The Ongoing Quest

East Blean Wood

Those of you who know me well will be aware that I have been trying to catch up with lesser spotted woodpecker in the UK for the last two years.   As one had been sighted at East Blean Wood recently we decided to give it a go.

When we arrived there was an eerie silence which gave us a little concern, but from the car we could see blue tit and a small flock of redwing perched in a nearby tree.   We got out of the car to get a better look, by which time only one was left.

It went that way

We took a walk to the right of the car park which we had tried earlier in the year as we knew this led to some large oak trees where we hoped to see some birds.   Along the way we heard some blue tit, but the main movement was wood pigeons and gulls which caught our attention on numerous occasions.   As we moved on to another path we ended up in two groups with Sally and Irene some way behind Malcolm and myself.  A bird call rang out - I thought a woodpecker but Sally thought it was more like a kestrel, we couldn't see the owner of the call so continued on our way.    Suddenly a whistle from Sally called us back.  She had just seen the lesser spotted woodpecker.   Irene had seen movement in the top of a tree but then lost the bird, Sally had caught up with it just as it flew but it had the unmistakable parrellel bars on the wing.   We decided to give some time and wandered around gazing at all the tree tops, we then retraced our steps back to the car park, following the direction that the bird had flown, but to no avail.   So my quest continues.

Oyster beds at Reculver

We moved on to Reculver and had a picnic lunch in the shelter of the visitor centre.   Then we took to the walk along the seawall.   Large numbers of brent geese and mute swan were in the fields, with another 60 or so brent in the sea.   A large flock of linnet and about a dozen goldfinch were feeding on the rough growth along the shingle ridge.   Oystercatchers, grey plover, redshank, turnstone, dunlin, ringed plover, herring gull and the occasional great black-backed gull shared the beach and shoreline.    Red breasted merganser flew across the bay, along with a couple of divers of indeterminate species.

Short-eared Owl

A short-eared owl was perched on a sign post on the far side of the fields behind the path, with the telescope we had great views.   A female marsh harrier was hunting along one of the reed filled ditches.   As we scanned the redshank, I noticed a whiter sturdier bird with a slightly longer bill - a spotted redshank.   We continued along the seawall hoping for snow bunting, but all we disturbed were more linnet, goldfinch and several meadow pipits.

As we walked back to the car park several groups of cormorant were flying inland, presumably to roost.   We counted at least 30.   Although it was a grey day and the shortest of the year, we still had a great time.

Reculver Towers

Back in Britain

So here I am back in the UK again, and back to somewhat colder temperatures that I had been experiencing in Colombia.   Still, with the Christmas excitement building and the thought of all those winter species flooding in what could be better than a trip to one of the RSPB's newest reserves - Broadwater Warren near Royal Tunbridge Wells.  

Broadwater Warren

We were met with a full car park, mainly dog-walkers it has to be said and despite the RSPB's request that dogs be kept on a lead and on the footpaths, there were few on a lead, and several wandering about all over the place.   However, ponies will be brought in to graze the cleared areas and fencing should help to keep the dogs out of those areas in the future, protecting the habitat for birds.   The positive side is that plenty of folk are visiting the site, and several stopped for a chat about the birds when they saw our binoculars.

View from the Nighjar viewpoint

Currently an area of conifer planation, the plan is to restore it to heathland with gorse and heather.   A couple of large areas have already been cleared and it has to be said that they look pretty uninviting at present, but the latent heather seeds should begin germinating next season and the hope is that within a few years nature will have repaired the damage done by previous planting.

We decided to do the main circuit, a short distance but when you are visiting a site for the first time it's good to have plenty of time to take in the whole experience.   We walked between thick conifer plantation one one side and newly cleared forest on the other.   A narrow strip of trees and bushes has been left at the edge of the cleared area to provide cover for dormice until they have moved over to the forested area at the other side of the path.   In the meantime they are being monitored on the site.

As we moved further into the reserve we finally encountered our first birds.  A feeding flock of lesser redpoll, blue and long-tailed tit.   We met up with these or similar birds on and off throughout the rest of our visit.

Splash of colour on a grey day

An old decoy pond looked promising but was birdless, by the veteran oak (over 200 years old) the Eridge Rocks nature reserve abuts the RSPB reserve and consists of sweet chestnut coppice.   The second half of the walk took us on a direct path to the car park, we met up with the feeding flock again although a little larger on this occasion with at least 20 long-tailed tit, and similar numbers of blue tit.   In the forest adjacent to the path a couple of blackbirds alarmed and a pair of robin were feeding ahead of us.

The reserve has great potential, and it will be interesting to see how it develops over the forthcoming years.

