Western Tinkerbird: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — This little Tinkerbird would not come down low enough for photo showing off its bright yellow stripe from crown to tail, but it is definitely a Western Tinkerbird. The Western is pretty much restricted to the Albertine Rift in East Africa but there are populations along the border between Nigeria and Cameron and much further south in Angola. I would have to suspect that they are not actually all the same species…but I also doubt anyone has looked closely. Who knows, this might one day be the Rwenzori Tinkerbird? Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Photo and Apple Photos. Against the green: ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Against the sky: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1.7EV.
Speckled Tanager: Las Cruces Biological Research Station, San Vito, Costa Rica, December 2022 — The Speckled Tanager is reason enough to visit the Wilson Botanical Gardens at Las Cruces Biological Research Station. It is a bird of upper and mid-canopy in the foothills of the Caribbean slope and the South Pacific slope, but it does come down to fruit feeders. They are regular visitors to the periodic feeding station on the terrace by the dinning hall at LCBRS. I say periodic since there is really only fruit out when a group of birders/photographers are visiting (it is a BYOF feeder, and we always stop in town for fruit on our way to Las Cruces). The Speckled Tanager of Central America and northern South America is very closely related to the Spotted Tanager found further south in South America. They might, at one time, have been the same species but they have become geographically separated. That’s one theory anyway. I have only ever seen them at the Wilson Botanical Garden and early in the morning when the rising sun makes them glow. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.