Colombia Pre-Tour

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range, with snow-capped peaks within sight of the sea, and is among the most endemic-rich areas in the world. Our comfortable lodge at ProAves Reserva Natural de las Aves ("RNA") El Dorado is situated on a private reserve at 1950 m on an outlying ridge of the San Lorenzo Ridge with marvelous views of the valleys and the Caribbean beyond. The area supports a range of habitats from 900m to 2600m, including evergreen forests, bamboo thickets and upper-level stunted forests, with scattered clearings and disturbed areas, and many endemics (about 15) and specialties occur here including Santa Marta Antpitta, Band-tailed and Sickle-winged Guans, White-tipped Quetzal, Santa Marta Sabrewing (very rare), Santa Marta Wren, Bearded Helmetcrest, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Parakeet , Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager, Yellow-crowned Whitestart, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant and Santa Marta Antpitta. Other goodies include Brown-rumped Tapaculo, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Santa Marta Brush-Finch, Blossomcrown, Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner, Band-tailed Guan, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Yellow-legged and Black-hooded Thrushes, Black-headed Tanager – the list seems endless!!

Furthermore an undescribed species of screech-owl has been found near the lodge. The more mesic areas near Minca have a different avifauna, including Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-billed and Coppery Emeralds, Black-backed Antshrike, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Santa Marta Tapaculo, Venezuelan and Brown-capped Tyrannulets, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Swallow Tanager, and Golden-winged Sparrow. We will find another different avifauna at Los Flamencos, where the xerophytic scrub supports Green-rumped Parrotlet, Buffy Hummingbird, Black-crested Antshrike, White-whiskered Spinetail, Slender-billed Inezia, Vermilion Cardinal, Orinocan Saltator, Pileated Finch, and Tocuyo Sparrow, as well as several lagoons used seasonally by large concentrations of Greater Flamingos.

Highlights
• A host of endemics and range-restricted specialties in a very bird-rich area
• Charming and bird-oriented lodge in a delightful setting on the mountain
• Diverse habitats, guaranteeing an impressive tally of species
 

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival and Orientation
Our tour starts in Barranquilla, a port city along the Caribbean coast and readily accessible from North American airports, where we meet for dinner at our hotel. Night in Barranquilla

Day 2 – Transfer to El Dorado Lodge
We drive east to the coastal city of Santa Marta, and then continue up to the cool Santa Marta Mountains and to the marvelous El Dorado Lodge, ProAves Reserva Natural de las Aves ("RNA") El Dorado, located at 1950m near the centre of the reserve on the San Lorenzo ridge. The lodge is in a small clearing with spectacular views down the valleys to the lagoon Cienaga Grande and to the Caribbean beyond, and to the Santa Marta Mountain above. Roads lead through forests above and below the lodge, and is what is common in the tropics, birds occur at specific elevations, and we will visit both upper and lower stretches of forest. The amazing wealth of species will become apparent as soon as we arrive; in the gardens hummingbird feeders attract many hummingbirds including Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Tyrian Metaltail and Green Violetear, fruit feeders bring in Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Black-capped Tanager, and both Santa Marta and Stripe-headed Brush-Finches should be in the underbrush, and possibly the endemic Black-fronted Wood-Quail will be present. Santa Marta Screech-owls may call at night. Night at El Dorado Lodge.

Day 3 – El Dorado Lodge
We spend today exploring forests above and below the lodge, paying particular attention to the many endemics and unique subspecies of the region. Higher elevations support a host of “Santa Marta” specialties - Parakeet, Woodstar, Antpitta, Foliage-Gleaner, Bush-Tyrant, Warbler, Mountain-Tanager, Brush-Finch, and Seedeater, as well as White-rumped Hawk, Lined Quail-Dove, Bearded Helmetcrest, Black-backed Thorntail, White-tailed Starfrontlet, White-tipped Quetzal, Rusty-headed and Streak-capped Spinetails, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, White-lored and Gray-throated Warblers and Yellow-crowned Whitestart. If we are fortunate, we could find the very rare Santa Marta Sabrewing. Below the lodge the birding is equally exciting - Band-tailed and Sickle-winged Guans, White-tipped Quetzal, Blossomcrown, Masked Trogon, Montane and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, Emerald and Groove-billed Toucanets, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Swallow Tanager, and Yellow-legged and Black-hooded Thrushes.
Night at El Dorado Lodge.

