Category: News

News

Medium length birding trip through the Western & Central Andes of Colombia with Bruce Webb, Jeanne Conry & Peter Gent from USA (May 18 – 27, 2014).

28 - 05 - 2014

Bruce Webb (Wildlife Optics of California) and Peter Gent (Senior Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research – NCAR, Boulder, CO) arrived at Medellín airport in an American Airline flight from Miami on the night of May 18th (2014). The following day we birded La Romera Ecopark near Medellín and drove to ProAves´s Las Tangaras reserve in the Western Andes, lodging there for two nights. We then visited ProAves´s Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve at Ventanas´s Pass above Jardin, plus nearby Morro Amarillo and Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek. On our way to Rio Blanco in Manizales we birded the semi-dry forests of the road to Concordia at Bolombolo in the Cauca Valley, finishing with extraordinary birding at Los Nevados National Park and Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary in the Central Andes. Bruce´s wife, Jeanne Conry, joined the group for the final two birding days.

We registered 333 bird species (with 26 species heard only), including 40 hummingbirds, 46 tanagers and 46 flycatchers, in just 8.5 birding days! Including 23 species of ovenbirds and woodcreepers, 7 species of tapaculos and 6 species of antpittas, all at very close range!

After finishing the tour, Bruce wrote us with the following note: “Daniel: Jeannie and I want to thank you for an extraordinary birding trip.  Every day was exciting and your amazing ability to identify birds by sound and show us the tough to see birds made it worth it. We quickly re-learned techniques for seeing tropical birds, as it is definitely different than birding back home.  We have recently been on birding trips to Peru and Chile, and we can honestly say our experience with you in Colombia tops all others. We look forward to go birding with you in another region of Colombia. Best, Bruce Webb and Jeanne Conry, Granite Bay, California.”

And Peter wrote: “I finally finished going through my Colombia bird list. I saw 287 species
and 77 of them were new.  This is a very high percentage for me on trips. Thanks again, Peter.”

Peter, Jeanne, Bruce and Daniel, at the Visitor´s Center of Los Nevados 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

Short birding escapade for James Taylor & Christine Forster from Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) (May 8-11, 2014).

12 - 05 - 2014

James Taylor (MD, Ophthalmologist) and Christine Forster (Instructor of Hispanic Studies at the University of Victoria) organized their adventurous trip to Colombia in such a way that a short birding escapade near Pereira and Manizales would be combined with visits to colonial towns such as Villa de Leyva, Mompox and Minca, and main cities such as Medellín, Bogotá, Santa Marta and Cartagena.

Daniel received Chrissie & Jamie in Pereira´s airport early afternoon on May 8th, driving immediately to La Suiza lodge at Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary. There, they enjoyed great views of the endemic Cauca Guan and rare Red-ruffed Fruitcrow as they moved through the Ash tree plantations. Also, very close views of the endemic Crested Ant-Tanager and the Chestnut-breasted Wren singing generously its wonderful melodic songs. Other highlights included close views of a pair of Streak-capped Treehunter, a male & female Torrent Duck diving in fast waters, and an  assortment of hummingbirds including Wedge-billed, Steely-vented, Speckled & Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Andean & Western Emerald, Bronzy Inca, Long-billed Starthroat, Greenish Puffleg,  and Green Hermit. Plus beautiful birds such as the Andean Motmot, Blue-necked & Flame-rumped Tanager, Collared Trogon, Green Jay, Tropical Parula and many others.

The following day (May 9th) we birded the Cameguadua marsh in Chinchiná, registering 110 species this day, including the endemic Grayish Piculet, near-endemic Bar-crested Antshrike, Spectacled Parrotlet, Least & Pied-billed Grebe, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Purple Gallinule, Slaty Spinetail,  Vermillion Flycatcher, Pied Water-Tyrant, Bay-headed Tanager and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, among many others.

At Los Nevados National Park (May 10th) we had astonishing views of the Bearded Helmetcrest and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, plus a good mix of paramo & timberline species such as the Viridian Metaltail, near-endemic Golden-breasted Puffleg, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Paramo Tapaculo, Paramo Seedeater, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, White-throated Tyrannulet, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Pale-naped Brush-Finch, near-endemic Golden-fronted Whitestar, Black-crested Warbler and Andean Siskin. In the afternoon we visited Recinto del Pensamiento in Manizales, enjoying 14 species of hummingbirds!

