charliedoggett.net
Both my gardens and ones I visit
This is one of the few hummingbirds not totally chased off by the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, though he is only an occasional visitor to my Porterweed Flowers.
See more of this species in my gallery: Blue-vented Hummingbird.
And two more totally different shots . . .
Continue reading “Blue-vented Hummingbird”
POSTSCRIPT:
OOPS! The eBird Checker just told me I’m wrong on this ID and that this is actually a Turkey Vulture with no red showing and that the little yellow showing on the head is due to light and a blurry photo. Oh well, I’m leaving the original post below but moving this photo to my Turkey Vulture gallery, Plus it is interesting to note that the iNaturalist AI called this a Yellow-headed and three people on iNat agreed with that ID. So once again, IDs are difficult! (Especially with weak photos!) 🙂
A Lifer or first-time-seen bird for me! And he was in the sky above my garden! 🙂 In Costa Rica they are found only on the Pacific Slope (which I’m on), but usually more on the coast and in the marshes, says my bird book. They look a lot like the Turkey Vulture with a shorter tail and more contrasting white on outer primaries. The book also says they usually stay closer to the ground and the marshes than this one, which was flying in circles in the valley hills like a Turkey Vulture. This one has only a little yellow on his head which indicates an immature one, as they get more yellow when they age. Also, my observation was that he was flying with raised wings more than the Turkey Vulture who seems to always be gliding with flat wings stretched out. Since this is my only photo, I will not link to my gallery but rather to eBird where you can find more information and much better photos! 🙂 And the iNaturalist CR observations page and map shows where they are seen mostly, including in the marshes of the north along the Nicaragua border where I will be again in July and will look for them this time. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
¡Pura Vida!
Another Anole that I am not certain about the species, but fairly confident on this ID! We will see later if the “lizard experts” on iNaturalist agree with my identification. 🙂 And note that this one is an immature or maybe juvenile. Though similar to a House Gecko, I think it is different and one of the anoles.
See my other photos in the GALLERY: Copper Anole, Anolis cupreus. Or you might be interested in all my many Lizard Galleries (21+ Species) with photos from all over Costa Rica. Being in the center of the isthmus of Central America, Costa Rica has species from both the North & South American continents, giving us one of the highest concentrations of species of everything (plant & animal) of any country our size in the world! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Good Friday Blessings to you!
Or Yigüirro in Costa Rica Spanish, as the national bird that sings in the rains every May. See more of this simple but iconic bird in my GALLERY: Clay-colored Thrush, Turdus grayi (gallery link).
It was still windy when I captured this very determined butterfly feeding on the flowers. Maybe the worse part of the January to March constant winds blowing here is no butterflies! And somewhat also my allergies to the constant dust blowing in! 🙂 But the Polydamas Swallowtail (my gallery link) seems to be one of those few tough (or strong) butterflies who can fly in the winds and is maybe the most seen butterfly during this time period. I do also see some Banded Peacocks and tiny brown Skippers in my garden, but only occasionally, plus way up in the trees are some Yellows that seem to stay high, with almost no other butterflies. But that will start changing in April & May as the winds stop and my peak of butterflies in my garden is May to September! And yes, that is the rainy season. Just one shot of this Polydamas.
¡Pura Vida!
I usually see this species out in the cow pasture grass, but here he is in one of my Nance Trees! See more of this seedeater species in my gallery: Yellow-faced Grassquit – Tiaris olivaceus. Just one shot from this sighting in the middle of March . . .
¡Pura Vida!
One of those semi-rare birds that I don’t see very often at home or on trips, though the most common of 8 different cuckoos in Costa Rica . This one was hiding in the shadows of a Nance Tree earlier in March, never showing the front of his/her bright B&W tail, thus no great photos like with the one that posed for me back in 2017. 🙂 But in nature photography you take what you get and try to make the best of it! 🙂 See my collection of Squirrel Cuckoos, the gallery! Just 3 shots here . . .
I’m rather late with my monthly flowers report, but that is because of all the photos from the 3 day trips with my Canadian friends. Below this one email photo is a gallery of a dozen shots. Click one to see it larger. Enjoy my tropical paradise!
This tiny little bee on the Spadix of an Anthurium (not a large pistil) was, I first thought, a Green Orchid Bee, but the AI of iNaturalist says no, it is one of many different species of sweat bees and once I post it on iNaturalist, it may or may not be given a species name, just the Tribe Augochlorini. He will go in my general Bees Gallery with only this tribal name for now. 🙂 He is less than half the size of yesterday’s orchid bee.
¡Pura Vida!
Early this morning Walter will take me and a group of 4 Canadian friends to breakfast at El Jardin on our way to a birding boat trip on Rio Tarcoles to its mouth on the coast followed by a birding hike in nearby Carara National Park, then lunch somewhere on our way back to Atenas. This is the second time I’ve arranged this always productive birding trip for this group.
Then on Thursday we go, at their request, to a mountain Cloud Forest Reserve north of San Ramon. There will not be as many birds there but all will be different from what was seen on the coast. Plus that 6:30am guided hike will be followed by a great “farm to table” breakfast at the Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort. I spent a couple of nights there during my earlier years in Costa Rica (2017) and it is nice, but I photographed only 9 species of birds that one time there. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!