Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

“Weird Bird” some might say, especially with some of his unusual postures when drying feathers or otherwise standing around!  🙂 But always one I enjoy trying to photograph! For more photos beyond these 4, see my Bare-throated Tiger-Heron GALLERY. All were photographed from a moving boat at Tortuguero National Park, Limón, Costa Rica.

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Tortuguero NP, Costa Rica

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3 Toucan Species

There are 3 species of toucans on each side of Costa Rica with the Keel-billed and Yellow-throated on both sides and a different Aracari (smaller toucan) on each side, Collared Aracari on the Caribbean (Atlantic) side and Fiery-billed Aracari on the Pacific slopes. And of course this past week I was in the Caribbean. Here’s two shots of each species with a link to my gallery for that species if you want to see more and different photos. One photo for the email notice and then the three galleries online . . .

Keel-billed Toucan, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

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Tortuguero Dragonflies

I managed to get usable photos of 5 dragonflies while in the Tortuguero wetlands but cannot guarantee the identification of the four I’ve labeled. The fifth one never landed and thus my photos of him flying are next to impossible to identify, so I just labeled him “unidentified,”  and one or more of the others could be also.  🙂

Red-mantled Dragonlet, Tortuguero NP, Costa Rica

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Rainforest Floating Reflexions

I’m up to photos of about 40 bird species plus at least 20 other animals and I don’t leave until noon tomorrow, so it will be a while before I report on all of those, thus here’s a few representative shots from the different boats I floated on through the Tortuguero rivers and canals . . .

The 6 am trip was rainy more than half the two hours but we still saw a lot of wildlife!

Here’s 10 more shots, some of which could be considered art (I think) . . .

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Sungrebe – The Rarest Bird seen yesterday

This was only my third time to see a Sungrebe. The first time was here at Tortuguero in 2016 when Reagan came and we traveled to Tortuguero Laguna Lodge. My second sighting was in 2017 at Caño Negro and now again at Tortuguero but in the dark shadows of plants along the water’s edge and very difficult to photograph. See my shots from earlier years (which are better) in my Sungrebe Gallery and here’s the most representative shot from yesterday, a female behind brush along the canal where they usually stay, out of the sun and away from people. The female has an orange cheek and the male a plain white cheek of which I have one photo below this one of a female for a total of 4 photos, not of high quality, but representative of this bird . . .

Sungrebe female, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica.

3 more photos below . . .

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An Iguana from Today & New Bus Station Open in Alajuela

Today was too busy because I had to take tours when they were available – two today! Morning and afternoon, both by boat and both with some rain. Reports on both great tours later but here’s a male Green Iguana who, I know, is orange! The male Green Iguanas turn orange during mating season because that is supposedly more attractive to female iguanas than green! Hmmm! Who am I to question female iguanas?  🙂 I photographed it near my cabin after lunch today between the two boat tours.

Male Green Iguana at Tortuga Lodge & Gardens, Tortuguero, Costa Rica.

 

See my gallery of other Green Iguana photos.

And I read an article today about the new bus station in Alajuela that is finally open! It’s the one I will use regularly.

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My Caribbean Cottage for 4 Nights

I look out over the main river in Tortuguero when in my colorful Caribbean Cottage. I’m in the downstairs one on the left in photo below. It rained off and on much of my arrival afternoon but I got  a few photos  with an Oropendola my only bird. Took the night walk and might have some photos from that later. And in the morning I do my favorite boat tour of the national park with lots of birds and other animal possibilities, then tomorrow afternoon visit a small community in the middle of the rainforest. So lots of photo-ops!  🙂

My room on the left, downstairs overlooking the river.

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My Garden Peacock & Health Update

And of course you do know that I mean Peacock BUTTERFLY!  🙂

There are two species that I see here, the more common is the Banded Peacock that I see all over Costa Rica and shared one from last week’s visit to Xandari, but maybe my preferred is the simpler but elegant  White Peacock Butterfly, Anartia jatrophae. Click that link for my gallery photos of them. They are also found all over Costa Rica, though not in the abundance of the Banded Peacock. These are the only 2 “Peacock” butterflies in Costa Rica, while Panama and south into South America there is also a Red Peacock Butterfly which is similar to the Banded but with thicker bands of red where the Banded has thinner white bands.

White Peacock Butterfly, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

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Two Damselflies at Xandari

I was not aware of any Dragonflies but saw many Damselflies including these two with fairly certain identifications 🙂  . . . 

Female Azure Dancer

Female Azure Dancer at Xandari Costa Rica

Forest Rubyspot

Forest Rubyspot at Xandari Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

See my gallery of many of the Dragon & Damselflies in Costa Rica.

And the 2023 Xandari Trip Gallery is now ready for you to see all this year’s photos from this colorful nature resort.