Jalapeno Solutions

12/17/2025

Regardless if it’s posing peacefully or grabbing on for life, the juvenile 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 is simply an spectacular-looking bird. Because of the coloration seen on this photo, it could be determined this is a male going through its first or second molt. As revealed in my previous posts of the juvenile, in my humble opinion, the bright multi-colored patches make this bird much more beautiful than either the male or female adult. The Summer Tanager is a rather large species for a tanager, measuring around 6.7 inches (17 cm) long. When breeding, we find it from the southern half of the USA to northern Mexico. Then during winter, it travels to all countries of Central America, the Caribbean, and South America (except for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay). Because this tanager occupies so many countries, people have given it an incredible 47 popular names, and ornithologists currently recognize 3 subspecies. As revealed in my previous posts of this species, this bird actually belongs to the cardinal family, and it’s not a true tanager. The Summer Tanager catches and eats bees and wasps in midair, but it also loves fruits. There is a clear disagreement about the Summer Tanager’s lifespan. Depending on the source, it could live anywhere between 5 and 10 years. ⁣⁣
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12/17/2025

My previous two posts of the 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨-𝐝𝐞-𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚-𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚 (Yellow-Fronted Woodpecker) only showed the male. This time, I will start with two posts of the male and also include the equally gorgeous female. This woodpecker measures about 7.7 inches (19.5 cm) in length and is distributed in eastern and southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Within that range, it has been given 29 different names, although there are no recognized subspecies. Its natural habitat includes subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests. This species’ diet consists of insects, plant matter, fruits and seeds. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are then incubated by both parents for 12 days. Both parents also feed the chicks for about 5 weeks before they fledge. There is no publicly available data on how long the Benedito-de-Testa-Amarela lives.

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12/11/2025

olcano Hummingbird, video taken in Costa Rica.

12/11/2025

Resplendent Quetzal, video taken in Costa Rica

12/11/2025

Green Honeycreeper, video taken in Southern Ecuador

12/11/2025

The vast family of tanagers, which some sources believe to contain around 390 species, while others conjecture to be anywhere between 300 to 400, is really an enigmatic mixture. Legitimate tanagers come from the family group called “Thraupidae” and there are only 290 of them; however, other birds named tanager could actually belong to the cardinal, finch, or even undetermined families. Regardless of this massive confusion, all species with the name “tanager” assigned to them are only found in the Americas and nowhere else.

Although I have had the privilege of photographing many species of tanagers, this humble post only shows 6 of them photographed in the Colombian Andes.

1/ Bay-headed Tanager
2/ Black-capped Tanager (juvenile)
3/ Golden Tanager
4/ Hooded Mountain Tanager
5/ Lacrimose Mountain Tanager
6/ Saffron-crowned Tanager

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12/11/2025

The four images on this post are of the strikingly beautiful 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗿. One of the most widespread hummingbird species in the Andes. It occurs in northern Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. A separate population also inhabits northern Brazil. This bird likes elevations between 5,600 to 14,750 ft. (1,700 to 4,500 m) high. In case anyone is wondering, yes, northern Brazil has the “Pico da Neblina,” the highest point in the country, located near the Venezuelan border, which is 9,827 ft (2,995.3 m) tall.
Ornithologists have only identified 2 subspecies; however, its immense distribution has resulted in 31 different names. Within the Violetear genus, the Sparkling is the largest, at 5 to 5.5 inches (13 to 14 cm) long. It likes to hide while it’s perched and prefers to feed at the edge of forests or in open areas with scattered shrubs. The female lays 2 eggs, which she solely incubates for 17-18 days. Fledgling occurs within 20-22 days. The male takes no part in nesting or caregiving activities. There is no information about how long this species lives. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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12/10/2025

The hummingbirds in the yard are being a little extra feisty today - just a few clips of my male Anna’s and Costa Hummingbirds.
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12/10/2025

Just a Black-crowned Pitta giving off its super high pitched little call. Nice bird we photographed recently in Malaysian Borneo.
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12/10/2025

Just listen to this sweet little Striped Wren Babbler doing his thing. Captured in Borneo, Malaysia.
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12/09/2025