A Visitor to My Terrace

Spiny-tailed Iguana
On My Terrace, Roca Verde Home, Atenas Costa Rica

This variety seems to be less common than the Green Iguana in most of Costa Rica, but I have seen this guy or his family members around the house, in neighbor’s tree, and going to and from the stream on the other side of our cow pasture. He was first heading in my backdoor, but turned and ran to the terrace when he saw me. They are basically harmless and never hurt people. Our little miniature dinosaurs!  See also my photo gallery with this and other Reptiles

And for travelers here the next 2 months:
  Bridge between Airport & San Jose Closed 6 Weeks for repairs and Widening says this article in Tico Times. That means if you fly here it will take you longer to get into San Jose during February+ but should not affect coming west toward Atenas very much beyond the usual airport traffic congestion. The closure begins 21 January.

And FYI:
Costa Rica Ranks 4th in English Proficiency in Latin America says article in the Costa Rica Star.

That is convenient for lazy Americans who are mono-lingual, but note that it would not hold true in little farm towns like Atenas or other non-tourist, non-city locations. So my advice to those considering retiring or living here is to learn Spanish! After all, don’t you expect immigrants to the U.S. to learn English?  🙂    Que necesitas para aprender español.

My New Toy: Macro Lens

Not the expensive one, just a simple Canon 100mm zoom, 1:28, Image Stabilizer (for hand-held) and auto focus. Here’s a few flowers with it and MY VERY FIRST HIBISCUS in my garden! I only recently got the plant which is slow-growing, but here’s the first bloom!

 

Hibiscus
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Once de Abril  (haven’t found an English name yet)
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Heliconia
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Plumbago
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Red Ginger
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Porter Weed
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

I think I did okay on close-ups of flowers before with a telephoto lens from a distance, but this is suppose to be better! It has the capability of a 1:1 ratio if I get close enough. Insects will be more difficult because they scare off, so I’ll probably continue with my 300 mm for them. Though, note the little tiny ant on the Porter Weed above.  🙂 And it is so nice having flowers blooming year around!

My Flora & Forests photo gallery

Brush that dead leaf off the counter!

That’s what I did and it just flew away when I touched it. Life in the rainforest is interesting!

“Dead Leaf” Moth or  Lonomia moth
Inside my house, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

When you leave your doors open during the day you can find some really interesting creatures around the house! Read about him on Wikipedia.  This one is called Taturana in Spanish. 

See also my BUTTERFLY & MOTH Photo Gallery for more interesting flying creatures!

Maybe My 2 Most Frequent Visitors

These two I see from my terrace every day and possibly more often than any other birds.

Rufous-naped Wren
Seen at breakfast from my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
White-ringed Flycatcher
Seen at breakfast from my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
Similar to the very common
Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee & Boat-billed Flycatcher.
But white on head makes a complete ring around his head
and Kiskadee & Boat-billed are noticeably larger with larger bills.

See also my BIRDS Photo Gallery

This Morning’s Garden

 Each morning I walk through my garden and then eat breakfast on my terrace. Today I liked:

There are many more blooming of course, especially the red ginger and porter weed all the time, but not sure I’ve shown the above recently, so enjoy! I love life in the natural, slow lane in Costa Rica! With no car!   🙂
¡Pura Vida!
See also my photo gallery call Flora and Forests for more flower photos. 

Montezuma Oropendola

Montezuma Oropendola
Across street from my house, Atenas, Costa Rica

Montezuma Oropendola
Across street from my house, Atenas, Costa Rica
Montezuma Oropendola
Across street from my house, Atenas, Costa Rica

Read article on Montezuma Oropendola on Wikipedia & click for sound of their bubbly song and see photo of their cool, long nests that prevent monkeys from stealing eggs.

I usually go to exotic birding lodges for these guys but now they may be taking up residency in our neighborhood of Roca Verde in Atenas, Costa Rica. Kind of neighbors I like!  🙂
And I have better photos from other locations on my BIRDS PHOTO GALLERY  (in both the Costa Rica and Nicaragua galleries, including a nests photo)

A Pleasant Evening in Atenas, Costa Rica!

Overlooking my house on a cloudy sunset around 5:15.
 “And all is well on the western front!”  🙂
Yep, the sun shines from between 5 & 5:30 AM to the same in PM
Every day, year around – 12 hours of dark & 12 hours of light! Nice!
That’s because we are close to the equator. Same sunrise/sunset daily.

And to my fellow Americans, forgive me for saying I was ashamed last night. The election did not go the way I thought was best, but God just may have something much better in store for us! So today I posted on Facebook the following quote and Scripture verse that better reflects my faith:

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come and
the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 41:1
¡Pura Vida!

At the end of the rainbow!

My neighbor Anthony gets up earlier than me.
This morning about 5:20 he shot my house with a rainbow.
Photo by Anthony Jeroski

“May your journey through life be vibrant and full of colorful rainbows.” 
― Harley King