Colombia - Part 3

On the morning of Day 5 we returned to Rio Blanco and after breakfast there walked the forest trails a little higher above the lodge than we had ventured yesterday. After a slightly slow start, the birds appeared one after another and most were seen very well. Highlights included Blue-and-black (Bruised?) Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Black-collared Jay, Rufous-crowned Tody-Tyrant, Streaked Xenops, Mountain Wren, Black-collared Jay, Masked Trogon, Flammulated Treehunter and Dusky Piha but there were many more and it was another excellent morning.

After lunch we returned to the airport in Manizales for our flight to Bogotá and found ourselves leaving earlier than expected. The reason for this became clear an hour later when we arrived in the capital just in time for a torrential hail storm that saw the airport closed for a while. In fact the downpour was so severe that it was several minutes before some of us were allowed to leave the aircraft.

Masked Trogon

Eventually we were able to head off to Reserva Natural Chicaque about 45 minutes away, in the hills above the city. The track down to the log-built lodge was too steep, rough and narrow for our bus and so we transferred to 4WD vehicles for the last mile or so. We arrived in time to enjoy a beer as the sun went down and the light faded but too late for any further birding.

We spent the next morning, after an unusual breakfast that included meat and potato soup, walking forest trails in Reserva Natural Chicaque. Some of the trails were quite steep but whatever climbing we did was well worthwhile for the quality and quantity of birds seen. The following is just a sample of the species recorded: Metallic-green Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Black-capped Tanager, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Acorn, Crimson-mantled and Smoky-brown Woodpeckers, Brown-capped Vireo, Streaked Xenops, Montane Woodcreeper, Ash-browed Spinetail, Striped Woodcreeper,the endemic Black Inca, Flame-faced Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager and Green-and-black Fruiteater. Most of us were surprised to find just how good the birding was here!

Lodge - Reserva Natural Chicaque

After lunch we headed to Bogotá to spend our last two nights in Colombia at the very nice Hotel La Feria, conveniently located near the exhibition centre where we would be spending tomorrow. Knowing that we could have a lie-in in the morning at least until 7.00am we treated ourselves to a night out – a cocktails and a lovely meal in a restaurant across the city.

Our next day was spent wholly at Destino Colombia, a travel trade show where, after a lengthy ceremony to launch the new http://www.colombia.travel/ website, we had a succession of meetings with ground agents, hotel and lodge owners. The object was, of course, to discuss arrangements for a first Avian Adventures birdwatching tour in Colombia in 2010. The results were all very positive.

Once again the evening saw us out on the town, at a closing event for Destino Colombia that featured much music and dancing and wine glasses that were filled and re-filled as quickly as you can imagine!

Finally, on the morning of our return home, there was time for birding just outside Bogotá, near La Virgen de Guadalupe. We walked along a fairly main road that had little traffic early on and saw a nice variety of birds that we hadn't seen before. Those added to our list included Glowing Puffleg, Pale-naped Brush-finch, Rufous-browed Conebill, Red-crested Cotinga, Agile Tit-Tyrant, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Plushcap and Masked Flowerpiercer.

When the number of passing trucks became a distraction, it was time to go but there was one more birding site to visit that was conveniently near the airport – Parque Público La Florida. This is a well-known home of the endemic Bogotá Rail and we had no difficulty in finding several of these birds. The problem was that we couldn't see them - they just called repeatedly from the waterside vegetation! Some of us were already on the bus and ready to leave when one finally showed but a quick return to the reeds resulted in everyone seeing the bird and rounding off the trip on a high. Also here were Yellow-hooded Blackbirds, some rather odd-looking American Coots, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Blue-winged Teal, Brown-bellied Swallows, Subtropical Doradito and an Osprey.

American Coot

Yellow-hooded Blackbird

Thanks for a very good trip are due to Juliana Gomez of the Colombian Tourist Office, guides, Sergio Ocampo and Daniel Restrepo, and to friends and colleagues from both the UK and the USA who all share our fascination with birds. We all came to the same conclusions: Colombia is now open for birding, the areas we visited were quite safe, the people are friendly, the food and accommodation are good and, it can't be repeated often enough, there are more bird species here than in any other country in the world.

The only risk is...boosting your life list!

Colombia - Part 2

Our third morning in Colombia required another early start as we left the Pacific coast bound first of all for Medellín. We arrived early at the airport at Bahía Solano and there was plenty of time for birding along the road where Spot-headed Barbet, Ringed Kingfisher and Rusty-margined Flycatcher were amongst the species that helped pass the time before the arrival of our SEARCA charter aircraft.

