Bird Photography Weekly

The rain was falling in buckets, yet a tiny Snowy-bellied Hummingbird sat tenaciously on the top of a Heliconia.  He would make a foray out occasionally, but then return to his perch, point his bill to the sky and sit for long periods.  I stood on the deck pondering this then wandered out into the garden.  It turns out our long-suffering sprite had a terrific spot to wait out the elements.  Above his head and protecting him from at least some of the downpour was a large banana leaf.  What a smart cookie.

Here he is on a better day.

I never saw him sit on that Heliconia again.

Wordless Wednesday

Butterflies of Panama

One of the first things (well aside from the birds) that you will notice in Panama is the incredible array of Butterflies.  In the heat of the day (and I am talking serious heat and humidity at the Tower) during the siesta break, I wandered around sampling the butterflies as they sampled the nectar.  I would like to show you a few of them.  Most of them I do not know the names of, but they are all fabulous.

Banded Peacock

Dimorphic Skipper

This one is a skipper and maybe a FrostedFlasher

Domi and I found this wicked looking caterpillar on a bridge railing at the start of Plantation Road. I wouldn’t touch it if you paid me.

Heliconius

Orange-washed Sister

Either Ziba Scrub-Hairstreak or Confusing Scrub-Hairstreak

All of these were taken at the Canopy Tower. But let me leave you with the Blue Morpho that floats everywhere at the Lodge. I loved that they came to the feeders to eat the bananas. They rest with their wings closed. It was impossible for me to take a good shot of one flying. They are the most beautiful blue.

Special thanks to Kim Garwood for helping ID the butterflies and to Patrick Belardo for suggesting her website.