Category: News

News

Birding for much desired targets with Keith Betton, Andrew Herbert (UK) and Rainer Kopa (Germany) (April 17-May 7, 2016).

08 - 05 - 2016

Another memorable 21-day birding trip (April 17 – May 7, 2016) along the Eastern Andes, Central Andes & Santa Marta Mountains! It all started with a list of 47 country endemics, birds highly wanted to be seen by Keith, Andrew & Rainer.  Nine species were located in sites that were extremely difficult to visit and the other 38 species were widely spread all over the country. After carefully reviewing all reachable sites where those 38 species could be seen, Daniel designed an itinerary that maximized the number of targets to be seen in a 3-week tour.

The itinerary favored the Eastern & Central Andes, and the Santa Marta Mountains, and it took us through amazing birding sites in Colombia, starting near Bogota with Monterredondo, Paramo de Guasca, Laguna de Fuquene, Rogitama, Soata dry forests (Chicamocha canyon), Paramo La Rusia & Onzaga oak forests, La Florida wetland, Enchanted Gardens & Tabacal Lagoon, all in the Eastern Andes. We then traveled briefly through the mid-Magdalena Valley & Ibague area, climbed the Central Andes dropping into the Cauca Valley, visiting Finlandia, Otun-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Santa Rosa de Cabal, Montezuma (mountainous Choco), Los Nevados National Park, Rio Blanco & Hotel Tinamu near Manizales. The final leg of the tour included a domestic flight to Santa Marta, birding the iconic Santa Marta Mountains and Isla de Salamanca Park.

In summary, we saw and enjoyed 59 target species, including the following Colombian endemics (30): Cauca Guan, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Tolima Dove, Santa Marta Parakeet, Brown-breasted Parakeet, Rufous-fronted Parakeet, Fuerte´s Parrot, Santa Marta Screech-Owl, Chestnut-bellied & Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Black Inca, Cundinamarca Antpitta, Brown-banded Antpitta, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Apical Flycatcher, Niceforo´s Wren, Turquoise Dacnis, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta & Tolima Blossomcrown, Santa Marta & Bang´s Wood-Wren, Indigo-capped Hummingbird, Buffy Helmetcrest, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Antbird, Munchique Wood-Wren, Yellow-headed Brush-Finch and Velvet-fronted Euphonia.

From left to right: Keith Betton, Andrew Herbert, Daniel Uribe and Rainer Kopa, at the San Lorenzo ridge (Santa Marta Mountains), just after seeing the endemic Brown-rumped Tapaculo.

We also saw nine (9) much desired near-endemics, including the Hooded Antpitta, Colombian Screech-Owl, Black-fronted Wood-Quail, Black-thighed, Golden-breasted & Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Coppery Emerald, Moustached Antpitta & Moustached Brush-Finch.

And we saw twenty (20) additional species that were lifers for either Keith, Andrew or Rainer: Band-tailed Guan, Streak-backed Canastero, Subtropical Doradito, Purple-backed Thornbill, Grey-headed Dove, Lined Quail-Dove, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Lazuline Sabrewing, White-browed & Stripe-breasted Spinetail, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Flammulated Treehunter, Pale-bellied Hermit, Russet-throated Puffbird, Slate-crowned Antpitta, Long-tailed Tapaculo, Coopman´s Tyrannulet, Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch & Slate-coloured Seedeater.

Unfortunately, we missed 8 targets. The Apolinar´s Wren did not show up, probably because the reeds at the edge of the lagoons were badly affected by an unusually strong drought as a consequence of El Niño. We were rained-out the morning that we visited Bellavista forest, missing Beautiful Woodpecker & Sooty Ant-Tanager. The Black-backed Thornbill was not coming to the feeders at El Dorado Lodge, the Bicolored Antpitta did not show up for worms at Rio Blanco and the Santa Marta Antpitta refused good looks. Also, we looked hard but missed the Mountain Grackle & Green-bearded Helmetcrest.

Overall, a very good trip where we saw nearly 90% of the desired targets!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Birding the Western & Central Andes with Richard & Jennifer Kershaw from UK (March 10-31, 2016).

01 - 04 - 2016

First time in Colombia for Richard & Jennifer Kershaw from UK, birding the Western and Central Andes, with the Cauca Valley in between. Tour started in Cali and finished 22 days later in Medellin (March 10-31, 2016), visiting the following main birding localities:

  • Cloud forests at Km 18, Finca Alejandría (hummingbird & tanager feeders, gardens), Restaurant “Aquí me quedo” (feeders) & San Antonio Forest above Cali;
  • El Vinculo dry forest near Buga;
  • Sonso marsh;
  • Cerro Montezuma (mountain humid forest to top of the mountain, lodge feeders & gardens);
  • Pre-montane humid forest at Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary;
  • Cameguadua marsh;
  • Los Nevados National Park (paramo ecosystems & elfin forest on tree line, and the hummingbird feeders at Hotel Nevado del Ruiz);
  • Rio Blanco (three antpitta feeding stations, cloud forests along the ridge, hummingbird & tanager feeders on lodge, gardens);
  • Bolombolo dry forests at Quebrada Sinifana;
  • Cock-of-the-Rock lek & cloud forest along the road to Ventana´s Pass, forests at ProAves´s Yellow-eared Parrot reserve & hummingbird feeders at Doña Lucía´s house, above Jardin;
  • Shaded coffee plantations & forest fragments at Morro Amarillo;
  • Las Tangaras at Carmen de Atrato;
  • Mountain forests at “La M” on the road to Urrao;
  • La Romera ecopark;
  • Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve in the northern tip of the Central Andes.

