Wednesday 25th November 2009
Unfortunately, I cannot obtain access to the Internet today or tomorrow, but hope to make this combined post on Friday.
Perhaps I should have issued details of the make up of my first 3 weeks in Colombia before now, so here goes. I, along with another 9 fellow 'birders' will spend our first 2 weeks as guests of 'Birdseekers' of Plymouth in the central area of the country, then all of us have opted for the 1 week extension, which involves flying to the Santa Marta Mountains.The tour will be led throughout by Steve Bird, owner and Managing Director of the company, ably assisted by American Gina Nichol and Senior Guide Carl Downing.
A Chiva, one of the brightly painted buses hereabouts.
This morning we were up at 03-15 and with all our bags in the mini bus, plenty of coffee and a toasted cheese and ham sarnie, we got under way for Alto Galapagos.Here at about 1000 meters sub-tropical forest meets Cloud Forest, to the sumit, at 2000 meters. Here we expected to find a wide diversity of bird life,and were not disappointed. Unlike yesterday which was decidedly a Hummingbird day, today was given over to Tanagers. Arguably the most varied in colour of the Southern American passerines, we found them in abundance at altitude.Weather wise, it was on the whole dry but at the higher elevations swathes of low cloud rolled in to make viewing difficult, but there was also a good deal of very warm sunshine, especially lower down.It would be difficult to single out a 'bird of the day' but with a number of endemics in the mix it didn't really matter. However, one of the highlights was the very first bird we encountered, White-capped Dipper, which I had only seen fleetingly once in Peru and once in the USA. This bird was most obliging, but once again the camera (and maybe the operator) were not at their best resulting in a few blured shots.
We ended the day with 64 species, 32 fewer than yesterday, but the total included 2 'endemics', Gold-ringed Tanager and Crested Ant-Tanager, quality which more than redressed the shortfall in quantity. Of these 37 were 'lifers', new additions to my 'world list'.
Unfortunately, I cannot obtain access to the Internet today or tomorrow, but hope to make this combined post on Friday.
Perhaps I should have issued details of the make up of my first 3 weeks in Colombia before now, so here goes. I, along with another 9 fellow 'birders' will spend our first 2 weeks as guests of 'Birdseekers' of Plymouth in the central area of the country, then all of us have opted for the 1 week extension, which involves flying to the Santa Marta Mountains.The tour will be led throughout by Steve Bird, owner and Managing Director of the company, ably assisted by American Gina Nichol and Senior Guide Carl Downing.
A Chiva, one of the brightly painted buses hereabouts.This morning we were up at 03-15 and with all our bags in the mini bus, plenty of coffee and a toasted cheese and ham sarnie, we got under way for Alto Galapagos.Here at about 1000 meters sub-tropical forest meets Cloud Forest, to the sumit, at 2000 meters. Here we expected to find a wide diversity of bird life,and were not disappointed. Unlike yesterday which was decidedly a Hummingbird day, today was given over to Tanagers. Arguably the most varied in colour of the Southern American passerines, we found them in abundance at altitude.Weather wise, it was on the whole dry but at the higher elevations swathes of low cloud rolled in to make viewing difficult, but there was also a good deal of very warm sunshine, especially lower down.It would be difficult to single out a 'bird of the day' but with a number of endemics in the mix it didn't really matter. However, one of the highlights was the very first bird we encountered, White-capped Dipper, which I had only seen fleetingly once in Peru and once in the USA. This bird was most obliging, but once again the camera (and maybe the operator) were not at their best resulting in a few blured shots.
We ended the day with 64 species, 32 fewer than yesterday, but the total included 2 'endemics', Gold-ringed Tanager and Crested Ant-Tanager, quality which more than redressed the shortfall in quantity. Of these 37 were 'lifers', new additions to my 'world list'.