We decided to move on to Bedgebury Pinetum to look for crossbill and hawfinch.   After the satnav had taken us on the pretty route, we finally arrived and had lunch in the cafe.   The bird sightings board was massively out of date but did ask for details of crossbill sightings.   Malcolm took us off in the direction of previous sightings, and when we arrived in the designated spot, we came across another birdwatcher with the same hopes.   Within minutes we heard the distinctive "chucking" call of crossbill as they flew overhead.   This happened several times but we were not able to catch up with any settled birds.

In the Pinetum

At one stage Sally noticed a bird in the top of a leafless oak tree, Malcolm quickly got the telescope onto the bird which was a Hawfinch!   Only the second time I have seen one in Britain, and although the view was a little dark and hazy, it was unmistakable.   Within minutes of all of us looking through the 'scope the bird flew.   We hoped to track it down, possibly roosting with others, but despite our efforts we had to satisfy ourselves with the one view.

Day 14 - Perico, Colombia and the journey home . . .

After a disturbed night in Riohacha with the locals enjoying a night of drink fireworks and loud music.

Glaucous Tanager

Not surprisingly, we were up early and back to the wet and muddy desert.   After one abortive attempt to park the minibus in a local village (it was a festival and even at 5 in the morning we were causing a stir) where we lost a mudguard (much to our new drivers disdain), we move along the road and after donning our wellies we were off looking for the final birds of our trip.

Nacunda nighthawk greeted us as we walked across a playing field.  Green rumped parrotlet perched in a nearby tree, ferruginous pygmy owl called close by and was finally seen.   My final puffbird -russet throated, sat obligingly in the undergrowth of a large spreading tree, and chestnut piculet completed the set.  

Buff-breasted wren, scrub green let, glaucous tanager, grayish saltator, orinocan saltator, grey seedeater, great tailed grackle and Trinidad euphonia completed our trip.

Downtown Riohacha

From the bus in the way to the airport we also saw Magnificent frigatebird.

The flight from Riohacha took us to Bogota, and then we made the flight to Madrid and connection to Heathrow, it all went without incident and everyone and their luggage made it through on time.

A great trip, thoroughly recommended.   For more photos see my Flickr. feed above.

Day 13 - Minca and Camarones, Colombia



This is to be another travel day, but we have some catching up to do around Minca first, so after a rather late 5.15 am breakfast, we moved off back up the road.   Our prime target bird was coppery emerald, a hummingbird of elusive qualities.   Although it can be found anywhere along the road feeding on the terrestrial orchids and small trumpet shaped pink, yellow and white flowers which abound in the area, we had seen no trace of one the previous day, and this morning was no different with all our efforts remaining unrewarded.   Drizzle then harder rain started to fall, and we sheltered on the side of a very wet and muddy road, with a nearby tree adding to the protection given by our umbrellas.

The muddy road

Phil spotted it first, a female perched on a low cross branch half-way up the hill.   About half of us saw it, then nothing.    As we waited and watched for another sighting, motorcycles were passing us, some with more skill than others on the slippery and rutted road.   We tried not to watch!

Collared Aracari

Suddenly I spotted the hummer again, but it was too far away and too fleeting a glimpse to get anyone else on to it.   After some while we decided that we should move on.   As we did so we spotted the bird again in a tree just out of view from where we had been standing.   Most people got good views this time.   Golden-olive woodpecker, cocoa woodcreeper, black-breasted antshrike, yellow-margined flycatcher, black-headed tanager, purple honeycreeper, and rosy-thrush tanager all added to our enjoyment, golden-crowned warbler, and yellow tailed oriole, completed our morning set.

The wet Desert

Our afternoon journey of some four hours took us to Camarones an area of desert.   Vermillion cardinal was the best bird seen on the journey.   This has to be the wettest desert I have ever seen with huge areas of completely sodden ground where your feet continually slip from underneath you as the top surface of sand acts as a skating rink - it made for an interesting walk.   Needless to say as we arrived it began to rain so we birded from the bus.   Not a very practical or effective way to view as the rain lashed against the windows, the top of the windows we darkened (apparently it stops the locals staring at tourists) and add to which they kept opening the door so that the three of us at the back had go look through double whammy - we were not happy!

However we did manage to add many water birds to our trip list including, southern lapwing, brown pelican, American flamingo, yellow-crowned night-heron, great blue heron, reddish egret ( White morph), White and scarlet ibis, wood stork, roseate spoonbill, american oystercatcher, black-bellied (grey) plover, semipalmated plover, black-necked stilt, double-striped thicknee, whimbrel,

Washday

greater yellowlegs, willet, semipalmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, laughing gull, gull-billed tern, caspian tern, royal tern, osprey.  