Richard & Jen Kershaw having lunch at Restaurante Aquí me Quedo, above Cali in Km 18.

We enjoyed bird after bird, sighting 23 country endemics, 17 near-endemics and more than 40 specialties. In total, 89 lifers for Richard & Jen, including three highly desired species that had been denied in previous trips to Ecuador and other South American countries: Sword-billed Hummingbird, White-capped Tanager and Ocellated Tapaculo.

Country endemics seen (23): Cauca Guan, Colombian Chachalaca, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Yellow-eared Parrot, Rufous-fronted Parakeet, Buffy Helmetcrest, White-mantled Barbet, Greyish Piculet, Parker´s Antbird, Brown-banded Antpitta, Stiles´s & Alto de Pisones Tapaculo, Chestnut-capped Piha, Apical Flycatcher, Antioquia Wren, Munchique Wood-Wren, Black-and-Gold & Gold-ringed Tanager, Multicoloured Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Sooty & Crested Ant-Tanager, and Red-bellied Grackle.

Near-endemics seen (17): Colombian Screech-Owl, Black-thighed Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Bar-crested Antshrike, Bicoloured Antpitta, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Hooded Antpitta, Nariño Tapaculo, Yellow-headed Manakin, Sooty-headed Wren, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Black-headed Brush-Finch, Velvet-purple Coronet and Uniform Treehunter.

Equally valuable, we saw magnificent specialties, including the following: Highland Tinamou, Semi-collared Hawk, Spectacled Parrotlet, White-tipped Sicklebill, Blue-headed Sapphire, White-tailed Hillstar, Crested Quetzal, Black-billed Mountain-Tanager, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Powerful Woodpecker, White-browed Spinetail, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Western Woodhaunter, Streak-capped Treehunter, Andean Leaftosser, Tyranine Woodcreeper, Brown-billed Scythebill, Rufous-rumped & Yellow-breasted Antwren, Blue-lored & Zeledon´s Antbird, Plain-backed Antpitta, White-crowned Tapaculo, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Scaled Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Plumbeous-crowned & Ashy-headed Tyrannulet, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, White-headed & Chestnut-breasted Wren, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Flame-rumped Tanager, Olive Finch, Slate-coloured Seedeater and Red-hooded Tanager.

We had an incredible encounter with a Semi-collared Hawk at Las Tangaras forest while the bird was in a hunt. Photo taken by Jen Kershaw.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Second birding trip for Steve Huggins & Glenn Giacinto from Chicago, Illinois (January 23 – February 2, 2016).

03 - 02 - 2016

After touring the Central Andes in 2014, Steve Huggins and Glenn Giacinto came back to Colombia for a second time, this time focusing on birds largely restricted to the Eastern Andes.

From January 23 to February 2 (2016) we visited a nice array of birding localities, including the Observatorio de Colibríes at La Calera, Pedro Palo Lagoon & Chicaque Park, Chingaza National Park & Siecha gravel pits, Paramo de Guasca & Pantano de Martos, Fúquene Lagoon, Rogitama, Paramo de Onzaga, Soata scrubland & oak forests, Paramo de Sumapaz, Tabacal Lagoon and the Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco. All in just 11 days!

A nice list of hummingbird lifers gradually build up for Steve & Glenn, including the Green-bearded Helmetcrest (E&VU), Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird (E&EN), Black Inca (E&VU), Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), Bronze-tailed Thornbill (NE), Coppery-bellied Puffleg (NE&NT), Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (NE), Blue-throated Starfrontlet (NE), Gorgeted Woodstar, Red-billed Emerald (NE), Short-tailed Emerald (NE), Lazuline Sabrewing, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird and Green-tailed Trainbearer.

Gladly, the skulking and cryptic also went into the bag, including great birds such as Blue-lored Antbird, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Pale-bellied Tapaculo (NE), Streak-backed Canastero, Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Stripe-breasted Spinetail, Rosy-thrush Tanager, Black-headed Brush-Finch (NE) and Moustached Brush-Finch (NE).

The marshes we visited yielded many more lifers, with great views of the endemic & endangered Apolinar´s Wren (seen at Sumapaz), Bogota Rail (E&EN), Noble Snipe, Andean Teal, Subtropical Doradito and Yellow-hooded Blackbird.

The precious Colombian Mountain Grackle (E&EN) showed up at Soata´s oak forests, as well as the critically endangered Niceforo´s Wren (E) and the scarce Black-banded Woodcreeper. Visiting the Pantano de Martos near Guasca was most rewarding, with an unforgettable encounter of the beautiful & rare Black-chested Mountain-Tanager and close views of the Andean Pygmy-Owl.

Other lifers included the endemics Velvet-fronted Euphonia & Turquoise Dacnis, near-endemics Gray-throated Warbler, Rufous-browed Conebill and Black-headed Hemispingus, and the Striped Manakin, Cinereous Becard and Bluish Flowerpiercer. In summary, 42 lifers total!

