This has been one of the most common butterflies in my garden and maybe they are starting to return early! 🙂 For at least two years I called it a Carolina Satyr, which most sources say appears only in the Eastern U.S. while from Mexico south the almost identical butterfly is the Hermes Satyr and I have yet to learn the difference in the two, other than their locale. I expect to see a lot more in the coming months. See more of my photos of this beautiful work of “brown art” in my Gallery Hermes Satyr.
Possibly a migrant, this Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula (linked to eBird) was in and out of several trees in my garden Sunday. We do have some resident Baltimore Orioles here, just like some of us humans from up north! 🙂 But this time of year they are likely to be migrants. And I’m still amazed at how far birds fly!
Baltimore Oriole, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
See also my Baltimore Oriole Gallery for more photos of this northerner made in many places all over Costa Rica! And you might also be interested in some of his relatives who are also down here . . .
And there are 3 other species of Orioles in Costa Rica that I have no photos of. 🙂 They are: Streak-backed Oriole, Spot-breasted Oriole, and Yellow-tailed Oriole. Orioles are in a bigger family that includes Blackbirds.
This sailor (one of several “sailor” species) has been seen in my garden before and one other place in Atenas (8th Ave) plus my last previous sighting was in Cahuita National Park in Caribe Sur last October. See all my photos of this species in its own gallery: Pale Sailor, Dynamine agacles core. And yes, it seems to be a little rare with only one other person posting on butterfliesandmoths dot org and only 6 people on iNaturalist Costa Rica. So not an everyday butterfly! 🙂
Here’s three shots of one last Saturday in my garden . . .
This one is one of about 30 different green-colored Hairstreak butterflies in my main book, but has several characteristics that make him different from the others. And yes, I had one about a month ago, but since there are not a lot of butterflies now (and even fewer birds), I’m sharing this find in my garden the other day. I’ve had this one several times over the last year, as shown in the GALLERY Tropical Greenstreak, Cyanophrys herodtus.
. . . maybe in the genus Argia (says iNaturalist’s computer), though I cannot find a match in the book Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica nor online in iNaturalist. None seem to have those bright (yellow-gold) spots on wings nor the orangey body color, so I am again stumped on an ID. 🙂 Here’s two different-looking photos of the same individual.
Unidentified Damselfly, maybe Argia genus, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaUnidentified Damselfly, maybe Argia genus, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Wednesday morning just before 6 am I went out on the terrace to open the gate for my maid an saw this unusual sight, a Pale or Yellow-fronted Owl-Butterfly, Caligo telamonius (linked to my gallery) eating from the Hummingbird feeder. Got my camera and a few shots before he flew away! 🙂 The sun was coming up behind some clouds, so not a lot of light, thus the photo below with fast shutter speed in the dim light is not very sharp and has a glare, while the feature photo at top of post was made with the flash turned on and I think it’s a better photo. I don’t remember ever seeing a butterfly at a hummingbird feeder before, but then there are a lot of things I don’t remember! 🙂
Pale or Yellow-fronted Owl-Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica
I earlier said that my only butterfly now in the garden is a few Banded Peacocks and I don’t count the Yellows flying up in the trees for reasons I don’t know. Well, the next day after that post, this lone Polydamas Swallowtail showed up in my garden. But still no birds beyond the hummingbird! 🙂 See more of my photos of this Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamasin that gallery. During the butterfly season he is a regular!
Along with dozens of other trees that bloom here during the dry season, which at first seemed strange to me, but I guess it is all about the sun. 🙂 These little yellow and orange cluster flowers will eventually turn into clusters of Nance Berries (yellow) which many birds will enjoy! And the iguanas too! 🙂 And here a few people eat them or make jams-jellies or marmalade with them. I tried eating one and did not like it as a bitter taste to me. Read about them on Wikipedia: Nance Tree, Byrsonima crassifolia.
Nance Tree Flowers that will become berries, Atenas, Costa Rica.
So it seems with most birds & butterflies! Except for two! A couple of Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds and a couple of Banded Peacock Butterflies! IT IS VERY WINDY! Yet I caught these two species flying anyway! 🙂
These two Banded Peacocks doing some kind of mating dance in the air!
And this is the male of the two Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds.
¡Pura Vida!
And those were my Monday afternoon photos to get the blog going again! Busy with other things the last two days! 🙂 For more photos of these two hardy creatures, see my Galleries:
As my age, health and increased cost of living here begin to require, I simply need to reduce the big activities, so only 3 trips this year of 4 nights or more, and I may sneak in some day trips or even a 2-nighter at a nearby lodge – we’ll see! 🙂 But I’m still focused on nature and have plans for a few changes in my garden this year. And the three “big” trips are going to be very good, as always! 🙂
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird in a Heliconia Flower, Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica.
It will be a coastal rainforest jungle in July as I return to Esquinas Rainforest Lodge for my 3rd visit and second time on my birthday! 🙂 Both photos with this post were made at Esquinas Lodge.
Then in September I’m exploring the “Amazon of Costa Rica” again at Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coast instead of my usual Hotel Banana Azul beach trip. I like all the lodges in Tortuguero, but Tortuga Lodge & Gardens gets my vote for the most comfortable with the best food! And I don’t care if it is more expensive! 🙂
Then I finish the year with Christmas at Ballena National Park, Uvita in another favorite lodge, Hotel Cristal Ballena with a room overlooking the Pacific and nightly sunsets! Plus their 30 acre rainforest refuge! 🙂 And “Ballena” = “Whale” in English.