Our SEARCA flight arrives at Bahía Solano

In Medellín, we had plenty of time to visit La Romera, a park well-known as a site where the endemic Red-bellied Grackle can be found. We struggled initially to get good views of these birds but eventually one or two came to feed in trees along the roadside and later a small group of them came close as we were eating our picnic lunch. Also here were a White-capped Dipper and Russet-backed Oropendolas.

Our onward flight to Manizales was delayed for more than an hour with the result that further birding was limited to a visit to a water treatment plant. This unlikely place was home to a pair of Lyre-tailed Nightjars which we saw very well, including a nest with young located in a hole in a concrete wall. The male Nightjar had actually entered a building, presumably to feed on moths attracted to the lights - not sure what the Red-necked Nightjars of the Algarve or the European Nightjars of Cannock Chase would have made of it all!

Lyre-tailed Nightjar

Our two-night stay in Manizales was at the very nice Hotel Termales del Otoňo, featuring as its name suggests thermal hot springs. Southern Lapwings were not only on the grass outside our rooms but also on the roof!

As usual, time to enjoy our comfortable accommodation was strictly limited and next morning we left pre-dawn intending to spend the day at Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve. We were probably more than half way there when we found the road blocked by a mudslide that had presumably been triggered by the heavy overnight rain. A change of plan was required and so, after returning to the hotel to get warmer clothes, we went instead to Los Nevados National Park in the central Colombian Andes. In this park is Nevado del Ruiz, the 5,321-metre volcano that in 1985 erupted, killing an estimated 23,000 people in the town of Armero. However, this morning the volcano was unfortunately hidden by cloud.

At this high elevation we were in páramo, a neotropical ecosystem that consists of grasslands, peat bogs and a variety of shrubs, notably the succulent, Espeletia. Our first short birding stop was above a small lake where several Andean Ducks could be seen. A Many-striped Canastero was singing from the top of a nearby bush.

Páramo with Espeletia

A little bit higher up, near the park entrance, we found one of THE birds of the entire trip, a Bearded Helmetcrest, a hummingbird in case you're not familiar! Also here were a Tawny Antpitta and a Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant that at a distance had the look of a Whinchat about it as it perched on the top of a bush.

Bearded Helmetcrest

On the way back downhill, we birded along the road and found a succession of new birds that included Andean Tit-Spinetail, Black-backed Bush Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Stout-billed Cinclodes and Sedge Wren. However, good as this was, when word was received that the road to Rio Blanco was now open again, off we went reverting to our original plan.

We had lunch at the lodge there and then spent more than an hour photographing the scores of hummingbirds that were coming to the feeders. Easily the most numerous species was the easy to identify Buff-tailed Coronet, but Sparkling Violet-ear, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Speckled Hummingbird, Bronzy Inca, Collared Inca, Tourmaline Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph and White-bellied Woodstar soon became familiar.

Lodge at Rio Blanco

Buff-tailed Coronet

Collared Inca

Tourmaline Sunangel

We were persuaded to leave this spectacular hummingbird show when the opportunity to see one or more species of antpittas was promised. These birds are being fed daily on a diet of juicy worms put out for them in a metal bowl placed in a forest clearing, a ploy that has been used to good effect at various places in Ecuador. Not surprisingly, the feeder of the antpittas was christened the 'worm man' and we followed behind him as he went about his task. He might have been disappointed that on the way to the feeding site we couldn't help but be distracted for several minutes by one of the best feeding flocks that we saw all week, but before too long we settled down to watch the antpitta show. The bowl was placed in its usual place and we all sat quietly as the 'worm man' began to whistle, signalling to the birds that dinner was served! It was remarkable - we didn't have to wait long at all before three species of antpittas arrived: Chestnut-crowned, Slate-crowned just briefly and the endemic Brown-banded. It was quite a sight!

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta

And so ended our fourth day in Colombia but there was much more to come...

Colombia - Part 1

Just back from Colombia, generally recognised as having more bird species than any other country in the world – 1,883 according to Howard & Moore - but in recent times unfortunately little visited by birdwatchers. Serious internal armed conflict, with rebel groups funded by the trade in cocaine and heroin, has deterred tourists from visiting, but things are changing rapidly, thanks to improvements in security resulting from President Álvaro Uribe's "democratic security" strategy.

