Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Multicoloured Tanager Tour Combined report Naturetrek Tour Report 1 - 19 February 2018 Military Macaw Santa Marta Toucanet White-lored Warbler Report compiled by David Ferguson (client) & Alejandro Solano Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Multicoloured Tanager Tour Tour participants: Alejandro Solano (leader) with eight Naturetrek clients on the Multicoloured Tanager Tour and seven on the Santa Marta Endemics tour Introduction This report covers two tours: the Colombia - Multicoloured Tanager Tour which ran from 1st to 11th February, and the Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics tour which ran from 10th – 19th February. The overlapping dates were travelling days and allowed both tours to be taken ‘back-to-back’. The report was kindly compiled by tour client David Ferguson, together with tour leader Alejandro Solano. Summary Three clients completed both tours, with five flying home after the first tour and another four arriving for the second. The first tour started near the southern end of the Cauca Valley at Cali and ended 200 kilometres further north, having visited the western and central ranges of the Andes. The second tour took us to the Caribbean coast and the extraordinary coastal massif of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, with its world-beating concentration of endemics! The weather on the first few days was characterised by sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons, although it did rain on the morning of the third day. Otherwise it was largely dry and sunny. Temperature varied with altitude, being very hot on the coast and cool (but not cold) at high altitude. Day 1 Thursday 1st February The group had an uneventful overnight flight from the UK to Bogota. Day 2 Friday 2nd February The flight landed at 4.15am at Bogotá airport and after a two hour wait, we caught a domestic onward flight to Cali. After landing we met Alejandro, transferred to our minibus and drove to Club Campestre, a country club with extensive grounds that included lawns, lakes and trees. Here we had breakfast and found our first endemic; Colombian Chachalaca. Southern Lapwing, Greater Ani and Spot-breasted Woodpecker were also seen. From there we drove to Finca Lolita, a rustic retreat in extensive grounds and our base for the next two nights. Here we found Mourning Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler and White-naped Brush-finch. The hummingbird feeders and the banana tray brought in some interesting and colourful birds: another Colombian Chachalaca, Black-capped and Scrub Tanagers and several stunning hummingbird species. Later we walked to the cloud forest edge of San Antonio where we saw the endemic Grayish Piculet, Blue- headed Parrot, Bar-crested Antshrike, Streak-headed Antbird, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill and Crimson-backed Tanager, among many others. Day 3 Saturday 3rd February © Naturetrek March 18 1 Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Multicoloured Tanager Tour Tour Report We departed early for Queremal on the Old Buenaventura Road. Breakfast was at Doña Dora where we sat under cover (it was now raining) watching the hummingbird feeders and the banana trays. The feeders were typically busy with Green Thorntails, White-tailed Hillstars, Green-crowned and Empress Brilliants and a Velvet- purple Coronet, while the trays attracted Toucan Barbet and Red-headed Barbet as well as Flame-rumped and Summer Tanagers. Nearby, now in sunshine, a Double-toothed Kite was perched. Further along the road at Río Blanco we encountered Golden-collared Manakin, Scarlet-browed and Tawny- crested Tanagers, Buff-throated and Black-winged Saltators and Slate-colored Grosbeak. After lunch we returned to La Lolita. Day 4 Sunday 4th February We left La Lolita early for Finca Alejandria. On the way we stopped in cloud forest where we picked up Andean Solitaire, Golden-winged Manakin, Beryl-spangled Tanager and Crimson-rumped Toucanet. From there a short drive brought us to Finca Alejandria where there was an amazing array of hummingbird and tanager feeders scattered around the beautiful grounds. Here the stars of the show were the Multicolored Tanagers, arguably outclassing the brilliantly coloured opposition: Golden, Silver-throated, Saffron-crowned, Golden-naped and Blue-winged Mountain Tanagers and Green Honeyeater. Hummingbirds were abundant with 17 species in all including an elusive Blue-headed Sapphire. The supporting cast included Masked and White-sided Flowerpiercers. After lunch we headed for Laguna del Sonso, a wetland site. Notable among the many ducks, herons and ibises were a pair of Comb Ducks and a Limpkin. The newly built small tower gave us eye-level views of Spectacled Parrolets. On the walk there was the endemic Apical Flycatcher and hunting Snail Kites, whilst nearby