On final day (May 11th) we birded the Rio Blanco watershed, registering 85 species, including three antpittas (the endemic Brown-banded, plus Chestnut-crowned & Slate-crowned Antpitta), flocks of at least 50 Golden-plumed Parakeets, 40 Rusty-faced Parrots and over 90 Scaly-naped Parrots, and close views of big specialties such as Powerful Woodpecker, Dusky Piha, Slaty Finch, Sickle-winged Guan, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Band-winged Nightjar, Tourmaline Sunangel, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Collared Inca, Long-tailed Sylph, Masked Trogon, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Spillman´s Tapaculo and Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager.

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 photography trip for Japanese photographers – Hisao komori & Yasunobu Shiga (April 26-May 4, 2014).

05 - 05 - 2014

From April 26 to May 4 (2014), we photographed birds of the Central and Western Andes of Colombia for 9 full days with Hisao Komori & Yasunobu Shiga from Japan. Komori & Shiga arrived in Bogotá on April 25th, taking a domestic flight to Cali the morning of the following day. Taking advantage of their landing in Cali, we visited Juan José Arango´s hummingbird feeders in the city and birded the famous Kilómetro 18 & San Antonio road above Cali, lodging at Finca Alejandría. We then moved into the tropical dry forest of El Vínculo reserve and visited the Sonso marshes near Buga, Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary above the city of Pereira, Cameguadua marsh in Chinchiná, Los Nevados National Park and Río Blanco nature reserve near Manizales, finishing at Recinto del Pensamiento.

We photographed 175 species of birds, including 25 species of hummingbirds, 23 species of tanagers, 21 species of flycatchers, 8 species of woodpeckers, 5 species of woodcreepers, 5 species of Brush-Finches, 4 species of antpittas and 3 species of ibises, among other birds.

Some of the highlights included photographing male & female Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Sickle-winged Guan, Cauca Guan (endemic), Colombian Chachalaca (endemic), Buff-necked & Glossy Ibis, Blackish Rail, Purple Gallinule, Golden-plumed Parakeet (endangered), Spectacled Parrotlet, Masked Trogon, Highland Motmot, Red-headed Barbet, Crimson-rumped Toucanet, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Grayish Piculet (endemic), Andean Tit-Spinetail, Pearled Treerunner, Bar-crested Antshrike (near-endemic), Paramo Tapaculo, Black-throated Pygmy-Tyrant, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Pied Water-Tyrant, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Apical Flycatcher (endemic), Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Green Jay, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Plushcap, Slaty Finch and Golden-fronted Whitestart (near-endemic).

Among the tanagers, we photographed the Scarlet-bellied, Buff-breasted & Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Flame-rumped, Blue-capped, Fawn-breasted, Golden-naped, Blue-necked, Scrub, Blue-and-black, Beryl-spangled, Saffron-crowned, Golden and Guira Tanager.

Among the very nice hummingbirds, we photographed well the White-necked Jacobin, three species of Violetears (Sparkling, Brown & Green), Black-throated Mango, Tourmaline Sunangel, Wedge-billed &  Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Greenish Puffleg, Bronzy & Collared Inca, Booted Rackettail, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-bellied & Purple-throated Woodstar (near-endemic), Green-crowned Woodnymph, Andean & Western Emerald, and the amazingly beautiful Bearded Helmetcrest (near-endemic) in the high mountains of the Central Andes.

At Río Blanco it was a joy to photograph up close the Brown-banded, Chestnut-crowned and Slate-crowned Antpittas, and the Tawny Antpitta at Los Nevados National Park.

Komori, Daniel & Shiga visiting the hummingbird feedes at Recinto del Pensamiento in Manizales.

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 for precious birds with Hans Jornvall from Sweden (February 24-March 8, 2014).

09 - 03 - 2014

Having seen soon 9,000 bird species worldwide, Hans Jornvall had a relatively short target list for this trip. In a previous trip to Colombia, we visited the Chestnut-capped Piha reserve in the northern Central Andes. Now, a longer trip to the Western & Central Andes should give further elusive species. We visited La Romera Ecopark in Sabaneta, the semi-dry forests at Bolombolo in the Cauca Valley, Ventanas Pass & Morro Amarillo above Jardín, Las Tangaras & “La M” at Carmen de Atrato, Los Nevados National Park, Río Blanco, Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary and Km 18 above Cali (birding Finca Alejandría & Chicoral).