Significant increases in military strength and police presence throughout the country have pushed the rebels further away from the major cities, highways and tourist sites. As a result, the British Foreign Office and the US Department of State have revised their advice on travel to Colombia and the country is now receiving more than a million tourists every year. As the Colombian Tourist Office puts it: “el riesgo es que te quieras quedar” or “the only risk (now) is wanting to stay”.

Our trip began with flights from London to Madrid with Iberia and then with the very good Colombian national airline, Avianca, from Madrid to Bogotá and Bogotá to Medellín.

The following morning we flew again, this time to Bahía Solano on the Pacific coast in the Department of Chocó. On the way from the small airport to El Almejal Lodge at last we were birding. In fact, two King Vultures and a pair of Black-cheeked Woodpeckers were seen even before we left the airport! Along the road, among the many species seen were Rose-faced, Mealy, Red-lored and Blue-headed Parrots. We were well and truly in the tropics!

Our transport to El Almejal Lodge

The lodge is situated right on the coast with Brown Pelicans and Magnificent Frigatebirds flying by regularly and various gulls, terns and boobies passing offshore. Red-legged Honeycreepers, Palm, Blue-grey and Lemon-rumped Tanagers were coming to a feeder outside the dining room and an Eastern Long-tailed Hermit flashed by from time to time. From elevated platforms on the hillside above the lodge we enjoyed wonderful views to the ocean and in spite of the rain saw a succession of tanagers, euphonias and more.

Lemon-rumped Tanager

Palm Tanager

This Common Basilisk was one of the highlights of the afternoon walk

From the viewing platform

The rain became heavier overnight and at breakfast time (5.15am) it was still pouring down; it was clear that we were in for a very wet day if we went ahead with our plan to walk the trail towards the nearby Ensenada de Utría National Park. However, although this was not intended to be a trip to see rare or endemic species, there were those in our group who were very keen to try and see Baudó Oropendola, a bird with a very small range and recent records from only two locations, one of them just a few kilometres away.

And so, after a short drive, we set out on foot along an increasingly wet and muddy forest trail that at times resembled a shallow linear pond. Fortunately, the local guide knew exactly where to take us and, although most of us were literally soaked to the skin when we got there, we did get good views of the target birds (or as good as you can get through binoculars in heavy rain). We stood almost directly below the palm tree in which there were several hanging nests typical of the genus Psarocolius. Baudó Oropendola is a black and chestnut, crow-like bird that has a bright yellow tail with blackish central tail-feathers. Its long, black, conical bill is tipped orange-red and it has a bare pink cheek patch.

Now that we'd seen the endemic oropendola our mood on the walk back was much brighter and although the trail was even wetter and muddier, the rain eventually stopped and by mid morning there was even some sunshine. Amongst the birds seen White-tailed Trogon and Cinnamon Woodpecker were among the highlights but a Grey-capped Cuckoo proved to be bird of the day for at least some of us, eclipsing even the Baudó Oropendolas. It had obviously (like us) had a good soaking and was perched on a power cable, drying out in the sun. Even in its wet and somewhat bedraggled state it was a very attractive bird!

After lunch the rain started again and further birding was delayed for a while but eventually we walked a stretch of the road between the lodge and the airport. Some of us still had on our wet clothes from the morning, hoping they would dry while we were wearing them! Among a long list of species seen were Lineated Woodpecker, Stripe-billed Araçari, Chestnut-mandibled and Chocó Toucans but the most popular was a striking male Golden-collared Manakin.

In spite of the weather our first full day of birding had been excellent and it was a shame that our schedule didn't allow for a longer stay at El Almejal Lodge.

Gambia - Week 2

The upriver experience is an essential part of visiting The Gambia. Not only did we see 70 or more bird species that probably wouldn't have been found at the coast but we also got away from the main tourist routes and saw something of the 'real Gambia'.

Day 7: The start of our upriver adventure was today's long and dusty drive to Tendaba Camp. Much needed improvements to long sections of the road are currently in progress but unless you've been before and remember how bad it used to be, you might not be impressed. We arrived at our destination with red dust covering everything and everybody! A stop on the way at some woodland near Pirang produced Green Hylia, Green Crombec and Yellowbill, none of them easy to find and all of them difficult to see.

The Road to Tendaba

Tendaba Camp was built in the 1970s and hasn't really changed very much since then. Their slogan is “One million mosquitoes can't be wrong…..Tendaba Camp is fantastic!”. Fortunately, it was the dry season so we weren't able to find a mosquito with whom we could debate that description.

