Though the Rufous-tailed continues to dominate my garden and especially the feeders when I fill them, the other hummingbird that I still have in spite of the Rufous-tailed is the Canivet’s Emerald Hummingbird (linked to my gallery) and he is a less common hummingbird anywhere here in Costa Rica and is only found from Southern Mexico to Costa Rica. But it seems to occasionally show up and I appreciate her spunk in putting up with the rufous-tailed! Either a male or female has been in my garden from the beginning in 2015, one of the first species I photographed there. Here’s three different views of this female (back, side & front) or go to gallery for more . . .
The Mimosa Skipper – Cogia calchas (linked to butterfliesandmoths with more photos & location map). It is a new species for me and another mostly Central America butterfly found from Mexico to Venezuela. With the naked eye it first looked almost solid black but by removing some of the shadows of the side view in Photoshop Elements I got that erratic pattern to show and aid in identification. I continue to be amazed at how many new species I am finding this early in the season (this one was March 31). Here are two photos, a side view and an almost top view plus there are more in my Mimosa Skipper GALLERY.
When on a boat on the Rio San Carlos and we saw these two Ibis, I first thought they were vultures, based on their perching stance and dark color, but they are Green Ibis which are not always green in color! 🙂 It was cloudy and about to rain and they were looking for some fish to eat. 🙂
If you look in my Green Ibis Gallery you can find some with a greenish hue, but many tend to be dark brown or near black with sometimes a reddish-brown hue. I don’t know why. If you look close, these seem to have a greenish hue on their necks and the base of their beaks, and that is all! 🙂 Here’s one shot. Go to the above gallery to see more.
Green Ibis, pre-rain fishing, Rio San Carlos, Maquenque Eco Lodge, Boca Tapada, Alajuela, Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
Flash News: I have Covid!
All those 2+ years of rampant Covid in 2020-2021 and I never had it! (Though I had cancer which is worst!) 🙂
Well, I came back from my trip not feeling my best and it kept getting worse, aching all over like the flu, sore throat and coughing, runny nose, etc. I went to the public clinic ER and they thought I had Dengue Fever, but after two days of blood tests, they said “No, not dengue!” Then told me to take lots of fluids and rest. Not being satisfied with that, I went to my private clinic and Dra. Candy immediately got a Covid Test on me and it was positive. I have several meds to take and I’m quarantined for 5 days, clear again next Wednesday. It’s the bronchitis, coughing and phlegm that bother me the most. Tylenol takes care of the fever. Just be glad when it it gone! 🙂
The Giant Ceiba Borer or Euchroma gigantea (iNaturalist link), is one of the larger borer beetles that inhabits the warm tropical lowland jungles of Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. And quite a sight to see! 🙂
This was one of my very last photos this morning before leaving Maquenque Eco Lodge (lodge website) on one of the handrail posts going over the bridge/dam between the lake & lagoon. And just before beginning another adventurous road trip back to Atenas through pineapple fields, heavy traffic, clouds/fog, rain and winding mountain roads, arriving just barely in time for my appointment to receive a new dental bridge. 🙂
Giant Ceiba Borer, Euchroma-gigantea, Maquenque Eco Lodge and Reserve, Boca Tapada, Costa Rica
More to Read About this Insect . . .
And don’t miss the iNaturalist article linked above! And my photo will soon be a part of the iNaturalist photo collection on this species. 🙂
A much more detailed blog post: ALEPHROCCO A natural history blog by Christian Alessandro Perez-Martinez
Bibliography on Euchroma gigantea by Maya-Ethnozoology
This one almost fooled me because I did not see his yellow breast that I always associate with the Kingbird, I almost called it a Palm Tanager, but it’s not! Confirmed by Merlin as the Tropical Kingbird (linked to my gallery).
Or at least common in my garden with the Oriole being the least common. And this and tomorrow’s post of 3 smaller birds will be me catching up with bird photos from the first week of April! 🙂 Just one shot each of four . . .
These could all 3 go into my unidentified insects gallery, though I’m going to classify 2 as general types of wasps and the other a type of bee (I have all types of bees together in one gallery). There are so many insect species here and I only really work at identifying birds and butterflies and somewhat at dragonflies. 🙂 Here’s one photo of each of these 3 recent ones in my garden . . .
My second overnight trip after moving to Costa Rica nearly 10 years ago was to this locally-owned & operated lodge/hotel near the village of Tarcoles, less than an hour west of Atenas, Villa Lapas. I did not get many bird or other wildlife photos compared to later trips other places, but you can see what I got in my Trip Gallery:Villa Lapas, July 2015. The appeal then and now is that it is located next to Carara National Park, where, with a good guide (that I did not have then), you can photograph a lot of different bird species as you also can on the right Tarcoles River Boat Safari. Since then I’ve discovered lots of better lodges for birds and other nature photography (even in that area – see bottom of post), so why am I returning now? Because of a recent announcement about this little-known place with some rooms arranged as a “Colonial Spanish Jungle Village” becoming a Marriott Resort . . .
Villa Lapas set up as a “Colonial Jungle Village” in the Transitional Forests of Carara National Park.Continue reading “Villa Lapas”
Those cute buggy eyes looking out at us doesn’t seem to fit his name of Coyote Cloudywing (Achalarus toxeus), another new species for me in my garden the other day. It was windy again and he didn’t stay on that vine long, so no other views as I prefer to make, but I kind of like this look! 🙂
Coyote Cloudywing, Atenas, Costa Rica
See some other interesting Skippers in their galleries.
¡Pura Vida!
Visiting or Moving to Costa Rica? Avoid Driving!
My personal advice is to not rent or buy a car! Driving can be terrible here! I’ve been here nearly 10 years now without a car and done fine! I walk a lot locally and use taxis or tour drivers and public buses for trips. (And occasionally fly Sansa Airlines for distant lodges.) The many expats here think they have to have a car or two plus as more Costa Ricans can afford cars (very expensive here!) they are helping to overload the very limited infrastructure for automobiles as are the increase in trucks servicing the growing population. See this article with a photo in Sunday’s Tico Times Online English Newspaper:
