Tag: Atenas

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Marigold Pepper Leaf

In November this attractive leaf just popped up in my garden as what I figured was a “weed,” and thus I pulled it up, after photographing with my cell phone, and threw it away. Then I ran this leaf photo through iNaturalist and discovered that it is (was) a Marigold Pepper, Piper marginatum (iNaturallist link). Just another one of the many nature surprises I keep finding in my garden and all over Costa Rica! 🙂 What I read about this is that there are no “peppers” or fruit, but rather people use the leaves for seasoning and extracting a flavorful oil. Hmmmm, maybe I should have kept this “weed!” 🙂

Marigold Pepper Leaf, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

See more such beauties in my Leaves & Nature Things GALLERY.

¡Pura Vida!

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Lineated Woodpecker — Carpintero Lineado

One of our two woodpeckers with the “Woody Woodpecker” hair is the Lineated Woodpecker, Dryocopus lineatus, (my gallery link) “Carpintero Lineado” en español, with the Pale-billed Woodpecker being the other big hairdo woodpecker (his whole head is red!). 🙂 This one sensed that my Cecropia Tree is dying and landed first on the trunk then went straight to a dead limb looking for insects to eat. Because of their “pecking/eating” they tend to stay longer in a tree, making them sometimes easier to photograph than other birds, though the overcast afternoon was poor light that day with a glary white sky. 🙁 Here are two shots from this past Monday. See the gallery for more from all over Costa Rica. He is found only in Central & South America, with North America’s most similar bird being the Pileated Woodpecker (linked to my gallery of one seen on Nashville’s Stones River Greenway).

Lineated Woodpecker, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Welcome Migrant! The Yellow Warbler

Is back in Costa Rica from “up north” and no longer called just “Yellow Warbler” as in the past but has a new official name of Northern Yellow Warbler – Setophaga aestiva (linked to my gallery) and what is used by eBird and iNaturalist. Some older books still say just Yellow Warbler and the Princeton Field Guide says American Yellow Warbler. I’m not sure which names are harder to keep up with, Birds or Butterflies! 🙂 They seem to both be changing frequently. This particular bird showed up on December 1 in my Cecropia Tree. Here’s two shots of him/her . . .

Northern Yellow Warbler, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Another Unusual Bug

The closest I’ve been able to get to an identification so far on iNaturalist is “Subfamily Coreinae Insect.” Then quickly after posting it, someone more knowledgeable narrowed it down to “Piezogaster Genus” (iNaturalist link) which is closer to a species name which hopefully someone will be able to provide there. Here’s two shots from the floor of my terrace from different angles (front & back) . . .

Piezogaster Genus insect, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Banded Peacock Butterfly

This very common butterfly is the one I keep seeing as many of the others are no longer around. There are much better photos in my gallery: Banded Peacock, Anartia fatima.

Banded Peacock, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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“Athenian Memories”

A new mural has been added to Atenas Central as encouraged by the Mayor to represent memories of the past in this medium-sized coffee farming town and I was glad to see that it included a Lesson’s Motmot bird! 🙂

“Athenian Memories” Mural in Atenas Central next to the old High School building.
“Athenian Memories” Mural in Atenas Central next to the old High School building.

Google AI Summary:

The new mural near the City Hall in Atenas, Alajuela, is called “Memorias Atenienses ” and was inaugurated on September 24, 2025. It is the result of a collective effort involving the Municipality of Atenas, the community, and the mayor, with the aim of creating an artistic legacy for the canton.
• Name: “Athenian Memories”
• Location: Near the City Hall in Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica (Adjacent the old high school building across from Central Park fountains.)
• Inauguration date: September 24, 2025
• Description: It is described as an artistic legacy for the canton, created through a collective effort and strong teamwork between the municipality, the community, and the mayor.

The town’s Instagram Announcement of the mural:

Atenas Internationals Facebook Page on the mural:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/158109054229981/posts/31682131621400980/

Central Park across the street from the new mural.

¡Pura Vida!

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Red Cracker

This is my first sighting of a Red Cracker, Hamadryas amphinome (linked to iNaturalist). I did post one here earlier that I called a Red Cracker, but later found out that it was actually an Orange Cracker. Still learning! 🙂

Red Cracker on Cecropia Tree in my garden, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
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Snack at the Air Plant Cafe

This Rufous-backed Wren (my gallery link) stopped in one of my Nance Trees, not for a berry (wrong time of year) but for an insect snack out of the little Air Plant growing on the tree. 🙂

Rufous-backed Wren stopping for a snack from the air plant, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Rufous-backed Wren stopping for a snack from the air plant, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

¡Pura Vida!

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Banded Peacock

One of the most common or often seen butterflies in my garden is the Banded Peacock, Anartia fatima (my gallery link) and maybe also the most common in other places I visit in Costa Rica.

Banded Peacock, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Lesson’s Motmot

I’m glad this favored bird visits my garden often enough for me to see at least once a month now! See more photos from multiple locations in my gallery: Lesson’s Motmot, Momotus lessonii. Purely a Central American bird, found only from Panama to Southern Mexico.

Lesson’s Motmot, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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