It was huge
relief to have made it to Las Tangaras the previous evening, so we had the full
day to bird the reserve. We had a particular main trail to focus on, and needed
to make good progress along the track, high up the mountains, in order see our
key targets. We had not anticipated how short the trail would be however,
although we were slow with our walking we reached the end before lunchtime, past
the ridge where a landslide many years earlier had cut the path short. Here we
found our number one target with ease, Golden-ringed Tanager. In the end we
found a few different individuals feeding along the canopy.
-Gold-ringed Tanager
Although we
found many good birds, we found the birding harder than anticipated with limited
flock action. That said, many of the species we encountered were extremely good
birds, with awesome views of Ochre-breasted Antpitta and a day roosting female
Lyre-tailed Nightjar. Unfortunately, after lunch we were high by a tropical
deluge and our birding became much more limited. We visited the sites
hummingbird feeders where we had awesome birds such as Voliet-tailed Sylph and
White-booted Raquet-tail, but the conditions made photography hard. We also had
views of a Yellow-breasted Antpitta here, although it did not show was well as some
of the other antpitta species we had seen. Just before nightfall we also tried for
Cloud-forest Pygmy-Owl, and had an individual respond to the tape in the half light,
bringing our trip owl total up to nine.
-Lyre-tailed Nightjar
-Violet-fronted Coronet
-Purplish-mantled Tanager
-Violet-tailed Sylph
-Cloud-Forest Pygmy-Owl
-Choco Brushfinch
-Olivaceous Piha
-Narino Tapaculo
-Orange-breasted Fruiteater
-Ochre-breasted Antpitta
Species List:
RNA Las Tangaras: Pauraque, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Green-fronted Lancebill, Brown Violetear, Lesser Violetear, Violet-tailed Sylph, Greenish Puffleg, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Black Vulture, Tropical Screech Owl, Cloud-forest Pygmy Owl, Masked Trogon, Andean Motmot, Yellow-vented Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Tatama Tapaculo, Narino Tapaculo, Montane Woodcreeper, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Azara's Spinetail, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Handsome Flycatcher, Sepia-brown Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Great Thrush, White-naped Brushfinch, Choco Brushfinch, Russet-backed Oropendola, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Three-striped Warbler, Canada Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Lemon-rumped Tanager, Black-and-gold Tanager, Gold-ringed Tanager, Black-chinned Mountain Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Palm Tanager, Golden Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Indigo Flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer,
Day 18 01.12.2019
This was
our second full day at Las Tangaras, and having already seen our main targets
the previous day, all that was left was to mop up some other species and enjoy
a fantastic days birding. Fortunately the weather held off until mid afternoon
today, but the mornings birding was slow. Although we encountered some nice
species such as Golden-winged Manakin and Toucan Barbet, it wasn’t until after
lunch when we returned to the main trail that the birding really got going. All
of a sudden we found ourselves surrounded by an impressive flock featuring
target after target. The outstanding bird of the day, Black Solitaire, was in
one such flock. Other awesome birds included Rufous-rumped Antwren, Crested Ant
Tanager and Pacific Tuftedcheek. We also found another Ochre-breasted Antpitta,
keeping our fantastic antpitta day streak going. A whopping 69 species make it
one of the highest species totals of the trip so far.
-Toucan Barbet
-Greenish Puffleg
-Rufous-throated Tanager
-Choco Brushfinch
-Uniform Treehunter
-White-headed Wren
-Black-and-gold Tanager
-Anole
-Red-headed Barbet
-Black Solitaire
-Crested Ant Tanager
-Crested Quetzal
-Ochre-breasted Antpitta
Species
List:
RNA Las
Tangaras: Squirrel
Cuckoo, Brown Violetear, Violet-tailed Sylph, Greenish Puffleg, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple
Coronet, White-booted Racket-tail, Rufous-gaped Hillstar, Purple-bibbed Whitetip,
Empress Brilliant, Purple-throated Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Double-toothed
Kite, Crested Quetzal, Red-headed Barbet, Toucan Barbet, Yellow-vented
Woodpecker, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Ochre-breasted
Antpitta, Tatama Tapaculo, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked
Xenops, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated
Foliage-gleaner, Uniform Treehunter, Star-chested Treerunner, Red-faced
Spinetail, Golden-winged Manakin, Olivaceous Piha, Barred Becard, White-winged
Becard, Streak-necked Flycatcher, Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant, Cinnamon
Flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Handsome Flycatcher, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Smoke-colored
Pewee, Long-tailed Tyrant, Black-billed Peppershrike, White-headed Wren, Sepia-brown
Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Black Solitaire, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Dusky
Bush Tanager, White-naped Brushfinch, Choco Brushfinch, Red-bellied Grackle, Blackburnian
Warbler, Three-striped Warbler, Canada Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Summer
Tanager, Crested Ant Tanager, Rufous-crested Tanager, Black-and-gold Tanager, Black-chinned
Mountain Tanager, Purplish-mantled Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Palm
Tanager, Rufous-throated Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Saffron-crowned
Tanager, Golden Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper,
White-sided Flowerpiercer, Bluish Flowerpiercer,
Day
19 02.12.2019
We spent
the morning at Las Tangaras hoping for a final little flurry to finish off some
of the few target species we were still missing. Alas we largely failed on that
front, although Choco Vireo was another species we struck from the list. New
birds were still achieved however, with Yellow-breasted Antwren and Uniform
Antshrike both new for me. We had a few other bits and pieces to achieve today,
so we wrapped up our two and a half day, very productive stint, just before
lunchtime.
