Colombia: Santa Marta

We will leave our hotel just before dawn, taking a box breakfast with us. After looking for Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Bicolored Wren and other goodies in a patch of tropical dry forest in a suburb of Barranquilla, we will drive east parallel to the coast, stopping at Isla de Salamanca National Park. Salamanca National Park is composed mainly of mangroves and was declared an Important Bird Conservation Area (IBA) (The main target, though the chance that we will see it is not high, is the Critically Endangered Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird). We will also stop at a few other places including one or two roadside ponds. We will have lunch in a restaurant prior to heading towards the Santa Marta range. Night at Mountain House.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the world’s highest coastal mountain range—an isolated extension of the Andes and a globally important hotspot for endemic species. Renowned for its spectacular sunsets, the region offers exceptional opportunities for birdwatching and photography. Unlike many birding destinations, there are only a few bird feeders here; most birding is done along the road leading to Cuchilla de San Lorenzo. Because the road is in poor condition, traffic is minimal, making the area quiet and ideal for observing wildlife. Many of the endemic birds found here bear the name “Santa Marta.” The upper part of the mountain range is protected within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park and the ProAves “El Dorado” Reserve.

We have allocated four days for birding in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to maximize opportunities for observing and photographing its remarkable diversity of endemic birds.

In the gardens at our lodge, hummingbird feeders attract many hummingbirds including White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Woodstar and hopefully Lazuline Sabrewing; fruit feeders bring in Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Black-capped Tanager; both Santa Marta and Sierra Nevada Brushfinches should be in the underbrush; and possibly the endemic Black-fronted Wood-Quail will be present. Santa Marta Screech-owls may call at night.

We will also board the jeeps and explore the 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 – Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa Marta Foliage-Gleaner, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Mountain-Tanager, and Hermit Wood-Wren, as well as White-tipped Quetzal, Sierra Nevada Antpitta, Rusty-headed and Streak-capped Spinetails, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, White-lored Warbler and Yellow-crowned Redstart. If we are fortunate, we could find the very rare Black-backed Thornbill and/or Santa Marta Sabrewing. Below the lodge the birding is equally exciting - Band-tailed and Sickle-winged Guans, White-tipped Quetzal, Santa Marta Blossomcrown, Masked Trogon, Montane and Strong-billed Woodcreepers, Emerald and Groove-billed Toucanets, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Swallow Tanager, and Yellow-legged and Black-hooded Thrushes. Nights at Mountain House.

In the morning, we will continue to bird the forests of Santa Marta, specifically looking for any of the specialty species we may not have seen yet. After midday we will drive to Minca and then head east, driving for 3 to 4 hours to Riohacha. Night in Riohacha (Guajira Casa del mar or similar).

We have a morning of birding around Riohacha. This will allow us 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, 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. Further possibilities include Russet-throated Puffbird, and Chestnut Piculet. We will have the opportunity to tour the site in a rustic boat and walk through the dry forests. This area becomes warm fairly early, so this morning we will have to leave before dawn with a box breakfast to eat on the road.

We have a midday flight from Riohacha to Bogotá, arriving in the mid to late afternoon. We gather for a final dinner to discuss our great adventure. Night near the Bogotá airport.