Category: Nature

My profession is to always find God in nature.

– Henry David Thoreau

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Animales Fantasticos!

I saw the first Harry Potter prequel today, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Animales Fantasticos) and of course you find them in Costa Rica!  🙂

And I also picked up an old dead branch along the road, lightly sprayed with gold paint, and put it in a vase of rocks for my árbolito de navidad (little Christmas Tree) this year and will decorate it with hand-crafted artisan birds. Here’s 4 of the first ones added. There will be more Fantastic Beasts! 🙂

And yes, Costa Rica is into Christmas decorations and the whole celebration in a big way! Every store is heavily decorated and the malls have three story tall Christmas Trees. 


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Seeing Behind the Leaves

In the forest or my garden, one must look through tiny windows to see behind the leaves:

Blue-crowned Motmot at breakfast this morning
In Yellow Bell tree that will soon be blooming, Atenas, Costa Rica
As usual, I said “Oh fuey! He’s not in the open for a good shot!”
But this is a more common view! 

Tropical Kingbird (pretty sure, can’t see breast)
From my terrace, Atenas, Costa Rica

Maraca or Shampoo Ginger
In jungle of my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Heliconia behind Heliconia plants
My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Red Ginger amongst the ginger leave
My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Red Ginger amongst many plants
My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Layers of Leaves
My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Overshadowed in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Between the leaves in my garden
Atenas, Costa Rica
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Maybe My 2 Most Frequent Visitors

These two I see from my terrace every day and possibly more often than any other birds.

Rufous-naped Wren
Seen at breakfast from my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
White-ringed Flycatcher
Seen at breakfast from my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
Similar to the very common
Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee & Boat-billed Flycatcher.
But white on head makes a complete ring around his head
and Kiskadee & Boat-billed are noticeably larger with larger bills.

See also my BIRDS Photo Gallery

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This Morning’s Garden

 Each morning I walk through my garden and then eat breakfast on my terrace. Today I liked:

There are many more blooming of course, especially the red ginger and porter weed all the time, but not sure I’ve shown the above recently, so enjoy! I love life in the natural, slow lane in Costa Rica! With no car!   🙂
¡Pura Vida!
See also my photo gallery call Flora and Forests for more flower photos. 

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A Pleasant Evening in Atenas, Costa Rica!

Overlooking my house on a cloudy sunset around 5:15.
 “And all is well on the western front!”  🙂
Yep, the sun shines from between 5 & 5:30 AM to the same in PM
Every day, year around – 12 hours of dark & 12 hours of light! Nice!
That’s because we are close to the equator. Same sunrise/sunset daily.

And to my fellow Americans, forgive me for saying I was ashamed last night. The election did not go the way I thought was best, but God just may have something much better in store for us! So today I posted on Facebook the following quote and Scripture verse that better reflects my faith:

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come and
the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 41:1
¡Pura Vida!

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Something with Orange & Black for Halloween

Banded Skipper Butterfly
On the outside of my neighbor’s window screen.
A better specimen and view than one I showed earlier inside my house.

See also my BUTTERFLY & MOTH PHOTO GALLERY 

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A Couple of Repeat Birds

Hoffman’s Woodpecker Female
In my garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
A little better photo than one posted the other day.

White-Ringed Flycatcher
In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

White-Ringed Flycatcher
In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

And my BIRDS GALLERY online

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Blue-crowned Motmot

Blue-crowned Motmot
In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

Blue-crowned Motmot
In My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

The other day I told about missing a photo of a motmot, well at breakfast today I got one. Not my best shot with the cool tail partially hidden, but okay to be behind some leaves. 

See also my BIRDS PHOTO GALLERY