Successfully, this trip rendered many new encounters, including the following: Cauca Guan (E&EN), Yellow-eared Parrot (E&EN), Golden-plumed Parakeet (EN), Rusty-faced Parrot (VU), Purple-backed Thornbill, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Black-thighed Puffleg (NE&NT), Blue-headed Sapphire, Grayish Piculet (E), Rusty-winged Barbtail, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner (NT), Uniform Treehunter (NE), Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta (NE&VU), Brown-banded Antpitta (E), Slate-crowned Antpitta, “Alto de Pisones” Tapaculo (E), Choco Tyrannulet, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher (NE), Black-throated Pygmy-Tyrant, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Olivaceous Piha, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Yellow-headed Manakin (NE&NT), Choco Vireo (NE&EN), Antioquia Wren (E ), Munchique Wood-Wren (E&CR), Chestnut-breasted Wren & Gold-ringed Tanager (E&EN).

Slate-crowned Antpitta at Rio Blanco, Central Andes of Colombia.

Rainbow-bearded Thornbill at Los Nevados National Park, Central Andes of Colombia.

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 Eastern, Central & Western Andes with Andy & Gill Swash, Debby Reynolds & David Copas from UK (January 15 – February 5, 2014).

06 - 02 - 2014

This was a 22-day birding trip (2,666 road kilometers) through the best localities in the Eastern, Central & Western Andes of Colombia. Starting in Bogotá, we birded Laguna de Pedro Palo, Chicaque, Chingaza National Park, Siecha gravel pits, Paramo de Guasca (La Guajira & Bioandina nature reserve) and La Florida marsh in the first 4 days. We then moved into the Magdalena Valley, visiting the Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco de Sales, Laguna de Tabacal, Bellavista forest in Victoria and the Rio Claro canyon (El Refugio). From here we drove into the Northern Central Andes, visiting ProAves´s Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve for 3 days, before travelling south to Medellín and visiting La Romera ecopark and then on to ProAves´s Las Tangaras lodge in the Western Andes for 2 days. The next part of our itinerary was to visit Jardín, birding Ventanas´s Pass above town and Morro Amarillo, before moving into the Central Andes. From Manizales we birded Los Nevados National Park, Rio Blanco, Recinto del Pensamiento and Cameguadua marsh. Our tour finished with an overnight stay at Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary and a 3-night visit to Cerro Montezuma in the Western Andes (Leopoldina´s lodge). A domestic flight from Pereira to Bogotá preceded the international flight back home to the UK.

In total, we recorded 580 species, with 35 heard only.  Andy & Gill had 72 lifers, Debby & David had 146 lifers. After returning back to UK, Andy wrote: “The actual number of species photographed was 369, with just over 300 of publishable quality – an amazing figure, and significantly more than any other tour we’ve done!”.

We enjoyed many great birds, including the following:

ENDEMICS (29): Cauca Guan, Colombian Chachalaca, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Bogota Rail, Yellow-eared Parrot, Brown-banded Parakeet, Indigo-capped Hummingbird, Buffy (Bearded) Helmetcrest, White-mantled Barbet, Greyish Piculet, Beautiful Woodpecker, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Parker´s Antbird, Magdalena Antbird, Brown-banded Antpitta, Stiles´s Tapaculo, Alto de Pisones Tapaculo, Chestnut-capped Piha, Antioquia Bristle-Tyrant, Munchique Wood-Wren, Black-and-gold Tanager, Gold-ringed Tanager, Multicoloured Tanager, Turquoise Dacnis, Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer, Sooty Ant-Tanager, Crested Ant-Tanager, Red-bellied Grackle and Antioquia Wren.

NEAR-ENDEMICS (40): Northern Screamer, Short-tailed Emerald, Empress Brilliant, Velvet-purple Coronet, Brown Inca, Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Violet-tailed Sylph, Purple-throated Woodstar, Toucan Barbet, Uniform Treehunter, Bar-crested Antshrike, Bicoloured Antpitta, Nariño Tapaculo, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Club-winged Manakin, Yellow-headed Manakin, Choco Tyrannulet, Sooty-headed Wren, Beautiful Jay, Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, Golden-fronted Redstart, Rufous-browed Conebill, Scarlet-browed Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Tanager Finch, Black-backed Bush-Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Dusky Bush-Tanager, Black-headed Brush-Finch, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Choco Vireo, Flame-rumped Tanager and Rufous-throated Tanager.

