Gray Cracker

I have recently been scanning the trunk and larger limbs of my Cecropia Tree and the big palm, looking for one of the several species of Crackers which almost always land on trees where they are well-disguised. And sure enough, yesterday morning one came to my Cecropia Tree – This one a Gray Cracker – Hamadryas februa (linked to my gallery). This is my second Gray Cracker with the other one seen at Hacienda Guachipelin, Rincón de la Vieja NP.

In my Brushfoots Galleries you will find that I have photographed 6 different species of Crackers, most at Xandari Resort in Alajuela, but two in my garden, one at Danta Corcovado Lodge and one in a reserve in Nicaragua.

Gray Cracker, My Garden, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

And yeah, I know, it is more brown than gray, but that is the way it is with several of these “official” names! 🙂 Though on butterfliesandmoths you can see that some or more gray. My six different species of CRACKERS in the above linked Brushfoots Galleries are . . .

  • Red Cracker
  • Gray Cracker
  • Variable Cracker
  • Orange Cracker
  • Glaucous Cracker
  • Guatemalan Cracker

¡Pura Vida!

About this Week’s Blog Posts

In the morning I’m flying to Limón Province for five nights at my best butterfly hotel, Hotel Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca where I walk the sandy beach road for a large variety of butterflies. I usually go in early or mid-September, so I’m hoping there are still a lot of butterflies there the first week of October! 🙂 STARTING TOMORROW, BLOG POSTS WILL BE DONE AT NIGHT for the next 6 days. All from Limón Province, Caribe Sur. I always include a visit to Gandoca Manzanillo Refugio and one to Cahuita NP, both of which are very good for both birds and butterflies! And sometimes other nature spots, but at 84 I’m slowing down and walking with a cane, so maybe not as much this time! 🙂

Garden Walk

Yes, I know, I’ve done this post before, several times, but every time the flowers are different and I see or photograph them differently. And this time it is a collection of favorite shots from the previous few weeks, late March and early April. Below this one shot for the email version is a gallery of 18 photos, all different flowers and species repeated only when each flower is quite different. Enjoy God’s beautiful jewels from my tropical Costa Rica garden 🙂 . . .

Anthurium
Continue reading “Garden Walk”

The Gratifying Guarumo!

It is definitely one of my favorite trees in Costa Rica, if for no other reason, an opportunity to photograph their beautiful leaves, both dead and alive as in this photo. They attract many birds from the tiny Euphonias to the Toucans and their openness makes them great “galleries” for photographing birds and sloths! Some of my best bird photos were made in the Guarumo or Cecropia Tree that I planted in my yard the first year here, 2015.

I have them pictured in several popular photo galleries:

Here’s one shot I made the other day from my terrace . . .

Guarumo or Cecropia Tree Leaves in My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Black-cowled Oriole Eating . . .

I haven’t seen this bird in quite a while, but he was one of about 4 species in my Cecropia Tree the other morning, feeding on the flowers like the toucans sometimes do. And as usual, he was partially hidden by leaves the entire time here! You can see other shots in my Black-cowled Oriole GALLERY showing the same hiding problem always! Except my very first shot here in Costa Rica of one on my window screen inside my house! 🙂 Here’s just two shots . . .

Black-cowled Oriole eating a Cecropia Flower, Atenas, Costa Rica
Black-cowled Oriole eating a Cecropia Flower, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Juvenile Iguana Sunning

There seems to be more than one juvenile iguana, at different stages of development, living in or near my garden. I think that the main reason they climb my Cecropia/Guarumo Tree is to soak up the sunshine, which all reptiles need as cold-blooded creatures, but as a herbivore, he may also be eating from the leaves and flowers of this tree. The flowers of this tree are also popular with toucans which I’ve photographed in this same tree. Plus the toucans also eat young iguanas! 🙂

Juvenile Iguana in a Cecropia Tree, Atenas, Costa Rica
Juvenile Iguana in a Cecropia Tree, Atenas, Costa Rica
Juvenile Iguana in a Cecropia Tree, Atenas, Costa Rica

See my two Iguana Galleries:

Green Iguanas

Black Spiny-tailed Iguanas

I think these photos are of a Spiny-tailed, but juveniles of both species are similar, so I’m not certain.

¡Pura Vida!

And don’t forget!

Art Show at 105 Roca Verde #2

This SATURDAY, 24 June, 9-12 am

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Hide-and-Seek Wren

The Rufous-naped Wren (eBird description) is one of the most common birds in my garden (found only in Mexico & Central America), but they haven’t been showing themselves much lately for me to photograph. This one seemed to be playing hide-and-seek from me in the shadows of my Cecropia tree. 🙂 But I do hear them singing a lot along with the Clay-colored Thrush this time of year.

You can see better, earlier photos in my Rufous-naped Wren Gallery. 🙂 Here’s 3 shots from yesterday morning’s shadows . . .

Rufous-naped Wren, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Continue reading “Hide-and-Seek Wren”