Category: Flowers

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La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Just two shots here with this link to my gallery: Nov 18 La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where there are 11 species of birds and 6 species of butterflies, including a new or first-time seen species, the Silver-studded Leafwing – Hypna clytemnestra. And I included the waterfall photos I made on an earlier trip since I did not feel like that mountainous trail in the rain this time. The feature photo at top is of Templo Falls, also in the rain back in 2015! 🙂 Because it was raining most of the time there this trip too, I did not try to photograph the many beautiful flower gardens this trip and the rain had most of the usual hummingbirds hiding under leaves. 🙂 But hey! Cloud Forests and Rainforests need rain! 🙂

A wild Northern Emerald or Blue-throated Toucanet, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Polydamas Swallowtail

This is the most frequently seen “large” butterfly in my garden and here are a couple of shots from the other day . . .

Polydamas Swallowtail, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Julia Heliconian

The Julia Heliconian, Dryas julia (my gallery link) is a favorite butterfly of many here and is found from Brazil north to South Texas and the Florida peninsula. A lot more photos in my gallery linked above.

Julia Heliconian, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Common Scarlet-eye

My photos of this new species will also be the first photos submitted to butterfliesandmoths dot org. The common name may confuse you if the eyes look black to you, which has to do with the light, but they are a deep red color. The Common Scarlet-eye, Nascus phocus (My gallery link with more photos from this sighting) is found from Argentina to Mexico. Here’s 2 photos (top & side views) . . .

Common Scarlet-eye, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Common Scarlet-eye, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Apricot Sulphur

Many yellows & sulphurs are similar and difficult to identify, but sometimes getting even a bad photo helps to make the identity. That was the case for this Apricot Sulphur, Phoebis argante (my gallery link) that I photographed in my garden recently. The first shot of the side view or folded wings is a light yellow with brown spots like a dozen or so of the yellows and sulphurs, but then he flew to another plant with the top of his wings showing in the second photo below which is out of focus, but the solid orangy-yellow top makes him an Apricot Sulphur. 🙂

Apricot Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Apricot Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

See more photos in my Apricot Sulphur Gallery. He is found from Paraguay north to Mexico.

¡Pura Vida!

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Two-barred Flasher

A colorful Skipper, the Two-barred Flasher, Astraptes fulgerator (linked to my gallery) is in the Hesperiidae Family of butterflies, found from Argentina north through Central America to the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Here’s just one shot in my garden recently and you will see many others in the above linked gallery.

Two-barred Flasher, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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You ask me why I dwell in the green mountain

The green mountains of Atenas, Costa Rica seen from my terrace.

You ask me why I dwell in the green mountain;

I smile and make no reply for my heart is free of care.

As the peach-blossom flows downstream and is gone into the unknown,

I have a world apart that is not among men.

~Li Bai, 8th Century Chinese Poet

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That is sort of my response to the U.S. election and what has been going on there for many years now. And as I finish my life retired in Costa Rica, I will continue, as long as able, to photograph and write about birds, butterflies and flowers! 🙂

The photo is of the green hills of Atenas, Costa Rica as seen from my terrace at breakfast.

¡Pura Vida!

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Large Orange Sulphur

Another new species for me in my gardens during October was the Large Orange Sulphur, Phoebis agarithe. My collection is growing with over 300 species now!

Large Orange Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

A Day with Friends Starting the Caravan Tour of CR

Gary & Kenna Eatons, friends from my Nashville days, began their tour of Costa Rica with Caravan Tours yesterday coming a day early for a tour of two great museums Sunday in San Jose led my me and my driver/guide Walter, who took his selfie here with our group in front of the National Museum (the yellow building). The other couple, the Huskey’s, are friends of the Eaton’s, also from Nashville. And I took a few other cell phone photos in a gallery: Two Museums Tour.

When their tour ends next Sunday morning, Walter & I will take them on an art museum tour before taking the Huskey’s to the airport and bringing the Eaton’s to Atenas for an extended visit of Costa Rica with me and Walter. 🙂

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Whirlabout

I love the name of this butterfly, which is maybe descriptive of all butterflies! 🙂 The Whirlabout, Polites Vibex (my gallery link) is a plain light orange skipper when his wings are folded, but open like in this photo on a Zinnia, he is a colorful bright orange. He is seen in the SE U.S. south through the West Indies and Central America down to Argentina.

Whirlabout, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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The Little Zinnia Patch

My landlord “K” has really brightened his other properties with Zinnia flower beds and thus hundreds of butterflies for his tenants, especially in his two AirBNB short-term rentals where tourists and short-term visitors will be thrilled with the butterflies. Then he recently had his gardener plant a little patch along our driveway next to my upper garden of Porterweeds. So now I have two different major attractions for butterflies. Here’s just one shot with a slide show online including some shots with butterflies on them! 🙂 And one with a ladybug! 🙂

My Little Zinnia Patch!
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