Birding & photographing birds along the Central & Western Andes with Doug & Gail Cheeseman (April 22 – May 8, 2019).

Total Species: 383

Complete eBird trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/435945

This was the first trip to Colombia for Doug and Gail Cheeseman, beginning in Cali and finishing in Pereira. The itinerary covered the Western Andes, focusing on the Mountain Chocó region, and continued through the Central Andes and the Cauca Valley to include a broad range of ecosystems and specialties.

We prioritized the best localities in the Western Andes near Cali — La Minga Ecolodge at Bitaco Forest, Finca Alejandría, San Antonio Forest, Doña Dora’s site near El Queremal, and Cerro Montezuma — while leaving Jardín and Las Tangaras for a future visit in 2020.

A compact and efficient itinerary also took us through the key areas of the Central Andes and Cauca Valley, visiting El Vínculo, Sonso Marsh, Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary, Cameguadua Marsh, Los Nevados National Park, Río Blanco, and Tinamú Lodge, finishing with a convenient flight from Pereira to Bogotá and onward connections home.

As a keen birder, Gail was determined not to miss any of the endemics and regional specialties, while Doug aimed to photograph as many species as possible. Combining birding and photography at this level is always a challenge — but a rewarding one!

Western Andes: Cali Region

La Minga Ecolodge

La Minga offered a superb introduction to Colombian birding. Among the many species observed and/or photographed were:
Multicolored Tanager, Andean Motmot, Barred Becard, Slate-throated Redstart, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Streak-capped Treehunter, Red-faced Spinetail, Glossy-black Thrush, Oleagineous Hemispingus, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, White-naped Brushfinch, and Three-striped Warbler, among others.

Hummingbirds provided the best photographic poses, including the near-endemic Purple-throated Woodstar, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Western Emerald, Crowned Woodnymph, Green Hermit, Green-fronted Lancebill, White-necked Jacobin, Brown Violetear, Long-tailed Sylph, Bronzy Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, Andean Emerald, Speckled Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, and Steely-vented Hummingbird.

Finca Alejandría

Finca Alejandría offered second chances for most of the above hummingbirds and superb photo opportunities of colorful tanagers and fruit-eating species such as Red-headed Barbet, Flame-rumped Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Multicolored Tanager, Golden-naped Tanager, Black-capped Tanager, near-endemic Scrub Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Masked Flowerpiercer, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Black-winged Saltator, and many others.

San Antonio Forest

At San Antonio Forest, we photographed the endemic Colombian Chachalaca at close range — an excellent addition to the photo list.

Doña Dora’s Site & Anchicayá Road

Our visits to Doña Dora’s place and the upper section of the Anchicayá road were highly productive, yielding views of Chestnut Wood-Quail, Swallow-tailed Kite, Plumbeous Pigeon, White-throated Quail-Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Toucan Barbet, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Uniform Antshrike, Slaty Spinetail, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, Black-billed Peppershrike, Bay Wren, Sooty-headed Wren, Glistening-green Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Variable Seedeater, Yellow-throated Chlorospingus, Crested Ant-Tanager, and Buff-rumped Warbler, among others.

Photographed species included White-whiskered Hermit, Empress Brilliant, Crowned Woodnymph, Red-headed Barbet, Golden-crowned Flycatcher, White-lined Tanager, Black-headed Brushfinch, Chocó Brushfinch, and Chestnut-headed Oropendola.

Cauca Valley Wetlands: El Vínculo & Sonso Marsh

These lowland wetlands produced a completely different suite of species. Highlights included Horned Screamer, Black-bellied & Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Striated Heron, Cocoi Heron, Snowy Egret, Glossy & Bare-faced Ibis, Limpkin, Purple & Common Gallinule, and American Coot.

We also observed Dwarf Cuckoo, Greater Ani, Common Potoo, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Lineated Woodpecker, Spectacled Parrotlet, Blue-headed Parrot, Bar-crested Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Apical Flycatcher, Pied Water-Tyrant, and Crimson-backed Tanager.

Cerro Montezuma

At Cerro Montezuma, we experienced some of the most exciting birding of the trip. Endemics included Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Munchique Wood-Wren, Crested Ant-Tanager, Black-and-gold Tanager, and Gold-ringed Tanager. Near-endemics were also abundant: Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Club-winged Manakin, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Dusky Chlorospingus, Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Sylph, and Brown Inca.

