Tropical Rain Forest

Off the beaten path, deep inside the tropical rain forest of northern Costa Rica, I noticed a shadowy vine bursted into a spectacular red flower attracting insects. In the dim light I set up a GT5532S tripod on the wet ground about about 10 meters from the edge of a marsh with a Sachtler DV10SB fluid head, a Nikon D800E camera with a 200mm f/4 MicroNikkor lens, and Nikon SB910 flashes on FR-91 flash holder.

After a few shots, while trying to focus quietly in the dark forest, suddenly I heard a familiar deep vibrating sound behind me. In that moment I took the shot assuming that the visitor's target was the passion flower.

The visitor was a hummingbird, likely a little hermit (Phaethornis longuemareus) as it was later kindly identified by Dr. Matthew Betts (Dept. of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, USA). The little hermit (Phaethornis longuemareus) is a hummingbird that is a resident breeder in the northern region of South America. It is among the smallest hummingbirds and birds overall with a total length of ca. 9cm and a weight of 2½-3½ g. A wasp under the flower, and an ant on a vine were also attracted by the sweet nutrient-rich liquid from glands of the passion flower. The red flower was identified by Dr. Betts as passion flower (Passiflora sp.).