The blue dacnis is also known as the turquoise honeycreeper, although it’s not really a honeycreeper. It’s a tanager found throughout much of Central America and the northern half of South America. This is the female. The male is more uniformly blue, or turquoise as the alternate name suggests. I photographed this one in Soberania National Park in Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/8000th of a second.

This is the spectacled owl. There are six subspecies that range from southern Mexico down through much of South America. I photographed this one in the highlands of central Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.

Motmots are always a good find when birding in Central and South America. In Panama, there are four different species. The tody motmot is the smallest of the four and the only one without the distinctive long tail. This tody motmot was enjoying a breakfast of frog up in the mountains of central Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/80th of a second.

Looking out my window at the snow and rain has me thinking of more tropical climes. Nothing says neotropical goodness like a keel-billed toucan. I photographed this one in Soberania National Park in Panama a few years back. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/100th of a second.

It was early in the morning when I spotted this coati through some pretty dense foliage in Soberania National Park in Panama. Always a treat to see even though they are pretty widespread and common throughout their range in Central and South America. They even make appearances in the southern United States. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/80th of a second.

Clearwing butterflies, also known as glasswings, have transparent wings. But against all that green background, this guy appears to have blue in the transparent parts. Photographed in the El Valle highlands of Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.

I’ve identified this guy as a Canal Zone tree frog, but also seems to go by the red-webbed tree frog. Either way, it was photographed at night in the town of El Valle in Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 200, f/14 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

Not the prettiest agouti I’ve ever seen but who am I to comment on the relative attractiveness of Central America rodents. I photographed this one enjoying breakfast in Soberania National Park in Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.

I love toucans. To me, they’re iconic of the tropics and few things make me as happy as seeing one flying through the treetops. The keel-billed toucan (otherwise known as the rainbow-billed toucan) is among the most spectacular of these spectacular birds. Like yesterday’s sloth, this one was photographed in Soberania National Park in Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.

A three-toed sloth doing what three-toed sloths do — hanging in a tree taking his time. This one was photographed in Soberania National Park in Panama. Panama is a great place for sightings of both three and two toed sloths. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.