For our  February location filming for SongbirdSOS in Costa Rica, our crew decided to try a different camera kit and use  some special lenses.  We rented the Canon C-300 camera kit from DJ Woods in Toronto as the main camera.    We also had two extra special super telephoto lenses and a C-100 with us.    Lugging the extra camera gear was definitely worth it and we believe the final on-screen results will be appreciated by all the bird-watchers who see the film.

Logistically Costa Rica is a bit of a challenging place to film so Director Su Rynard and Videographer Joshua See traveled in advance of the main crew (DOP Daniel Grant and Location Audio Operator Jason Milligan), and drove to  scout the pre-selected filming locations, trying to find neo-tropical migrant songbirds on  their wintering grounds.

When Daniel and Jason’s flight arrived in San Jose a few days later,  Su and Joshua picked them up and made the scenic (but slow) drive back to the agricultural area where most of the ‘in-situation’ filming was taking place.   One stop along the way was Café Christina.  It is an amazing oasis with bird friendly coffee grown on the premises.  The crew was delighted to see a Chestnut- sided Warbler (on a coffee plant)  Tennessee Warbler,  Golden-winged Warbler and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

It is really is astounding to think these birds make the perilous migratory journey twice a year from their breeding grounds in northern Canada and the USA to the tropics.

Special thanks to the great staff at CATIE Agricultural Centre,   Biologists Alejandra Martinez Salinas and and Jacques Avelino,   as well as the wonderful Ernesto Carmen who is a great birder and was our amazing guide from Café Christina.