Mike Melton
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mikemelton.bsky.social
Mike Melton
@mikemelton.bsky.social
35K followers 800 following 7.7K posts
All photos are my own and not AI.

I am a filmmaker and photographer based in Olympia, WA, and Bijagua, Costa Rica @casabentbill.bsky.social but I spend as much time as I can in hot, humid, tropical forests. Because that's where the birds are!

he/him
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mikemelton.bsky.social
My neighborhood #Ocelot keeps visiting me but I still don't have any photos of it. It's a very sneaky kitty. One day.

At @casabentbill.bsky.social #CostaRica

#nature #cats #wildlife
November 10, 2025 at 4:03 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
Blue-throated Goldentail #hummingbird at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica

#birds #nature
Iridescent green and blue hummingbird perched sideways on a narrow leaf, showing its bright red bill and layered golden-brown tail feathers against a soft green background.
November 10, 2025 at 1:30 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A fun encounter with a Yellow-flecked Glassfrog (Sachatamia albomaculata) last night at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica

#frogs #amphibians #nature
A small translucent green frog with speckled skin and marbled yellow eyes sits on a glossy green leaf against a black background.
November 10, 2025 at 1:05 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
The #birdoftheday is #standingonthings and here's a Groove-billed Ani with a nice perch.

At @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica #tapirs #birds
Baird’s tapir lying in green grass with a black bird perched on its back.
November 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
One of my favorite things about the tropical dry forests of Guanacaste are the winter visiting Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. They're later than a lot of other N American migrants, but they're starting to show up in good numbers now. When it gets too wet in Bijagua, I just head down to the sun. #birds
Slim bird with a very long tail, gray head, white breast, and orange sides perched on a weathered tree stump against a soft green background.
November 9, 2025 at 3:47 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
One of my favorite housemates is the healthy population of Spotted Least Geckos (Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus) that patrol @casabentbill.bsky.social looking for delicious insects.

A Central American endemic, these are usually difficult to find.

This one was only about 23mm long.

#reptiles
Small tan and orange gecko with a long banded tail clinging to a textured turquoise wall.
November 8, 2025 at 6:07 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
I spent a few minutes with this lovely Cydno Longwing (Heliconius cydno) at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica yesterday.

#butterflies #butterfly #bugsky #nature
Black and white butterfly perched on a small pink flower against a soft green background. It has blue iridescence in the black.
November 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A young Crowned Woodnymph #hummingbird at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica

#birds #nature
Close-up portrait of an iridescent hummingbird perched on a branch, showing shimmering green, blue, and purple throat and breast against a soft green background.
November 5, 2025 at 3:41 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A very cool species of insect visited @casaben.bsky.social #CostaRica tonight. I think it's in the genus Cocconotus.

#bugsky #nature #insects #katydids #invertebrates
Close-up of a large orange-red katydid clinging to a black window screen at night, shown in side view with long antennae, a turquoise eye, and patterned yellow-green wings lit by flash.
November 5, 2025 at 3:23 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A lovely Cydno Longwing (Heliconius cydno) #butterfly that I found yesterday at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica

#bugsky #butterflies #nature
Close-up of a black butterfly with a vivid red band and white forewing patch perched on a light green fern, against a soft green background.
November 4, 2025 at 7:58 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A male Golden-olive Woodpecker at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica today

#birds #nature #woodpeckers
Close-up of a small bird with a golden-olive body, finely barred chest, red crown and cheek patch, and a pointed bill, perched on a branch against a soft green background.
November 4, 2025 at 3:32 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
Male Snowcap #hummingbird at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica this morning.

#birds #nature
Close-up of a small hummingbird perched on a thin mossy branch, showing a bright white crown, iridescent magenta-purple body, and a slender black bill with tiny water droplets against a smooth green background.
November 4, 2025 at 3:04 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A cool moth I found yesterday in the mountains above San Jose #CostaRica. I think it's in the genus Paradirphia, but not 100% certain.

