping to see its famous wing display. We decided to spend some extra time searching, and luckily, it didn’t take long to find another one. It put on a spectacular show, spreading its beautiful wings for us several times.
29. Common Tody-Flycatcher, 哑霸鹟, 普通啞霸鶲, Todirostrum cinereum, ハシナガタイランチョウ
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update 202603
Our Costa Rica birding adventure is officially underway. We spent a pre-tour day at the hotel to adjust to the time difference and managed to photograph about 25 species right on the grounds, including this charming little owl. On the first official day of the tour, we spotted and photographed 65 species, featuring this same owl in an impressively spirited pose. We have encountered so many incredible species and captured so many great shots already. Stay tuned for more updates.
Day 5 of our Costa Rica birding expedition and we have already photographed 151 species. We have encountered so many incredible birds, including this remarkable, secretive Lesser Ground-Cuckoo. Its behavior reminds me of the other two species I have photographed; it calls and then moves like a ghost—approaching silently, but jumping into the trees to call again once it is alert. What an amazing day and a stunning bird. I am so grateful to our local guide for their expertise and for giving us a second chance to track down this bird.
On our way back to the hotel after a boat ride, our guide heard an owl calling. We rushed over with limited light and soon spotted this beautiful Black-and-white Owl perched right by the roadside. Such a stunning bird.
This is one of those common yet incredibly beautiful birds to photograph. On the second day of our tour, we managed to spot it twice, capturing lovely moments both times. It is now day seven, and we have photographed 206 species. As we begin the highland portion of the trip, we just successfully found the primary target for everyone on the tour: the Resplendent Quetzal. More to come soon.
We’re offering a special tour led by expert local guides to track down one of the region’s rarest owls. Our latest outing was a huge success—in just two hours, we spotted two mammals, one owl, and one nightjar. Although the owl was vocal, it remained shy and difficult to spot on the forest trails. Fortunately, through persistence and teamwork, almost everyone in the group managed to capture photos of it at different locations. Great effort by the whole team.
It was a freezing morning at around –6°C. We went to Napa Lake mainly to revisit some good memories from years ago. After waiting for a beautiful sunrise, I was almost ready to return to the car when I suddenly heard a bird calling very close by. The bird stayed low to the ground, barely moving—likely due to the cold—with ice clearly visible around it.
I managed to capture some close shots, and that moment became the happiest highlight of this casual, relaxing trip to Yunnan.
This bird was one of our trip’s main targets! We initially found one on its nest, but everyone was hoping to see its famous wing display. We decided to spend some extra time searching, and luckily, it didn’t take long to find another one. It put on a spectacular show, spreading its beautiful wings for us several times.
This was another primary target of our tour. We successfully located the bird on our first attempt in the evening, securing fantastic views and photos. Despite the initial success, the group wanted to visit a second site, which provided even better photographic opportunities for this spectacular species. With 8 days remaining, our photo count has reached 308 species, with many more to come.
Day 13, we photographed 351 species of bird and managed to have some very excited targets and few more days to go ..
it is one of very special look target of ours Costa Rica 2026 Birding our, we didn’t find one at first location and managed to got this bird at 2nd location almost immediate we start ours river cruise. Such a special look bird ..
This is the second Manakin species we have encountered, and watching its display was truly amazing. While we didn’t manage to record a video of the performance this time, we will try to share its unique calls and movements with you in the near future.
This species was one of our main targets. Although we couldn’t get close, it was a joy to watch it swimming around the same area for quite a while. It is a wonderful bird, though I truly hope to see it perched in the future.
With four days remaining, our count is currently at 360 species photograph. Everyone is feeling the exhaustion from the constant rain and trekking. I hope we all stay strong and healthy to push through these final four days.
Our Costa Rica trip is almost at its end, and we have photographed 34 species of hummingbirds. This particular bird made everyone very excited. We had hoped it would perch for a clear shot, but it only allowed us to capture it in flight. Our current count stands at 375 species photographed, with about 10 more seen but not caught on camera. Today is our final opportunity to add new species to our list, and we are hoping for the best.
We photographed nine owl species during this trip, and this pair was one of the easiest encounters — we had them almost immediately upon reaching the location. A local guide led us straight to the tree; he is also a talented local artist with an impressive collection of wildlife photographs and artworks available for sale.
We are now on the way back, rushing to the forests of Malaysia for another assignment. There may not be many opportunities to share photos from this trip, but I will try my best to post a few special highlights.
