Colombia: Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta, Tayrona, And

Home , Antpitta, Calatola, Collared plover, Magdalena Department, Sabrewing, Santa Marta

P.O. Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 Phone 520.558.1146/558.7781 Toll free 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667 Email [email protected] [email protected]

COLOMBIA: SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA, TAYRONA, AND ISLA SALAMANCA NATIONAL PARKS Endemics Galore from the Mountains to the Sea March 14-20, 2016 (Designed to pair well with our Canopy Camp in Panama’s Darien March 6-13) A short extension for Birding and Beach time, history of Santa Marta: March 20-22

“Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza stayed at the railing [of the deck], surrounded by noisy passengers who made bets on how well they could identify the lights in the city, until the boat sailed out of the bay, moved along invisible channels and through swamps spattered with the undulating lights of the fishermen, and at last took a deep breath in the open air of the Great Magdalena River.” García Márquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”

Join us for a NEW Naturalist Journeys adventure to the landscape of the great Magdalena River, and the endemic-rich Caribbean Coast of Colombia, a spectacularly scenic area where beaches with palms fringe the skirts of snow-capped summits of Santa Marta’s Sierra Nevada National Park.

This has long been a safe destination to visit in Colombia, easily accessed from Panama City. Our route from Barranquilla ascends into the lush- forest slopes of the Santa Marta Mountains above Minca (circa 8,800 feet), to higher reaches of the delightful El Dorado Lodge, and back to Tayrona National Park on the Coast. With little driving, we can experience five out of the ten vegetation formations of the Northern Watershed of the great Magdelana River region, one of the most diverse on Earth. A two-night extension invites you to relax and enjoy a beach day, and time in historic Santa Marta, treasured by Simon Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]

Bolivar, and to see more of the landscapes featured in García Márquez’s famous novel, “Love in the Time of Cholera”.

This adventure should produce most of the 21 endemic species of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta! It is also a wonderful winter break. With the exception of our time in the mountains, average temperature during this trip will be above 24ºC (75ºF). As we will climb to Minca and El Dorado Reserve, temperature will cool off to an average of 17ºC (62ºF). Our total driving distance will be approximately 210 miles, leaving us time for birding, and along the coast, swimming and for those that wish – just relaxing.

With just over 1,900 species now documented, nearly 80 of which are found nowhere else, Colombia offers the naturalist an astonishing diversity of birds. They are spread patchily across a country the size of Texas and California combined. Therefore, birding has to happen by region in order to comfortably enjoy every adventure. Otherwise, a focused and intensive investigation of this rich avifauna will involve long drives, internal flights, and repeatedly crisscrossing three ranges of the Andes.

One of our alternatives to the extensive traveling across the country is this Santa Marta itinerary, which focuses on northern Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Combining the benefits of a short flight from the U.S. (or a short-hop from Panama City if with us in the Darien the week previous), an delightful ecolodge run by the conservation group ProAves, and an upscale ecoLodge at Tayrona Park, this itinerary is ideal for people who like to explore with some comfort in mind, as well as those wishing for a quick, week-long stay. For those without time constraint, it is designed to pair with Panama: The Darien, another week-long adventure.

Jutting up abruptly from the coastline, and isolated from the rest of the Andes by a "sea" of dry forest, these lush, snow-capped mountains have developed the highest number of endemic birds of any area in Colombia. About 25% (21 species) of the Colombian endemics occur here, plus at least 39 endemic subspecies (some of which may eventually be considered full species). Recognizing the area’s unique character, in 1964, the Colombian government designated much of the Sierra de Santa Marta as Colombia’s second National Park. The drier areas surrounding the mountains are home to several more Colombian endemics. Nearby Tayrona National Park splits at its northern face the ring of Tropical Dry forest that surrounds the massif. Tayrona will offer our first direct immersion in Tropical Moist Forest, directly connected to the Caribbean.

Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]

Although rich with specialties, the tour serves admirably as an introduction to South American birds, with opportunities to see exclusively Neotropical families such as guans, woodcreepers, ovenbirds, antbirds, puffbirds, toucans, jacamars, manakins, and motmots. Migrant North American songbirds, in bright plumage as they prepare to launch north, may occur at any elevation. Extensive coastal wetlands provide a diverse assortment of waterbirds.

