Category: Garden

Both my gardens and ones I visit

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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! 🙂

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Atenas, Costa Rica
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Atenas, Costa Rica

See more in my Rufous-tailed Hummingbird GALLERY.

¡Pura Vida!

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Little Yellow

This is my second time to see a Little Yellow, Eurema lisa, with the other being in the Butterfly Conservatory in El Castillo and this time in my Garden in Atenas.

Little Yellow, Atenas, Costa Rica.

My Little Yellow Gallery.

¡Pura vida!

POSTSCRIPT: Today I am at El Silencio Lodge in Bajos del Toro and will return home tomorrow. Reports from this short two-night trip will be coming later. I’m staying about 2 weeks ahead on my blog posts, but if something spectacular happens here, I’ll double up and report it immediately! 🙂

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Rooftop Iguana

This young Black Spiny-tailed Iguana growing up in my garden frequently pitter-patters across the plastic fake tile roof, sounding like those squirrels back in Tennessee! 🙂 The roof makes a nice bridge between the Cecropia Tree at on end and the Nance Tree at the other. Here’s two shots, one showing the roof and the other a little roof-top portrait with me zooming in on him.

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, Atenas, Costa Rica
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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 . . .

Gray-capped Flycatcher, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Wind’s Skipper

Another new species for me! Wind’s Skipper or Windia windi (scientific name). To be a year with much fewer butterflies in my garden, I continue to find new species which is kind of amazing to me! And this one has a kind of interesting pattern for a Skipper with pleasing blends of oranges, browns and whites. It is kind of small but bigger than those fingernail sized guys! 🙂 Here’s four shots from different angles. You will find more shots in my Wind’s Skipper gallery in the bigger family gallery of Skippers.

Wind’s Skipper, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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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 . . .

Melodious Blackbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Common Melwhite Butterfly

This is just my second time to photograph this species. The last time was in 2020, also in my garden. Like mosts Whites and Yellows, they do not land often or for long to aid in photographing! 🙂 See all my photos in the Common Melwhite GALLERY. Or you might find it interesting see my larger collection of WHITES, YELLOWS & SULPHURS with 23 plus several unidentified that I believe are in this family. Here’s two photos, the less-shown top view and then a side view that is distinctive of this species.

Common Melwhite, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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