SUCCESS!

You have to love a bird that has "elegant" in its name...and the Elegant Trogon is surely that. Sometimes known as the "Holy Grail" bird because of the often-times unsuccessful efforts to spot him, it does become a quest of sorts--to seek the magic, the mystique of this elusive creature. Particularly, when you can hear him calling in the forest all around you--teasing, probably laughing at we foolish humans. And then, just when you've given up for the day, he takes pity on you (sometimes) and shows his brilliant plumage. Often that will be just a glimpse flashing through the trees. But this particular bird apparently liked us, as he flew to a branch not far from where we sat and proceeded to preen and pose while we fumbled with scope and camera, feeling extremely blessed as if, indeed, we'd found the Grail...

This photo is a joint effort--really not even that--if my birder-mate hadn't hauled the spotting scope along on our day-long hike and captured precisely the bird in the lens, there would be no photo. All I did was press the camera button.

- mimi