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A wet, young, Tropical Kingbird (gallery link) and lots of wet leaves (gallery link) from my terrace Wednesday afternoon. I still haven’t been able to catch the rain falling unless a real hard downpour, but wet birds and leaves seem to show it okay. 🙂
This tiny butterfly appears at first to be plain beige with dark patches showing through from the top side (they are dark brown patches). But if you look close you can see a faint yellow band along the edge of the forward wing. The only ones I’ve seen have been in my garden and on the nearby Calle Nueva dirt road. See my other shots, including one top view showing those dark brown patches and at least one with a more obvious yellow band! 🙂 All in my gallery: Banded Yellow, Limoncito de Faja, Eurema elathea.
¡Pura Vida!
One of the few unique butterflies I saw in May, the Pink-spotted Cattleheart (my gallery link) is found only from Mexico to Costa Rica. They like my garden. 🙂 But this one would not come out in the open like a few in my above-linked gallery. All but one in the gallery were seen in my garden, with the one exception being at Villa Caletas, Jaco, just an hour west of here. Like with a few other butterfly species, I am the #1 observer of this in Costa Rica on iNaturalist. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
My sick stomach is slowly getting better with meds & careful eating.
One of the more common birds seen in my garden has always been the Great Kiskadee (linked to my gallery) and here are 2 shots of this tropical bird common all over Costa Rica.
¡Pura Vida!
See my notes on yesterday’s class on SILENCE for Photography & Mindfulness at:
Pause 6: Silence including a link to YouTube recording of song “The Sound of Silence” or find links to my collection of notes on Photography & Mindfulness. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
¡Pura Vida!
This Great Spreadwing Damselfly (my gallery link) has the scientific name of Archilestes grandis and the Spanish common name of Caballito Crucifijo Mayor. The name refers to the fact that it is one of the few damselflies that always lands with wings spread out. And this is my 4th sighting of one in my garden. It must like Atenas too! 🙂 See more photos in my gallery linked above.
¡Pura Vida!
It is still windier than usual for May, but less frequently now. I’ve photographed a lot of birds in my garden but no great photos yet. And fewer butterflies. 🙂 I’m staying home and resting this weekend because of a little stomach virus (taking medications) and want to be full of energy for my Monday to Wednesday visit to Xandari which has been a good butterfly source in the past.
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.
One of the most seen butterflies in my garden was seen the first time this year a couple of days ago, so maybe we are about to get back to normal (if the wind will just stop blowing!). 🙂 See my photo collection at Laverna Metalmark.
¡Pura Vida!
As butterflies slowly return, even in the wind, I welcome another former regular, the Juno Silverspot (my gallery link) even if not really good photos. I’ve seen him flying by more than landing anywhere, but barely managed to get these two shots, side view & top.
¡Pura Vida!