Welcome to Tendaba

Day 8: One of the reasons to stay at Tendaba Camp is the boat trip that we did this morning exploring the creeks across the river. The birding is terrific and it's always one of the highlights of any tour in The Gambia. Last time we took this trip, local guide, Wandi Touray, trying hard to make sure everyone saw a roosting Scops Owl hidden in the mangroves, slipped and fell from the boat into the river. He came to no harm but his binoculars were never the same again! Today we were pleased to give him a replacement pair donated by our friends at Focus Optics at Corley. He was delighted with them. And we were equally pleased with him when we had wonderful views of a female African Finfoot, just one of a long list of birds seen that included Goliath Heron and White-backed Night Heron.

African Darter

African Finfoot

Day 9: Another travelling day as we headed further upriver for a two-night stay at Bird Safari Camp, located on MacCarthy Island, more usually referred to as Janjangbureh. Most of the journey was on a very good road along the north bank of the river but first we had to put up with a long stretch of pot-holes on the south side before taking the ferry that is part of the Trans-Gambia Highway linking the north of Senegal with the south. There was a long queue of mainly Senegalese trucks waiting to cross but in no time at all we somehow found ourselves well towards the front of this queue and sure enough we made it on to the next ferry crossing. It seems that it's just a matter of talking to the right person and offering the right incentive! Later, more than 100 bird species were recorded as we made a succession of stops at various wetlands on the north bank. They included the must-see species of this and every other tour in The Gambia, the striking and unmistakeable Egyptian Plover. What a relief!

Egyptian Plover

Ferry Crossing

Day 10: Most of the morning was spent at a nesting colony of spectacular Red-throated Bee-eaters at Bansang, the afternoon at the ricefields at Jakhaly. Both sites are on the south bank of the river so there were more interesting ferry crossings. It was one of the hottest days of the tour, the temperature reaching about 35ºC. Again more than 100 bird species were seen, a total that included Lappet-faced among five species of vultures. Among the most memorable birds was the Exclamatory Paradise Whydah with a tail to match the length of its name.
On the way back to Janjangbureh we called at Brikamaba where, thankfully, two Verreaux's Eagle Owls were roosting exactly where they always roost. If all birds were as reliable as these, this guiding job would be a doddle!

Exclamatory Paradise Whydah

Red-throated Bee-eater

Day 11: After two nights at Bird Safari Camp we started the long journey back to the coast, returning first of all to Tendaba. Once again, in spite of the long distance covered, we saw lots of good birds including Spotted Thick-knees, found when we were actually searching for bustards. It was dark long before we reached our destination but that didn't mean we couldn't stop to look for owls and nightjars and there was also a huge Puff Adder on the road that caused us to pause for a while.

Spotted Thick-knee

Day 12: Another hot, sunny morning was spent in nearby Kiang West National Park and Batelling Woods. During the afternoon we repeated the boat trip with Wandi hoping to see one or two species additional to the ones seen last time. Woolly-necked Storks fell into this category but more remarkable and unexpected in the mangroves were two Abyssinian Ground Hornbills.
After dinner our trip out to look for owls and nightjars proved something of a disappointment. We did get excellent views of African Scops Owl but where were all the nightjars? Reluctant to give up, we stayed out until after 11.00pm by which time not many in the bus were still awake!

Woolly-necked Stork

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Day 13: We made the long trip back to the coast today with several birding stops on the way. We began near Wurokang where we had an excellent hour or so in woodland that was full of birds including White-shouldered Black Tit, Brown-rumped Bunting and a scarce Yellow-bellied Hyliota. Later, at Faraba Banta we met up with local guide, Abdoulaye, who had a roosting Greyish Eagle Owl to show us, a bird that we would never have found without his help. Bonuses here were a Bateleur and a pale-phase Booted Eagle.
Our last night in The Gambia was back at the Senegambia Beach Hotel where our first hot shower for a week was much appreciated by all!

Day 14: There was time for a return to Kotu this morning, ending the tour where it began, at the sewage ponds. A Little Grebe became the last new species of the tour and then it was lunch at the Paradise Beach Bar before afternoon flights returned us to the cold of the UK.

The Gambia - Week 1

For our first week in The Gambia we were based at the Senegambia Beach Hotel at Kololi. There is plenty of good birding within easy reach and each day we went out to a different site.

Day 1: We always like to start a Gambia tour at the Kotu sewage ponds; it's not too far from the hotel, there are lots of birds and it has a certain ambience! Only one of the four ponds now has open water but enough to attract a few common and familiar waders, gulls and terns plus a few White-faced Whistling Ducks. It makes for a gentle start. From there we walked along the edge of the nearby creek and wetlands to see more waders, herons and egrets and then after lunch turned our attention to woodland birds at Tujereng. The total of 109 species recorded during the day was a pretty reasonable start. Among the highlights were Ayres's Hawk Eagle, Northern White-faced Owl and several species of dazzling sunbirds.