The rain stopped and we moved into the scrub, slipping and sliding as we went, we found bare-eyed pigeon, groove-billed ani, stripe-throated hermit, beautiful white-whiskered spinetail, northern scrub flycatcher, slender-billed tyrannulet,  grey kingbird, tropical gnatcatcher, tocuyo sparrow responded immediately and did a circuit of our group before moving off.   Black-striped sparrow was equally obliging, blackpoll warblers were in good numbers, which surprised Trevor as he had no cord of them there before.   A harris's hawk and lesser nighthawks bid us a farewell as we moved on to our final destination - Riohacha.

Final dinner and checklist, then an early night as we have a big day tomorrow - the journey home

Day 12 - Eldorado to Minca, Colombia

Owling at 4.30 am!   A great start to the day.    Several of us joined Colin and Trevor our guides for this jaunt - others who shall remain nameless (pj) decided on another hour's sleep!

My cabin in the woods

Our first two attempts once again failed, but with only two hardy souls (some would say mad!) determined not to let the birds beat us Trevor decided that we  should try a rather strenuous yomp up a very muddy track (bear in mind dear reader that it is still only 5 am, and pitch black).   Eventually we had gained sufficient height  for Trevor to try again.   One screech owl started to respond to the tape, and then a second, finally a third joined in.   At this stage no further taping was required as the birds were responding to each other - a great experience to be in the midst of.   

Suddenly Trevor called us both forward - he had found the bird.   No binoculars were required as it sat on a small cross branch just feet from us.  As we watched in quiet awe, the bird turned to look at us with it's amazing eyes gleaming in the light from the torch.    We continued to watch with the other two birds calling from a distance, in response the bird before us flew off into the early morning light not to be seen again.    We decided that it was a young bird as some of the feathers were a little lighter than we would have expected from an adult.

Coffee beans drying

We needed to do a route-march back to base to arrive just a few minutes late for breakfast, but elated with our experience.

For our morning's walk we took the road below the lodge, with the jeeps moving with us in case of need.   A male golden-breasted fruiteater, showed well just outside the lodge.

On a small side trail we caught up with grey-throated leaftosser, montane woodcreeper, long-tailed antbird, and had the most fantastic views of rusty-breasted Antpitta,  Santa marta tapaculo proved elusive with several heard before we finally managed to see one.   Olive-sided flycatcher, dusky-capped flycatcher, a juvenile rusty flowerpiercer.  

After an early lunch it was time to move on to our next site and the hotel at Minca which we had visited on our way up the mountain a couple of days before.   Not wishing to miss any opportunity to see some new birds we stopped regularly along the way to check for new species.   Streaked xenops, Santa  marta foliage-gleaner, bran-coloured flycatcher, a great sighting of orange-billed nightingale-thrush, adult male rusty flowerpiercer, to name but a few.

Green violetear

We arrived at Minca just as darkness fell and were all only to keen to have dinner and retire for a well earned rest.   Around midnight a Colombian gentleman was heard calling out "buenous noches" apparently in a vain attempt to gain a bed for the night.

Day 11 - San Lorenzo Ridge and El Dorado, Colombia

Our full day at El Dorado and we took the jeeps up to the San Lorenzo Ridge at 2800 m.

The view from the San Lorenzo Ridge

The mist and clouds swirled around us and made birding a little challenging, but we still managed to add the following - several being new birds for my life list - Santa Marta Parakeet, red-billed parrot, scaly-naped parrot, brown-rumped tapaculo, olive-striped flycatcher, black-throated tody-tyrant, Santa Marta bush-tyrant, yellow-bellied chat-tyrant, Santa Marta mountain-tanager, black flowerpiercer, golden-bellied grosbeak, yellow-crowned whitestart and Santa Marta warbler.

Misty forest

Soon it was time to go back to the lodge for lunch and a quick siesta before we moved on to birding just outside the lodge on the road.   White-tipped quetzal, santa-marta woodstar, emerald toucanet, rusty-headed spinetail, blue-capped tanager and yellow-crowned whitestart joining our ever-increasing tour list.
We had an appointment back at the lodge at 5 pm wgeb a member of staff was due to put out food for santa marta antpitta.   Despite our waiting for about half an hour the bird did not show.   We had great views and sounds of black-chested jay.

Not to be outdone, we decided that a quick try for some night birding might be in order before dinner, and with Santa Marta screech-owl calling, we stood in the dark forest with the tape playing.  Unfortunately the fates were against us yet again, and as the rain started to fall mottled owl called (thus preventing any other owls responding as it frightens all others away).   A few of us tried a second site, but again we unsuccessful.   Maybe tomorrow . . .

