This Tropical Checkered Skipper (my gallery link) and that linked gallery will show you that I have seen a lot of these in Atenas with this one at Maquenque the only one so far anywhere else. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Tropical Checkered Skipper
Cocoa Woodcreeper
This is another one of the fine birds that I photographed from my back porch at Maquenque in two different sightings. I’ve seen this bird in only 2 other lodges but these were my best shots ever while just sitting on the back porch. 🙂 See more photos from these sightings plus those from the other two lodges in my gallery: Cocoa Woodcreeper (linked).
¡Pura Vida!
Yellow-throated Toucan
With several tourists here from around the world, it seems that one of the first things they want to see is a toucan, and the boldest one here is this Yellow-throated Toucan (my gallery link). Here’s two slightly different views with neither showing his patch of red, but still a handsome bird! We are on the Caribbean Slope here, where this Yellow-throated is more common than the Keel-billed which is more common on the Pacific Slope. Tomorrow I will share another variety of toucans which also has a different “cousin” on the Pacific Slope.
¡Pura Vida!
Pale-banded Crescent
In my gallery I have 9 different species of Crescents and this one has been mostly seen here in Atenas. See my GALLERY: Pale-banded Crescent, Anthanassa tulcis (linked). Here’s three different views in my garden this June and the damaged wings you may have noticed on other butterfly photos I’ve shared this year. It is the wind! Though not all the time like January, it is blowing just as hard here in June, which is not normal! I believe it is a part of the human-caused climate change. Also note that this one is on one of my few Milkweed Flowers, which is also attracting other species, so I want to find another sunny spot for more.
And two more different view photos . . .
Continue reading “Pale-banded Crescent”Mimosa Yellow
Above is a crisper, traditional shot while below is another “soft look” shot as with the feature photo . . .
Continue reading “Mimosa Yellow”Juno Silverspot
Earlier this month I was seeing a lot of different butterflies but it has turned windy again and not many can handle that. This is one of my favorites . . . Juno Silverspot (my gallery link).
¡Pura Vida!
Reflected Sunset
When you live surrounded by both hills and trees, you don’t get to enjoy full sunrises or full sunsets. (I get both of those when I visit the two coasts of Costa Rica + at Arenal.) But occasionally the weather, the clouds and whatever else come together for a reflected colorful sky at sunrise and at sunset, as shown here from my terrace the other night at sunset (June 23). I look forward to my September trip to the Caribbean where I enjoy beautiful sunrises every morning, While my Christmas trip to Arenal Observatory will have semi-indirect (time of year thing) sunsets over Lake Arenal, visible from my choice room. 🙂
For the “real” sunsets, see my galleries: VISTAS, BEACHES, SUNRISES, SUNSETS Costa Rica which includes a sub-gallery of other sunrises & sunsets from my terrace.
¡Pura Vida!
Fledgling Yellow-faced Grassquit
And that is a “Most Likely” identification from iNaturalist and eBird with a definite from Google Lens. 🙂 I photographed it outside the gate of Roca Verde in Barrio Boquerón and we do have a lot of adult Yellow-faced Grassquits here, especially around the cow pasture, so it is a pretty safe ID. 🙂 See photos of adults in my gallery Yellow-faced Grassquit (linked).
¡Pura Vida!
Barred Yellow
June has become the usual big butterfly month in my gardens and here is another nice one, the Barred Yellow (my gallery link) . . .
¡Pura Vida!
Xandari ’26 GALLERY Ready
And if after a few seconds, that click doesn’t work, then just go to this address: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2026-06-8-10-Xandari-Nature-Resort-Alajuela
Visiting places like this here in Costa Rica and making photos is my greatest joy! I hope you enjoy some of the photos! And I may still share a few more on the blog, but they are starting to happen now where I live! And in 2 1/2 weeks I will be at Maquenque Eco Lodge, one of my other favorite places from which to share my love of nature! And there I will celebrate my 86th birthday! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!