Our guide for this journey will be Gustavo Canas-Valle who has led tours for us in Ecuador and in the Andes region of Colombia. Gustavo has expertise in botany as well as birding, and is passionate about the history of South America. His knowledge, kindness, and enthusiasm help create a forever memorable time. Peg Abbott, CEO and owner of Naturalist Journeys and Caligo Ventures, joins Gustavo and the group as host for this new adventure.

ITINERARY

Mon., March 14 -Arrivals in Barranquilla / Coastal Birding to Minca

Many of our group will be connecting from our tour just before this tour (easily combined), in the Darien of Panama, and they plan to arrive by mid-day on a flight from Panama City. If you are booking for the Colombian week only, please coordinate arrivals with our office so these can best coincide, or arrive the day before and enjoy a bit of the birding that can be done in the surroundings of this industrious city.

After arriving in Barranquilla, we’ll have an afternoon birding transfer (about five hours with stops along the way) to our comfortable hotel in Minca. Immediately east of Barranquilla, we’ll cross the Río Magdalena - one of Colombia’s largest rivers - that carved the huge valley floor separating the Western and Central Andes. The Magdalena River, Karicalí or Río Grande de la Magdalena, was the main waterway giving access to mainland Colombia, even before its discovery by the Spanish explorers in 1500. In the language of the Karibs, Karicalí means River of Caimans. These reptiles, which gave the name to the river, used to be numerous. However, their populations have been dramatically reduced from its shores, as well as those of other species such as manatees and turpins. In the national parks and reserves of our itinerary, we have potential to see them.

We drive along the coast through Coastal Rout 90, also known as the “Troncal del Caribe” or “Transversal del Caribe”. At the time of its construction, between 1956 and 1966, the foundations of the road from Barranquilla to the town of Ciénaga, changed the dynamic of the regular mix of salty and sweet water in the area, which negatively impacted on “56,000 hectares of marshes of the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta”. This sad event modified the natural dynamic of the

mangroves and the marshes but left a perfect birding drive to enjoy looking over to both the Caribbean and the Ciénaga Grande in search of marine, estuarine and dry forest birds.

This part of our drive brings the Everglades to mind for many. Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta (or Santuario de Flora y Fauna Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta – Santa Marta's Large Marsh) presents the most extensive array of estuarine habitats and ecosystems in northern South America. Its biological features have shaped the life and culture of humans populating it during millennia. Human inhabitation developed around the richness of estuarine resources up to the point that one of the two first records of presence of early ceramics in the Americas was discovered in this region.

Its wilderness instilled its charm and natural diversity in Colombian Nobel Prize winner García Marquez. His book: Love in the Time of Cholera presents one of the best descriptions of the Magdalena River and the Ciénaga Grande in Colombian literature. We transit it coming and going.

In addition to its biological and archaeological richness, it harbors a unique culture. It is one of the few areas in the world where Palaphitic Towns -villages completely built over water using stilts- still exist: Trojas de Cataca, Nueva Venecia y Buenavista, where about 200 people live. In spite of its importance, the area declared as a reserve covers only 268 sq km, 6% of the total marsh area. The cultural and biological features of this site made UNESCO designate it in year 2000 as a Biosphere Reserve identified and declared as one of the components of its MAB (Man and Biosphere) Program.

As time permits, we’ll stop at several small wetlands, either salt flats or patches of mangroves, scanning for shorebirds and waders that winter here in abundance. Some like Semipalmated, Spotted, and Western Sandpiper and Willet will be familiar; others such as Collared Plover may be new. Wilson’s Plover and Short-billed Dowitcher are generally present in good numbers and we should see a number of terns including Gull-billed, Royal, Sandwich and the large and showy Caspian. A real treat is seeing Roseate Spoonbill, Stork and Jabiru feeding in the saline pools; Brown Pelican abound, and Magnificent Frigatebird are usually present over the beach. Brown-throated Parakeet often come in flocks, sometimes swooping over roosting Black Skimmer, Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, and American Flamingo feeding at certain salt ponds.

