I almost added the “s” because it was like 4 different sunrises.

I almost added the “s” because it was like 4 different sunrises.

This particular lizard, Four-lined Ameiva, seems to be fairly common in Costa Rica as I have seen him in other places. But not to be confused with the Central American Ameiva whose stripes are different and may be even more common. 🙂 The two name links above are to my galleries for each.


¡Pura Vida!
There has been a wall of clouds on the horizon every morning but a higher wall this morning with some lightening strikes behind them, so not the best sunrise photos today. 🙂 The feature photo at top is looking southeast at the clouds and below is a silhouette of Brown Pelicans flying. Below that are my 5 shots from today in the order shot or seen on the beach.

So many and so much color! Here’s a sample photo and then read on for the slide show of 19 different flowers.

The lizard is lucky because Scarlet-rumped Tanagers don’t eat lizards! 🙂 When I photographed the Tanager I did not notice the lizard below him until the image was enlarged on my laptop screen. Bigger birds eat lizards this size! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!
I’ve galleries on two varieties of Scarlet-rumped Tanagers:
Yesterday afternoon three of the juvenile Gray-cowled Wood-Rails lined up at the pond to splash in the water for their bath. Note the sister waiting for her two brothers to finish first in the series of 4 photos below.

More golden this morning with a lone kayaker going by at first light . . .


¡Pura Vida!
My daily nature post was earlier today with the skipper butterfly – now a personal update from cancer surgery & radiation therapy, plus the coming week that I’m excited about. 🙂
As we say here in Costa Rica, “Estoy mejor poco a poco.” I’m better little by little. Most of my taste has returned after losing all of it from radiation. Food is not quite as “tasty” as I remember it being, but so much better now and I can eat almost anything. And my swallowing ability has also greatly improved if not completely normal now.
I still need to sleep long hours at night and sometime nap in the day with not near the high energy I used to have physically. But again it is so much better than it was at the end of June! And I’m still having to accept that being 81 years old might have a little bit to do with my lack of energy or physical ability now. 🙂
Overall I am feeling so much better than I was going into that July trip, plus this trip will be to flat land with no hills to climb! And generally a more “laid back” or relaxing place than my July mountain-top experience! 🙂 Plus right now I’m planning on no tours or side trips, just relax in the forests and beaches of the hotel which I overview below if you read on after this 2019 photo from there . . .

“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”
~Martin Buber

And what do you think the following Costa Rica animals are saying with their eyes?
Continue reading “Animal Eyes”