The Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, Ctenosaura similis (my gallery link) is called “Garrobo” in Spanish and lives only on the Pacific Slope, which is also where I live. Here’s just two shots from one recently in my garden (living there or nearby) and the only neighbor I have who walks on my roof! 🙂 See more of this interesting fellow in the above-linked gallery.
And what about the Green Iguana? Well, he lives on both slopes, but I’ve not seen one in Atenas, I see many in the Caribe.
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
My Favorite Quote Today . . .
“Hitching the evangelical wagon to Donald Trump has meant unhitching it from the life and teachings of Jesus. It’s a bad trade.” –Peter Wehner, Writer, The Atlantic
Thanks to Ellie for sharing that article in The Atlantic! It is at:
I used to see a lot more of these but that was back when I saw a lot more of all birds than now. It is the Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia (eBird link) which is found in all of the lowlands of Costa Rica but be aware that some books are now separating the American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) and the Mangrove Warbler (Setophaga petechia) which is the one that is a resident of Costa Rica while the American are migrants from the north and also here. The Mangrove Warbler is best known to birders as the one whose male has a chestnut red head. The females seem to be identical. You can see both in my Gallery of Yellow Warblers. And eBird has kept them together as I do in my gallery. Here’s 3 shots from my garden . . .
This was seen just outside Roca Verde along 8th Avenue in Barrio Boqueron, though I’ve seen several in my garden in the past. It is the Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Burnsius oileus (my gallery link). I’m seeing fewer butterflies now and, if like last year, that will continue until sometime in May when the butterflies seem to start multiplying again here, with my highest past butterfly counts being in May-September.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Burnsius oileus, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
One fun thing about going to the coast is seeing some of the many types of wading shorebirds. Below the email version pix is a slide show of 6 different shorebirds from the recent trip to the mouth of the Tarcoles River. And the mouth of a river is one of the best places to see birds because of the larger variety of food possibilities there plus the usual mangroves!
As a nickname, that might be considered sacrilegious by some people, but the nickname has a long history of this lizard walking on water and most everyone knows the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter not having the faith to follow him without sinking. In Costa Rica there are three species of basilisks and they all “walk on water” (actually run very fast) as we saw this one pictured here do 🙂 . . .
Common Basilisk, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
THIS ONE: Common Basilisk, Basiliscus basiliscus (my gallery link) is found only on the Pacific Slope of Costa Rica and here some people also use the common name of “Brown Basilisk” instead of the preferred “Common” and thus in Spanish you can see both common names of “Basiliscus Café” and “Basiliscus Común” or “Lagarto Jesús Común.” Yeah, learning nature in two languages and both sides of the country can be confusing! 🙂 Especially when different people and different books use different and overlapping names! 🙂 Scientific names are the clearest!
THE OTHER BROWN ONE: Brown or Striped Basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus (my gallery link) is found only on the Caribbean Slope. And the Spanish names used in Costa Rica are variously “Basiliscus Café” and the preferred “Basiliscus Rayado.” In addition to the unique locations, these two brownish basilisks have different markings or stripes and different crests with this Basiliscus vittatus having smaller crests and mostly on the head only. And I think this one is browner, and thus deserves the Brown name more. But if you see a brown or brownish one, you can know the name by knowing which slope you are on! (The Continental Divide) Location, location, location! 🙂
THE EASY ONE IS GREEN: Emerald or Green Basilisk, Basiliscus plumifrons (my gallery link & 1 pix below). This one is found on both slopes of Costa Rica! 🙂 The Spanish common names are like the two English names: “Basilisco Esmeralda” or “Basilisco Verde.” And it is never confused with either of the other two! 🙂
That’s our fun biology lesson for today! And I apologize for not remembering that I did a similar post back in October. Just blame it on my dementia! 🙂
is a common bird on both coasts and way up some of the rivers. And is the case most of the time for me, this one has no spots. You can look at my Spotted Sandpiper Gallery to see some with spots which is seasonal. Just one photo here that I liked from last week’s visit to Rio Tarcoles . . .
Spotted Sandpiper, Rio Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Sometimes you see the world different from a boat on water and this was the case while on Rio Tarcoles last week. Below one photo for the email version is a slideshow of 6 shots from the river.
. . . are one of the reasons a lot of tourists take boat trips on the Tarcoles River, though my priority is always the birds and why I choose this particular boat company (Jungle Crocodile Safari) which focuses on the birds more than any other and does not feed the crocodiles chickens like some boats do (which is illegal). BUT, the crocs are interesting and I usually make a few photos of them. 🙂
Here are just two photos from this trip, the feature photo at top being the face of a very old “grandpa croc.” They can live up to 80 years! (Old like me!) 🙂 While the other photo of the total croc is of a young adult or adolescent. In this Trip Gallery, which is now completed, I have 7 croc shots from this trip in a sub-gallery simply named “Crocodiles.” Or if you’re really into crocs, check out my Costa Rica American Crocodile GALLERY with croc photos from 8 different locations all over CR, though more from Tarcoles River which is the closest location to me. 🙂
Young Adult or Teen American Crocodile, Tarcoles River, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSenior Adult American Crocodile, Tarcoles River, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
And in “The Trip Gallery,” I also have photos of 26 bird species, White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, Basilisk Lizards, landscapes, other nature and even a photo of our group of 6 Canadians with a family from Denmark we shared the boat with! Exploring Costa Rica is always international! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Personal Note . . .
At 7:30 this morning I’m scheduled for “Needle Surgery” to get a bit of the spot or growth from one of the lymph nodes in my neck for a biopsy. I will go back in February for a report and to schedule any further action if needed. The doctor doubts that it is cancer, but he wants to be sure. The public health system here is huge and taking great care of me while creating a large database of all my health tests, surgeries, medications, and reports in the single system for any of my other doctors to see and be aware of. It is an amazing system! It even sends both me and my driver text message reminders of all appointments! 🙂