From left to right: Alejandro Pinto, Daniel, Steve and Glenn, at Sumapaz National Park.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Birding along the Western & Central Andes of Colombia with Bob & Katie Self from the UK (November 9 – 26, 2015).

27 - 11 - 2015

A memorable 18-day birding trip along the Western & Central Andes of Colombia, starting in Cali and finishing in Medellin. From November 9 to 26 (2015) and from south to north, we birded the San Antonio cloud forest, Finca Alejandria, the road to Dapa, the forest at Santa Eulalia Lodge, Sonso Marsh, El Vinculo reserve, Mountain Choco at Cerro Montezuma, Otun-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Cameguadua marsh, timberline forests and paramo ecosystems at Los Nevados National Park, montane Rio Blanco, the Bolombolo dry forests, Ventanas´s Pass above Jardin, Las Tangaras reserve and La Romera Ecopark.

Moving from one great birding site to the other, we saw 441 species, of which 118 species were lifers for Bob & Katie. We had many close encounters with magnificent birds, including 44 species of hummingbirds, 55 species of flycatchers, 76 species of tanagers & allies, 12 species of woodpeckers, 19 endemics & 30 near-endemics. Bob & Katie wanted to improve their listings on hard-to-see species, and as an end result we managed to see well 9 species of antpittas, 7 tapaculos, 12 wrens, 21 warblers and 9 species of cotingas, among many others.

Photo: Bob & Katie at Cerro Montezuma, where we enjoyed tons of birds, including close views of Black Solitaire (NE), Yellow-breasted Antpitta (NE&VU) & Tanager Finch (NE&VU) following an ant swarm, and great views of Munchique Wood-Wren (E&CR), Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer (E&EN), Indigo Flower-Piercer (NE), Gold-ringed Tanager (E&EN), Black-and-Gold Tanager (E&VU), Glistening-green Tanager (NE), Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Beautiful Jay (NE&NT), Golden-collared Honeycreeper (NE), Yellow-collared (NE) & Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonias, Alto de Pisones Tapaculo (E), Zeledon´s Antbird and many others.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Birding in Colombia from the Western Andes to the Santa Marta Mountains & Guajira peninsula, with a recapitulation.

21 - 10 - 2015

This was the second birding trip to Colombia for David & Nancy Massie, with a challenging list of target endemics, near-endemics & specialties from the Western Andes, Cauca Valley, northern Central Andes, Santa Marta Mountains & Guajira peninsula. From October 1-14, we birded Kilometer 18 above Cali, Sonso Marsh, Cerro Montezuma, Las Tangaras Reserve, “La M” above Carmen de Atrato and Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve in the northern tip of the Central Andes. Followed with an extension of 5 nights/6 days to the Santa Marta Mountains & Guajira peninsula, from October 15-20.

Overall, David & Nancy were able to add 61 new species to their life list! At Kilometro 18 the top species included Multicolored Tanager (E&VU), Blue-headed Sapphire, Nariño Tapaculo (NE) and Metallic-green Tanager. Sonso Marsh provided close views of the Cocoa Woodcreeper, and visiting Cerro Montezuma allowed the addition of key lifers such as Fulvous-dotted Treerunner (NT), Olivaceous Piha, Munchique Wood-Wren (E&CR), Black Solitaire (NE), Gold-ringed Tanager (E&EN), Yellow-collared Chlorophonia (NE), Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, Olive Finch, Alto Pisones Tapaculo (E) and Chestnut-bellied Flower-Piercer (E&EN). At Las Tangaras reserve we had great views of the Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl (VU), Rufous-rumped Antwren, Handsome Flycatcher, Sooty-headed Wren (NE), Black-and-gold Tanager (E&VU) and Indigo Flower-Piercer (NE). Visiting the Chestnut-capped Piha reserve allowed more lifers such as Chestnut-crowned Gnateater (with a great photo taken by Nancy), Northern White-crowned Tapaculo, Chestnut-capped Piha (E&EN), Scarlet-and-white Tanager (NE), Crested Ant-Tanager (E), Black-headed Brush-Finch (NE) and Large-billed Seed-Finch.

Our party of three met with Bruce Webb & Peter Gent at El Dorado airport in Bogota as we all flew into Santa Marta on October 15th, birding the high altitudinal gradient from Minca to El Dorado Lodge & Cuchilla de San Lorenzo in the Santa Marta Mountains. Here, we were challenged by a sudden and unexpected onset of rainy days for the region, with long and frequent showers in the afternoons, but clear skies in the mornings that lasted until noon. We had great birding in the mountains, seeing well the endemics – Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa Marta Blossomcrown, White-tailed Starfrontlet (male & female), Santa Marta Woodstar (male & female), Santa Marta Antbird, Santa Marta Tapaculo, Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Santa Marta Foliage-Gleaner, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Wood-Wren, Bang´s Wood-Wren, Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager, Colombian Brush-Finch, Santa Marta Brush-Finch, Santa Marta Warbler, White-lored Warbler and Yellow-crowned Whitestart, plus the near-endemics Black-fronted Wood-Quail, Coppery Emerald, White-tipped Quetzal, Streak-capped Spinetail and Golden-winged Sparrow.  Besides, we saw well specialties such as the Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Band-tailed & Sickle-winged Guans, Lined Quail-Dove, Scaly-naped Parrot, Long-billed Hermit, Lazuline Sabrewing, Moustached Puffbird, Santa Marta (Emerald) Toucanet, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Rufous-breasted Wren, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Veery, Black-hooded Thrush, Plushcap and Golden-bellied Grosbeak, among many others.