Day 4 – Minca and Riohacha
After some early morning birding around the lodge, we head downslope to the small town of Minca. This is a drier, more mesic area than further up the mountain towards the lodge, and we can expect a different array of species. We look for Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-billed and Coppery Emeralds, Blue-crowned Motmot, Keel-billed Toucan, Venezuelan and Brown-capped Tyrannulets, Golden-fronted Greenlet, Rufous-and-white and Rufous-breasted Wrens, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Rufous-capped Warbler and Golden-winged Sparrow. There could be many North American migrants here at this time of year.

From Minca we head even lower down the mountain slopes looking for Black-backed Antbird, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Royal Flycatcher, Santa Marta Tapaculo, Blossomcrown, and Golden-winged Sparrow. Reaching the coast we travel east to Riohacha to sample xerophytic scrub and desert habitats, and the Los Flamencos Reserve, where specialties include Green-rumped Parrotlet, Buffy Hummingbird, Black-crested Antshrike, White-whiskered Spinetail, Slender-billed Inezia, Vermilion Cardinal, Orinocan Saltator, Pileated Finch, and Tocuyo Sparrow. Los Flamencos is a national reserve designed to protect several lagoons used seasonally by large concentrations of Greater Flamingos. Among the flamingos occur several other waterbirds, including Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Scarlet and White Ibis, shorebirds that may include Red Knot and White-rumped Sandpiper, and Black Skimmer. Further possibilities include Chestnut-winged and Rufous-vented Chachalacas, Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Blue-crowned Parakeet, Russet-throated Puffbird, Chestnut Piculet, Panama Flycatcher, and Bicolored Conebill, as well as many herons, shorebirds, and other coastal species. Night in Riohacha.

Day 5 – Riohacha and flight to Bogota
We spend the morning visiting desert scrub and coastal lagoons, looking for species not yet found, perhaps King Vulture, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Panama Flycatcher and Crimson-backed Tanager. We then head back to Santa Marta and catch our flight to Bogota, and then flights home or join our Colombia tour, November 3 – 17, 2012.

 Featured Birds

• Black-fronted Wood-Quail
• Santa Marta Antpitta
• Santa Marta Parakeet
• Santa Marta Warbler
• Santa Marta Woodstar
• Santa Marta Brush-Finch
• White-tailed Starfrontlet
• White-tipped Quetzal
• Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager
• Russet-throated Puffbird

Dates: October 30 - November 3, 2012

Duration: 5 days

Price: $2,095 USD/CAD, single supplement $185 USD/CAD

Tour Starts: Barranquilla

Tour Ends: Bogota

*Combine with our Colombia Tour

 On a typical day in the neotropics, we begin birding before breakfast, as everywhere in the tropics it is desirable to be in good habitat by daybreak when bird activity and song are at their peak. We concentrate on “edge” birding until light is good enough to enter forest trails. On travel days, we rise early to give ourselves plenty of time to reach our destinations. After lunch we may have time for a siesta or enjoy watching hummingbirds at feeders at El Dorado Lodge. In the late afternoon we venture again to the forest. Trails may be muddy, therefore good walking footwear is always recommended.

Our tour begins in the port city of Barranquilla, and ends in Bogota after an in-country flight from Riohacha to Bogota. Birding will be mainly walking along the road by the lodge, and along relatively wide forest trails. Accommodations will be comfortable. Weather above Minca will be hot, but not as sweltering as in the lowlands. We should remember to have adequate protection from the sun. Drizzle and rain are possible, therefore stout, waterproof footwear, a light rain jacket and waterproof hat are recommended. Mosquitoes and other biting insects should not be a problem on this tour; however, bring insect repellant. In the evening, after dinner, we discuss the day’s events and sightings and list birds and other wildlife seen.

Trip Summary
• Exceptional birding in the Santa Marta Mountains
• In-country flight Riohacha – Bogota is included
• Tropical climate
• Excellent accommodation
• Walking generally easy to moderate; some muddy trails
• Bus or van with driver
• 4 – 12 participants with Eagle-Eye leader and a local guide