-Purple-bibbed Whitetip
-Pacific Tuftedcheek
-Moustached Puffbird
-Crested Ant Tanager
-Poison Dart Frog
-Red-breasted Grackle
Our next destination
was a roadside two hours drive away near a small town of Bolombolo. We pulled
up at the side of the road hoping for a short stop to achieve three endemics,
although Greyish Piculette we had already seen. As soon as we got out of the
car we spotted the first, Apical Flycatcher (Rather non-descript) and with a
little playback persuasion we quickly found the second, Antioquia Wren which
was much nicer. Greyish Piculette also put in an appearance, and I gained
another lifer in Black-crowned Antshrike, rounding off a very productive hours
stop.
-Apical Flycatcher
-Greyish Piculette
-Black-crowned Antshrike
-Antioquia Wren
The reason
our time at the previous site was so finite was so we had time to visit an
Andean Cock-of-the Rock lek in the town of Jardin. Because we wrapped up our
targets so quickly we had plenty of time to enjoy the spectacle of so many
ludicrously bright birds dancing. It was, without doubt, the trip highlight so
far and one of the best birding experiences I have ever seen. We had maybe in
excess of twenty male birds bouncing around us, at extremely close quarters.
The site was little more than a garden on the outskirts of town, but every
effort had been made to make sure the lek was as enjoyable as possible, with a
well maintained garden and ample balconies to view the birds from. There were
also Tanager feeders in the garden and these brought in goodies such as Scrub
Tanager and Green Honeycreeper, as well as Colombia Chachalaca. Green Hermit
also put in an appearance on the garden flowers. Despite this fantastic backup
cast, the lek was the outstanding moment of the day, and peak moment of the
trip thus far. 
-Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
-Green Hermit
-Clay-coloured Thrush
-Scrub Tanager
-Golden Tanager
Species
List:
RNA Las Tangaras: Sickle-winged Guan, Pauraque, Violet-tailed
Sylph, Brown Inca, Velvet-purple Coronet, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress
Brilliant, Zone-tailed Hawk, Masked Trogon, Moustached Puffbird, Red-headed
Barbet, Uniform Antshrike, Yellow-breasted Antwren, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Montane
Woodcreeper, Pacific Tuftedcheek, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Uniform
Treehunter, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Olivaceous Piha, Variegated Bristle
Tyrant, Ornate Flycatcher, Smoke-colored Pewee, Choco Vireo, White-headed Wren,
Sepia-brown Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Swainson's Thrush, Black Solitaire, White-naped
Brushfinch, Choco Brushfinch, Red-bellied Grackle, Blackburnian Warbler, Three-striped
Warbler, Canada Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Crested Ant Tanager, Lemon-rumped
Tanager, Glistening-green Tanager, Palm Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden
Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Masked
Flowerpiercer
Bolombolo: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Greyish Piculet,
Black-crowned Antshrike, Greenish Elaenia, Apical Flycatcher, Antioquia Wren, Thick-billed
Euphonia, American Yellow Warbler, Golden-crowned Warbler, Scrub Tanager
Jardin Cock-of-the-Rock Lek: Colombian Chachalaca, Feral Pigeon, White-collared
Swift, Green Hermit, Western Emerald, Western Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey
Vulture, Tropical Screech Owl, Andean Motmot, Red-headed Barbet, Andean
Cock-of-the-rock, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Black Phoebe, Tropical Kingbird, Black-chested
Jay, Blue-and-white Swallow, Clay-colored Thrush, Black-billed Thrush, Chestnut-capped
Brushfinch, Yellow-backed Oriole, Blackburnian Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Blue-grey
Tanager, Palm Tanager, Scrub Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Bay-headed
Tanager, Golden Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Black-and-white Seedeater
No comments:
Post a Comment