Day 10 - El Valle, Minca, El Dorado, Colombia

This morning we left the hotel at Rhodadero to drive a short distance to an area good for chestnut-winged chachalaca, El Valle.  A picnic breakfast was swiftly done and then it was down to the serious business of bird spotting.   The birds were soon seen as they came out of roost.  

Minca balcony

We then continued on to Minca Lodge where we sat on the balcony watching hummingbirds and drinking fruit juice, coffee and eating delicious chocolate brownies.   Long-billed hermit, long-billed starthroat,  steely-vented hummingbird amongst the main participants.  

Violet-crowned woodnymph

Soon it was time to continue up the mountain to tonight's destination - El Dorado.   On the way we stopped to look for birds and added a brilliant sighting of black-and-white owl to our list.  Whooping motmot, scaled piculet, streak-capped spinetail, black-backed antshrike, pale-eyed pygmy-tyrant and social flycatcher all made appearances.   We finally arrived at our destination, spending some time birding in the garden and by the hummingbird feeders where green violetears, blossomcrown,Santa Marta woodstar and lazuline sabrewing used the free food source; before moving onto the track outside for a great view of a female golden breasted fruiteater.  Black hawk-eagle was spotted overhead.  Sickle-winged and band-tailed guan were in the same tree near the lodge and black-breasted wood-quail enjoyed the compost heap nearby.   

Finally we got settled into our rooms and had dinner.   A great surprise was hot showers as we had been told to expect cool/tepid/cold showers all the way.   Two nights in prospect.

Day 9 - Cerulean Warbler Reserve, San Vicente, to Santa Marta, Colombia

On the outskirts of San Vincente

Today we were transferring to the Santa Marta area of Colombia, but first we had some birding to do.   We took the jeeps down the hill for a short while  then stopped for some birding, once more in wellies, once again on hilly terrain.   We worked our way gradually down to San Vicente where we drove into town to a local cafe for aripes and hot chocolate. 

Landslide

On the way we noted chestnut-winged chachalacas, brown violetear, double-banded greytail, tropical pewee, masked tityra, cinereous becard, yellow-browed shrike-vireo, white-lined tanager, white-eared conebill, white-sided flowerpiercer, thick-billed seed-finch, black-and-white warbler (looking just like a humbug), yellow-rumped cacique, carib grackle, golden-rumped euphonia and a decidedly handsome white-vented euphonia, very scarce in this part of Colombia.

Then we continued for a further 3 hours back to the main road where we had a picnic lunch under the cover of a petrol station, here we also changed from our wellies as we had to fly to Bogota and then Santa Marta.

Bearing in mind that we left the lodge at 5.30 am, and after two flights arrived at the hotel for the night at 10pm, we were all shattered, but our alarms were set for a 5 am departure yet again tomorrow.

Day 8 - Cerulean Warbler Reserve - Colombia

After the strenuous walk the day before I was amazed to be able to walk with ease, and no aches and pains.   Wellingtons were the order of the day again, but this time we started off in the lodge garden looking for turquoise dacnis.   After some time we finally spotted one, and watched it for a few minutes before it disappeared, only to reappear somewhere completely different a while later.

Our canine companion

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Around 6am we moved off this time up a lane nearby which followed a contour line along the side of the hill.   Phil having made friends with the reserve puppy, lived to regret this as the dog insisted on joining us on our walk.   Despite our attempts at canine training in spanish, we failed miserably and the dog persisted in flushing birds and generally causing mayhem, getting into fights with local hounds - but by the end of the morning everyone was endeared to him, we shared our morning snacks and Colin gave up his water to give the dog a drink.
We managed to add boat-billed flycatcher, rufous-browed peppershrike, niceforo's wren, flame-rumped tanager, white-eared conebill, hepatic tanager, giant cowbird were all added for the day.

In the afternoon we took a short stroll down the road below the lodge, the rain arrived soon after we started the walk and somewhat curtailed our walk, but we did add cattle tyrant, and bat falcon.