As we then travel through drier habitat with cactus and huge shrubs of the introduced Giant Milkweed or Sodom’s Apple, we’ll watch for Crested and Yellow-headed Caracaras, Harris’ Hawk, American Kestrel, Russet-throated Puffbird and the endemic Chestnut-winged Chachalaca perched on the cacti as the day ends.

In the late afternoon we’ll veer away from the coastline, toward our comfortable foothill accommodations at Minca, half an hour into the mountains from the city of Santa Marta. Minca is situated among extensive shade coffee farms. The mango trees that dot the town draw numerous parakeets and other fruit-eating birds.

If birds along the coast allow us to move on, Keel-billed Toucan, Masked Tityra, Whooping Motmot, Black-backed Antshrike, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, plus woodcreepers and tanagers are included in the list of possibilities in Minca.

Additionally, our hotel has feeders that attract such hummingbirds as White-vented Plumleteer, White-necked Jacobin, and Black-throated Mango, White-chinned sapphire, Rufous-breasted Hermit, and with some luck and patience Santa Marta Woodstar (E) and Long-billed Starthroat. In the vicinity there are reports for Santa Marta Sabrewing (E).

Accommodations in Minca (D)

Tues., March 15 - Minca Birding and Transfer to El Dorado Lodge

The first hours in the morning will be devoted to looking for species that inhabit the Tropical dry forest around Minca and those from yesterday that we might have missed at the feeders. Local alternatives worth mention include Scaled Piculet, Collared Forest-Falcon, Black-backed Antshrike, Lazuline Sabrewing, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Cinereous Becard, Rufous-breasted Wren, Rufous-and-white Wren, Dull- colored Grassquit, Thick-billed Seed-finch, Crimson-backed Tanager and the beautiful, and the endemic Golden-winged Sparrow.

As we climb towards the clouds, we will leave Minca (2175 feet) to explore the very upper limit of the Tropical Dry Forest. We will drive up the slopes of the San Lorenzo ridge and into the Subtropical Wet Forest (Bosque Muy humedo Subtropical) where El Dorado Reserve is located and birds whose first name is Santa Marta are more likely to appear.

En route, we’ll be searching for the skulking Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner, Swallow Tanager (an endemic subspecies), Scaled Pigeon, Coppery Emerald, two endemic hummingbirds - Blossomcrown, and Santa Marta Woodstar, Santa Marta and Yellow-billed Toucanets, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Pale-breasted Spinetail , Streaked Xenops, Cocoa Woodcreeper, the endemic Santa Marta Tapaculo, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and the endemic White-lored Warbler.

By afternoon, we’ll have ascended to approximately 6,000 feet elevation, arriving at the El Dorado Reserve administered by the environmental organization Fundación ProAves. We should arrive with sufficient daylight remaining so that we can enjoy the fruit and hummingbird feeders outside the restaurant. There we will look for Black-backed Thornbill (E), White-tailed Starfrontlet (photo, E) and Santa Marta Brushfinch (E), plus White-tailed Trogon calling in the surroundings.

The lodge is simply constructed and overlooks extensive gardens and active hummingbird feeders. The cabins are a short walk from the lodge and are reached by densely planted walkways. Each cabin has a private bath, hot water, and sufficient outlets for charging your camera or laptop.

Birding on the lodge grounds is productive; endemic White-tailed Starfrontlet joins the numerous violet-ears, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, and Tyrian Metaltail (a potential Santa Marta split) at the hummingbird feeders. Black-fronted Wood-Quail are attracted to seed and the lodge’s compost pile, Santa Marta Brush-Finch is common, Stripe-headed Brush-Finch may be seen in the bushes surrounding the lodge, and occasionally Santa Marta Antpitta is seen outside the restaurant. Even the exceptionally Santa Marta Sabrewing has been seen on the lodge grounds and Lined Quail-Doves are frequently heard (but difficult to see). During a recent visit, two Band-tailed Guans were perched outside one of our cabins and the endemic Santa Marta Screech-Owl called outside of another. Is possible to look for the day roost of the owl is a possibility that we will not pass during our stay. Accommodations at El Dorado Lodge (B,L,D)

Wed., March 16 El Dorado Lodge

We will have a very early start today with a field breakfast, in order to catch the sunrise at the top of the ridge. Our goal is to be there and ready by the time all the specialties wake up particularly small numbers flocks of Santa Marta Parakeets, one of Colombia’s most endangered parrots. As space is not ample and the road not so wide up there, birding groups have one shot during their stay at El Dorado for exploring the top of the mountain, unless there are no others trying for the summit.