A misty morning Alto GalapagosTrip List to Date
PIED-BILLED GREBE
OLIVACEOUS CORMORANT
COCOI HERON
GREAT EGRET
SNOWY EGRET
LITTLE BLUE HERON
GREEN HERON
STRIATED HERON
WESTERN CATTLE EGRET
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
LEAST BITTERN*
BARE-FACED IBIS
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK
MERIDA TEAL*
BLUE-WINGED TEAL
PINNATED BITTERN*
CINNAMON TEAL
TORRENT DUCK
ANDEAN DUCK*
TURKEY VULTURE
BLACK VULTURE
OSPREY
AMERICAN SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
WHITE-TAILED KITE*
SNAIL KITE
ROADSIDE HAWK*
BROAD-WINGED HAWK
WHITE-TAILED HAWK*
NORTHERN CARACARA*
YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA
AMERICAN KESTREL
MERLIN
APLOMADO FALCON
CAUCA GUAN*
SICKLE-WINGED GUAN*
LIMPKIN
BOGOTA RAIL* (E)
PURPLE GALLINULE
SPOT-FLANKED GALLINULE*
MOORHEN
AMERICAN COOT
WATTLED JACANA
BLACK-NECKED STILT
SOUTHERN LAPWING
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
LESSER YELLOWLEGS
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
WATTLED GUAN*
LEAST SANDPIPER
NOBLE SNIPE*
FERAL PIGEON
BAND-TAILED PIGEON
PALE-VENTED PIGEON*
EARED DOVE
RUDDY GROUND-DOVE
WHITE-TIPPED DOVE
SCARLET-FRONTED PARAKEET*
GOLDEN-PLUMED PARAKEET*
SPECKTACLED PARROTLET*
BLUE-HEADED PARROT
BRONZE-WINGED PARROT*
DWARF CUCKOO*
SQUIRREL CUCKOO
GREATER ANI
SMOOTH-BILLED ANI
COMMON (Grey) POTOO*
COMMON NIGHTHAWK
STYDIAN OWL*
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT*
GREY-RUMPED SWIFT
GREEN HERMIT
GREEN-FRONTED LANCEBILL*
WHITE-NECKED JACOBIN
BROWN VIOLETEAR*
GREEN VIOLETEAR
SPARKLING VIOLETEAR
BLACK-THROATED MANGO
VIOLET-CROWNED WOODNYMPH*
ANDEAN EMERALD*
RUFOUS-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD
STEELEY-VENTED HUMMINGBIRD
WHITE-VENTED PLUMELETEER*
FAWN-BREASTED BRILLIANT*
WHITE-TAILED HILLSTAR*
BRONZY INCA*
BROWN INCA*
VELVET-PURPLE CORONET*
GLOWING PUFFLEG*
COPPERY-BELLIED PUFFLEG*
GREENISH PUFFLEG*
BOOTED RACKET-TAIL*
TYRIAN METALTAIL*
VIOLET-TAILED SYLPH*
PURPLE-THROATED WOODSTAR*
COLLARED TROGON*
RINGED KINGFISHER
AMAZON KINGFISHER
HIGHLAND MOTMOT*
RED-HEADED BARBET*
GREYISH PICULET*
EMERALD TOUCANET*
MOUSTACHED PUFFBIRD*
SPOT-BREASTED WOODPECKER*
GOLDEN-OLIVE WOODPECKER*
LINEATED WOODPECKER
ACORN WOODPECKER
RED-CROWNED WOODPECKER
SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER
WEDGE-BILLED WOODCREEPER*
STREAK-HEADED WOODCREEPER
MONTANE WOODCREEPER)
AZARA'S SPINETAIL*
SILVERY-THROATED SPINETAIL*
PALE-BREASTED SPINETAIL*
ASH-BROWED SPINETAIL*
PACIFIC TUFTEDCHEEK*
LINEATED FOLIAGE-GLEANER*
MONTANE FOLIAGE-GLEANER*
UNIFORM TREEHUNTER*
STREAKED XENOPS*
BAR-CRESTED ANTSHRIKE*
PLAIN ANTVIREO*
JET ANTBIRD*
ASH-COLOURED TAPACULO
STILE'S TAPACULO)*
MATTORAL TAPACULO* (E)
ANDEAN COCK-of-the ROCK
GREEN and BLACK FRUITEATER*
GOLDEN-BREASTED FRUITEATER*
RED-RUFFED FRUITCROW*
SOOTY-HEADED TYRANNULET*
PLUMBEOUS-CROWNED TYRANNULET*
GOLDEN-FACED TYRANNULET*
YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA*
MOUNTAIN ELAENIA*
TORRENT TYRANT*
RUFOUS-BREASTED FLYCATCHER*
