Plate-billed Mtn. Toucan

We had a nice opportunity with a Plate-billed Mountain Toucan nest high in the Tandaypa Valley of Ecuador during our most recent tour there. After getting some images of the parent bringing food to the nest we concentrated on getting flight shots of it as it flew in and flew out of the nest. This was my favorite shot, the parent is leaving the nest with an aguatillo seed that it fed to it's youngsters. (a type of avocado).

The comp is pretty centered here because I felt it was important to include the nesting hole which balances the comp and tells the story. I added an extra bit of sharpening to the face of the toucan as it didn't seem as sharp as the rest of the bird.

Canon 5D3 500F4 1/2500 F5, iso 3200, Gitzo tripod with Wimberley head