Day 7 - Cerulean Warbler Reserve - THE WALK FROM HELL - Colombia

Today we did the walk from hell!

pastureland near the lodge

Leaving at 5.30 am, we took a trail from the lodge up through pastures and into a small wooded area where hummingbird feeders had been placed.   Here we saw  gorgeted wood-quail coming into a feeding station, along with lined quail-dove.   We also manged to see speckled humming bird, black inca, buff-tailed coronet, booted racket-tail, green-crowned brilliant, andean emerald and indigo-capped hummingbird.  
As the weather had been wet the ground was wet and sloppy, and we were walking in wellingtons.   At one stage we passed a bank where there were holes used by puffbirds for nesting - Colin was in puffbird heaven.  We continued to climb, birding as we went, until at around 12.30, we stopped on a top ridge for lunch.   We were tired, aching but hungry, and as one of the members of staff had walked up especially to deliver our lunch, it was the least we could do to enjoy it.   Warm rice, lentils and
shredded chicken. 

Puffbird nesting area

At the higher levels on the way down we saw golden headed quetzal, moustached puffbird, ash-browed spinetial, montane foliage-gleaner, olive-backed woodpecker, parker's antbird, long-tailed tapaculo, upper magdalen tapaculo, yellow-bellied elaenia, ornate flycatcher, scale-crested pygmy-tyrant, white-throated spadebill, cinnamon flycatcher, golden-crowned flycatcher, golden-winged manakin, green jay, blue-winged mountain-tanager, beryl-spangled tanager, bluish flowerpiercer, chestnut-capped brush finch, common bush-tanager, golden-winged warbler, canada warbler, slate-throated whitestart, three-striped warbler, russte-backed oropendola and orange-bellied euphonia to name but a few.

Our journey down was no less exacting with legs aching with every step and our knees screaming with the exertion of tufting not to slip or fall.   At the end of the main hill walk I took the opportunity to go back to look at the hummingbird feeders again, and by now (around 4.30 pm) things were a lot
busier with the birds desperate to feed up before bed.

Finally got back to the lodge for 5.30 pm, had a quick coffee, watched the feeders outside my room where ruddy ground-doves enjoyed the bananas, then I showered before dinner and checklist.

Day 6 - Cerulean Warbler Reserve - Colombia

Cerulean Warbler Reserve

Today we transferred from El Paujil to the Cerulean Warbler reserve.   As the river hadn't dropped we were able to leave by boat, which was our preferred route.    Breakfast was at 5.30 am, we hung around the lodge until the boat arrived and left at 6.30.   Unlike our arrival, the walk down the river bank was cut into definite steps which made life easier, and when we arrived at the town the mud was far less gloopy, and there was no audience to put us off!   Spotted sandpipers were seen on the sandy banks of the river.

Undulating countryside along our journey

We travelled along the dirt road for about three hours with several birding stops.   A squirrel cuckoo showed really well on a wire fence at the side of the bus.   Two pied puffbirds delighted us by performing like bookends, whilst we watched and photographed them, seemingly unaware of our presence.   Northern screamers were in the same area as before, along with ibis, cocoi heron, savannah hawk.   We stopped at a roadside cafe just on the Pan-American Highway for elevenses I had a berry milkshake which was superb, if a little large.   Here we scanned the river which was high and had covered several sandbanks which we had hoped to bird.   Black skimmers were in the distance.    An hour or so further on we stopped for lunch, I had vegetable soup which as usual had meat in it - typically Colombian.  

Looking for sandbars!

We carried on towards the next reserve, meeting up with our three jeeps which were to take us up the rocky and winding road leading to the lodge.   We made a comfort stop at an outlying building -primitive but working, and then we continued up through a town where we stopped for some cold remedy for one of the group, this gave the rest of us time to watch the world go by.   It was now dark
and raining.   After about 3 hours in the jeeps we finally arrived, had dinner and settled into our rooms, which were set in a row with a short walk over to the dining room.  
I had the nearest room which ended up being the way through to the verandah, so everyone was invited into view the feeders.

Day 5 - El Paujil - Colombia

Wading thrugh the mud

Our last day at El Paujil reserve, and a more overcast and humid day than before.   This morning we took the same trail as yesterday out of the lodge and tried again for bare-crowned antbird and black antshrike.   Neither bird responded so we moved off to a new trail running alongside a river, however we needed to cross the small stream before we could start.   Muddy and slippy, with a bit of help from Colin and Trevor our guides we all made it up the slope safely, then it was level walking through forest for short distances until we crossed the stream once more.   After four crossings we carried on walking down stream, thank goodness for our wellies!
Eventually the walk took us up hill through denser forest and finally back onto the road that we had walked yesterday.

Our bird highlights for the morning were:  striated heron on the pond, cattle egret flying from their night roost, rufous-tailed hummingbird, violet-bellied hummingbird, bartered trogon (a split from violaceous) black-breasted puffbird, white-whiskered puffbird, white-mantled barbet, crimson-crested woodpecker, northern barred wood creeper, ochre-bellied flycatcher, purple-throated fruitcrow, plain-coloured tanager, near the end of our morning's walk we finally caught up with beautiful woodpecker - a lovely bird and well worth waiting for.   As we neared the lodge, the children met us as they walked home from school, and they looked at photographs we had taken, and walked back with us.

