Category: Nature

My profession is to always find God in nature.

– Henry David Thoreau

Posted on

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Waiting for his turn at the feeder in my garden
 on a cloudy, rainy day in
 Atenas, Costa Rica 
A family of these Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds have taken over my two feeders, meaning I watch them literally every morning at breakfast, nice, but . . .  also meaning I do not see other varieties of hummingbirds like I used to. I do still get a wide variety of other kinds of birds in the trees.

See my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery.


Sports News:  

  1. Costa Rica qualified for the International Futbol Event in Russia by tying Honduras last night. 
  2. Costa Rica will have 522 persons running in the Chicago Marathon, 3rd largest group from Latin America after Mexico & Brazil and more than some European countries! 
Posted on

Rose-throated Becard

Rose-throated Becard female
In my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Rose-throated Becard female
In my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

This is my first sighting of this particular bird, a breakfast treat off my terrace. Not super photos because of shooting between leaves, but fun! And I thank Yeral Jiménez Porras for identifying it by the technical name of Hembra de Pachyramphus aglaiae. “Hembra” is Spanish for “female” in the birding world. The common Spanish name is: El anambé degollado  He identified it for me in just minutes after I posted these photos on the CR Facebook group Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica.

See all my Costa Rica Birds photo gallery.

Posted on

In the Garden This Morning

Some mornings start out cloudy, but usually not all day.
Atenas, Costa Rica

EXTRA TIDBITS ABOUT COSTA RICA

Teatro Nacional Celebrates 120 Years by Planning Renovation
And I personally will celebrate it by attending a special presentation of “Swan Lake” by the 72 person ballet of Havana, Cuba on October 15.

Read this interesting article on “The Origin of Name Costa Rica AND phrase Pura Vida.”

Posted on

Good Morning World

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

Two mornings in a row for breakfast and he gave me a better pose this morning. Plus in only one shot did all 5 tail feathers show like this, so I’m particularly pleased with this one! It happened just as the fog lifted on a beautiful morning in Atenas!

And on my walk downtown today I got a shot of the church I’m pleased with, but I’m holding it for another day. It is so enjoyable to just walk through this tranquil little town every day! And I often stop in a little shop for a cup of coffee and a rollito de canela (cinnamon roll). This is living!
Breaking News:
Atenas is one of the safest cantons (counties) in Costa Rica according to statistics!  
How encouraging to someone who lives here!  (right click to change article to English)
Posted on

White Angled Sulphur Butterfly

White Angled Sulphur Butterfly 
In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

White Angled Sulphur Butterfly 
 In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

This was difficult to identify. I photographed one in 2015 and was a little unsure then, but with my new Mexico butterfly book I am certain now and confirmed it on the internet. Different!  🙂

See my Butterflies Photo Gallery.

Posted on

Un día tranquilo en el pueblo.

Un día tranquilo en el pueblo.  —  A quiet day in the village. 
 Atenas, Costa Rica
 as seen from my hilltop walk this morning. 

Several of my Photo Galleries include images of Atenas: 


Walking in Atenas  (mostly flowers & trees)
Vistas  (1st 3 sub galleries are of Atenas)
Atenas, Costa Rica (General, of buildings & people)

Costa Rica Birds  &  Other Wildlife  include many photos made in Atenas! 
Now that’s more info than you wanted, but hopefully it shows how complete my total Costa Rica Photo Gallery is as you drill down into different levels of galleries. It is true as named: 

And in many ways my main website now as a retiree in Costa Rica. Check it out! It is what I like doing more than anything now, making interesting photos of different aspects of Costa Rica. 
Posted on

Nesting Material

Rufous-naped Wren
Resting in a Cecropia (Guarumo) Tree
With nesting material from a Nance Tree
For the nest being built in my tallest palm tree.
Atenas, Costa Rica

And more birds in photo gallery:  Costa Rica Birds (238 Species)  

This particular wren is one of the most visible around my house and the most common one to fly inside my house as two did yesterday until I waved a towel for their exit.

¡Pura Vida!
Posted on

Finishing My Caribe Report with Galleries

For my last morning’s sunrise I watch fishermen go out. And . . .
Below are four categories of my photos not shown yet
all linked to sub-galleries in this trip gallery with
more bikes, birds, nature and culture photos.
Caribe Bicycles
The Major Mode of Transportation
Puerto Viejo, Caribe, Costa Rica

Masked Tityra
Samasati Reserve
Actually we walked down a rural road in front of the reserve.
Near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

3-Toed Sloth
Cahuita National Park 
 Near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Interesting Signs
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

These all represent things I found interesting in the Costa Rica Caribe and made a lot of photos of each. The linked title takes you to a sub-gallery on that subject with most birds in the Samasati gallery. Or to just thumb through my whole Caribe Trip, go to the trip gallery:

Posted on

Hotel Banana Azul

Too many clouds for a traditional sunrise this morning, but I thought this shot to left of the sun was okay.
Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

 

The Garden I face from the Dining Room  —   Bird feeder off to the right
Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

 

This morning I decided to not keep posting so many photos on the blog, thus began my trip photo gallery for this experience where you can find lots of photos! Since this was to be the hotel post today, I will give links to three sub-galleries on the very relaxed and enjoyable Hotel Banana Azul:

 

 
Or for the whole trip, go to my trip photo gallery called
2017 Sept 4-8 — Caribe Banana Azul Puerto Viejo
including my visit to Cahuita National Park & Samasati Reserve
 
And/or check out the Hotel Banana Azul Web Page
And plan ahead! They stay booked solid much of the time,
even in the “off season” which it is now.
This new caribe gallery is the latest of my “TRIPS” Photo Galleries
where I am working backwards to document my Costa Rica trips
and neighboring countries’ trips in my bigger CR gallery:
At the time of this posting, I’m back to July 2015
and the trips started in January 2015!
Almost finished! Travel with Kevin is next!
¡Pura Vida!