This bird keeps its distance from us. While there are one or two spots where Toucans visit feeders, the presence of bananas and papayas in the frame often makes the photos look unnatural. Because of this, most of us struggled to get a good shot until the last few days when this bird finally came down low for us at the forest edge. It was such an excitement for everyone to see this beautiful creature. Most importantly, thank you to everyone for prioritizing the bird’s well-being over the photo. You guys are the best.
Time has flown by, and it has already been a month since I returned from Costa Rica. I am currently on my third birding tour without any rest. April has been a whirlwind, taking me from Costa Rica to Borneo, back to Peninsular Malaysia, and now back to Borneo again. The absolute highlight of April 2026 was encountering this bird just 2-3 meters away at eye level. Watching it sing for a full minute and perform its display was truly the best moment of the month.
This is a bird that sits at the top of everyone’s bucket list, but upon our arrival in Costa Rica, the local guides informed us they weren’t active. We had nearly given up hope and put this strange-looking species out of our minds. However, as we neared the site, we received an update that they were active again. We decided to take a chance. To our absolute surprise, after only a short walk, we found them. The view improved from twenty meters overhead to an incredible eye-level encounter just two meters away. It was the amazing feeling of a lost opportunity turned into a found treasure.
The rain was closing in, so we rushed to see this bird immediately after spotting the Crested Owl. Luck was on our side as we found another pair roosting together. We managed to see our Potoo right after this, just before the rain started. What an incredible day for everyone.
This is a truly unique falcon. It has a very fixed routine when leaving its nest. We visited twice, and it followed the exact same method and path both times. It is absolutely amazing to see. This was my first time learning that falcons can nest in tree holes.
18. Great Tinamou, 大䳍, 大共鳥, Tinamus major, オオシギダチョウ
update 202604
While some birders prefer solo outings, birding in a group can be a major advantage. While we were all focused on photographing a Great Curassow in the dense forest, Xin Hui spotted a smaller bird that everyone else had overlooked. Once I finished with the Curassow, I quickly helped the group locate this elusive find. It was such a thrill to hear everyone shouting “Where? There!” in excitement. Although this species is rarely seen, it wasn’t shy at all, moving slowly even with nine of us standing just a few meters away. Having fun companions really makes the experience.
After a wonderful morning, we skipped our rest to keep the momentum going. Our local guide, Raul, took us for some easier birding along a flat grassland trail. We were lucky enough to witness a Tropical Kingbird chasing a Gray Hawk, and we also spotted this stunning Yellow-throated Toucan. It was truly a fantastic moment.
This bird was at the top of my wish list, especially because I wanted to see its famous moonwalk display. We were fortunate to witness it at eye level in a pristine environment. Although we were at an excellent feeding station with great opportunities to photograph owls, toucans, and other species, we chose to skip those to focus on this Manakin. While we were on the jungle trail, heavy rain forced us to stop and wait in silence. Fortunately, the rain ceased after about ten minutes, and we immediately heard the bird calling from the exact spot where we had taken shelter. Shortly after, Raul signaled us over, and there it was. We had an incredible session capturing both video and photos of this amazing creature.
We photographed seven species of trogons at eye level and at close range during our birding trip in Costa Rica. It was truly incredible how each individual bird approached us and stayed long enough for everyone to get a great look. This particular bird was one of three trogons we captured in a single morning, making for a fantastic second day of our trip.
When we first spotted this bird high in the canopy, everyone captured hundreds of photos of this common yet stunning species. After a few days, however, most people lost interest regardless of how well it posed or how perfect the lighting was. I still make sure to capture it whenever a photo opportunity arises.
This is one of the bird families we have been hoping to see and photograph. We were fortunate to have several close encounters with them in the open, giving us wonderful opportunities for photos.
Today is Woodpecker Day. This is one of the 12 woodpecker species we photographed during our March 2026 bird photography trip to Costa Rica. Most of them were quite easy to spot, especially this one, which visited several feeding stations. It is truly another beautiful bird.
25. Common Potoo, 林鸱, 灰林鴟, Nyctibius griseus, ハイイロタチヨタカ
update 202604
It is a very special bird that we have been eager to see and photograph. We were fortunate to have a great team that helped us find it right by the roadside. It is such an adorable bird, sitting there with its egg out in the open.
The Tanager family is truly remarkable. No matter where we travel, we encounter these birds, and most of them—like this one—are breathtakingly beautiful. The variety of colors on this bird is simply incredible.
We were incredibly fortunate to photograph three different species at a single location, all at a great distance and eye level. One of them was a fascinating bird that looks like a cross between a nuthatch and a woodpecker. This particular species is one of the larger ones; usually, after the first sighting, they tend to stay high in the canopy and far away from us. We feel very lucky to have captured it at such a perfect level and close range this time.