Our visit to Camarones & Perico in the Guajira Peninsula was ruled by extreme sun & heat, and nice birds such as the Chestnut Piculet (NE), White-whiskered Spinetail (NE), Orinoco Saltator (NE), Vermilion Cardinal (NE), Slender-billed Inezia (NE), Buffy Hummingbird, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Scaled Dove, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Ferruginous Pymy-Owl, Russet-throated Puffbird, Black-crested Antshrike, White-fringed Antwren, Pale-legged (Caribbean) Hornero, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Glaucous Tanager and Pileated Finch, among many others.

On the last day for David & Nancy, we enjoyed seeing the Chestnut-winged Chachalaca (E), Shinning-green Hummingbird and Lineated Woodpecker at El Vale near Santa Marta, and the Bicolored Conebill, Golden-green Woodpecker and Panama Flycatcher at Isla de Salamanca.

The second half of the trip for Bruce & Peter had a wonderful start at the Llanogrande gravel pits near Rionegro, where we enjoyed seeing at close distance and for a long time a male of Masked Duck with two females, a curious Blackish Rail, two Soras and an adult & juvenile Purple Gallinule.

Rio Claro in the mid-Magdalena Valley was very hot & humid (as always), presenting to us scope views of the endemic Beautiful Woodpecker and really close views of a party of Silvery-brown Bare-Face Tamarins, including a mom carrying a baby on her back. We enjoyed a diverse set of birds while birding along the inner road of the reserve and the Mulata trail, including the Magdalena Antbird (E), Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Stripe-throated & Rufous-breasted Hermits, Blue-chested Hummingbird (building a nest), Broad-billed Motmot, Barred Puffbird, White-whiskered Puffbird, Chestnut-mandibled & Channel-billed (Citron-throated) Toucans, Olivaceous Piculet, Black-crowned (Western Slaty) Antshrike, Pacific & SlatyAntwrens, Long-tailed, Wedge-billed & Plain-brown Woodcreepers, Olivaceous Flatbill, Long-tailed Tyrant, One-colored Becard and the Black-bellied, Bay & Band-backed Wrens, among many other birds.

A quick visit to the initial sections of the road to Puerto Pinzon also yielded a very nice set of birds, including Northern Screamer (NE&NT), Scrub Greenlet, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Laughing Falcon, White-winged Swallow, Spectacled Parrotlet, Striped Cuckoo, Pied Puffbird and Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher.

Bellavista Forest in Victoria presented us with splendid views of White-mantled Barbet (E&VU), Sooty Ant-Tanager (E&NT), Velvet-fronted Euphonia (E), Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Pale-bellied Hermit, Sooty-headed Wren (NE), White-breasted Wood-Wren, Purple-crowned Fairy, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Golden-headed Manakin, Black-chested Jay, Golden-hooded Tanager and Orange-billed Sparrow, among others.

At Laguna de Tabacal we saw the Blue-lored Antbird (E), Gray-throated Warbler (NE&NT), White-bellied Antbird, Velvet-fronted Euphonia (E), Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Plain Antvireo, Checker-throated Antwren, Long-billed Gnatwren, Scrub Tanager (NE) and Slate-colored Seedeater.

Our visit to the Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco was also very productive, with great views of the dominant Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird, Gorgeted Woodstar, Red-billed Emerald (NE) and Shinning-green Hummingbird, among others.

Laguna de Pedro Palo & Chicaque Ecopark provided great birding, with very nice mix flocks. We saw the Black Inca (E&VU), Moustached Brush-Finch (NE), Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (NE), Ash-browed & Stripe-breasted Spinetails, Thick-billed & Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finches, Mountain Velvetbreast, Cerulean Warbler, Fawn-breasted, Beryl-spangled & Metallic-green Tanagers, and many more.

Birding along the road to Chingaza National Park surprised us with close views of the Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Bronze-tailed Thornbill (NE), Pale-bellied (Matorral) Tapaculo (NE), Golden-fronted Whitestart (NE), Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, White-chinned Thistletail, Crowned Chat-Tyrant, Black-backed Grosbeak and Andean Siskin. One of the highlights for the day was the unexpected view of a splendid male Purple-backed Thornbill!

Birding the Siecha gravel pits was also very productive, with the presence of Bogota Rail (E&EN), Noble Snipe, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Andean Teal, Ruddy Duck and Grassland Yellow-Finch.

Visiting Paramo de Guasca was most rewarding, with nice views of the endemic & vulnerable Brown-breasted Parakeet, Coppery-bellied Puffleg (NE&NT), Speckle-faced Parrot, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Amethyst-throated (Longuemare´s) Sunangel, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Powerful Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner, Smoky Bush-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Black-capped, Superciliaried & Black-headed Hemispingus, Scarlet-bellied & Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanagers, Rufous-browed Conebill (NE) and Ochre-breasted Brush-Finch.

Our tour ended with a visit to the “Observatorio de colibríes” at La Calera, where we enjoyed the Black-tailed Trainbearer, Glowing Puffleg, Tyrian Metaltail, Sparkling & Green Violetears, quick views of Coppery-bellied Puffleg (NE&NT) and second views of female Blue-throated Starfrontlet (NE).