Raptors included Ornate Hawk-Eagle and Barred Hawk. New hummingbirds for the trip were Greenish Puffleg, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Green-crowned Brilliant, and Long-billed Starthroat.

Other great sightings included Moustached Puffbird, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Zeledon’s Antbird, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Rufous Spinetail, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Ornate Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Handsome Flycatcher, Smoky Bush-Tyrant, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, White-breasted & Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Buff-throated Saltator, Olive Finch, Chocó Brushfinch, Ochre-breasted Tanager, Russet-backed Oropendola, and Yellow-collared Chlorophonia.

Central Andes:

Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary

As always, Otún-Quimbaya delivered excellent birding and photography. We saw the endemic Cauca Guan and Stiles’s Tapaculo, as well as Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Torrent Duck, Green Jay, Torrent Tyrannulet, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Yellow-bellied Siskin, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Fawn-breasted & Blue-necked Tanager.

Other highlights included Bronzy Inca, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, White-winged Becard, White-capped Dipper, Metallic-green Tanager, and the uncommon White-winged Tanager.

Cameguadua Marsh

A short but productive visit yielded the endemic Grayish Piculet, along with Blackish Rail, Gray Seedeater, Thick-billed Seed-Finch, and Grayish Saltator, among others.

Los Nevados National Park

A rainy, windy, and cold day awaited us at Los Nevados, but birding remained productive. At Laguna Negra, we observed Andean Teal and Andean Duck, while roadside stops added Paramo Tapaculo, Stout-billed Cinclodes, White-throated Tyrannulet, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Brown-bellied Swallow, Sedge Wren, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Glossy Flowerpiercer, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Plain-colored Seedeater, Paramo Seedeater, Pale-naped Brushfinch, and the near-endemic Golden-fronted Redstart.

Although the Buffy Helmetcrest was heard singing persistently, strong winds and low temperatures prevented a visual sighting.

At the Hotel Termales del Ruiz feeders, we enjoyed superb hummingbird activity, photographing Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail, Viridian Metaltail, near-endemics Black-thighed & Golden-breasted Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, and Great Sapphirewing.

Río Blanco Reserve

Río Blanco was, as always, full of birds. We added Sickle-winged Guan, Andean Guan, Scaly-naped Parrot, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Spillmann’s Tapaculo, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Flammulated Treehunter, Mountain Elaenia, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Flavescent Flycatcher, Black-billed Peppershrike, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Capped Conebill, Black-crested Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, and Slate-throated Redstart.

A special highlight was the scarce Red-hooded Tanager. The endemic Brown-banded Antpitta, near-endemic Bicolored Antpitta, and Chestnut-crowned Antpitta all appeared beautifully during their feeding sessions, thanks to local guide Daniel Muñoz.

Dense bamboo stands provided good views of specialists such as Black-capped, Superciliaried, Oleagineous and Black-eared Hemispingus.

New hummingbirds included White-throated Wedgebill, Lesser & Sparkling Violetear, Collared Inca, and White-bellied Woodstar.

We also photographed Golden-headed Quetzal, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Black-collared Jay, Mountain Wren, Sharpe’s Wren, White-capped Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer, White-sided Flowerpiercer, White-capped Dipper, Gray-browed Brushfinch, and Slaty Brushfinch, among many others.

Tinamú Lodge

A delightful final stop to conclude the trip. Specialties seen included Gray-headed Dove, endemic Parker’s Antbird, and Blue-lored Antbird. We also photographed Speckle-breasted Wren, Golden-collared Manakin, Moustached Puffbird, Common Potoo, and many others.

Additional species recorded here included Stripe-throated Hermit, Black-throated Mango, White-vented Plumeleteer, Acorn Woodpecker, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Cinereous Becard, Black-chested Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Gray-headed Tanager, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, and Golden-crowned Warbler.

Trip Summary

After driving over 1,400 kilometers of mostly mountain roads, we concluded this unforgettable adventure with 383 bird species recorded.

Reflection

This journey highlighted the incredible biodiversity and photographic opportunities of Colombia’s Andes. Gail’s focused birding and Doug’s photographic expertise made for a dynamic and successful combination — a perfect example of how rewarding birding in Colombia can be for enthusiasts of every level.