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The Parrot’s Beak – Heliconia psittacorum is one of several subspecies of this one family of the many Heliconias! It is small and adds a delicate touch to any garden. Plus it is purely tropical and I like it! 🙂
For more flower photos see my Flora & Forest galleries.
¡Pura Vida!
This sailor (one of several “sailor” species) has been seen in my garden before and one other place in Atenas (8th Ave) plus my last previous sighting was in Cahuita National Park in Caribe Sur last October. See all my photos of this species in its own gallery: Pale Sailor, Dynamine agacles core. And yes, it seems to be a little rare with only one other person posting on butterfliesandmoths dot org and only 6 people on iNaturalist Costa Rica. So not an everyday butterfly! 🙂
Here’s three shots of one last Saturday in my garden . . .
This one is one of about 30 different green-colored Hairstreak butterflies in my main book, but has several characteristics that make him different from the others. And yes, I had one about a month ago, but since there are not a lot of butterflies now (and even fewer birds), I’m sharing this find in my garden the other day. I’ve had this one several times over the last year, as shown in the GALLERY Tropical Greenstreak, Cyanophrys herodtus.
In a neighbor’s garden, snapped with my telephoto lens from my own driveway. In a tropical place like Costa Rica I seem to find something new and wonderful to photograph every few days, even while standing in my own garden! 🙂 I love it here!
Mango, Mangifera indica (linked to a Wikipedia article)
Or perhaps you would enjoy my “Trees” GALLERY which I just noticed has had 3,000 views since February 2022, in just 2 years! Seems that someone else likes trees too! 🙂
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” – Nelson Henderson
¡Pura Vida!
From my garden to you with nature’s red, heart-shaped flower, the Anthurium, Anthurium andraeanum (linked to Wikipedia). It is native to Central and South America and has many common names in English such as anthurium, tailflower, flamingo flower, pigtail plant, and laceleaf. They bloom year-around in my garden and in a pot on my terrace where these photos were made.
¡Pura Vida!
Happy Valentines Day!
I earlier said that my only butterfly now in the garden is a few Banded Peacocks and I don’t count the Yellows flying up in the trees for reasons I don’t know. Well, the next day after that post, this lone Polydamas Swallowtail showed up in my garden. But still no birds beyond the hummingbird! 🙂 See more of my photos of this Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamas in that gallery. During the butterfly season he is a regular!
¡Pura Vida!
Along with dozens of other trees that bloom here during the dry season, which at first seemed strange to me, but I guess it is all about the sun. 🙂 These little yellow and orange cluster flowers will eventually turn into clusters of Nance Berries (yellow) which many birds will enjoy! And the iguanas too! 🙂 And here a few people eat them or make jams-jellies or marmalade with them. I tried eating one and did not like it as a bitter taste to me. Read about them on Wikipedia: Nance Tree, Byrsonima crassifolia.
¡Pura Vida!
As my age, health and increased cost of living here begin to require, I simply need to reduce the big activities, so only 3 trips this year of 4 nights or more, and I may sneak in some day trips or even a 2-nighter at a nearby lodge – we’ll see! 🙂 But I’m still focused on nature and have plans for a few changes in my garden this year. And the three “big” trips are going to be very good, as always! 🙂
It will be a coastal rainforest jungle in July as I return to Esquinas Rainforest Lodge for my 3rd visit and second time on my birthday! 🙂 Both photos with this post were made at Esquinas Lodge.
Then in September I’m exploring the “Amazon of Costa Rica” again at Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coast instead of my usual Hotel Banana Azul beach trip. I like all the lodges in Tortuguero, but Tortuga Lodge & Gardens gets my vote for the most comfortable with the best food! And I don’t care if it is more expensive! 🙂
Then I finish the year with Christmas at Ballena National Park, Uvita in another favorite lodge, Hotel Cristal Ballena with a room overlooking the Pacific and nightly sunsets! Plus their 30 acre rainforest refuge! 🙂 And “Ballena” = “Whale” in English.
¡Pura Vida!
The Heliconia psittacorum x spathocircinata is one of many heliconia in Costa Rica that are easy to confuse in identify! And like some of the others, it has several common names, but I prefer “Golden Torch” for this one in my garden. 🙂
See more of my flower photos in FLORA & FOREST Costa Rica including a whole gallery of just flowers in my garden.
¡Pura Vida!
Or most online sites say “relatively rare” but vary in the reasons from being very healthy or the “right amount of sun” to being stressed or root bound. Not sure why my snake plant in the frog pot on the terrace is blooming, but it is, and I thought a first for me, but after loading this I find my 2017 blog post with another one blooming. I had forgotten! 🙂
Snake Plant (Mother-in-law’s Tongue), Dracaena trifasciata.
¡Pura Vida!