In total, we saw 436 species (plus 17 species heard only) and most importantly, had great fun while birding!

From left to right: Daniel Uribe, Peter Gent, David Massie, Nancy Massie, Bruce Webb and local guide at Los Flamencos Wildlife Refuge.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

The Eastern Andes, mid-Magdalena Valley, Santa Marta Mountains & La Guajira peninsula with Katy Krigbaum & Birgit Felser (Sept. 2 – 21, 2015).

23 - 09 - 2015

From September 2 – 21 (2015) we managed to visit most of the best birding sites from Bogotá to Soatá in the Eastern Andes of Colombia, the mid-Magdalena Valley continuing north into Ocaña, the Santa Marta Mountains & La Guajira peninsula.

                 Above, the splendid morning view of the Santa Marta Mountains as we arrived to the Cuchilla de San Lorenzo.

In the Eastern Andes we birded Laguna de Pedro Palo & Chicaque Ecopark, Chingaza National Park, Siecha & Guasca gravel pits, the Observatorio de Colibríes “Alarte” at La Calera, Páramo de Guasca & Pantano de Martos, Laguna de Fúquene, Rogitama Nature Reserve, Páramo de Onzaga and dry forests at Soatá. Some of the highlights for this section of the tour were: Bogota Rail (E&EN), Spot-flanked Gallinule, Noble Snipe, Brown-breasted Parakeet (E&VU), Barred Parakeet, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Band-winged Nightjar, Andean Teal, Andean Guan, Amethyst-throated (Longuemare´s) Sunangel, Bronze-tailed Thornbill (NE), Coppery-bellied Puffleg (NE&NT),  Black Inca (E&VU), Golden-bellied (NE) & Blue-throated (NE) Starfrontlets, Short-tailed Emerald (NE), Lazuline Sabrewing, Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird (E&EN), Bar-crested Antshrike (NE), Rufous Antpitta, Ocellated Tapaculo, Pale-bellied (Matorral) Tapaculo (NE), Black-banded Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, White-chinned Thistletail, Streak-backed Canastero, Ash-browed Spinetail, Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Black-collared Jay, Apolinar´s Wren (E&EN), Whiskered & Rufous Wrens, Paramo Pipit, Scrub Tanager (NE), Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Plushcap, Dull-colored Grassquit, Moustached Brush-Finch (NE), Yellow-breasted Brush-Finch, Golden-fronted Whitestart (NE) and Mountain Grackle (E&EN).

We then dropped into the mid-Magdalena Valley, birding Laguna de Tabacal & the Enchanted Gardens at San Francisco de Sales, Bellavista Forest at Victoria, the initial section of the road to Puerto Pinzón near “El 2.5”, Rio Claro Nature Reserve (visiting “El Cóndor” Oilbird cave), marshes near Río Lebrija and the Hormiguero de Torcoroma Nature Reserve in Ocaña. We had excellent views of Northern Screamer (NE&NT), Colombian Chachalaca (E), Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-hawk Eagle, Double-toothed Kite, White-rumped Hawk, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Spectacled Parrotlet, Dwarf Cuckoo, Oilbird, Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), Barred & Moustached Puffbirds, White-mantled Barbet (E&VU), Chestnut-mandibled & Channel-billed (Citron-throated) Toucans, Beautiful Woodpecker (E), Cinnamon Woodpecker, Recurve-billed Bushbird (NE&E), Klage´s Antbird, Magdalena Antbird (E), White-bellied, Bicolored & Jet Antbirds, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Stripe-breasted Spinetail, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Apical Flycatcher (E), Striped, Golden-headed & White-bearded Manakins, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Black-chested Jay, White-thighed Swallow, Black-bellied Wren, Chestnut-bellied Thrush, Slate-colored Seedeater, Sooty Ant-Tanager (E&NT), Cerulean Warbler (VU), Gray-throated Warbler (NE&NT) and Velvet-fronted Euphonia (E).

         Above: Birgit & Katy on their last day of tour, visiting Isla de Salamanca National Park near Santa Marta & Barranquilla.

The trip continued north into the Santa Marta Mountains, birding the high altitudinal gradient from Minca to El Dorado Nature Reserve & Cuchilla de San Lorenzo. Here, we enjoyed seeing the Santa Marta Parakeet (E&EN), Santa Marta Screech-Owl (E&CR), Sickle-winged & Band-tailed Guans, Santa Marta Blossomcrown (E&VU), White-tailed Starfrontlet (E), Santa Marta Woodstar (E), Santa Marta (Emerald) & Groove-billed Toucanets, Santa Marta Antbird (E), Santa Marta Tapaculo (E), Brown-rumped Tapaculo (E), Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner (E), Streak-capped Spinetail (NE), Rusty-headed Spinetail (E&VU), Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant (E&EN), Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Santa Marta (E) & Bang´s (E) Wood-Wrens, Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager (E), Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Colombian Brush-Finch (E), Golden-winged Sparrow (NE), Santa Marta Brush-Finch (E), Santa Marta Warbler (E&VU), White-lored Warbler (E&NT) and Yellow-crowned Whitestart (E), among many others.

