Album Costa Rica from Esther

Bromeliad with bokeh

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:04:42 +0000

Esther has posted:

This bromeliad had adapted to living in a rainforest by trapping water and decaying plant material at the base of its leaves. It is an epiphytic plant that grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Its root system is minimal and serves primarliy to hold it to its base, which is frequently a branch, a tree or in this case, a hanging vine. The light shining through the trees seemed ordinary in the viewfinder, but created extraordinary bokeh.

AxMG_1666

The Vanquished

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:04:59 +0000

Esther has posted:

This is a small section of the bronze Monumento Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica that depicts the nations of Central America driving out American adventurer William Walker. The statue was commissioned in 1895 from French sculptor Louis Carrier Belleuse who was a student of Rodin. For more information about William Walker, see www.vivacostarica.com/costa-rica-information/history-of-c....

AxMG_1657

Ginger Lily

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:37:44 +0000

Esther has posted:

Ginger lily at Sarapiqui

AxMG_1667

Male Dobsonfly

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:37:52 +0000

Esther has posted:

Male Dobsonfly at Sarapiqui in Costa Rica. Both male and female dobsonflies possess sharp mandibles. The mandibles of an adult male dobsonfly are generally so large and have such poor leverage that they are incapable of breaking human skin During mating males show them off and use them to grab the females during copulation. Female dobsonflies, have short, powerful pincers and can inflict painful bites on humans. As larva, they have gills which allow them to live under water..

AxMG_1671

Hangout

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:58:47 +0000

Esther has posted:

Why hang in a cave when you can enjoy a fine roof with a view? These bats nest on the inside of the roof at Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge

AxMG_1679

Hang on

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:59:03 +0000

Esther has posted:

Bromeliad at Sarapiqui

AxMG_1677

Zip lining through the flowers

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 03:25:01 +0000

Esther has posted:

Zip lining over the Sarapiqui River in Costa Rica.

ODT: Adventure

AxMG_1694

Pink Ginger Lily

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 03:25:05 +0000

Esther has posted:

Ginger Lily at Sarapiqui. Ginger lilies grow in tropical and subtropical climates. They are native to Asia and the Pacific but are frequently planted as ornamentals because of their colorful, showy flowers. They grow from large rhizomes. The flowers grown on long racemes and the structure of the stem consists of closely folded blades.

AxMG_1683

Wild berries

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:32:48 +0000

Esther has posted:

Wild berries seen near the Sarapiqui River in Costa Rica

AxMG_1696

Don't mind me

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:32:51 +0000

Esther has posted:

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)

AxMG_1708

Rough water

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:26:46 +0000

Esther has posted:

Sarapiqui River in Costa Rica

AxMG_1717

Over the shoulder

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:26:48 +0000

Esther has posted:

Sometimes even the small Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) has to twist to get into tight places

AxMG_1709

Bamboo orchid

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:55:08 +0000

Esther has posted:

Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia) at the Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge. This orchid grows on long stems that resemble bamboo and can be over 5 feet tall.

AxMG_1721

If there's light, there is growth

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:55:27 +0000

Esther has posted:

Bromeliads cover a coconut palm tree at the Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge. Epiphytic species, such as those int he photograph can be found growing on other plants or anything in which their roots can get a foothold to hang on. Their ability to obtainnutrition and moisture from the atmosphere has earned these species of bromeliads the name, "Air Plants". The leaves are in a spiral arrangement known as a "rosette." The baseof the leaves in the rosette overlaps to form a water reservoir. This reservoir collects leaf detris and insects which nourish the plant.

AxMG_1720

Red Ginger Lily

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:03:32 +0000

Esther has posted:

Ginger Lily at the Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge. Ginger lilies grow in tropical and subtropical climates. They are native to Asia and the Pacific but are frequently planted as ornamentals because of their colorful, showy flowers. They grow from large rhizomes. The flowers grown on long racemes and the structure of the stem consists of closely folded blades.

AxMG_1728

Little bird

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:03:47 +0000

Esther has posted:

Female Passerini's Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) at the Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge

AxMG_1725

What kind of plant am I?

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:47:14 +0000

Esther has posted:

Seen at the Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica

AxMG_1730

Great Kiskadee

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:23:57 +0000

Esther has posted:

Great Kiskadee, Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge, Costa Rica

The Great Kiskadee is a common, noisy and conspicuous bird. It is almost omnivorous, and hunts like a shrike or flycatcher, waiting on an open perch high in a tree to sally out to catch insects in flight, or to pounce upon rodents and similar small vertebrates. It will also take prey and some fruit[3] from vegetation by gleaning and jumping for it or ripping it off in mid-hover, and occasionally dives for fish or tadpoles in shallow water, making it one of the few fishing passerines. They like to hunt on their own or in pairs, and though they might be expected to make good use of prey flushed by but too large for the smaller birds of the understory, they do not seem to join mixed-species feeding flocks very often. When they do, they hunt in the familiar manner. Such opportunistic feeding behavior makes it one of the commonest birds in urban areas around Latin America; its flashy belly and its shrill call make it one of the most conspicuous.

From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Kiskadee

AxMG_1747

Ouch

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:24:10 +0000

Esther has posted:

Certain types of palm trees have protective sharp thorns.

AxMG_1741

Slightly tattered

nobody@ipernity.com (Esther) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:14:24 +0000

Esther has posted:

Banded peacock butterfly seen at Sarapiqui Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica.

AxMG_1751