Odds and Ends #2

Hola!

Another one of those odds-and-ends posts today, with more photos from the last month.  I have found my most desired photographic accessory here is an external flash - many a backlit or dimly-lit photo could be improved with a little light.  For example, these two:

Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrranulus)

White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)

Next, continuing with my Distant-cropped-record-shots-of-cool-birds series:

White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons)

One more shot from the Butterfly Gardens, this one of an Owl Butterfly caterpillar.

Owl Butterfly (Caligo sp.)

What would an odds-and-ends post be without some sort of tree photo?  Odd, that's what.

Kyle and Tree

That's all for now, I shall post again soon!

Kyle

Exciting News!!

Big day today.

Very big day.

The bellbirds have arrived.  These amazing birds with their sexy wattles are one of the most sought-after cloud-forest birds here.  As I finished a tour one of the agency guides came running in to say that there was one close-at-hand.  About 30 seniors and all of the MBG staff ran outside to see.  The bird was incredibly cooperative and I took a pile of photos.

Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata)

Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata)

Before I left, and to my great pleasure, the bird horked up what I assume was a large fruit pit.  I exclaimed excitedly, but nobody seemed to understand my joy.  Look carefully and you can see the pit a-coming!

Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata)

I can now die happy.

Kyle

Odds and Ends #1

Hola!

I realize it was but an hour ago that I posted lamenting my complicated internet situation, but in a fortuitous turn of events I have found a more reliable connection (albeit somewhat further from home).  In the past several internet-less days I have had some time to sort photos.  I have arranged three posts worth of odds and ends that got lost in the shuffle of things earlier on.  Here is number 1:

To start with, a couple of the large, common flycatchers here:

Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulfuratus)

Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)

One of those lovely butterflies from the MBG (Monteverde Butterfly Gardens); the Postman, who gets his name from his odd habit of following a consistent route through his habitat every day.

Postman (Heliconius melpomene)

In my continuing attempt to be a bit more artistic with my photography, and to capture the awesome trees here, I give you: a tree.

A Tree

One more, a grab-shot of our most common swallow:

Blue-and-white Swallows (Notiochelidon cyanoleuca)

That's it for now, Odds and Ends #2 approaches!

Cheers!
Kyle

Internet Problems (to say the least)

Hola!

Interesting times this week.  So the story goes that a fellow up the road was trimming his (very large) trees, and he cut down a large limb which landed on the hydro wires servicing our end of of things.  This caused what we in the biz like to call an "big freakin' electrical fire", followed by a multi-day power outage.  The electrical utility here refused to service the lines because they were on private property, so our gardener and owner headed up to fix the problem (everyone's a high-voltage electrician in Costa Rica).  Through the magic of rope, gardening tools and sheer determination they returned power, but in the wake of this event the internet seems to have developed some functional problems.  Thus we are without internet, a luxury that I had not expected but had come to appreciate greatly.  Anyway, this should be fixed soon enough, but for the time being I am using the painfully slow internet at the local cafe, so no photos at the moment.  I have some lined up though, so expect future updates soon!

Cheers!
Kyle

Butterflies!

Hola!

Well, it's about time I suppose that I get on to the butterflies.  I am at a Butterfly Garden after all!  So, without further adieu, here are some photos from yesterday morning.

If you wake up nice and early, you catch some of the butterflies sleeping.  For example, these two:

False Postman (Heliconius clysonymus)

Spotted Longwing (Heliconius hecale)

A butterfly who manages both subtle and stunning at the same time is the Cracker, so named because of the cracking sound he uses to attract a mate (unique among butterflies).

Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)

There are so many butterflies in the country that many don't even have a common name, like this little green gem:

Unnamed (Nessaea aglaura)

Unnamed (Nessaea aglaura)

One more.  It seems the benches in the reception area are prime location for interesting moths, like this white one that appeared here yesterday in the am.

Unidentified moth.

Also, since a few people (a small few) are interested in my CR bird sightings, I have posted a list on the website (http://www.kylehorner.com/page8.php).  That's all for now, will post again soon!

Cheers!
Kyle

A few odds and ends...

Hola!

At long last, another update from Monteverde.  After several days of wind and rain, some beautiful weather has allowed for a little more birding and photography.  For example, this lovely Motmot from yesterday morning.

Blue-crowned Motmot (Momotus momota)

And our own little version of the Red-bellied Woodpecker:

Hoffman's Woodpecker (Melanerpes hoffmannii)

And in a rare attempt at being artistic (hah) a long-exposure shot down a hollow tree:

Tree

Ok, so I have been battling with these Sceloporus lizards that hang out on the walls here for some time now.  They have a wonderful knack of remaining perfectly still until exactly the moment when you are close enough to shoot, then running into a crack.  So finally I switched from the macro to the less-desirable telephoto to get the shots.  I am not entirely pleased with the results, but at least you can see the lizards.

Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus malachitis) male

Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus malachitis) female

A few points of herp news to report: my co-volunteer had a sighting of a Black-tailed Cribo on a tour, which I was able to confirm on a video.  I searched extensively but to no avail.  Also, another co-volunteer claims to have seen a Montane Pit-Viper on a day off (unconfirmed), so I'm headed to that location next time I'm free.  Also, yesterday I somehow merited an invitation on a collecting trip down the mountain and found that lower elevations seem much more productive for reptiles.  Unfortunately we were there for a very short time just before dark, but I did glimpse many small  (and some larger) lizards.  I was informed by my Costa Rican co-worker that there were many venomous snakes there and it was very dangerous.  I tried to nod gravely but couldn't hide a smile.  Nonetheless we were not to see any snakes, but did find some Howler Monkeys which was cool.

Anyway I'm off, but will try to update again soon!

Cheers!
Kyle