OTHER SPECIALITIES (more than 70 species), including the following: Andean Teal, Noble Snipe, Spectacled Parrotlet, White-throated Screech-Owl, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Western Emerald, White-tailed Hillstar, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Gorgeted Woodstar, Golden-headed & Crested Quetzals, Barred Puffbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Yellow-vented, Cinnamon & Powerful Woodpeckers, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Streak-capped & Flammulated Treehunters, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Brown-billed Scythebill, Rufous-rumped & Yellow-breasted Antwrens, Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Pale-bellied (Matorral) Tapaculo, Olivaceous Piha, Striped Manakin, Subtropical Doradito, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, Southern Bentbill, White-headed & Chestnut-breasted Wrens, Black-billed Peppershrike, Fulvous-vented Euphonia, Rufous-crested Tanager, Masked Saltator and many others.

Celebrating a succesfull birding trip. From left to right: Daniel, Debby, David, Gill & Andy, at the waterfall bench of ProAves´s Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve in the Central Andes.

David & Debby take a brake at a point view in Chingaza National Park, Eastern Andes above Bogota.

At Cerro Montezuma in the Western Andes: Leopoldina, David, Debby, Andy & Gill.

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 Central Andes of Colombia with Steven Huggins & Glenn Giacinto from Chicago, Illinois (January 3 – 13, 2014).

15 - 01 - 2014

From January 3 – 13 (2014) we visited birding sites from Cali to Medellín, starting at the well-known Km18 above Cali and moving north through the foothills and high mountains of the Central Andes. In eleven days we birded at Finca Alejandría, El Vínculo nature reserve & Sonso marshes near Buga, Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary above Pereira, Cameguadua marsh, Los Nevados National Park, Rio Blanco, the Neira road near Manizales (for the endemic Yellow-headed Brush-Finch), the roads to Concordia & Puerto Salgar (for the endemics Antioquia Wren, Grayish Piculet, Apical Flycatcher), Ventanas´s Pass & Morro Amarillo in Jardín,  and finally Parque La Romera & gravel pits at Llanogrande near the Medellín Airport in Rionegro.

We aimed at Steven´s and Glenn´s lifers, with a final count of 69 lifers for Steven and 75 lifers for Glenn. Trip total was 368 species seen plus 18 heard only. Some of the highlights included the Cauca Guan (E), Colombian Chachalaca (E), Chestnut Wood-Quail (E), White-rumped Hawk, Blackish Rail, Yellow-eared Parrot (E), Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Spectacled Parrotlet, Rusty-faced Parrot, White-throated Screech-Owl, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Tourmaline Sunangel, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Buffy (Bearded) Helmetcrest (E), Glowing, Black-thighed (NE) & Golden-breasted (NE) Pufflegs, Purple-throated Woodstar (NE), Blue-headed Sapphire, Moustached Puffbird, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Grayish Piculet (E), Yellow-vented & Spot-breasted Woodpeckers, Andean Tit-Spinetail, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Bar-crested Antshrike (NE), Parker´s (E) & Jet Antbirds, Slate-crowned, Brown-banded (E) & Bicolored (NE) Antpittas, Stiles´s (E) & Nariño (NE) Tapaculos, Rufous-breasted (NE) & Apical Flycatcher (E), Dusky Piha, Yellow-headed Manakin (NE), Black-billed Peppershrike, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Antioquia (E), Whiskered & Chestnut-breasted Wrens, Multicolored (E) & Metallic-green Tanagers, Plushcap, Black-backed Bush-Tanager (NE), Masked Saltator, Yellow-headed Brush-Finch (E), Crested Ant-Tanager (E),  Golden-fronted Redstar (NE) and Red-bellied Grackle (E), among many others.

 

Glenn & Steve, birding in Colombia: here, at ProAves´s Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve, above Jardin.

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 with David Hartwell & Elizabeth de Baut (December 15 – 25, 2013).

26 - 12 - 2013

A customized tour for David Hartwell (Treasurer, Audubon Society) and wife Elizabeth de Baut. Eleven full days allowed us to visit 13 of the best birding sites in the Eastern Andes, Magdalena Valley and Central Andes. We visited Chingaza National Park, Siecha gravel pits, Páramo de Guasca, Rogitama Nature Reserve, La Florida Park in Bogotá, Enchanted Gardens of San Francisco, road to Cambao, Bellavista forest in Victoria, Los Nevados National Park, hummingbirds at Recinto del Pensamiento in Manizales, Río Blanco, Cameguadua marsh and Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary above Pereira.

