Recent Photos Gallery - February 2019

Sandhill Cranes at sunset kick off our February Recent Photos Gallery. Guide Cory Gregory captured these artistic silhouettes during the inaugural departure of our New Mexico: Birding the Land of Enchantment tour. Other tours we're highlighting in this month's slideshow include: Thailand, Nowhere but Northeast Brazil, Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge, three different departures to Costa Rica, Holiday in Honduras, South Texas Rarities, Jewels of Ecuador and two departures to Guyana!

The New Mexico tour provides ample opportunities for some fun, comparative studies. The Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is the pinkest of the rosy-finches compared to...

...this Black Rosy-Finch, which is the darkest of the rosy-finches. Both photos by guide Cory Gregory.

We enjoyed a tremendous study of Western Grebe versus Clark's Grebe.This image by guide Doug Gochfeld shows the dull, greenish-yellow bill color, dark cap incorporating the eye, and darker flanks of a Western Grebe compared to...

...the bright, orangish-yellow bill, white surrounding the eye, and the paler flanks of a Clark's Grebe in this image by guide Cory Gregory.

In this comparison a smaller and stubbier-billed Ross's Goose is superimposed in front of a larger and heavier-billed Snow Goose. The reduced or absent "grin patch" on the bill and the more rounded crown of the Ross's Goose are evident as well in this photo by guide Cory Gregory.

A combination of immaculate white Snow and Ross's geese punctuate the darkened sky above Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in this image from participant Leslie Crocker.

Here are guides Doug Gochfeld (l.) and Cory Gregory in front of another of the various geese concentrations...the light was just beautiful!

A drake Wood Duck and a drake Canvasback square off in the the final round of North America's most handsome duck pageant. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.

This was the sublime view from atop Sandia Crest, where we had the special opportunity to study all the rosy-finch taxa in hand! Photo by participant Mary Lou Barritt.

The pinched "hands" (outer flight feathers) and dark leggings are distinctive field marks on this light-morph Ferruginous Hawk. Photo by guide Cory Gregory.

Black-throated Sparrows are migratory in the northern part of their range but tend to be resident in the southern part. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.

Spinning around to the other side of the globe, let's check out some highlights from our Thailand tour. The yellow bill of a Blue Whistling-Thrush really pops against the deep, rich indigo plumage. Photo by participant Bob Sprague.

We were thrilled to see this stunning Hume's Pheasant out in the open. Photo by participant Benedict de Laender.

Seeing a Scarlet-faced Liocichla (confined to SE Asia and southern China) this well was a real treat. Photo by participant Benedict de Laender.

The lovely White-capped Redstart is an Old World Flycatcher, not at all related to American Redstart. Photo by participant Benedict de Laender.

Eurasian Hoopoe has to be one of the most recognizable species on the planet. Photo by participant Benedict de Laender.

This Brahminy Kite got a little too close for comfort for this Great Egret. Participant Benedict de Laender shared this dramatic scene.

The clean white underwings help separate these Black-tailed Godwits from Hudsonian Godwits, which have black wing linings. Photo by participant Bob Sprague.

The diminutive Collared Falconet primarily preys upon aerial insects like dragonflies. Photo by participant Bob Sprague.

Next up are images from our Nowhere but Northeast Brazil tour. The beautiful red-rock canyon that is Raso da Catarina is the principal breeding site for the endangered Indigo (or Lear's) Macaw. Photo by guide Bret Whitney.

Catching up to the extremely range-restricted and brilliantly colorful Araripe Manakin was a tour highlight. Photo by guide Bret Whitney.