The final leg of the trip included La Guajira Peninsula at Camarones & Perico, with a final visit to “El Vale” near Santa Marta and Isla de Salamanca National Park on the road to Barranquilla. We had great views of the Chestnut-winged Chachalaca (E), Reddish Egret (NT), Crested Bobwhite,  Double-striped Thick-Knee, Scaled Dove, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Red-billed Emerald (NE), Shinning-green Hummingbird, Pied & Russet-throated Puffbirds, Chestnut Piculet (NE), Golden-green Woodpecker, White-whiskered Spinetail (NE), Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Slender-billed Inezia (NE), Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Bicolored Conebill, Pileated Finch, Orinoco Saltator (NE), Tocuyo Sparrow (NE), Vermillion Cardinal (NE) and Trinidad Euphonia, among others.

The most popular sports in Colombia are soccer and cycling. During our tour, we enjoyed following the news of La Vuelta a España, where Colombian racer Nairo Quintana ended 4th after running sick for several days. We greatly enjoyed stopping at Nairo´s home between Arcabuco and Tunja, where we took this nice photo of the painted wall in the front porch of the house.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Bird photo tour for photographers from Taiwan & China: The Western & Central Andes of Colombia (July 18 – August 8, 2015).

09 - 08 - 2015

From July 18 to August 8 (2015) we photographed birds in the best nature reserves of the Western & Central Andes of Colombia, starting in Cali and finishing in Medellin.

As soon as Chunhsien Huang, Chu Yuan Hsu & Yong Bao Sun landed in Cali´s airport, we visited Juan José Arango´s hummingbird feeders in the outskirts of the city, photographing for more than 3 hours the gorgeous Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, White-necked Jacobin & Rufous-tailed Hummingbird. In the garden, our lenses focused on the Spotted & Red-crowned Woodpeckers, Saffron Finch and Thick-billed Euphonia.

We visited for 3 days the forests at Kilometro 18 above Cali, where we enjoyed greatly the feeders at Finca Alejandria. Here, we photographed well the Multicolored Tanager, Red-headed Barbet, Flame-rumped Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Golden-naped, Golden & Saffron-crowned Tanagers, Green Honeycreeper, Masked & Rusty Flowerpiercers, Blue-headed Sapphire, Green & Tawny-bellied Hermits, Brown Violetear, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Bronzy Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Booted Racket-Tail, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar, Crowned Woodnymph, Andean Emerald and Blue-headed Sapphire.

We than moved into the lowlands, photographing water birds in the Sonso & Cameguadua marshes in the Cauca Valley, including very nice birds such as Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Least & Pied-billed Grebes, Neotropical Cormorant, Striated Heron, Great, Snowy & Cattle Egrets, Cocoi Heron, Buff-necked Ibis, Limpkin, Purple & Common Gallinules, Southern Lapwing, Blackish Rail, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, Wattled Jacana, Pied Water-Tyrant and Olive-crowned Yellowthroat.

Our trip continued with visits to the Otun-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Los Nevados National Park, Rio Blanco, Ventanas Pass above Jardin, Morro Amarillo, Las Tangaras, La Romera Ecopark and Chestnut-capped Piha reserve.

And in doing so, many more beautiful birds were captured by our lenses, including the Spectacled Parrotlet, Blue-headed, Bronze-winged & Speckle-faced Parrots, Striped & Squirrel Cuckoos, Mottled Owl, Tropical Screech-Owl, Common Potoo, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked & Collared Trogons, Highland (Andean) Motmot, Emerald Toucanet, Montane Woodcreeper, Road-side Hawk, Yellow-headed & Crested Caracaras, American Kestrel, Swallow-tailed Kite, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Red-faced, Slaty & Azara´s Spinetails, Black-crowned & Uniform Antshrikes, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Common & Slate-headed Tody-Flycatchers, Vermilion Flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Green-and-black Fruiteater, White-breasted Wood-Wren, White-capped Dipper, Crimson-backed Tanager, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, and the Ruddy-breasted, Slate-colored & Yellow-bellied Seedeaters.

We photographed well 44 species of hummingbirds! Including the Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Green & Sparkling Violetears, Tourmaline Sunangel, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Tyrian & Viridian Metaltails, Greenish Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Collared Inca, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing,  White-tailed Hillstar, Green-crowned Brilliant, White-bellied Woodstar and Western Emerald, among others.

The Tanager family did not came short, capturing pictures of 41 species! This included such great tanagers as the Hooded, Lacrimose, Scarlet-bellied & Blue-winged Mountain-Tanagers, Fawn-breasted, Black-capped, Blue-necked, Speckled, Blue-and-black, Beryl-spangled, Bay-headed and Silver-throated Tanagers, among others.

Some of our tour highlights was being able to photograph well the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock at Jardin, the Highland Tinamou walking along a gravel road at Kilometro 18, the Dwarf Cuckoo in Cameguadua marsh, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Mountain Avocetbill, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan & Andean Tit-Spinetail in the buffer zone of Los Nevados National Park, the female Lyre-tailed Nightjar at Las Tangaras reserve, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow & Crimson-mantled Woodpecker at Otun-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Jet Antbird at El Vinculo reserve and Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant at Recinto del Pensamiento. We photographed well three species of jays, including the Black-collared, Black-chested and Green Jays.