Wood still being cut in the unprotected forest

At lunchtime and over our siesta time we spotted common tody flycatcher and I had great views of both pale bellied and rufous breasted hermit.   At 4 pm,  when the temperature had abated a little (humidity was over 80%), we walked to a mirador where we added swallow-tailed kite, barred puffbird, long-tailed tyrant and a crested oropendola flew over.   As we watched for any other new birds Trevor heard bare-crowned antbird, we shot off down the track back onto the main trail where we had already tried 3 times before, but this time the bird responded immediately, and I had great views.

By now it was time to return to the lodge, and several of us celebrated with a beer - a fine puff bird and endemics day.   I took video of Phil trying to remove Colin's wellies for him.    Laughing falcon was calling in the distance.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

As we did the checklist paraque called, but sadly no hint of an owl tonight, John had a great lizard on the outside of his cabin which I took photos of. 

Day 4 - El Paujil - Colombia

El Paujil

Today we spent our time around the El Paujil Reserve - starting with a lie in - as breakfast wasn't until 5.30 am!   We left for our walk at 6am.

We walked from the lodge in Wellington boots as overnight rain had made parts of the walk muddy, slippy and gloopy.   Birds came thick and fast at one of our early stops with blue and yellow macaw flying overhead, chestnut fronted macaw, blue headed parrot, chestnut mandibled toucan, channel billed toucan and collared araçari all seen.   As we continued along the trail passing out of the
reserve, along the road and back into the reserve some 7 hours later, a host of birds were seen and heard - including: great and little tinamou (heard), Colombian chachalaca, cattle egret, turkey, black and lesser yellow-headed vulture, king vulture, hook billed kite, double toothed kite, roadside hawk, short-tailed hawk, black-hawk eagle (h), white collared swift, short-tailed swift, black-throated mango, blue chested hummingbird, broad-billed motmot, white-tailed trogon, closely followed by rufous-tailed jacamar then a rufous motmot was heard, but did not respond to playback.

Butterfly

White-fronted nun bird was seen, beautiful woodpecker was heard, responded but did not come near enough for us to see.   We had more luck with cinnamon and lineated woodpecker, wedge-billed wood creeper, straight-billed wood creeper, chestnut backed antbird, forest elaenia, brown-capped tyrannulet, sepia-capped flycatcher, black-headed today-flycatcher, Acadian flycatcher, eastern
wood-peewee, panama flycatcher, great crested flycatcher, striped manakin showed really well with it's red cap and striped breast, white bearded manakin were lekking by the side of the trail, golden headed manakin, black-crowed tityra, several black-chested jays, white-breasted  wood-wren, grey-headed tanager, golden-hooded tanager, yellow-backed tanager, ruddy-breasted seedeater, sooty-ant-tanager, bay breasted warbler, orange-crowned oriole, thick-billed and fulvous-vented euphonia.

At lunch there were the following hummingbirds at the feeders which detracted from lunch for a while; White-necked jacobin, rufous-breasted hermit, pale-bellied hermit, White-vented plumeleteer, lesser kisskidee, swallow tanager.   After lunch we had a couple of hours to rest, then we were off again at 4 pm along the river.

Rufous-tailed Jacama

Marbled wood quail, greater ani, plain-brown woodcreeper, black-striped wood creeper, streak-headed wood creeper, rusty margined flycatcher, cinnnamon becard, black-billed flycatcher was a little shy in the morning but was far more obliging in the afternoon.
As we finished for the day and the light dimmed the more enthusiastic amongst us watched pauraque, feeding on insects in the evening light.  Turtle or terrapin in the pond dived from view and a morpho butterfly found its evening roost.

Day 3 - Clarito Botero and El Paujil, Colombia

Clarito Botero

Another 4.45am start, and it was off in jeeps for a quick breakfast in a local 24 hour cafe.   Pastries with ham cheese and pineapple were chosen by most of the group, accompanied by milky coffee.   Breakfast over and it was time to make our journey up the hillside in our two jeeps to the area of Clarita Botero.   For some of us it was  reminiscent of our jeepney experiences in Vietnam a couple of years ago.   

