Category: Places

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Lineated Woodpecker

The Lineated Woodpecker or Dryocopus lineatus (eBird link) is one of the more colorful woodpeckers found throughout Central America and in most of South America, standing out with their bright red head of hair! Here he is often confused with the less frequent Pale-billed Woodpecker, found only in Central America and southern Mexico, but his black face and the white neck line running all the way to his bill quickly distinguish him from the Pale-billed which cannot be identified by the bill because both have pale bills! 🙂 My Lineated Woodpecker Gallery shows that I’ve seen him all over Costa Rica including more than once here in my garden where this one was photographed in my Cecropia Tree last week, my favorite bird tree! 🙂

Lineated Woodpecker, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Brazilian Skipper

While at Villa Lapas in Tarcoles last month, I got only one butterfly with a decent photo and it is another semi-unusual or not seen much here butterfly, though on butterfliesandmoths it seems to be quite common in the Eastern USA. It is the Brazilian Skipper, Calpodes ethlius (link to my gallery) and this was my second time to see one. Here’s just one photo . . .

Brazilian Skipper, Hotel Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Burst of Departure Color

Palm fronds die and depart the trees year around as the tree constantly grows new fronds, but near the end of dry season it is either more often or just more noticeable with the bright greens changing to bright yellows or rich rust colors, like their final flower or “notice me” as they leave this world. 🙂

Departing Palm Frond, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Canivet’s Emerald Hummingbird

This “uncommon” Central American Hummingbird also has another common name now (in one book) of “Salvin’s Emerald” and the scientific name with either is “Cynanthus canivetii” and you can read more about them on eBird. This is my third time to see this species, all in my garden, and it was difficult to ID all three times! 🙂 See all my other shots in Canivet’s Emerald Gallery. There you will see the big difference in male and female. This one I’m featuring today is a female that I shot in my garden two weeks ago. Yes, I’m that far ahead on my blog posts thanks to that little two-night trip and I hope to stay somewhat ahead! 🙂 And oh yes, my main hummingbird continues to be the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and I will share another photo of him soon I hope.

Canivet’s Emerald, Female, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Cyptic Remella

This is my second time to see the Cyptic Remella, Ramella vopiscus (my gallery link) and only 3 of us have reported this species on butterfliesandmoths. My other sighting was on the Caribbean Coast at Hotel Banana Azul. I continue to be amazed at the huge number of butterfly species here in Costa Rica and my collection continues to grow. Here’s two shots of this Remella . . .

Cyptic Remella, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Introducing A New Bird Book!

CLICK this front cover image to see a free preview of all pages!

To celebrate what will be 10 years of living in Costa Rica come December, I decided to publish a coffee table book of my favorite bird photos that turned out to be a lot! 174 photos! Each includes both the English and Spanish common names of that bird plus the location where I photographed it. Whether a birder or a lover of “Nature As Art,” I think you will like this 86 page photo book printed on premium matte paper. It might even become a collector’s item some day! 🙂 It will definitely become the book that I gift to the birding lodges I visit over the next year or two! 🙂

You can see a free electronic preview of all 86 pages by clicking the above image of the book cover or go to this web address: https://www.blurb.com/b/11961281-costa-rica-birds

BACK COVER of the book.

¡Pura Vida!