Inca Dove Couple

Appearing on one of my tree limbs looking like a loving married couple the other day were two Inca Doves, one of my favorite dove species with their “sculpted” look. You can read about them on eBird or check out some of my earlier photos in my Inca Dove Gallery. The scientific name is Columbina inca and they are found from Panama north through all of Central America and Mexico into much of the Southwestern USA. Here’s just one photo:

Inca Doves, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

January 11, 2024January 10, 2024

Tuesday’s Birds

Well – the 6 that I didn’t erase from the camera disk! :-) I’m guessing that when I tried to erase one bad one from the disk, I hit something that selected all the remaining photos and erased them all. None of these are particularly good photos, but the 6 I managed to save, with the Inca Dove maybe my favorite photo after yesterday’s landscapes.

Tuesday’s hike was on Highway 707, southwest of Central Atenas. though not many here use highway numbers. 🙂 They say “the road going west of Cruz Roja to Pica Flora and Hacienda Atenas!” 🙂 Today we are going on Calle Balsilla, south of Atenas, or “a farming road near the Chucas Hydroelectric Dam and lake south of Ruta 27 on Rio Tarcoles.” And maybe I will get some more photos that I don’t erase! :-) Then tomorrow we go to a nature reserve north of here near Palmares. I’m staying behind on photos while still processing those from Hotel Savegre! But it is fun! :-)

Keel-billed Toucan, Atenas, Costa Rica. Many flew over and landed in distant trees. 🙂

Read on for the gallery of all 6 birds . . .

July 26, 2022July 23, 2022

Calle Balsilla Birds

I must admit that I was more focused on butterflies than birds when we walked Calle Balsilla last week, plus we were later getting there which means fewer birds, but I did get these 4 bird species along with my 11 species of butterflies! 🙂

Inca Dove, Calle Balsilla, Atenas, Costa Rica

Interesting that the above dove is the only bird I photographed that was not totally black in color! 🙂

December 14, 2020December 11, 2020

The “Sculptured” INCA DOVE

To me, this second most common dove/pigeon around my house looks sculptured, almost as if he were carved out of wood. Read eBird on Inca Doves for more information or to see more of my many photos, my Inca Dove Gallery with some better photos.

“Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive.”
– Marty Rubin

Costa Rica launches crowdfunding campaign for reforestation ~A Tico Times article

¡Pura Vida!

August 14, 2017

These Incas are “Love Doves”

Inca Doves
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

This young couple will probably soon mate and will be partners for life. Read more about Inca Doves at Cornell University’s All About Birds.

See my other bird photos in my Photo Gallery BIRDS

Cute love

Dove and sprinkle cling together
Searching warm and partner
In a pool splash
Kissed nature

Under a mirror image
Cute couple
Love together

~Rnayak

-o-

Thinking about moving to Costa Rica? Check out this article in Christopher’s “Living in Costa Rica” blog: TAX RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EXPATS FROM THE U.S.

And there is even a link there to an online booklet with more specific information, plus links to other helpful articles.

Actually I still file my income tax report every year just like I did in the states (with TurboTax), but mine is quite simple with SS & pension income, no investments beyond a 401k and savings accounts, no business, no other investments, no property owned (neither house nor car) and no debt. But you who have more and more complicated finances might want to read up on it or even use a tax attorney here in Costa Rica who specializes in U.S. taxes. There are several here because so many rich Americans live here. 🙂

Living here does not change the tax responsibilities of being a U.S. Citizen, even after becoming a legal resident here. I don’t know what would happen if you renounced U.S. Citizenship and don’t know anyone who has done that. But if your income still comes from the states . . .?

March 4, 2017

Mama Dove Abandons Nest in Strong Winds

I don’t know for sure if the mother Inca Dove abandoned the nest or something happened to her, but by this morning she was gone and two eggs had rolled out of nest down the spine of the palm frond, with at least one egg cracked. An animal that would eat her would probably also eat the eggs and an iguana may eat the eggs yet. 61 mph winds could have done it!

Inca Dove on Nest
She sat on this for about 3 days in terribly fierce winds, palm fronds like sails!

Empty Nest this Morning
Was the wind too much? Did something happen to her? I never saw a mate
and wondered where Daddy bird was!

Eggs Rolled down Palm Frond & Cracked
I’m so sorry to miss the birth of two Inca Doves & Sorry for the Mom!
I have no way to save them and doubt they could be.

Poor Choice of Nest Tree
The nest is in this small palm surrounded by red/yellow crotons below my deck.
Nest in lower of two fronds on the left, tiny gray spot halfway up.

Check out our Weather and note that right now the wind is at 42 mph with gusts to 61 mph. The poor bird never had a chance! January-February is the usual windy time, but last year was never with as strong a wind as we’ve had this year. and it is still blowing strong into March, but hopefully dying down soon! Then a couple of months of windless, hot, dry days before the rain starts, May-Oct.

Read more about Inca Doves at Cornell’s All About Birds

My Birds Photo Gallery

POSTSCRIPT: Before dark I checked the palm again and both eggs were gone, maybe by wind or maybe by an animal.

PS again: Today I finished my Income Tax with only one call to the TurboTax help desk! 🙂 The problem was not with the form but getting past their security into my file online. It seems that I had two accounts with them with two different user names and passwords and I was mixing them up. Crazy! But done now!

February 28, 2017

Nesting on a Palm Frond

Nesting Inca Dove
On palm frond of small palm in my yard, Atenas, Costa Rica

Honestly I don’t see how it can last very long with all the heavy winds we have been having, but birds can be tenacious! We will see. I have much more stable trees you could have used!