Kotu Sewage Ponds

Caspian Tern

Day 2: Our destination this morning was Marakissa, about an hour's drive away. On the way we passed through Brikama, the second largest town in The Gambia (the largest is Serrekunda). We spent the morning in savannah woodland, birding under a clear blue sky but with a strong wind blowing that we could have done without. In the afternoon we were at a wetland near Darsalami. The day produced more than 90 species but the highlight was probably the enormous lunch served to us at Marakissa River Camp. The food on this trip was excellent throughout but this was an exceptional meal!

Western Reef Heron

Darsalami wetland

Day 3: We visited The Gambia's best-known and most-visited birding site, Abuko Nature Reserve. Although this is a still a great place to see birds, there is no doubt that it has been deteriorating for some years and Birdlife International have suggested that a lowering of the water-table is at least partly to blame. The reserve also looks as though it could do with some more active management. For several of the group the highlight of the afternoon walk across the nearby ricefields was seeing a Black Heron perform its 'umbrella' feeding routine.

Hooded Vulture

Day 4: Gulls, terns and waders dominated the day. In the morning we were at Tanji, The Gambia's largest fishing village, where there were hundreds of birds to search through. After lunch we drove to Banjul and made our way through the rather grim Half Die area (the name Half Die apparently dates back to an outbreak of cholera in 1869 which killed half the population) and picked our way through the garbage to a lagoon that is consistently the best site in the country for Greater Flamingo. There were also lots of waders and about 150 Slender-billed Gulls there. Later, we saw another 150 or so Slender-billeds further along the coast. The species total for the day was 110.

Tanji beach

Grey-headed Gull

Day 5: We spent the first part of the morning at the former Scan-Gambia Shrimp Farm at Pirang. This site has the potential to be one of the best birding areas in the country if only it could be properly managed but for reasons known only to him, the present (Swedish) owner is not only refusing access to birders but seems to have spent the last two or three years turning it into something akin to a desert. We had to content ourselves with viewing from outside the fence and scanning across the area and all of the 'ponds' we could see were completely dry. Even so there were plenty of birds around with a Long-crested Eagle proving particularly popular. Later, visits to Faraba Banta bush track and Farasutu Forest made this another 100 species day with Black-faced Firefinches a definite highlight.

Welcome to Pirang!!

Sita Joyeh Island Resort

Day 6: After two days of much better weather, we returned today to quite cool and rather windy conditions resulting in comparatively poor birding but we still saw about 80 species. We were at Sangchumeh in the morning and Brufut in the afternoon. At last we saw a Pearl-spotted Owlet instead of just hearing imitations and recordings of its calls and we found a roosting Long-tailed Nightjar hidden in the leaf litter.

Striped Kingfisher

Coming soon: Week 2 – the Upriver Experience

Colour-ringing

Information has now been received about two of the colour-ringed birds that we reported recently.

The Black-tailed Godwit seen in Tavira on Boxing Day 2008 was a male ringed as an adult in SW Iceland in April 2002. It was seen in the Netherlands and France in 2003 and there were more sightings in France in 2003, 2004 and 2005. However, it has clearly taken a liking to Tavira as this is its third consecutive winter on the saltpans on the edge of town.

The Eurasian Spoonbill that we reported from SW Spain in January was ringed as a nestling in the Netherlands in July 1994. There have been numerous sightings since then, mainly in France but it was seen in the Huelva area as long ago as 1996 and has been reported as a winter visitor there in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06.

Back Out of Africa

Just back from leading an Avian Adventures tour in The Gambia – Peter's 11th trip to Africa's smallest country.

The itinerary had us spending a week at the coast followed by six nights up river at Tendaba Camp and Bird Safari Camp. Sering Bojang was our local guide as usual.

Tanji - for gulls, terns and waders

In spite of some strange weather that included several windy days and even a shower of rain, we managed to find 300 bird species, including (thankfully) the must-see Egyptian Plover. Other highlights were African Finfoot, Greyish Eagle Owl, six species of Vultures and eight species of Bee-eaters, plus Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Green Crombec, Green Hylia and Black-faced Firefinch, all of which can be difficult to see.

Goliath Heron - the world's largest, standing 1.5 metres tall

More details and photographs will follow shortly.