VARIAGATED BRISTLE-TYRANT*
RUFOUS-HEADED PYGMY-TYRANT*
COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER
SLATE-HEADED TODY-FLYCATCHER*
YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHER
ORNATE FLYCATCHER*
HANDSOME FLYCATCHER*
BRAN-COLOURED FLYCATCHER*
CINNAMON FLYCATCHER*
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER*
VERMILLION FLYCATCHER
PIED-WATER TYRANT
CATTLE TYRANT
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER
GREAT KISKADEE
RUSTY-MARGINED FLYCATCHER*
WESTERN WOOD PEWEE
GOLDEN-CROWNED FLYCATCHER*
FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
GREY-BREATED MARTIN
BROWN-BELLIED MARTIN
BLUE-and-WHIE SWALLOW
SOUTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW*
BARN SWALLOW
INCA JAY*
WHITE-CAPPED DIPPER
SHARP'S WREN*
APOLINAR'S MARSH-WREN (E)*
SOUTHERN HOUSE WREN
BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN*
GREY-BREASTED WOOD-WREN*
TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD
BLACK SOLITAIRE*
SWAINSON'S THRUSH
GREAT THRUSH
GLOSSY THRUSH*
BLACK-BILLED THRUSH*
RUFOUS-BROWED PEPPERSHRIKE*
BROWN-CAPPED VIREO*
RUFOUS-NAPPED GREENLET*
SCRUB GREENLET*
BLACK-and-WHITE WARBLER
TROPICAL PARULA
YELLOW WARBLER
CERULEAN WARBLER*
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
CANADA WARBLER
SLATE-THROATED REDSTART
BLACK-CRESTED WARBLER*
RUSSET-CROWNED WARBLER*
THREE-STRIPED WARBLER*
BANANAQUIT
INDIGO FLOWER-PIERCER*
BLACK FLOWER-PIERCER*
WHITE-SIDED FLOWER-PIERCER*
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
GREEN HONEYCREEPER
GOLDEN-COLLARED HONEYCREEPER*
CHESTNUT-BREASTED CHLOROPHONIA*
YELLOW-COLLARED CHLOROPHONIA*
ORANGE-BELLIED EUPHONIA*
THICK-BILLED EUPHONIA
FAWN-BREASTED TANAGER*
GLISTENING-GREEN TANAGER*
MULTICOLOURED TANAGER*
GOLDEN TANAGER*
SAFFRON-CROWNED TANAGER*
FLAME-FACED TANAGER*
BLUE-NECKED TANAGER*
BAY-HEADED TANAGER*
SCRUB TANAGER*
BLACK-CAPPED TANAGER*
PURPLISH-MANTLED TANAGER*
SCARLET-BELLIED MOUNTAIN-TANAGER*
BLUE-WINGER MOUNTAIN-TANAGER*
BLACK-WINGED MOUNTAIN-TANAGER*
GOLD-RINGED TANAGER* (E)
BLUE-GREY TANAGER
PALM TANAGER
BLUE-CAPPED TANAGER
CRIMSON-BACKED TANAGER
FLAME-RUMPED TANAGER (E)*
LEMON-RUMPED TANAGER*
HIGHLAND HEPATIC TANAGER*
SUMMER TANAGER
CRESTED ANT-TANAGER* (E)
GREY-HEADED TANAGER
STREAKED SALTATOR
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
RED-CAPPED CARDINAL
MOUSTACHED BRUSH-FINCH*
BLACK-FACED GRASSQUIT
YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT
GREY SEEDEATER*
RUDDY-BREASTED SEEDEATER*
YELLOW-BELLIED SEEDEATER
BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT
SAFFRON FINCH
RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROW
ANDEAN SISKIN*
LESSER GOLDFINCH
SHINY COWBIRD
YELLOW-HOODED BLACKBIRD*
YELLOW ORIOLE*
YELLOW-BACKED ORIOLE*
EASTERN MEADOWLARK
Trip Ticks 189 Lifers* 83 Endemics (E) 5
White-capped Dipper
Blue-capped Tanager
Gold-ringed Tanager (Endemic)
Cinnamon Flycatcher
Steve, John and Bart
Beryl-spangled Tanager
Roadside Hawk
Most of our group of 13.