David saw exactly 100 lifers in this trip! In total, we saw 375 species (with 23 species heard only). Some of the highlights included the endemics Cauca Guan, Colombian Chachalaca, Chestnut Wood-Quail, Bogotá Rail, Brown-breasted (Flame-winged) Parakeet, Black Inca, Indigo-capped Hummingbird, White-mantled Barbet, Grayish Piculet, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Brown-banded Antpitta, Pale-bellied (Matorral) Tapaculo, Multicolored Tanager, Velvet-fronted Euphonia, Sooty Ant-Tanager and Crested Ant-Tanager.

Also, the near-endemics Rusty-faced Parrot, Bronze-tailed Thornbill, Bearded Helmetcrest, Coppery-bellied & Golden-breasted Puffleg, Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Red-billed & Short-tailed Emerald, Bar-crested Antshrike, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Scrub Tanager, Rufous-browed Conebill and Golden-fronted Whitestar.

Other neat birds included the endangered Golden-plumed Parakeet, Andean Teal, Torrent Duck, Capped Heron, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Noble Snipe, Spectacled Parrotlet, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Amethyst-throated (Longuemare´s) & Tourmaline Sunangel, Purple-backed & Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Glowing Puffleg, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Booted Racket-Tail, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Gorgeted Woodstar, Western Emerald, Golden-headed Quetzal, Citron-throated Toucan, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Yellow-vented & Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Streak-capped & Flammulated Treehunter, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Antbird, Slate-crowned Antpitta, Ash-colored Tapaculo, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Bronze-olive Pygmy-Tyrant, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Dusky Piha, Striped Manakin, Black-billed Peppershrike, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Black-collared & Black-chested Jay, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Black-chested Mountain-Tanager, Plushcap and Masked Saltator, among many others.

Elizabeth & David facing a stormy afternoon at Paramo de Guasca, Eastern Andes of Colombia.

 

Daniel, Elizabeth & David at Otún-Quimbaya Wildlife Sanctuary, Central Andes of Colombia.

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 Santa Marta Mountains with Juan José Arango & Anabel Vanin (December 2 – 8, 2013).

10 - 12 - 2013

This was the third bird photography trip for Juan José Arango & Anabel Vanin, in this case visiting the Santa Marta Mountains & Guajira lowlands for endemics & specialties. With seven days available, we stayed 4 days at ProAves´s El Dorado lodge in the San Lorenzo ridge, moving up and down the mountain in pursue of some of the best birds in range. After which we dropped to La Guajira lowlands, visiting Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary for two days.

We had great fun photographing endemics and near-endemics, such as the gorgeous Santa Marta Parakeet (E&EN), Black-fronted Wood-Quail (NE&VU), Santa Marta Screech-Owl (E&CR), Blossomcrown (E&VU), Streak-capped Spinetail (NE), Santa Marta Tapaculo (E), Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant (E&EN), Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager (E), Santa Marta Brush-Finch (E), Yellow-fronted Whitestart (E), White-lored Warbler (E) and Santa Marta Warbler (E).

The Santa Marta Foliage-Gleaner (E), Rusty-headed Spinetail (E&VU), White-tailed Starfrontlet (E) and Brown-rumped Tapaculo (E) were elusive to our cameras, but we saw them all very well. We missed the Santa Marta Antpitta (E), Black-backed Thornbill (E) and Santa Marta Sabrewing (E).

At La Guajira lowlands we photographed the near-threatened Reddish Egret, Orinoco Saltator (NE), Chestnut Piculet (NE), White-whiskered Spinetail (NE), Vermilion Cardinal (NE), Russet-throated Puffbird (NE) and Slender-billed Inezia (NE), plus many other birds.

Juan José´s images can be seen at his Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjarango/page3/

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 photography trip for Francesco Veronesi from Italy (August 16 – September 01, 2013).

03 - 09 - 2013

A very productive bird photo trip visiting outstanding sites at the Western & Central Andes of Colombia. After landing in Cali, we visited Juan José Arango´s hummingbird feeders in Cali, Finca Alejandría at Kilometer 18 above Cali, El Vínculo tropical dry forest near Buga & Paso Galápagos near El Cairo in the Western Andes, obtaining photos of outstanding species such as Gold-ringed Tanager, Grayish Piculet, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager, Purple-throated Woodstar, Colombian Chachalaca, Spectacled Parrotlet, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Handsome Flycatcher, Flame-rumped Tanager & Rufous Spinetail, among many others. At this time of the year, the amount of tanagers visiting the feeders at Finca Alejandría was surprisingly low, but the hummingbirds were great!

