Golden-hooded Tanager Dropping from a Carara Branch

A Golden-hooded Tanager drops head-first from a sloping branch, blue wings lifting above its golden hood and yellow underparts at Cerro Lodge and the Carara area in Costa Rica. The golden hood, black mask and back, turquoise-blue wings and yellow underparts identify this vividly patterned Central American tanager. The exposure of 1/1250 sec, f/5.6 and ISO 8000 holds the flight posture and major feather groups sharply while leaving restrained motion in the quickest wing tips; the photograph was made in natural light without flash.