The ride uphill in four-wheel drive vehicles (on what some have referred to as a “road”) takes us to the San Lorenzo Ridge, one of the only vehicle-accessible areas in the upper part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park. If the morning is clear, we will be able to see the highest snow-covered peaks of the Sierra de Santa Marta towering, far in the distant south, above the windswept Cloud Forest.

A stretch of mostly flat road, lined with ferns, bamboo, sprawling club mosses, and melastome shrubs, harbors a number of very local specialties as well as some more widespread birds including Santa Marta Antpitta (E), the Santa Marta race of Rufous Antpitta, Brown-rumped Tapaculo (E), Rusty-headed Spinetail (E), Flammulated Treehunter, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Santa Marta Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]

Bush-Tyrant (E), Santa Marta Warbler (E), some easier endemics such as Yellow-crowned Redstart (E), Black-cheeked (Santa Marta) Mountain-Tanager (E) and some curious Santa Marta Brush-Finches (E) that are more confiding than the ones at the lodge. The low, open woodland is home to Santa Marta Toucanet, Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager, Yellow-crowned Redstart and Santa Marta Warbler, White- throated Tyrannulet, a local race of Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Strong-billed Woodcreeper and a number of other species. We might be even luckier and find Santa Marta Saberwing (E) hummingbird as we drive down the hill.

Butterflies here are not as spectacular as other locations of the tour, but include several interesting species of small, dark satyrs and a few skippers that are adapted to these higher, cooler habitats.

Today’s altitudinal range will be between 7900 and 8900 feet along the last 1.5 miles stretch of the road to the Antenas-Cerro Kenedy area. Above 8200 feet the vegetation changes, the rains are diminished but presence of clouds and fog increases. This creates also different environmental conditions which support a different set of plant species, defined as Montane Wet Forest (Bosque Muy Húmedo Montano). Our guide Gustavo is well versed in botany as well as birds, and will show you some of the representative plant species which include a mix of plants: Myrcianthes ternifolia (Myrtaceae), Chaetolepis santamartensis (Melastomataceae), Hesperomeles lanuginosa (Rosaceae), Paragynoxys undatifolia (Asteraceae), Weinmannia pinnata (Cunoniaceae), Myrsine ferruginea (Primulaceae), Podocarpus oleifolius (Podocarpaceae), Ceroxylon ceriferum (Araceae) -in the Colombian Red book of plants-, Monochaetum uberrimum (Melastomataceae), and Chusquea tuberculosa (Poaceae). The habitat resembles the mountain forest elsewhere along the Andes, with Chusquea thickets and dense shrubbery.

Accommodations at El Dorado Lodge (B,L,D)

Thurs., March 17 Another Day in the Mountains at El Dorado

The dirt road that passes the lodge provides easy walking access through lovely, moist Subtropical Wet Forest (Bosque Muy Humedo Subtropical) where El Dorado Reserve is located. This kind of forest is present between 4950 to 8250 feet, and it exhibits an annual average rainfall: between 79 to 158 inches. Rainfall here is higher than the one on the previous formations we have visited. Here

vegetation is increasingly lush and we can feel moisture in the air. Morning temperatures can be a cool 62ºF.

As we will drive uphill from the lodge again this morning, we will explore at our leisure about a range of elevation between 5280 and 6270 feet. Here tree ferns start to be frequently seen, as well as more Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]

epiphytes, lianas, and veins. We will look for some of our previous day birds that we might have missed. Some of our mixed flocks will likely be perched on palms (Arecaceae) like Dictyocaryum lamarckianum and Socratea sp at lower altitudes. Strolls either up-or-downhill from our stops may yield a variety of species including Santa Marta Antpitta, Groove-billed Toucanet, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Golden- breasted Fruiteater, Santa Marta Tapaculo (E), White-lored Warbler, Masked Trogon, the rather local White-tipped Quetzal, Black-throated Tody-Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, the endemic Streak- capped Spinetail, Montane and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, Slate-throated Redstart, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, and Black-hooded Thrush.