Butterfly

Unfortunately, we were stopped about half way up the hill track by a fallen tree and one of the many landslides we were to see.    We started to walk, and along the way we saw: crimson rumped toucanet, red-crowned woodpecker (we heard both lineated and spot-breasted woodpecker and pale-breasted spinetail), slaty spinetail, plain xenops,bar-crested antshrike, plain antvireo, sooty-headed tyrannulet, pale-vented pigeon, southern-beardless tyrannulet, golden -faced tyrannulet, apical flycatcher for a second day, rufous-naped greenlet, black-bellied wren which gave even better views than the previous day, grey-cheeked, swainson's, and pale-breasted thrush all added to the day.  Scrub, bay headed, golden, and blue-necked tanager, were joined by black-faced and blue dacnis, bananaquit, dull-coloured grassquit, buff-throated and streaked saltator, yellow-bellied seedeater, summer tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, tropical parula, blackburnian warbler, American redstart, rufous-capped and buff-rumped warbler, lesser goldfinch and a pair of yellow-backed oriole sat in a tree in the mid distance but their yellow plumage showed well against the green background of trees.   White-necked jacobin, green-fronted lance bill, white-vented plumleteer, and violet-crowned woodnymph added to our hummer list.

Roadside Bar

Around 9am we left the hillside in the jeeps and met our mini-bus driver with the main luggage, after a stop for drinks and snacks of banana, pears, and biscuits we were on our way to El Paujil - a 4-5 hour journey.  We stopped around 12.30 for lunch at a roadside cafe, and also did some birding as we neared the El Paujil area.   Northern screamers were our main hope, and we found 3 in nearby fields, along with black-capped donacobius, yellow-chinned spinetail, great, snowy and cattle egret, a striated heron, white-headed marsh-tyrant, great kisskidee, fork-tailed flycatcher, a tropical mockingbird was mobbing a white-tailed kite and red breasted blackbird was spotted in between the reeds.

The journey to El Paujil

El Paujil Lodge

At our second stop we saw blue-and-yellow macaw, chestnut fronted macaw, saffron finch, blue-black grassquit.   On the journey we saw ringed kingfisher, black-bellied whistling duck, Colombian chachalaca, neotropical cormorant, bare-faced ibis, turkey, black and lesser yellow-headed vulture, pearl kites seemed to enjoy sitting on the telegraph poles alongside the road, savannah and oadside hawks, a couple of laughing falcons, crested and yellow-headed caracara, purple gallinule, southern lapwing, wattled jacana, ruddy ground dove,rock pigeon, blue-headed parrot, squirrel cuckoo, greater and smooth-billed ani, vermillion flycatcher, blue-and-white swallow, southern rough winged swallow, grey-breasted martin and rufous-collared sparrow.   Eventually we had arrived in a small town literally "at the end of the road".   Here we got into boats watched by the locals just waiting for a bit of entertainment of some tourists tripping in the thick mud that led the way down to the riverside.   All safely on board it only took 20minutes or so to reach our home for the next three nights.   I had one of the further chalet rooms near the river, over rather tortuous bamboo steps and a bridge.

As we had dinner and did the checklist crested owl and tropical screech-owl called.

Day 2 - La Florida and Imbarge, Colombia

Today we went to La Florida in the Bogota suburbs, this is a golf course which has a large lake and reed beds along the edge.   The altitude is around 2600m.

La Florida

Our main hopes for the morning were Apolinar's wren, yellow-hooded blackbird and numerous water related species.

We walked alongside the fairway, and as it was only around 5.30 am, there were few golfers on the course to watch out for.   We spotted the area of reed bed ahead of us, but seemingly beyond a large area of flooding.   As we neared the pool we saw that there was in fact a wooden block causeway just under the water.
A pair of bare-faced ibis flew up as we stopped to view the scene.   Amongst the birds seen here were northern waterthrush, house wren and tropical kingbird.   Barn swallow and brown-bellied swallow swooped over the water. 

Eastern Wood-pewee

Our guide heard Apolinar's wren which immediately responded to playback appearing in front of us.   A second bird called from further away.   The first bird stayed close to us allowing the more sophisticated photographers the chance of a good shot.
We walked along the side of the water area in soggy ground where our Wellington boots came into their own.   an eastern wood peewee caught flies as it darted from a dead branch.   An oriole sang from one of the trees but was left for another day.

On the large lake were black-bellied whistling duck, Andean teal, blue-winged teal and ruddy duck.  A yellow-billed cuckoo was spotted nearby and a snipe was flushed ahead of us, but remained unidentified between noble or wilsons.

