Tag: Atenas

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Black Witch Moth

Not a new one for me but rather an almost regular visitor every year and not just for Halloween! 🙂 And yes, some are black, but definitely not all of the Black Witch Moth, Ascalapha odorata (linked to my gallery) with some having the rich multi colors of this one on my bedroom drapes. When my maid swept the floor the next morning, he was one of several dead insects she swept up. And he is big! 8-10 inch wingspread!

Black Witch Moth, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Sad Day for America

What can I say when the majority of my home country just re-elected a criminal, fascist, racist, rapist, liar for president? I’m sure glad I moved to Costa Rica 10 years ago! Every great nation in history has fallen when it began to rot from within. Is that what is happening to the USA? It is not the country I grew up in, though I saw continuing movement this direction over the last 30 years. I will now spend my final days of life peacefully here in Costa Rica surrounded by nature and trying to ignore what used to be home. I wish all my friends and family in the states the best and believe you will survive as “this too shall pass.” And with you I will hope for a better future.

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Banded Yellow

This is a new species for me and thus no gallery yet. Though this Banded Yellow, Eurema elathea is is very similar to the Barred Yellow, Eurema diaria which is in my gallery and I could have some of those mis-identified, or this one! 🙂 I still struggle with some identifications, but believe this one to be Eurema elathea, which is more common in South America, but we have lots of South American butterflies here in Costa Rica and iNaturalist Costa Rica has recorded 9 observations.

Banded Yellow, Eurema elathea, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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White-winged Dove

One of my “regulars” here is the White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatica (my gallery link). They are found from the southern half of the United States on south as far as Columbia in South America.

And by the way, the morning I wrote this post (Wed), I had a young Kee-billed Toucan in my Cecropia Tree, the first I’ve seen for awhile, but I did not have my camera with me and as I pulled out my cell phone, he flew away. But hopefully I will start getting toucan photos again! 🙂

White-winged Dove, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Lineated Woodpecker

I always like this one better than the more common here Hoffman’s or Black-cheeked Woodpeckers. And maybe that is because this one reminds me more of Woody Woodpecker. 🙂 And Woody is special in many ways, one being that he was born the same year as me, 1940. 🙂 But enough of that! The Lineated Woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus (linked to my gallery), is a tropical forest bird found in both the lowlands and foothills (where I live) of Central & South America. In my gallery you can see that I’ve photographed him on both slopes of Costa Rica in many locations. Read about him on eBird.

Lineated Woodpecker, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Yigüirro or Clay-colored Thrush

The national bird of Costa Rica was thought by the indigenous people to sing in the rainy season at the end of the dry season, late April or May. It is the Clay-colored Thrush, Turdus grayi (my gallery link) and is found from South Texas throughout Central America and in Columbia. There are always Yigüirros in my garden. Read about on eBird.

Clay-colored Thrush, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Rufous-backed Wren

One of the most common birds in my garden is this Rufous-backed Wren, Campylorhynchus capistratus (my gallery link) and this one used to be called the Rufous-naped Wren, but just like with butterflies, “they” are always changing names of birds, making it hard to keep up with the latest names sometimes. Here’s a shot of one on my neighbor’s roof. And you can read about them on eBird. Found only from Southern Mexico south through Costa Rica.

Rufous-backed Wren, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Tropical Kingbird

I do still see birds in my garden even though the butterflies greatly outnumber them! 🙂 And of the four I am sharing these next four days, this is the least-seen of them: Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus (linked to my gallery) and as always, you can read more about them on eBird. They are seen throughout Central America and most of South America and are sometimes known as one of the “telephone wire birds: or “fence birds,” as they like open areas and catch flying insects, including my beloved butterflies. 🙂

Tropical Kingbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!