#bugsky #moths #insects #nature
Close-up of a hairy brown moth resting on a dark surface, showing shaggy head fur with pink tufts and thin yellow antennae.
November 1, 2025 at 4:06 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
Look at this little gem, #bugsky! I think this is a species in the genus Pseudanniceris and I believe that the males are smaller and have blue eyes! I really can't find much information about this genus, so I'm going to have to do some study.

#invertebrates #invertefest #insects #costarica
Macro of a small green insect with vivid blue compound eyes and orange wing pads on a textured teal surface, viewed from above.
October 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
For #Birdoftheday and #TwosDay, a mated pair of Spectacled Owls getting ready for the night's hunt at @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica

#birds #owls #nature
Two spectacled owls with bright orange eyes perched side by side among dense green leaves, looking toward the camera.
October 28, 2025 at 9:24 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
The weather is shifting now in the mountains of northern #CostaRica, with more rain and less food in the forests, and some birds are now starting to come down to the banana feeders for a snack.

This male Red-legged Honeycreeper wanted me to see his new hairdo. At @tapirvalley.bsky.social

#birds
Close-up of a bright blue bird with a spiky turquoise crown and red legs perched on a wet branch, head tilted downward against a dark green blurred background.
October 26, 2025 at 5:43 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
That's wonderful!
opengtuning.bsky.social Bobbitworm (AllanM) @opengtuning.bsky.social · 15d
I do like Motmots, here’s one I drew recently
October 26, 2025 at 5:33 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
I found a very friendly Keel-billed Motmot just a few minutes away at Heliconias Rainforest Lodge. These birds are typically very elusive, but I hung out with this one for an hour or so. It was so comfortable with me, it flew behind me to catch insects to eat and then went back to its perch.

#birds
Front view of a stocky forest bird perched on a mossy branch, showing a teal-blue throat and face, olive-brown body, and a small dark chest spot against a soft green background.
October 25, 2025 at 11:42 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
Staring down a young Agami Heron at Agami Island #CostaRica

#birds #herons #nature
Close head-on portrait of a heron, its yellow eyes and blue-gray bill centered, with warm brown neck feathers against a soft green-brown background.
October 25, 2025 at 11:01 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A young Agami Heron at #AgamiIsland #CostaRica not sure why this human is looking at it.

#herons #birds #nature
Close-up of a slender heron with a long pointed bill held straight up, peering between green palm fronds in dappled light.
October 25, 2025 at 10:30 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
A Crested Owl a @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica with evidence of its breakfast in its talons.

#owls #birds #nature
Brown owl with prominent white “ear” tufts, staring forward while perched on a branch amid dense green foliage. It has some feathers in its talons, most likely from a bird it caught and ate.
October 25, 2025 at 3:01 AM
mikemelton.bsky.social
That's gorgeous art, Helen!
whistberry.bsky.social Helen Whistberry @whistberry.bsky.social · 17d
I had never heard of these until @gettoknownature.bsky.social shared a photo of one and now they are one of my favorite little birds! So pretty!
Semi-realistic drawing of a black and white warbler, a small bird with short tail, dark eyes, and alternating black and white stripes on its body and wings. It is perched on a black branch amid fanciful white leaves against a dull green background.
October 24, 2025 at 10:29 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
That's so gorgeous! 🖤
melchr.bsky.social Melanie @melchr.bsky.social · 17d
I painted this 2 or 3 years ago.🙂
October 24, 2025 at 8:26 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
To all of my US East coast friends, rest assured that your neighborhood Black-and-white Warblers are having an excellent time on their #CostaRica winter vacation, eating all kinds of delicious insects in the rainforest here.

#birds #nature
Black-and-white songbird perched on a mossy branch against a soft green background.
October 24, 2025 at 7:45 PM
mikemelton.bsky.social
Mama brought her baby by last night!

She still has a few stripes, so she's probably around four months old.

Unfortunately, I was sleeping and missed the visit. But she'll most likely start bringing her by more now. Prepare for baby tapir videos! At @casabentbill.bsky.social

#tapirs #costarica
October 23, 2025 at 12:51 PM