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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 . . .
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.
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 . . .
It is the same species or only species of Hummingbird I have in my yard now, the Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and maybe the most common species in Costa Rica. They are territorial, meaning if he claims my garden, he chases off other species of hummingbirds. You can see the many I’ve photographed all over Costa Rica in my Rufous-tailed GALLERY or read more about them on eBird. I like these shots because of the contrast with the bright red El Baston de Emperador or Torch Ginger. Here’s four shots . . .
Another new species of butterfly! And that is pretty good with this being a year of overall fewer butterflies seen! 🙂 This one is in the Gossamer Wings Family and sub-family of Hairstreaks, scientific name Rubroserrata mathewi and common name of Matthew’s Groundstreak. And this is another one of those tiny, fingernail sized butterflies which seem to be handling the wind and lack of rain better this year. Here’s four photos of this new species, all shot in my garden:
Well, not many butterflies have such creative names! And that is not the name of this very brown (chocolate-looking) butterfly with the scientific name of Vacerra litana and the major butterfly websites using the common name of Litana Skipper while my best butterfly book calls it the Common Therra. It is found throughout Central America into the northern edges of South America as far a Guyana. There are so many brown and brownish Skippers! But this one that I photographed in my garden looks the most like chocolate to me, AND it is another NEW SPECIES FOR ME! Here’s 4 photos of the one in my garden:
August 12 is World Elephant Day, a really very important day! Elephants will be disappointed if you don’t remember this one, because they always do. (“An elephant never forgets”!) Seriously, this day is for learning more about Asian and African elephants, smart creatures that are being threatened with extinction because of hunting and habitat loss. Learn how you can help at worldelephantday.org.
See my other elephant photos from the 2005 Safari in Masai Mara, Kenya. And there are older, not as good, photos from a 1998 Kenya Safari.
Also I experienced the total extinction of elephants during my 3 years of living in The Gambia, West Africa where both poachers and habitat destruction eliminated all of the elephants that used to live there. It is very sad. This is a serious World Day that needs lots of attention or there will be no elephants left world-wide. Consider joining one of the efforts to save elephants.
¡Pura Vida!
One of my favorite tiny butterfly designs is on this Rounded Metalmark, Caliphelis perditalis. And it is rare to see any butterfly on a Plumbago flower because they are sticky and could trap some small butterflies like this one. But notice the intricate design on his wings! Another “Nature as Art!” 🙂 See my Rounded Metalmark GALLERY.
¡Pura Vida!
This only my second time to see this species of butterfly, Red-studded Skipper, Noctuana stator (linked to my Gallery) with the other sighting being at Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica – that’s on the Caribbean side where I will be in September. 🙂 This time I saw it here in Atenas on one of my walks to town in that Zinnia Garden at 8th & 3rd where I’ve seen a lot of butterflies.
This one has been common in my garden in the past but not this year reminding me that I need some different flowers. This quick cell phone shot was made on a walk to town along Avenida 8 in that Zinna bed so popular with butterflies. I must add zinnas if I can find them! Not a common flower here and I’ve never seen them in any Vivero.
And that GALLERY: Tanna Longtail
¡Pura Vida!