Soon it was time for us to leave so we retraced our steps back to the reed bed where we started to give one last chance for some new birds.   A broad-winged hawk perched in a nearby tree, yellow-hooded blackbirds were screeching in defence, but the hawk didn't appear interested.   A merlin flew through,

Rufous-collared Sparrow

reminding us of home, then a peregrine appeared.   The merlin flew back and landed in a nearby tree, showing off the barred tail which this subspecies has.   In the distance a white-tailed kite was mobbed by a brave tropical kingbird.

After a very welcome snack in the 19th hole of hot chocolate and traditional Colombian potato cake, we were off on our lengthy journey to Imbargé at 800m.  
On the way we stopped at Payande where we saw large numbers of scarlet fronted parakeets, spectacled parrotlet, orange chinned parakeet, sparkling violetear, and barred ant shrike.   We had great views of silvery-throated spinetail and sub-tropical doradito, a very smart black-bellied wren,  slate-headed tody-flycatcher, great-crested flycatcher, and our main hope for the site - apical flycatcher which showed well initially,  but after a while we had at least three birds flying around.   Our whole visit to this site was accompanied by the shreeking from the scarlet-fronted parakeets which just about drowned out the sound of anything else.   A rufous-browed peppershrike did it's best to be heard.

Eventually it was rime to move on to our bed for the night, in the town of Imbargé.   The hotel was okay with slightly run down rooms, but it was ideally placed for our next day's journey.

Colombia - Day 1 - Chingaza NP

Our first day of birding in Colombia, and a great start with good birds and weather.

Chingaza NP

We left our hotel at 5am to drive to Chingaza National Park which lies at up to 3200m above sea level. The weather was cool when we first arrived, but warmed up as the day wore on. Sunny spells gave way to overcast skies in the afternoon.

On a rock in a stream on the way to the main birding area Phil spotted a white-capped dipper so the bus stopped to let everyone have a good view.    Whilst we were checked into the park by our guides we watched a rufous wren.    We moved off to investigate two other nearby sites, where we saw white throated tyrannulet, rufous-browed conebill and golden-fronted whitestart.    Soon it was time to move on to a more secluded part of the park which is sectioned off with a locked gate - a guard came with us to unlock.    Our primary target in this area was brown-breasted parakeet, but on the way to them we had a long, steep walk (not helped by being at altitude) and a lot more birds to see.   We panted and puffed our way up the slope.

Chingaza NP

Red-crested cotinga, great thrush, scarlet-bellied, hooded and buff-breated mountain-tanager, blue and black tanager, plain-coloured seedeater, pale-naped brush-finch, glossy flowerpiercer, plushcap, slaty brush-finch, black-crested warbler, mountain and yellow-billed cacique, white-chinned thistletail, white-browed spinetail and Andean siskin were seen.

Black-billed mountain-toucan made us work for the sighting, but it was well worth the effort. Hummingbirds were also seen with tyrian metaltail, glowing puffleg, shining sunbeam, and amethyst throated sunangel showing well.

White-throated tyrannulet

The parakeets we were seeking flew noisily overhead a couple of times but always out of view so it was decided that we would have to continue down the track to an area where there were
nest boxes, and hopefully sight of these delightful parakeets.    After our guide had done some exploratory work we trooped into a field where we soon saw a bird perched on a tree in the middle distance.   Good views with the scope and even some digiscoping.   White-collard swift flew over our heads as we picnicked in the field with more of the parakeets flying about.

We took the return journey uphill very slowly with our lungs working at full stretch, we hadn't been in Colombia for a whole day yet!   Mountain caciques were seen as were yellow-billed cacique. Black-chested buzzard-eagle soared overhead, white-tailed kite, roadside hawk and broad-winged hawk were all seen whilst in the park.

Brown-breasted Parakeet

Once back at the bus we had the job of pushing the vehicle out of a mud bath, not easy with several of us getting covered in flying mud as the wheels failed to get a grip.   After about 20 minutes we finally got on our way, and were off to Guasca National Park.   On the journey we saw band-tailed pigeon, Andean guan and great egret. After we had negotiated a couple of bridges made of pallets we were on our way to some ponds for water birds, and Bogota rail in particular.  
The rail was seen easily by Colin B, and soon we all had the chance to look at it through the scopes. Andean teal, blue-winged teal, masked duck, striated heron, a black vulture, and a couple of white-tailed kite, common and spot-flanked gallinule, american coot and southern lapwing were all added to our day's list.

Eventually we had to leave for the journey back to the city, dinner and an early night as we were all exhausted from our first day's Colombian birding.

Greeb eyed fly

On the way back to the hotel we were stopped by the police who decided that we needed to have yellow lights rather than the White ones that had been used around Bogota for the last year or so. After about 15 minutes we negotiated our departure, and arrived back around 7.15 pm, with dinner and checklist at 8.