Depending on yesterday’s records we could go a bit higher, up to 7600 feet, where we will be surrounded by vegetation that has changed to the composition of a temperate forest and shrubbery. We might try again for Santa Marta Sabrewing and other endemics.

Vegetation will exhibit taller trees (above 20 meters in height – about 70 feet) with buttresses and a habitat with denser undergrowth. This is the Subtropical Wet Forest, which includes plants we may learn to recognize including Calatola costaricensis (Icacinaceae), Gustavia speciosa subsp. occidentalis (Lecythidaceae), Tovomita weddelliana (Clusiaceae), Cavendishia callista (Ericaceae), and Graffenrieda santamartensis (Melastomataceae).

After the Tropical Dry Forest, the Subtropical Wet Forest is the next most highly endangered vegetation formation in Colombia. Within this altitudinal range, there are 19 endemic flowering plants with restricted distribution in these mountains. An additional group of 21 species endemic to this mountain is present in higher and lower elevations as well. Then, this Subtropical Wet Forest harbors a third of 126 endemic flowering plant species reported for the Santa Marta Mountains.

As we return to our lodge today we will have our last chance to catch the breathtaking views of the sunset over the ocean and along the Magdalena Delta: Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, described in Gabriel García Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”. One of our past clients stood silently as the sun set and said “I don’t think the video camera will be able to record this”.

From the restaurant at the lodge we can watch the water mirror of the Ciénaga and imagine the words of famed novel, Love in the Time of Cholera…

“The ship left the bay with its boilers quiet, made its way along the channels through blankets of taruya, the river lotus with purple blossoms and large heart-shaped leaves, and returned to the marshes. The water was iridescent with the universe of fishes floating on their sides, killed by the dynamite of stealthy fishermen, and all the birds of the earth and the water circled above them with metallic cries. The wind from the Caribbean blew in the windows along with the racket made by the birds, and Fermina Daza felt in her blood the wild bleating of her free will. To her right, the muddy, frugal estuary of the Great Magdalena River spread out to the other side of the world.”

Accommodations at El Dorado Lodge (B,L,D)

Fri., March 18 El Dorado to the Coast / Tayrona National Park

After breakfast and a bit of feeder watching expecting specialties such as Black-fronted Woodquail that we could have missed from previous afternoons, we’ll bird our way down to the coast. As we climb down from the mountain, we will revisit the vegetation formations described already, in order to find some of the specialties that we might have missed during previous days: Blossomcrown, Santa Marta Woodstar, Venezuelan Flycatcher and others. We will have chances to try for Venezuelan Red Howlers as we stop to check for the

hummingbirds.

During the hot hours of the day we will be having lunch and then driving to "Las Tinajas" side road.

Las Tinajas sits on the slopes to the North of the Santa Marta mountains massif. There we will look for a sample of a slightly higher altitude (circa 759 feet) Tropical Dry Forest and the area of transition towards the Tropical Moist Forest. Tropical Dry Forest is present in the Magdalena Department from 0 to 1100 meters. Rain in this formation fluctuates from 1000 to 2100 mm (40 to 83 inches) per year.

At this road we will try for the range restricted Lilac- tailed Parakeet along with a set of more common species including Red-crowned Woodpecker, Rufous- tailed Jacamar, Whooping Motmot, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Coppery Emerald, White-bearded Manakin, Pale-breasted Thrush and Bicolored Wren.

As the day cools with the end of the afternoon, We will birdwatch our way to the Calabazo acces to Tayrona Park. At the Park we will have our first direct immersion in Tropical Moist Forest as we approach our charming facilities right by the beach. Today's average temperature will be above 24ºC.

