Author: Charlie

Retired American nature-lover, living in Costa Rica, photographing birds and other jewels of nature. This site simply reports on my joys of being RETIRED IN COSTA RICA!
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Pompeius Skipper

This Pompeius Skipper or Pompeius pompeius scientific name is a new butterfly sighting for me! I continue to be amazed that during this El Niño Year of radical climate change when I’ve been seeing fewer birds and butterflies that I am still seeing new species for me! It is fun! 🙂 And it demonstrates the huge number of species here in Costa Rica! 🙂

My two photos below show one to be lighter in color than the other but both the books and the websites indicate such variations plus different light does that in photos of anything. Plus these are different individuals at different times on different flowers! 🙂

Pompeius Skipper, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Pompeius Skipper, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Baby Iguanas

The iguanas are multiplying around my place! 🙂 This first one I snapped on the railing of my terrace which is only 5 cm or 2 inches wide and he used about half that width, to give you an idea of size. Small! Two shots, one from distance and one zoomed in. And then a couple of days later I photographed one on the asphalt driveway that is even smaller and greener. They are born green. Here’s two shots on the railing and then two of the smaller one on the driveway, both with full-body shots and close-ups of the face and upper body.

Baby Spiny-tailed Iguana, Atenas, Costa Rica
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Hummingbird in Ficus Tree

The other day I caught a few shots of this Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (the dominant and thus only species in my garden) in an unusual place for me, the dark shadows of the Higueron or Strangler Fig or Ficus Tree. I had to really work at lightening the shadows in these two shots but think the second one is particularly interesting because of how his head and neck are twisted around, unlike any photo yet of one of these, while this first shot is pretty traditional! 🙂

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Atenas, Costa Rica
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Atenas, Costa Rica

See more in my Rufous-tailed Hummingbird GALLERY.

¡Pura Vida!

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Little Yellow

This is my second time to see a Little Yellow, Eurema lisa, with the other being in the Butterfly Conservatory in El Castillo and this time in my Garden in Atenas.

Little Yellow, Atenas, Costa Rica.

My Little Yellow Gallery.

¡Pura vida!

POSTSCRIPT: Today I am at El Silencio Lodge in Bajos del Toro and will return home tomorrow. Reports from this short two-night trip will be coming later. I’m staying about 2 weeks ahead on my blog posts, but if something spectacular happens here, I’ll double up and report it immediately! 🙂

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Rooftop Iguana

This young Black Spiny-tailed Iguana growing up in my garden frequently pitter-patters across the plastic fake tile roof, sounding like those squirrels back in Tennessee! 🙂 The roof makes a nice bridge between the Cecropia Tree at on end and the Nance Tree at the other. Here’s two shots, one showing the roof and the other a little roof-top portrait with me zooming in on him.

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, Atenas, Costa Rica
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A Call from My Friends at Maquenque

Today I received a phone call from the wonderful family that runs Maquenque Eco Lodge just checking on me and how my health is doing. They are so nice to me in every way and I count them among my best friends in Costa Rica. Then they sent me this photo of the table in their lodge lobby covered with my photo books that they continually thank me for and tell me how much their other guests enjoy them! 🙂 Just one more reason that I enjoy my retirement life photographing nature! 🙂

Charlie Doggett Nature Photo Books in lobby of Maquenque Eco Lodge, Boca Tapada, San Carlos, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!