Purplish-mantled Tanager
Butterfly Sp.
Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager
American Swallow-tailed Kite
Wayside flowersThursday 26th November 2009
We all had a long lie-in (what was called a Guard & Steerage in the RN) this morning, before loading our bags into the mini-bus and walking to the main square for a picnic breakfast. The small town of Alban Valle seemed very welcoming as the locals came out to view the Gringo's, while Blue & White Swallows flew in and out of the church as a pair of Ruddy Ground-Doves copulated on the lawn. Individual punnets of Frosties accompanied by yogutand bananas were on the menu, while an enterprising local made us all a coffee as the shout went up "Bronze-winged Parrot". This was my first 'lifer' of the day, but by no means the last as we started our search up the incline ofEl Cairo Road. There the trees and bushes were full of unusual and bright coloured birds, the best of which included Red-headed Barbet, Highland Motmot, the diminativeGreyish Piculet a Woodpecker smaller than a House Sparrow) and Bar-crested Antshrike all adding to my World List.
Another Chiva approaching the group.
During the drive to our next destination we encountered several species already seen on the trip, but as we started to drive along a rapidly flowing river, everyone's attention was heightened. Here we hoped to find 2 of the much sort after species of the tour, we didn't wait long. Within a very short time Torrent Duck was sighted and the bus pulled to an extremely fierce halt. Disembarking in super quick time, we were all soon looking at a fine adult drake. These extrodiary birds plungeheadlong into the fastest flowing waters in Soutrh America feeding as they swim against the flow. A female soon joined her partner, and we were treated to some of the most amazing avian behaviour in the world. After just a short walk we encountered another White-capped Dipper in company with 3 Torrent Tyrannulet, a bird about the size of a Wagtail. Mid-day we arrived at La Florida and stopped at a shopping complex for lunch, from where (not soon enough in my opinion) we headed for the Otun Quimbaya Reserve. There, we were met byloud thunder and a serious threat of rain which, luckily,held off until we reached our accommodation. As earlier in the day the habitat was sub-tropical bordering cloud) forest at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Almost immediately we were met by an 'endemic' Cauca Guan, a turkey size bird perched high in a tree, later to be joined by as many as 10 others. Unfortunately one of our company had missed seeing thisbird closely so stopped to take another look, only to find that one of them had turned into a Wattled Guan. A coupindeed, as this species had never been seen on a Birdseeker's Colombia trip before, while Carl had seen one in this are on just a single occasion. Collared Trogon, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet and the beautiful Inca Jaywere just a few of the birds we found at this site and at the close of play the day total stood at 72 with 16 being birds I had never seen before.
Highland Motmot
Another fantastic day in the field followed by a supper of trout and a much deserved rest. It's a 05-30 start tomorrow so better get my beauty sleep. Tomorrow we are promised a 3 nights stay at a good hotel, with Internet access so hope to get these posts to you. Good night all!