We may explore the Palangana access to Neguanje bay after the temperature goes down again in search of the rare and local Black-backed Antshrike and maybe with a bit of luck will also find the very localized Tocuyo Sparrow. Here we find a mixture of Tropical Very-dry and Tropical Dry Forest (Bosque Muy Seco y Bosque Seco) as we drive and walk the road to Palangana. This area of Dry Forest represents one of the most important and last remnants of this kind of habitat in Colombia and in the Colombian Caribbean Region.

Accommodations at Ecohabs, Tayrona National Park (B,L,D)

Sat. March 19 - Full Day in Tayrona National Park

The various trails, beaches, and main road of Tayrona National Park offer many opportunities to look for forest species. Tayrona is a territory that greatly compliments our exploration of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Park and its mountainous conservation areas. Tayrona protects coral reefs, beaches, bays and important samples of unique coastal vegetation directly related to the ecosystems and geological formations on the northern slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Because of its biogeographical importance, UNESCO declared in 1982 the Park to be part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Biosphere Reserve, an extension of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park.

The western section of the reserve, the area we will be visiting on our fourth day in Colombia, is Tropical Moist Forest, an isolated coastal extension of this vegetation formation that wedges itself between sections of the Tropical Dry Forest of the Colombian Caribbean. On the rolling hills and cliffs that overlook the sea, this kind of forest presents trees growing up to 35 to 40 meters, giant emergents which extend through the canopy. Dominant plant families are decidedly tropical and we find examples of: Fabaceae (Bean family), Moraceae (Rubber tree -Castilla elastica-or Mulberry family), Annonaceae (Soursop family), Rubiaceae (Coffee family), Miristicaceae (Nutmeg family), Sapotaceae (Bubble-gum tree or Sapodilla family), Meliaceae (Mahogany family), Arecaceae (Palm tree family), Euforbiáceas (Rubber tree family) and Bignoniaceae (Trumpet-creeper or Iron-wood family). There are also Lecythidaceae (Brazil nut family) which are represented by the noticeable “monkey's pots”: Eschweilera. In the undergrowth one will find Heliconias, Calatheas, Costus and Araceae (Arum lilies). Plants will also grow on the branches of the trees, getting mechanic support from them as they compete for light: orchids and bromeliads (epiphytes), or feeding on them, e.g. mistletoes (parasites).

This rich diversity of flora in an oasis fashion creates the conditions for unique bird species to find shelter including the ultra-rare and endemic Blue-knobbed Curassow, Crested Guan, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Keel-billed Toucan, Yellow-billed Cuckoo (only during migration), Rufous-breasted Hermit (photo), Western Long-tailed Hermit, Sooty-capped Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire, White-necked Puffbird, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Western-Slaty Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Northern White-fringed Antwren, White-bellied Antbird, Lance-tailed Manakin, Southern Bentbill, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Gray-headed Tanager, Carib Grackle, and both Yellow and Orange-crowned orioles. The late afternoon will be devoted to look for some the specialties of the park including the localized Pale-tipped Tyrannulet right in the mangrove area near the lodge.

The park has a number of mammals including Three-toed Sloth, Nine-banded Armadillo, Cotton-top Tamarin, Night Monkey, White-fronted Capuchin Monkey, two species of brocket deer, and even Ocelot and Giant Anteater.

It is also just a delightful, relaxing place to stay! Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected] / [email protected]

Accommodations at Ecohabs, Tayrona National Park (B,L,D)

Sun., March 20 – Early birding transfer from Tayrona to Barranquilla, birding Isla Salamanca en route. Flight from Barranquilla from 3:00PM onwards…

Those ending their tour today leave Tayrona very early, as during the morning, we need to be in the cacti-dominated dry scrub of Via Parque Isla de Salamanca (VPIS) to look for the endemic Chestnut- winged Chachalaca. This chachalaca often sits on top of the candelabra cacti to sun bathe during the early morning, and we will search for them with our ‘scope. Next, we’ll head for the Cocos visitor center inside Salamanca National Park to walk through mangrove forest in search of one of the rarest birds in Colombia - the enigmatic and endemic Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird.

