Snack at the Air Plant Cafe

This Rufous-backed Wren (my gallery link) stopped in one of my Nance Trees, not for a berry (wrong time of year) but for an insect snack out of the little Air Plant growing on the tree. 🙂

Rufous-backed Wren stopping for a snack from the air plant, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Rufous-backed Wren stopping for a snack from the air plant, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

¡Pura Vida!

Banded Peacock

One of the most common or often seen butterflies in my garden is the Banded Peacock, Anartia fatima (my gallery link) and maybe also the most common in other places I visit in Costa Rica.

Banded Peacock, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

White Angled-Sulphur Male

The big yellow patch is what indicates that it is a male, while the female has only the brown spot on each wing. The feature photo is one typical view with a greenish/yellowish hew on the folded wings while the top of wings are usually a bright white like the photo below where the same butterfly is strangely contorted. See more of my photos of this interesting butterfly in my gallery: White Angled-Sulphur, Anteos clorinde. They are found as residents from Argentina to Mexico with migrants going into the Southwestern U.S. and Great Plains.

White Angled-Sulphur male, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Blue-vented Hummingbird

He’s becoming a favorite among the flowers and not sure he comes to the feeders that are dominated by the Rufous-tailed. See more photos from this week in the GALLERY: Blue-vented Hummingbird.

Blue-vented Hummingbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

¡Pura Vida!

Western Giant Swallowtail

This is one that I have constantly confused with the Thoas Swallowtail with very little, tiny differences. But I think I have this one identified correctly this time. 🙂 From my garden and of course there is a GALLERY: Western Giant Swallowtail.

Western Giant Swallowtail, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Juvenile Turkey Vulture

When I look at only the head, I think this is a Black Vulture, but the arrangement of white feathers (in shadows) on the wings show that it is a Turkey Vulture and the lack of a red head, makes it a juvenile. Vultures fly overhead regularly, helping to keep the neighborhood clean. 🙂 And they make flying look so easy and graceful that I can’t stop trying to photograph them, even though seldom a good photo with shadows and movement, but fun anyway! 🙂 And my Turkey Vulture Gallery of course!

Turkey Vulture Juvenile, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Gray Cracker

Who has always been tan for me instead of gray, but the spots and not the color determines what species it is. 🙂

See my other photos of this species in my Gray Cracker Gallery.

Gray Cracker, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica — On a Cecropia Tree.

¡Pura Vida!

Clay-colored Thrush Foraging

“The Clay-colored Thrush in Costa Rica eats a varied diet of insects, earthworms, and other invertebrates, supplemented by fruits and berries. They are found in diverse habitats across the country, including forests, open woodlands, gardens, and urban areas. They forage primarily on the ground by hopping and probing leaf litter, but also eat fruit from trees.” ~Google AI Overview.  See more photos in my Gallery Clay-colored Thrush.

Clay-colored Thrush, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Blue-black Grassquit Immature Male

The adult males are a strong black & blue while the adult females are brown. It is the immature males that have the mottled brown, blue & black look like this. See more photos in my Blue-black Grassquit Gallery. Including my favorite shot of females lined up on a barbwire fence at Carate adjacent Corcovado National Park back in 2009 on my first trip to Costa Rica. 🙂

Blue-black Grassquit immature male, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

¡Pura Vida!

Pale-banded Crescent

A tiny little creature who stays close to the ground and on ground cover flowers like this. Not my first sighting, but first one this year. Formerly called Tulcis Crescent; see more photos in the Gallery: Pale-banded Crescent, Anthanassa tulcis.

Pale-banded Crescent, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!