Additions to the Trip List
TORRENT DUCK
APLOMADO FALCON
CAUCA GUAN*
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
BRONZE-WINGED PARROT*
GREEN HERMIT
COLLARED TROGON*
HIGHLAND MOTMOT*
RED-HEADED BARBET*
ANDEAN TOUCANET*
GREYISH PICULET*
BAR-CRESTED ANTSHRIKE*
RED-RUFFED FRUITCROW*
PLUMBEOUS-CROWNED TYRANNULET*
TORRENT TYRANNULET*
BLACK PHOEBE
GOLDEN-CROWNED FLYCATCHER*
INCA JAY*
RUSSET-CROWNED WARBLER*
GREEN HONEYCREEPER
GOLDEN-COLLERED HONEYCREEPER*
BLACK-CAPPED TANAGER*
YELLOW-THROATED BRUSH-FINCH
GREEN-FRONTED LANCEBILL*
Another Chiva approaching the group.During the drive to our next destination we encountered several species already seen on the trip, but as we started to drive along a rapidly flowing river, everyone's attention was heightened. Here we hoped to find 2 of the much sort after species of the tour, we didn't wait long. Within a very short time Torrent Duck was sighted and the bus pulled to an extremely fierce halt. Disembarking in super quick time, we were all soon looking at a fine adult drake. These extrodiary birds plungeheadlong into the fastest flowing waters in Soutrh America feeding as they swim against the flow. A female soon joined her partner, and we were treated to some of the most amazing avian behaviour in the world. After just a short walk we encountered another White-capped Dipper in company with 3 Torrent Tyrannulet, a bird about the size of a Wagtail. Mid-day we arrived at La Florida and stopped at a shopping complex for lunch, from where (not soon enough in my opinion) we headed for the Otun Quimbaya Reserve. There, we were met byloud thunder and a serious threat of rain which, luckily,held off until we reached our accommodation. As earlier in the day the habitat was sub-tropical bordering cloud) forest at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Almost immediately we were met by an 'endemic' Cauca Guan, a turkey size bird perched high in a tree, later to be joined by as many as 10 others. Unfortunately one of our company had missed seeing thisbird closely so stopped to take another look, only to find that one of them had turned into a Wattled Guan. A coupindeed, as this species had never been seen on a Birdseeker's Colombia trip before, while Carl had seen one in this are on just a single occasion. Collared Trogon, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Plumbeous-crowned Tyrannulet and the beautiful Inca Jaywere just a few of the birds we found at this site and at the close of play the day total stood at 72 with 16 being birds I had never seen before.
Highland MotmotAnother fantastic day in the field followed by a supper of trout and a much deserved rest. It's a 05-30 start tomorrow so better get my beauty sleep. Tomorrow we are promised a 3 nights stay at a good hotel, with Internet access so hope to get these posts to you. Good night all!
Additions to the Trip List
TORRENT DUCK
APLOMADO FALCON
CAUCA GUAN*
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
BRONZE-WINGED PARROT*
GREEN HERMIT
COLLARED TROGON*
HIGHLAND MOTMOT*
RED-HEADED BARBET*
ANDEAN TOUCANET*
GREYISH PICULET*
BAR-CRESTED ANTSHRIKE*
RED-RUFFED FRUITCROW*
PLUMBEOUS-CROWNED TYRANNULET*
TORRENT TYRANNULET*
BLACK PHOEBE
GOLDEN-CROWNED FLYCATCHER*
INCA JAY*
RUSSET-CROWNED WARBLER*
GREEN HONEYCREEPER
GOLDEN-COLLERED HONEYCREEPER*
BLACK-CAPPED TANAGER*
YELLOW-THROATED BRUSH-FINCH
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT
SICKLE-WINGED GUAN*
BAND-TAILED PIGEON
WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT*
GREY-RUMPED SWIFT
GREEN-FRONTED LANCEBILL*
WHITE-TAILED HILLSTAR*
BROWN INCA*
VELVET-PURPLE CORONET*
GREENISH PUFFLEG*
VIOLET-TAILED SYLPH*
WEDGE-BILLED WOODCREEPER*
PACIFIC TUFFTEDCHEEK*
UNIFORM TREEHUNTER*
ANDEAN COCK-of-the-ROCK
GREEN-and-BLACK FRUITEATER*
ORANGE-BREASTED FRUITEATER*
RUFOUS-HEADED PYGMY-TYRANT*
ORNATE FLYCATCHER*
HANDSOME FLYCATCHER*
CINNAMON FLYCATCHER*
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
WHITE-CAPPED DIPPER
SHARP'S WREN*
GREY-BREASTED WOOD-WREN*
BLACK SOLITARE*
GLOSSY-BLACK THRUSH
THREE-STRIPED WARBLER*
INDIGO FLOWER-PIERCER*
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER*
Trip Ticks 218 Lifers* 106 Endemics (E) 7
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Blue & White Swallow
Yellow-fronted Parrot - unfortunately only someones pet.
Taking the Mules to Work.
This one for my dear pal Myqueues. Do you remember finding me this little darling at Machu Picchu 'Shaver'?
Well this is what a male looks like.
Male & Female together, not the rapids.
Another (better) photo of White-capped Dipper