Other birds here include Bare-eyed Pigeon, Red-rumped Woodpecker, Brown-throated Parakeet, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Black-crested Antshrike, Bicolored Conebill, Bronzed Cowbird (for some this is considered the Bronze-brown Cowbird - a Colombian endemic), and the rare Chestnut Piculet. As the day warms, we will explore the wetlands protected in the park (birds communities will vary accordingly with the month of the year and water level). Here we will look for Fulvous and Black-bellied whistling-ducks, Cinnamon Teal, White- cheeked Pintail, Black-necked Stilt, several sandpipers, gulls and plovers, Black-collared Hawk, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, and two delightful flycatchers: Pied Water-Tyrant and White-headed Marsh- Tyrant.

We bird as much as possible in the hours we have ahead of arriving at the airport in time for flights out after 3PM.

Flight home (B,L)

Optional SANTA MARTA EXTENSION – March 20-22 A Beach and Birding Day and History of Santa Marta

For those that wish to stay longer at Tayrona Ecohabs can enjoy a day of leisure as Gustavo returns those departing on Sunday to the airport. You will have to check out just before lunch, but can store your bags and enjoy the resort until he returns.

Then it’s off to the city of Santa Marta. The following morning we can visit San Pedro Alejandrino Hacienda and Historic Landmark where Simón Bolivar lived his last days. Santa Marta is not only the Capital city of Magdalena Department, but also the oldest city of South America, founded in 1526 by Rodrigo de Bastidas (Jaramillo Uribe, 1984). This historic city is the location where Simon Bolivar passed away on its way to exile in Europe on December 17, 1830 and where he wanted to have his heart buried at the Cathedral as an expression of his love for this land. We’ll find some great local dining, walk historic parts of the city, and on our departure day, retrace our way back to Baranquilla doing the same birding route as the others did on Sunday. We plan to arrive in time for flights out after 3PM.

Two nights of the extension will be in Santa Marta, historic town and capital city of Magdalena Department (B,L,D)

COST OF THE JOURNEY The cost of our Colombia Santa Marta tour is $3290.00 per person, from Barranquilla, Colombia. If combined with Panama Darien, the price is reduced $100 and the interim night in Panama City will be included.

This cost is based on double occupancy and includes all accommodations; all meals as specified in the itinerary, group airport transfers (if independent then additional charge), professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses.

Single supplement at all locations than Tayorna’s Ecohabs is $560.00. If a single is requested there, it is subject to availability and additional cost, please enquire.

The tour is designed for 10 persons, with a minimum group size of six persons.

The cost does not include transportation to or from your home to Columbia, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone charges, porterage, maid gratuities or beverages from the bar.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Flights should be booked to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) in Barranquilla, Colombia. A typical routing from the USA is through Panama City, Panama, thus a good reason to consider combining this week with our week at the Canopy Camp in the Darien. Or, if just coming to Colombia, you might still overnight in Panama City and join the group there on their final night.

Please plan to arrive on or before 1PM on March 14, 2016 – for this tour it is good to coordinate air with us if not routing through Panama City.

Naturalist Journeys, LLC is an equal opportunity service provider and committed to the goal of ensuring equal opportunity for all in employment and program delivery.

PHOTO CREDITS

Pg. 1: View from El Dorado Lodge and the Ecohabs luxury beach cabanas, WIKIPEDIA Pg. 2: View from El Dorado panoramic, ProAves; Ecohabs courtesy of the hotel. Pg. 3: Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Tom Dove, Cienaga Santa Marta from the Isla Salmanca causeway, WIKI. Pg. 4: Roseate Spoonbill, Betty Andres. Page 5: Keel-billed Toucan, Narca Moore-Craig, Reserve Sign, El Dorado Lodge. Pg. 6: White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Mountain Tanager, Santa Marta Brush Finch, Neblina Forest Pg. 7: Masked Tanager, Greg Smith; White-tipped Quetzal, Neblina Forest.

Pg. 9: Red Howler Monkeys, Howard Topoff; White-bearded Manakin, Peg Abbott Pg. 10: Rufous-breasted Hermit, Buck Snelson. Pg. 11: Ecohabs, courtesy of hotel. White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Sandy Sorkin. Pg. 12: Beach Day, Tayorna National Park website. Pg. 13: Sparkling Violet-ear and Snail Kite, Peg Abbott