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Plateau Spreadwing Damselfly

Here’s my first Damsel or Dragonfly photo this year though not the first seen. They are all hard for me to photograph and to identify, usually! But this time with my handy new book Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica by Dennis Paulson and William Haber, I managed to narrow it down quicker than usual for me; obviously first to a Damselfly and then by the spreading wings that it is one of the subspecies called “Spreadwing” (most Damsels keep their wings straight by their side) and then with the book’s excellent photos and me having a photo with enough detail like the blue eyes and the brown thorax with white stripe I quickly determined that this is a “Plateau Spreadwing Damselfly” or “Lestes alacer” the technical name of this species found in Central America and parts of North America. I hope to expand my collection of Dragonflies & Damselflies which is already a pretty good start . . .

See my GALLERY: Dragonflies & Damselflies of CR (18+ species identified with many more not identified. Your ID help welcomed!) 🙂

Plateau Spreadwing Damselfly, Atenas, Costa Rica
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Preserving the Vista

I asked the gardeners to “take a little off the top” of my remaining Yellow Bell Tree up front that this winter’s (yes, rainy season is called winter here) rain had caused to shoot up rapidly and high, blocking my scenic view. And typically Tico, one of the young men scurried up the tree with his machete and whacked away! I would not have left that bare branch, but it will soon have new branches and leaves. And my view is opened up again. I love my gardeners!

Click image to enlarge.

See more vistas in my   VISTAS    Photo Gallery from all over Costa Rica.

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Two Species Share Perching Space

Red-billed Pigeon

I watched these two at breakfast this morning as they perched together on that cable for the power lines. Maybe this dove and pigeon are role models that some North Americans need today. 🙂 Very different but happy together.

(Sorry, but I could not get a photo of them together with both in focus at my distance. They were like 6 to 10 inches apart but down the hill and across the street from me.)

White-winged Dove and Red-billed Pigeon are both common and plentiful here. Their name links are to online articles about each bird on the excellent Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birds site. Also see these two and other tropical birds in my BIRDS Photo Gallery.

¡Pura Vida!

 

Some tribes of birds will relieve and rear up the young and helpless, of their own and other tribes, when abandoned. 

~William Bartram

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Evening

All round my cottage it’s still,

Rain clouds gather over the hill.

Evening brings another eureka,

As I thank God for Costa Rica!

~Charlie

See my gallery of HAIKU Nature Poems 

(though the above is not a haiku!)

 

And for evening sunsets, see my Vistas gallery.

¡Pura Vida!

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Pink-spotted Cattleheart Butterfly

Pink-spotted Cattleheart Butterfly

This is a rarer find today! This butterfly only exists from Mexico south as far as Costa Rica and is more common in Mexico and Guatemala. Read about the pink-spotted cattleheart, Parides photinus on Wikipedia or Google for other sites and articles.

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Clay-colored Thrush or Yiqüirro

 

The National Bird of Costa Rica is known for singing in the rainy season in April and May, thus his honored position in Costa Rica, yet a simple bird. Seen here in my back garden, hiding behind a limb he thinks.

Change the world by being yourself. – Amy Poehler