Category: Nature

My profession is to always find God in nature.

– Henry David Thoreau

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Cuckoo Eating Nance Berries

Squirrel Cuckoo
My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
Squirrel Cuckoo
My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

Squirrel Cuckoo
My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

Another breakfast visitor off my terrace, in the Nance Tree where the yellow berries are ripe. The underside of the long tail is beautiful but this one would never show it. This shot at Cañon Negro Reserve shows it somewhat. And there are other shots in my Costa Rica Birds Photo Gallery though he doesn’t seem to often show off his bright tail.

For more info on this beautiful bird, see Neotropical Birds Overview with a songs recording. The are fairly common from Central America down through the northern portions of South America. They are not on any endangered list.

¡Feliz Dia de Mamá!
Happy Mother’s Day!
A national holiday with almost everything closed today and
most mother’s getting a lot of attention from their families.
15th of August every year! Regardless which day of the week.
The restaurant I ate in today had tables of 8 or 10 honoring Moms.

¡Pura Vida!
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These Incas are “Love Doves”

Inca Doves
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

This young couple will probably soon mate and will be partners for life. Read more about Inca Doves at Cornell University’s All About Birds. 


See my other bird photos in my Photo Gallery BIRDS

Cute love

Dove and sprinkle cling together
Searching warm and partner
In a pool splash
Kissed nature

Under a mirror image
Cute couple
Love together
~Rnayak

-o-


Thinking about moving to Costa Rica? Check out this article in Christopher’s “Living in Costa Rica” blog:  TAX RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EXPATS FROM THE U.S. 
And there is even a link there to an online booklet with more specific information, plus links to other helpful articles. 

Actually I still file my income tax report every year just like I did in the states (with TurboTax), but mine is quite simple with SS & pension income, no investments beyond a 401k and savings accounts, no business, no other investments, no property owned (neither house nor car) and no debt. But you who have more and more complicated finances might want to read up on it or even use a tax attorney here in Costa Rica who specializes in U.S. taxes. There are several here because so many rich Americans live here.  🙂  

Living here does not change the tax responsibilities of being a U.S. Citizen, even after becoming a legal resident here. I don’t know what would happen if you renounced U.S. Citizenship and don’t know anyone who has done that. But if your income still comes from the states . . .?
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More Chachalacas!

Friday morning in tree behind my neighbor’s house.
 This is another juvenile Chachalaca among adults and kids chattering.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Adult Gray-headed Chachalaca 
 Atenas, Costa Rica

Adult Gray-headed Chachalaca 
 Atenas, Costa Rica

They were lower in the tree than at my house the morning before and thus a little easier to photograph when not behind leaves where they were most of the time!  🙂

See all of my Costa Rica Birds  photographed (235 species so far)
¡Pura Vida!

Retired in Costa Rica – THE BLOG
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A Butterfly’s Demise – Spider Web

I was walking up the hill to 214 to get my dinner from Chef Dan,
At this driveway entrance (101) a German family was photographing
something! I stopped and saw a cobweb stretched over the red plants.
I pulled out my cellphone and opened the camera.
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

A butterfly had flown into a Golden Orb Spider Web and was already being eaten
by the Golden Orb Spider. “The law of the jungle!” or “The food chain!”
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Another Golden Orb Spider waited nearby.
Will he eat the leftovers? Or do they share?
Atenas, Costa Rica

Doesn’t this remind you of the giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest of the Harry Potter books?  🙂

Related photo galleries:

Butterflies & Moths       and         Other Insects
 

This was yesterday afternoon’s experience. This morning yielded another photo op which I am saving for tomorrow’s post. Never a dull moment in the Costa Rica Rainforests!       ¡Pura Vida!      🙂

¡Hasta mañana!
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A Rare, Unique Jewel Hiding in My Garden

Hiding in the shadows of taller Red Ginger plants & their own tall stalks,
Cellphone photo of Zingiber zerumbet, also known as
Shampoo ginger, bitter ginger, and pinecone ginger
And my gardener calls it Moraca plant 
 Atenas, Costa Rica
CAN YOU SEE THEM?
Left of center behind and below Red Ginger
 (click photo for enlargement)
 Atenas, Costa Rica
FOR YOUR RESEARCH ASSISTANCE: 
A description in Wikipedia       A TripAdvisor photo post from Pura Vida Gardens visitors
My first post on this plant as a baby 2 years ago  –  I’ve given some to a neighbor who has about this many blooms this year also, all from my one little beginning plant. A hidden jewel for me!
Or a Google Search of images of this flower       A FloriData description
Use as an Alternative Medicine        Useful Tropical Plants  post
A ScienceDirect article on the plant        CABI scientific info & distribution maps
And Google gives many more information sites on this rare and unique plant.
Of course for all flowers I see here: my Photo Gallery Flora & Forest
Flowers… 
are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty 
outvalues all the utilities of the world. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson


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Who Rules the Roost? Rufous-tailed!

For 2 years I refused to have feeders, only flowers.
But gave in when Anthony left me with this feeder.
I do see more hummingbirds, but only one species now.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Like this juvenile Rufous-tailed,
they do still eat from flowers, but not totally.
Atenas, Costa Rica

The Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds dominate the feeder.
I believe there is a large family of them that had many babies.
Atenas, Costa Rica

This is an elder who may be in charge.
Atenas, Costa Rica

They even chase each other off the feeder or a “Pecking Order?”
Atenas, Costa Rica

I still have mixed emotions about using a feeder, though it does seem to keep more birds here year around. Not sure why I’m not seeing other species now which may be the work of the Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds chasing them off. I’ve thought about another feeder or two which most of the lodges I visit have even more of and many varieties of hummingbirds. We will see. I don’t like the extra work of boiling water and adding sugar every few days!  🙂   I’m lazy in retirement! And more feeders would mean more sugar water!

For many different birds, see my Birds Photo Galleries

Today I restart my Spanish blog titled ¡Aprendo Español en Atenas! for those who want to see me struggle with español. My teacher requested it!




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Some Birds in Flight from Today at Tarcoles

Had a wild bus adventure to Tarcoles and back today with Ed Fair. More photos, stories tomorrow.

Roseate Spoonbill
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

l

Magnificent Frigate Bird female
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Ringed Kingfisher
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Great Egret
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Oops!   –   Snowy Egret
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Trip Photo Gallery: 2017-07-29- Tarcoles River


All of my photo galleries on Birds       or just Costa Rica Birds

And the boat tour company we used: Jungle Crocodile Safari

Pura Vida from Costa Rica!

~Charlie