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.
My photo of African Elephant in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya, 2005.
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.
The last time I tried to count my Maraca Flowers (Shampoo Ginger) I counted around 52 of them! These are the ones behind my house in a very full garden area compared to another Maraca plant out front more in the open which flowers earlier than these and they are more red while these are mostly yellow. Having tropical gardens is a fun past time! 🙂
Maracas or Shampoo Ginger Flowers, Atenas, Costa RicaMaracas or Shampoo Ginger Flowers, Atenas, Costa Rica
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.
Rounded Metalmark, in my garden, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaRounded Metalmark, in my garden, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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.
Tanna Longtail on a Zinnia along Avenida 8, Atenas.
A ground-level shot of the cow pasture across the street from my house where the grass stays taller and VERY GREEN during our rainy season, May to November.
Cow Pasture adjacent to Residencial Roca Verde, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica. In front of my house! 🙂
And read in yesterday’s Tico Times English Language Paper the cool article on: Eco-Friendly Lifeguard Stations Coming to Costa Rica’s Beaches. In brief they are picking up the millions of plastic bottles left by idiots on our beaches, converting them into a wood substitute and forming substitute lumber with which they will build these cool Lifeguard stations for beaches all over Costa Rica! This is a great solution for both increased pollution and decreased forests! 🙂
Tico Times photo of recycled plastic Lifeguard Station
Back on July 21 when I took Linda & Carlos Cobos to the Butterfly Conservatory, I was busy relating to them and did not photograph as many butterflies as usual there, but I did get 12 species! And best of all, one of those was a new species for me and my collection! it was the Consul fabius or Tiger-striped Leafwing. That common name is because when his wings are open, instead of folded as here, the top of his wings are black and orange striped like a lot of “tiger” butterflies but with different shaped wings that when closed look like a dead leaf for protection from predators! Only this one never opened his wings for me and we had to keep moving through the greenhouses. Maybe people look like predators to him! 🙂 But, regardless, I got my first photos of a Tiger-striped Leafwing! It is always fun to see something for the first time! 🙂
Tiger-striped Leafwing, Consul fabius, Butterfly Conservatory, El Castillo, Arenal Alajuela, Costa Rica
