This bird is becoming more common this year, while overall I have fewer birds of any species. I think he is a handsome flycatcher! 🙂 Two shots:
My Gray-capped Flycatcher GALLERY.
¡Pura Vida!
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Hummingbird in Ficus Tree
The other day I caught a few shots of this Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (the dominant and thus only species in my garden) in an unusual place for me, the dark shadows of the Higueron or Strangler Fig or Ficus Tree. I had to really work at lightening the shadows in these two shots but think the second one is particularly interesting because of how his head and neck are twisted around, unlike any photo yet of one of these, while this first shot is pretty traditional! 🙂
See more in my Rufous-tailed Hummingbird GALLERY.
¡Pura Vida!
A Call from My Friends at Maquenque
Today I received a phone call from the wonderful family that runs Maquenque Eco Lodge just checking on me and how my health is doing. They are so nice to me in every way and I count them among my best friends in Costa Rica. Then they sent me this photo of the table in their lodge lobby covered with my photo books that they continually thank me for and tell me how much their other guests enjoy them! 🙂 Just one more reason that I enjoy my retirement life photographing nature! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Not the first one this season, but he is always nice to see in my garden! Check out my Gray-capped Flycatcher GALLERY or read about him on eBird. He lives throughout Central America and in northwestern South America. He is smaller than the Tropical Kingbird (though similar) and the same size as Social Flycatcher without his head stripes. Here’s a couple more shots from a few days ago . . .
Melodious Blackbird
Occasional birds are still showing up in my garden, just not near as many as in the past. You can see more of my photos of this species in my Melodious Blackbird GALLERY. Or read about them on eBird. Another bird found only in Central America and parts of Mexico. Here’s three shots in my garden the other day . . .
Hummingbird on El Baston
It is the same species or only species of Hummingbird I have in my yard now, the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and maybe the most common species in Costa Rica. They are territorial, meaning if he claims my garden, he chases off other species of hummingbirds. You can see the many I’ve photographed all over Costa Rica in my Rufous-tailed GALLERY or read more about them on eBird. I like these shots because of the contrast with the bright red El Baston de Emperador or Torch Ginger. Here’s four shots . . .
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Another one of those “former” birds that seem to be returning to my garden these days. I think the rainy season helps and there may be other factors. This one is not as common here as the Social Flycatcher and Great Kiskadee, but is fairly common. Here’s two shots from my garden:
See also my Gray-capped Flycatcher GALLERY and note that the Tropical Kingbird is similar but larger than this bird with slightly different coloring.
¡Pura Vida!
Wren in Garden
Several wrens have been checking out my severely pruned Triquitraque Vines or Flame Vines that I asked the gardeners to cut back and they cut way back! 🙂 Plus all the ground cover around them! Oh well – it will grow back and the vines are already sprouting new growth. But I think it is the open soil and not the sprouts that attract these Rufous-naped Wrens, probably looking for worm or insect food! 🙂 It has always been one of my common or regular birds year around and, though decreased recently, they seem to be returning in greater numbers now. Here’s 4 shots of these birds in their dapper plaid sport jacket! 🙂
Turquoise-browed Motmot
It has been a long time since I’ve photographed one of these fave birds in my yard, so I was smiling when I photographed him in my back Nance Tree, uphill or above my roof. Then I went straight in the house and started processing the photos and this shot was my favorite, writing this blog post 12 days ago. The Esquinas trip got me ahead of schedule and I just may stay that way with good birds like this stopping by! 🙂
We can regularly have two different species of motmots, this Turquoise-browed Motmot and the Lesson’s Motmot (both linked to eBird). The Lesson’s used to be called blue-crowned which was more descriptive, but there are reasons for name changes. And of course I have lots of photos of both in my galleries plus a few of the other 2 Motmots:
- Turquoise-browed Motmot GALLERY
- Lesson’s Motmot GALLERY
- Rufous Motmot GALLERY
- Broad-billed Motmot GALLERY
¡Pura Vida!
Last Friday with Linda & Carlos Cobos
An old friend from seminary and Miami days, Carlos Cobos, was in Costa Rica this past week on a choir tour with his wife Linda from their church in Conway, Arkansas. They had a “free day” Friday while their group was in a hotel in La Fortuna. So I went with my driver and we showed Carlos & Linda a few things in that part of Costa Rica that they chose from my list of options. The last activity was to see the La Fortuna Waterfall, but since it was pouring down rain by then, we did not do that, considering the steep climb down and back up from the waterfall in rain. But we did a lot of other things like the Butterfly Conservatory and Sky Adventure for lunch with views of volcano and Lake Arenal! You can see the photos in my photo gallery titled: 2023 July 21 – Day Around Arenal Volcano.
There are too many photos to share in a blog post, so I hope you will check out the gallery! The feature photo of a sloth is repeated below after this shot of the three of us on the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna. Interestingly, we paid to see a sloth (and other wildlife) on this trail and did not! But later saw a sloth alongside the highway! 🙂 Luck!? We did see birds and other wildlife on the Bogarin Trail though, so not a waste of time! 🙂
Now see more photos in the gallery: 2023 July 21 – Day Around Arenal Volcano which includes lots of nature of course! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!