And in 2025 I got multiple new species, mostly in my Garden as are most of these photos! This is just a sampling with my effort to not show 2 of the same species . . .
Favorite Butterfly Photos 2025
Squirrel Cuckoo
Not your every day bird but definitely one of my favorites, the Squirrel Cuckoo, Piaya cayana (my gallery link) is one I’ve seen in multiple locations across Costa Rica, just not frequently. See all those in the above-linked gallery or for my all-time favorite, a portrait of one who posed for me in the Cecropia tree back in 2017: Cuckoo Portrait. A metal print of it hangs in my living room here. 🙂 This one last Sunday was in a tree behind my house only about 40 seconds, so I had to act quick to get these shots before he flew off to a neighbor’s tree and out of sight.
There are 7 species of cuckoos in Costa Rica and I’ve seen and photographed only three, the other two being the Mangrove Cuckoo (in two locations) and the Lesser Ground Cuckoo in one location, (both names are linked to my galleries).
A Thrush Enjoys Leftovers! + Positive News
In the recent days of many creatures eating the ripe palm berries, a Chachalaca or a squirrel broke one of the berry limbs off and it fell to the ground. With many more on the tree, he/she stayed in the tree and the bottom of the pecking order, Clay-colored Thrush, enjoyed the berries off the dropped limb. Plenty for everyone! 🙂 And as I watched this epicurean delight I suddenly realized that these birds have no teeth to chew their food and thus swallow the berry whole! 🙂 I’m enjoying these observations of nature! Simple life in a simple country.
Long-tailed Skipper & Traffic Jams Here
A regular in my garden, though not recently, and easy to confuse with Esmeralda Skipper, is the Long-tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus (my gallery link). It is found all over the southeastern U.S., the Caribbean Islands and Central America.
And oh yeah, this is the first butterfly I have seen on the Desert Rose flower in the 7 or 8 years I’ve had it. But you can see that he is not eating nectar, just resting. The flower is just too deep for most butterflies and hummingbirds. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Extra Costa Rica News Article:
World’s 2nd Worst Traffic Congestion!
“Costa Rica now ranks second in the world for worst traffic congestion, according to new 2025 Numbeo data, with commute times and CO2-heavy gridlock far above the global average. The report underscores how daily jams are hitting quality of life and the environment, especially in the Central Valley.” Tico Times Article.
It is mainly inside and around the capital city of San Jose where I have to go with a driver for most of my medical specialist appointments. Realtors in Atenas will tell you that we are only 45 minutes to an hour from San Jose – well . . . maybe at 2 am! 🙂
It is not unusual for my trips to Hospitals Mexico or Blanca Cervantes to take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on time of day, accidents, or highway construction. It is frustrating that there are not enough lanes on the major highways AND that (like in the U.S.) most cars have only one person in them! Many, if not most, tourists want rental cars for the independence and freedom to go where you wish whenever. But many become very frustrated trying to drive here, especially in and around San Jose traffic, while in rural areas it is the pot-holed narrow roads and one lane bridges (or river fording) that make for an adventure. 🙂 I recommend tourists to stay in one place when here for less than two weeks and use lodge or van services to get to and from the airport. Though there is a sense of adventure when driving in Costa Rica! 🙂
And oh yeah! Who are we second to? Nigeria! And having traveled all over Africa, I would put the whole continent as worse than Costa Rica, but this ranking was based on some kind of research. And perceived paradises do have their drawbacks! 🙂 I handle if my not owning a car and using taxis, public buses, and my professional tour driver to get me wherever I need to be. (And now go to San Jose only for doctors!) 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Tropical Kingbird
I seem to be seeing more of these this year and I thought this shot last week was particularly nice.
See more of my Tropical Kingbird photos in the gallery: Tropical Kingbird,
¡Pura Vida!
Reptile in the Garden!
Just one of the 245 species of reptiles in Costa Rica, an adult Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (my gallery link) climbing up the almost vertical concrete retainer-wall behind one of my gardens that is covered in vines, ground cover, ferns and whatever will cover plain ol’ concrete! (my jungle style!). Though I’ve had and photographed several juveniles in that garden, this is my first adult. 🙂 I guess he went on up the hill or driveway to K’s house and gardens! 🙂 Looking for food.
¡Pura Vida!
Lesson’s Motmot
In some ways I’m glad the visits aren’t every day, so I can get excited and enjoy the occasional visits of a neighborhood Lessons Motmot, Momotus lessonii (my gallery link). It lives solely in Central American lowland forests and in Costa Rica more on the Pacific Slope than the Caribbean Slope, though it is seen in the some inland forests on the Caribbean side, while the similar but less-seen Turquoise-browed Motmot (my gallery link) lives only on the Pacific Slope. I have had both in my garden, but many more of the Lesson’s. The species name of “Motmot” comes from an early morning hooting like an owl that the motmots make. 🙂 In both photos he is in a Nance Tree in my garden.
Palm Berries Pecking Order
That big bunch of green palm berries in my October 25 post turned red in November and multiple creatures began to eat with the Chachalacas and Boat-billed Flycatchers the most possessive. Below this introductory photo is a gallery showing the “pecking order” for these particular palm berries when I was out to see it. Note that I never saw the iguanas eating them (though they do eat the Nance Berries) but that doesn’t mean they didn’t partake, I just never got a photo. And they would possibly be some competition to the Chachalacas, though those birds stay in families or flocks outnumbering others, as well as being the largest. 🙂
Variegated Squirrel
There are four species of squirrels in Costa Rica but the largest population nation-wide is this Variegated Squirrel, Sciurus variegatoides (Ardilla Centroamericana en español) with the names linked to my photo gallery with shots from nation-wide. I think they are like squirrels everywhere, very hyperactive! 🙂 And though I have seen a solid black one and a mostly red one, most are variegated like this one in my garden.
White-winged Dove
As Christmas nears, it seems nice to see doves in the garden! 🙂 And this is my most regular or most seen dove, the White-winged Dove (my gallery link).