We then move into the Central Andes, visiting Otún-Quimbaya Sanctuary, Cameguadua marsh, Rio Blanco and Los Nevados National Park, with wonderful photo opportunities for outstanding species such as Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Bearded Helmetcrest, Black-billed Mountain-Toucan, Powerful Woodpecker, Bar-crested Antshrike, Brown-banded, Chestnut-crowned & Slate-crowned Antpittas, Paramo Tapaculo, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Dusky Piha, Gray-browed & White-naped Brush-Finches, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Torrent Duck & White-capped Dipper, among many others.

Our very productive trip finished with visits to Morro Amarillo and ProAves´s Yellow-eared Parrot Reserve at Ventanas´s Pass above Jardín, Las Tangaras reserve at Carmen de Atrato (Western Andes foothills in Chocó) and La Romera Ecopark in Medellín, obtaining very nice images of species such as Chestnut Wood-Quail, Yellow-eared Parrot (perched and in flight at short distance), Black-and-gold Tanager, Crested Ant-Tanager, Red-bellied Grackle, Glistening-green Tanager, Violet-tailed Sylph, Brown Inca, Greenish Puffleg, Toucan Barbet, White-tailed Hillstar, Olivaceous Piha, Black-collared Jay and Olive Finch.

We even had time to visit “La M” above Carmen de Atrato, where Francesco managed to take amazing pictures of Munchique Wood-Wren & White-capped Tanager.

Francesco´s images for the trip can be seen at his Flickr site by clicking on the next image:

Glistening-green Tanager - Las Tangaras - Colombia_S4E4586

 

Francesco and Daniel, at Rio Blanco in the Central Andes of Colombia.

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 photography trip to the Eastern Andes of Colombia for Juan José Arango & Anabel Vanin (July 31 – August 04, 2013).

05 - 08 - 2013

A customized tour to the Eastern Andes of Colombia for Juan José Arango (interventional cardiologist & passionate bird photographer) and Anabel Vanin (kidney transfer surgeon & avid bird watcher).

With very limited time available away from work, we visited Chingaza National Park twice, Guasca paramo, Siechia wetlands, Rogitama Nature Reserve and Enchanted Gardens at San Francisco de Sales. We had much rain and cold weather on our first and second days and clear skies on the third and fourth days.

Along the road to Chingaza, tour highlights included outstanding photo opportunities for Silvery-throated Spinetail (E), Rufous-browed Conebill (NE), Golden-fronted Whitestart (NE), Pearled Treerunner, Rufous Wren, Andean Siskin, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrant, White-throated Tyrannulet, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Glossy & Black Flowerpiercers, Pale-naped Brush-Finch and Eastern Meadowlark.

Our visit to the Siechia wetlands provided good photo opportunities for the Spot-flanked Gallinule (NE), Ruddy Duck, Andean Teal and American Coot. We had good views of the Bogota Rail (E) and Noble Snipe, albeit photographing them was difficult do to their cryptic behavior and high speed of their brief appearances. On our way to Rogitama, we stopped for nice birds along the road, making photos of Band-tailed Seedeater, Grassland Yellow-Finch, Black-crested Warbler and more of the Eastern Meadowlark.

Visiting Rogitama Nature Reserve was most rewarding, managing good images of the endemic Black Inca, Rogitama Sylph (possibly an un-described hybrid), Sparkling Violetear, Tyrian Metaltail, Sedge Wren, Brown-capped Vireo, Fawn-breasted Tanager and Black & White-sided Flowerpiercers, among others. We had good views of the very nice Lazuline Sabrewing, Short-tailed Emerald (NE), Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (NE) and Moustached Brush-Finch (NE).

On our last day we detoured towards the small town of San Francisco de Sales, visiting the Enchanted Gardens, where we managed to make good shots of a number of hummingbirds: Indigo-capped Hummingbird (E), Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, Gorgeted & White-bellied Woodstars, Sparkling & Brown Violetears, White-vented Plumeleteer and Violet-crowned Woodnymph, among other birds.

Overall, it was a highly successful bird-photo tour in spite of the difficult weather. Juan José´s trip images can be seen at his Flicker site by clicking on the following image:

Cucarachero rufo - Rufous Wren - Cinnycerthia unirufa 09

The Rufous Wren at Chingaza National Park, by Juan José Arango.

 

Juan José & Anabel, at Rogitama Nature Reserve.

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.