It was a rare stroke of luck on our route. This bird is a rare sight, but it made a brief appearance at the feeding station, grabbed a piece of banana, and was gone in an instant. Only two or three of us were lucky enough to witness it; the rest of the group just missed out. Despite being everyone’s top target, it never returned.
29. Common Tody-Flycatcher, 哑霸鹟, 普通啞霸鶲, Todirostrum cinereum, ハシナガタイランチョウ
update 202605
Out of more than 380 bird species photographed during our March 2026 Costa Rica birding tour, this particular bird leaves me with some of the fondest memories. It is completely tiny, has distinct long legs, and looks incredibly cute.
Surprised that I haven’t shared this beautiful yet very common bird before. I’ve photographed it in many places—Malaysia (Kuala Gula, Kota Kinabalu), South Africa, Thailand, Kenya, and China.
This time was special, as it was the closest encounter so far. The bird was feeding right outside our hotel and wasn’t bothered at all, even when we got quite close.
It was a freezing morning at around –6°C. We went to Napa Lake mainly to revisit some good memories from years ago. After waiting for a beautiful sunrise, I was almost ready to return to the car when I suddenly heard a bird calling very close by. The bird stayed low to the ground, barely moving—likely due to the cold—with ice clearly visible around it.
I managed to capture some close shots, and that moment became the happiest highlight of this casual, relaxing trip to Yunnan.
One of my favorite bird families. I was lucky enough to encounter two different species in a single morning, just before heading into the jungle trail. We have now photographed 281 species, with 9 days left to go. There are still many target birds left to find.
Such an adorable bird family. We were lucky to capture four different species in Kenya. I absolutely love the way these birds look, they are incredibly charming.
This was our very first Sandgrouse of the Kenya tour, standing right in the middle of the road after sunset. The light was extremely low, but we kept pressing the shutter to capture this rare moment. Truly a beautiful bird.
Such a beautiful bird. I always thought barbets mainly feed on fruit, but we observed this species many times feeding on termites, ants, and other small insects. That likely explains why we often see them foraging on the ground.
Malaysia smallest state located north of Peninsular Malaysia.
1. Great Eared-Nightjar, 毛腿夜鹰, 毛腿夜鷹, Lyncornis macrotis, オオミミヨタカ, TAPTIBAU BESAR
2. Malayan Banded-Pitta, 马来蓝尾八色鸫, 馬來藍尾八色鶇, Hydrornis irena，マラヤシマヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT BELANG MELAYU
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1. Great Eared-Nightjar, 毛腿夜鹰, 毛腿夜鷹, Lyncornis macrotis, オオミミヨタカ, TAPTIBAU BESAR
update 202601
It was a long but rewarding day! We spent the first half at a fantastic Malayan Banded Pitta hide, enjoying views of fresh plumage on the pitta and lots of other great birds that came by. In the evening, we decided to try for this special nightjar—perfect timing to put my favorite lens, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8, to use. Even after sunset in very dim light, the fast F2.8 telephoto and the Canon R6 Mark III tracked almost every frame of the bird in flight, with beautiful dusk light in the background. Really loving how it handled this challenging shot!
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今天是漫长但充实的一天！上半场我们在一个很棒的马来蓝尾八色鸫点度过，看/拍到八色鸫漂亮的新羽毛，还有很多其它好看的鸟。傍晚我们决定尝试拍这只特别的夜鹰，这也正好用上了我最喜欢的镜头 Canon RF 400mm F2.8。即使是在日落后光线很暗的情况下，这支 F2.8 长焦镜头搭配 Canon R6 Mark III 仍然把鸟儿飞翔的画面几乎每一帧都追焦得很好，而且背景还有美丽的暮色光，非常满意这次的表现！
202601, Perlis, Malaysia
2. Malayan Banded-Pitta, 马来蓝尾八色鸫, 馬來藍尾八色鶇, Hydrornis irena，マラヤシマヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT BELANG MELAYU
update 202603
This birding tour has been truly special, with our sights set firmly on the incredible
Pittas. As this journey finally draws to a close, we have just one last stop to make before we head off to Costa Rica. Best of luck to everyone on this final stretch!
Definitely not a lifer—I’ve photographed this species over 50 times! But this is the first time seeing such vibrant colors and such a confiding individual. The bird hide offered an amazing experience with this lovely bird, and everyone was really happy with the results.
This is a stunning female!
We came across this adorable little animal while walking between the restaurant and our rooms at Masai Mara. It’s an incredible jumper—really reminds me of a Tarsier!