Our friends from Taiwan and China quickly fell in love with the Antpittas, photographing seven species! It was impossible to resist the temptation of these charming Andean birds, devoting ample time to picture the Chestnut-crowned, Bicolored, Chestnut-naped, Rufous, Tawny, Brown-banded & Slate-crowned Antpittas!

By the end of our trip we had photographed well 23 endemics & near-endemics, including the Cauca Guan, Colombian Chachalaca, Yellow-eared Parrot, Violet-tailed Sylph, Buffy Helmetcrest, Black-thighed Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple Coronet, Empress Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar, Toucan Barbet, Grayish Piculet, Bar-crested Antshrike, Bicolored Antpitta, Brown-banded Antpitta, Sooty-headed Wren, Black-and-gold Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Multicolored Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager and Golden-fronted Redstart.

In our last day at Chestnut-capped Piha reserve, Chu Huan Hsu alone took 10,000 photos of the hummingbirds in the feeders!! Tons of irresistible action from these little birds in flight!!!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Second birding trip for Debby Reynolds & David Copas (UK), and Jane Andrews (USA) (January 20 – February 6, 2015).

08 - 02 - 2015

After birding sections of the Eastern, Western & Central Andes of Colombia, Debby & David (UK) came back for a second 18-day tour (from January 20 to February 6, 2015), this time with friend Jane Andrews (USA). Landing in Bogota worked well for visiting Laguna de Fuquene & Rogitama nature reserve, after which we moved into the mid-Magdalena Valley, birding en route Tabacal Lagoon & Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco, and lodging at the Blue-billed Curassow reserve. Moving further north, we lodged at the Cerulean Warbler reserve near San Vicente de Chucurí and visited the Recurve-billed Bushbird reserve near Ocaña. Final leg of the tour could not be better, birding the Santa Marta Mountains, Isla de Salamanca & Guajira Peninsula.

A total of 438 species were registered (417 seen, 21 heard only). The “birds of the day” list included magnificent birds such as the endemics Black Inca, Blue-billed Curassow, Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird, Black-backed Hummingbird (the “bird of the trip”), Santa Marta Antpitta and Chestnut-winged Chachalaca. Also, the near-endemic Chestnut Piculet and specialties such as the Rosy-thrush Tanager, Crested Bobwhite, Bare-crowned Antbird, Black Antshrike, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Jet Antbird, Chestnut-bellied Thrush, Brown-throated Parakeet and Golden-winged Sparrow.

 

From left to right: Daniel Uribe, José Luis Pushaina (our local guide for La Guajira), David Copas, Debby Reynolds & Jane Andrews at Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary in La Guajira peninsula.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Short but productive bird photo trip for family group from Canada and Colombia (December 16-20, 2014).

21 - 12 - 2014

This was a 5-day bird photo trip for the Rivard-Zuluaga family, visiting Cameguadua marsh, Los Nevados National Park, Río Blanco & El Recinto del Pensamiento ecopark in the Central Andes of Colombia. The first day was used for road traveling from Medellin to Manizales in the morning, birding Cameguadua marsh in the afternoon. The second day was a highly enjoyable visit to Los Nevados National Park, with plenty of birds photographed and a short relaxing bath at the thermal springs. The third & fourth days we birded Río Blanco, and on the fifth day visited the hummingbird feeders & butterfly house at El Recinto del Pensamiento, with return trip to Medellin in the afternoon.

We registered 195 species (183 seen, 12 heard-only) and while doing so, had a great time photographing birds such as the endemic Grayish Piculet, Blackish Rail, Flame-rumped Tanager, Pied Water-Tyrant and many more at Cameguadua marsh.

In Río Blanco the group photographed the Sickle-winged Guan & Black-billed Mountain-Toucan feeding on small berries, the antpittas (Chestnut-capped, Brown-banded, Bicolored & Slate-crowned Antpitta) feeding on earthworms, great hummingbirds & flowerpiercers in the lodge gardens, and a large list of mixed-flock members. Most memorable was a close encounter with an Andean Coati in broad daylight, and close night-views of Crab-eating Fox. Luckily, we ran into a family group of White-capped Tanagers and a flock of Golden-plumed Parakeets that allowed dozens of close captions. We indulged photographing very colorful birds such as the Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Highland Motmot and both male & female Masked Trogon.

At Los Nevados, we had the good fortune of locating and photographing at close range the endemic Buffy Helmetcrest, as well as a sizeable list of high-altitude hummingbirds including the scarce Black-thighed Hummingbird, Shining Sunbean, Great Sapphirewing, Viridian Metaltail, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast and Buff-tailed Coronet. We photographed 26 species of hummingbirds in just 5 days, including nice specialties such as Green-fronted Lancebill, Wedge-billed & Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Tourmaline Sunangel, Bronzy & Collared Inca, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Andean Emerald and White-bellied Woodstar.

The group at El Recinto del Pensamiento on the final day of a 5-day birdwatching and photography trip to Cameguadua marsh, Los Nevados National Park, Rio Blanco and El Recinto del Pensamiento ecopark in the Central Andes of Colombia.

The gorgeous White-capped Tanager at Rio Blanco, by Denis Rivard.

Endemic Buffy Helmetcrest at Los Nevados National Park, by Denis Rivard.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

News

Andean Endemics tour for David & Nancy Massie from the UK (October 23-November 6, 2014).