a Plumbeous Kite perched in a tree. We then drove to Buga where we stayed at the Hotel Guadalajara. Day 5 Monday 5th February We left before dawn for Montezuma, changing into two four-wheel drive vehicles at Pueblo Rico. A petrol stop was notable for the Black-fronted Mango’s nest containing two well-grown young, which had been built on an overhead cable. At Montezuma the feeders were busy with hummingbirds; 14 species in all. The Purple-throated Woodstars were particularly noticeable with seemingly clouds of them hovering round a feeder like bees round a honey-pot. After lunch we headed up the mountain where we birded in cloud forest. Notable among the many small birds dodging though the leaves were Ornate Flycatcher and Uniform Treehunter. Rather easier was the Olive Finch which appeared at close range to feed on food put out by our local guide. Day 6 Tuesday 6th February 2 © Naturetrek March 18 Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Multicoloured Tanager Tour Tour Report A pre-dawn start took us as high as we could go without invading the military post at the top of the mountain. We then walked down the road with the vehicles following. Carrying binoculars and long-lens cameras in view of a military establishment is mildly fraught, so the sight of a group of armed soldiers marching down the road towards us was somewhat alarming. However, it was reassuring to note that the sergeant was grinning broadly! It transpired that he wanted to make a video whose theme would be that tourists were now safe to come to Colombia. He lined us up across the road, two of the soldiers held out a Colombian flag and the sergeant spoke the words while another soldier made the video using a smartphone. Apparently it was to go on their Facebook page. They then marched back up the mountain. Meanwhile birds were continuing to be found. Brown-bellied Swallows flew overhead, while at least three wrens lurked in the scrub: Sooty-headed Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren and the endemic Munchique Wood Wren. Another notable star of the mourning was the fable Colombian Chocó endemic, Chestnut-bellied Flowepiercer. After lunch we birded in cloud forest where we had good views of Golden-ringed Tanagers and difficult views of three antbirds: Streak-headed, Parker’s and Zeledin’s Antbirds. The night was spent in Montezuma. Day 7 Wednesday 7th February A post breakfast walk in the grounds produced a number of interesting birds: Golden-winged Warbler, Blue- capped Tanager and Blue-necked Tanager among others. We then had a roadside walk in search of manakins, finding two very mobile species: Club-winged and Western Striped Manakins. The lunch at a roadside restaurant was memorable for the steak which the writer was confronted with. It was the best he had eaten for many years. It was to his eternal regret that he couldn’t quite finish it, having had a substantial meal the previous evening and knowing that, in all probability, he would have another the coming evening. After lunch we then drove to Otún Quimbaya, stopping just before our destination at a bridge where, in the river below, we saw a pair of Torrent Ducks, a Torrent Tyrannulet and a White-capped Dipper. The grounds of our hotel were surrounded by forest and here we quickly encountered our first Red-ruffed Fruitcrows, followed by the rare and endemic Cauca Guan. Day 8 Thursday 8th February An early morning walk along a wide track allowed us the entertaining sight of seven Chestnut Wood Quails racing across the track. Red-ruffed Fruitcrows were again seen well, along with Masked and Collared Trogons and Sickle-winged Guan. In the afternoon we drove to Embalse de Cameguadua, an attractive wetland site. Here we encountered wintering North American waders, egrets, ibises and (just) the rare Blackish Rail. A pair of the handsome Bar- crested Antshrike gave very good views. We spent the night in a very nice lodge in extensive grounds on the outskirts of Manizales. © Naturetrek March 18 3 Colombia - Santa Marta Endemics & Multicoloured Tanager Tour Tour Report Day 9 Friday 9th February Another early start enabled us to be at Rio Blanco for one of the highlights of the trip - antpittas. In the space of an hour we saw four: Bicoloured, Chestnut-crowned, the endemic Brown-banded and Slaty-capped Antpittas, all at feeding stations. A Green-and-black Fruiteater at the Chestnut-crowned Antpitta feeder was a bonus. We walked down the road seeing Sickle-winged Guan, Grey-browed Brushfinch, Bar-bellied Woodpecker and, later, Golden-plumed Parakeets at a nest-hole, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and Golden-headed Quetzal. Back in the vehicles and on our way back to the lodge, an Andean Motmot perched in the open low over the track. Day 10 Saturday 10th February The day began, after the obligatory coffee, with a drive beyond the tree-line and into the paramo of Nevado Ruiz.