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The theme of today’s online class was “Light & Shadow” and you can see my class notes and comments at Pause 5: Light & Shadow. (linked to my notes) Still not excited about the class, but this was a good photo-activity! 🙂
So I went outside at about 3pm yesterday (not the best time for long shadows, but okay). Here are a few of my shots in a gallery that won’t work in the email, so one pix for the email and then go to the online post for the gallery . . .
I am continuing the “Photography & Mindfulness” online class with #4 being day before yesterday or done yesterday for me. And of course a blog post each time with a link to my notes, comments and one or more of my photos that I think sort of relate. I’m not quite as “ethereal” or maybe it’s “psychological” as my teacher in Spain, but hoping this focus on mindfulness will help me to be more mindful and sensitive in making creative and meaningful nature photos. If interested, go to my online notes on this particular class at : Pause 4: Sensation and Emotion -May 15, 2026 NOTES.
From Google AI: “Green islands” on a browning leaf are caused by living pests or pathogens that manipulate the plant’s hormones. They excrete cytokinins (plant growth hormones) that trick the leaf into delaying its natural death and keeping its green chlorophyll active in that specific area.
¡Pura Vida!
See all of my notes from this class at my Photography & Mindfulness page.
The rainy season here is believed by many to have been “sung in” by the Yigüirro or Clay-colored Thrush. Rain usually starts around the middle of May, while this year it started in early May. And sure enough, the Clay-colored Thrush sang almost constantly throughout April and the rains started the first week of May! I think this image of a Yigüirro in one of my Nance Trees has that look of a “job well done!” 🙂 And it continues to rain almost every afternoon.
¡Pura Vida!
See more photos of this National Bird of Costa Rica in my gallery: Clay-colored Thrush.
The Yigüirro (CR Spanish name) or Clay-colored Thrush (Common English name) became the national bird of Costa Rica because early residents gave it credit for the beginning of Rainy Season in May, since they seem to be singing constantly during April before the rains start. Two shots from my garden a few days ago or see more from over the years in the gallery: Clay-colored Thrush or Yigüirro
¡Pura Vida!
There are actually 2 species of the Yellow Warbler here, the migrants from the north and a resident one here called Mangrove Swallow. But they look identical except for the resident adult male who has a reddish or rust-colored head or cap. The females and juveniles look identical. Thus, I have all my photos in one gallery, Northern/Mangrove Yellow Warbler, covering both Setophaga aestiva and Setophaga petechia. And I’m pretty sure that this one is a migrant male or Northern Yellow Warbler, Setophaga aestiva, male. I have more photos of him in the gallery. And who knows? He just may have migrated here from Nashville like I did! 🙂
The most common species of squirrel in Central America is this Variegated Squirrel, Sciurus variegatoides (my gallery link). Here’s 3 shots of a very active one in my garden who, in one photo, is gathering material for a nest. And I’m back to doing posts in real time with just a few more photos from March when I was staying 10 days ahead on posts. Hoping the winds will die down and more birds and butterflies will be visible.
“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” — Claude Monet
See more in my GALLERY: Leaves & Nature Things! Which I consider as one of my “Photo Art Galleries.” 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
During this very windy time of the year (Jan-Mar) there simply are not many birds on my little hill, but in February I got photos of this pair of White-winged Doves (my gallery link) in the overlapping Nance Tree & Palms adjacent my terrace that I could photograph from my outdoor rocking chair. 🙂 This species is a little larger than some and seems to handle the wind okay, but others have simply disappeared to who knows where? And of course virtually no butterflies.
“No matter how beautiful architecture men can make, they will never create such a wonderful thing as a tree.” ~Pier Luigi Nervi
¡Pura Vida!
And of course I have a Trees gallery!
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!