07 - 11 - 2014

This was a highly enjoyable and productive birding tour for David & Nancy Massie from the UK, who had birded Ecuador in previous trips but wanted to see Colombian Andean endemics and while doing so, filling-in the gaps for shared near-endemics with Ecuador & Venezuela. David & Nancy landed in Bogotá, and the following days we birded Chingaza National Park, the Siecha wetlands and the Páramo de Guasca. Then, we traversed the mid-Magdalena Valley, birding first the Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco de Sales & Tabacal Lagoon at La Vega soon after we left Bogotá. We visited the Bellavista forest at Victoria, the wetlands near “El Dosymedio” (Puerto Boyacá) and the Río Claro Canyon (lodging at El Refugio) in the mid-Magdalena Valley. After birding La Romera ecopark in Sabaneta, we went onward into the Western Andes visiting the semi-dry forests near Bolombolo along the way to Jardín, the Ventanas´s Pass above Jardín, Morro Amarillo and the Cock-of-the-Rock lek outside town. The following days rendered a productive sequence of birding days, visiting the best localities in the Central Andes: Río Blanco, Los Nevados National Park, the road to Neira, Cameguadua marsh and Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary. Outward flight was from Pereira to Bogotá, with connections back home.

In synthesis, we registered 439 species, with 406 species seen and 33 species heard only. David had 70 lifers during the trip, and Nancy was extremely lucky and hard-working in photographing a plethoric list of endemics & near-endemics. We drove 1,975 kilometers of Andean roads!

Some highlights of the tour were: Northern Screamer, Cauca Guan (E&EN), Colombian Chachalaca (E&VU), Bogota Rail (E&EN), Spot-flanked Gallinule, Noble Snipe, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Spectacled Parrotlet, Rufous-fronted Parakeet (E&VU), Rusty-faced Parrot, Yellow-eared Parrot (E&EN), Rufous-banded Owl, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Amethyst-throated (Longuemare´s) Sunangel, Purple-backed & Rainbow-bearded Thornbills, Bronze-tailed Thornbill (NE), Buffy Helmetcrest (E), Black-thighed Puffleg (NE&NT), Coppery-bellied Puffleg (NE&NT), Golden-breasted Puffleg (NE), Blue-throated Starfrontlet (NE),  Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), White-mantled Barbet (E&VU), Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Grayish Piculet (E), Beautiful Woodpecker (E), Sylvery-throated Spinetail (E), Bar-crested Antshrike (NE), Parker´s Antbird (E), Magdalena Antbird (E), Bicolored Antpitta (NE&VU), Brown-banded Antpitta (E), Stiles´s Tapaculo (E), Pale-bellied Tapaculo (NE), Rufous-breasted Flycatcher (NE),  Apical Flycatcher (E), Yellow-headed Manakin (NE&NT), Antioquia Wren (E), Purplish-mantled Tanager (NE&NT), Scrub Tanager (NE), Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Masked Saltator (NT), Yellow-headed Brush-Finch (E&EN), Cerulean Warbler (VU), Golden-fronted Whitestar (NE), Red-bellied Grackle (E&EN) and Velvet-fronted Euphonia (E).

Other significant birds were: Fulvous-whistling Duck, Andean Teal, Torrent & Andean (Ruddy) Ducks, Sickle-winged & Andean Guans,  Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Hook-billed Kite, Black-Hawk Eagle, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Barred Parakeet, Speckle-faced, Bronze-winged & Scaly-naped Parrots, White-lined Quail-Dove, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Band-winged Nightjar, Pale-bellied & Tawny-bellied Hermits, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Gorgeted Woodstar, Barred & Moustached Puffbirds,  Channel-billed (Citron-throated) Toucan, Yellow-vented, Crimson-mantled, Cinnamon & Powerful Woodpeckers, White-chinned Thistletail, Striped, Streak-capped & Flammulated Treehunters, Tyrannine Woodcreeper,  Checkered-throated & Pacific Antwrens, Chestnut-naped & Slate-crowned Antpittas, Paramo Tapaculo, Black-capped, Plumbeous-crowned, White-tailed & White-banded Tyrannulets, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Olivaceous Flatbill, Yellow-bellied, Slaty-backed, Rufous-breasted & Brown-backed Chat-Tyrants, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Wing-barred Piprites, Black-billed Peppershrike, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Black-collared & Black-chested Jays, Black-bellied & Chestnut-breasted Wrens, White-capped Dipper, Flame-rumped, Metallic-green & Red-hooded Tanagers, Plushcap, Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Citrine Warbler and Fulvous-vented Euphonia.

Male Buffy Helmetcrest at Los Nevados National Park, photographed by Nancy Massie.

Daniel, Nancy & David Massie, at the Visitor´s Center of Los Nevados National Park.

The endemic Magdalena Antbird, photographed by Nancy Massie at Rio Claro Canyon (mid-Magdalena Valley).

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

 

Featured Tours

These are our best tours, covering the finest birds in Colombia. We
specialize in Colombia endemic bird tours, emphasizing the rarest and most threatened
species while enjoying nature.

© 2011 Birding Tours Colombia. All photographs, texts and contents appearing in this website are protected by international copyright laws and are not to be
downloaded or copied in any way without the written permission of the author.