By Fitzroy Rampersad
Fitzroy or Fitz as he’s fondly known as started observing and photographing birds when the COVID-19 Pandemic compelled border closures world wide together with Trinidad & Tobago the place he was vacationing on the time. Fitz used his free time to look at the numerous hummingbirds in his mom’s flower backyard and shortly, with the assistance of the web he was capable of establish the varied species. He began placing up home made feeders to draw the hummingbirds. His curiosity quickly grew to incorporate different species of birds growing a love for wildlife and particularly fowl images.
For a lot of birders, the hunt to identify a particular fowl can grow to be an obsession. The joys of the “chase”, the hope of a fleeting glimpse, and the enjoyment of lastly seeing the fowl you’ve longed to come across and {photograph} are experiences that may make birding a rewarding go time. As a brand new birder, I had all the time been fascinated with the GUIANAN TROGON and whereas it’s a shy fowl, it’s in no way a uncommon and difficult-to-find fowl, apart from me that’s …
My journey to seek out the GUIANAN TROGON started within the lush landscapes of my now-adopted dwelling nation of Panama, a birdwatcher’s paradise. I scoured the dense foliage of the Metropolitan Nationwide Park, trekked by way of the plush landscapes of the Gamboa and Summit Rainforest, ascended the cloud forests of Cerro Azul, and wandered the serene Valle de Anton. I crossed the border into Costa Rica, spending days excessive up within the San Gerardo de Dota mountains. However, regardless of my efforts and stories of sightings from fellow birders, the GUIANAN TROGON remained elusive, all the time one step forward of me.
The GUIANAN TROGON, shortly turned my “white whale”, the image of an elusive dream that I couldn’t fairly grasp, however little did I do know, the second I had been craving for was ready for me … a lot nearer to dwelling.
It occurred throughout a return go to to my childhood dwelling in Trinidad, I sat enjoyable within the yard, when, to my shock and astonishment, there, perched on a fruit tree not more than ten toes away, was a GUIANAN TROGON.
My coronary heart raced with pleasure after which … uncertainty, ought to I stay seated and luxuriate in the fantastic thing about the second or ought to I rush for my digicam … I lastly mustered up the braveness to quietly stand up and slowly again away, determined to not startle the fowl. I hurried to the home and grabbed my digicam, silently praying that the GUIANAN TROGON wouldn’t fly away. To my immense aid, the fowl was nonetheless there after I returned, calmly preening itself as if getting ready for the picture shoot that was about to ensue. I spent the subsequent a number of minutes capturing images of this exceptional sight, every click on of the shutter a testomony to my endurance and perseverance.
A couple of days later, I used to be delighted to identify the GUIANAN TROGON once more. This time, it was accompanied by its mate. The pair was industriously hollowing out a nest in an outdated deserted ant nest on the department of a Mango tree. Watching them work collectively, taking turns, was a sight to behold, a becoming and satisfying conclusion to my lengthy search.
Feminine GUIANAN TROGON
The considered a pair of GUIANAN TROGONS nesting in my yard left me smiling all day.
