This was
our second and final upland site that we would be visiting on our trip. We
headed up to a track slightly lower in altitude near Nevado del Ruiz early
morning in the hope of seeing Rufous-fronted Parakeets but sadly dipped before
we needed to head to the park entrance in order to beat the crowds and see Buffy
Helmetcrest. This hummingbird is restricted in range to this mountain. They
were much more difficult to come by that our previous Helmetcrest species. I
only managed a few photos of a few individuals before they seemed to vanish mid
morning. Other birds at the site were really quite limited as well, but
Stout-billed Cincloides and Andean Tit-Spinetail were both nice.
-Stout-billed Cincloides
-Brown-backed Chat Tyrant
-Buffy Helmetcrest
-Andean Tit-Spinetail
-Plumbeous Sierra Finch
Afterwards
we returned to the track where we had birded first. It took some time before
nine of the Rufous-fronted Parakeets flew in, but during that time we managed
to have absolutely insane views of Paramo Tapaculo, whilst an Andean Condor
flew overhead. The Condor was something of an underwhelming experience. Given
its one of the worlds largest birds, it did not strike me as much larger than a
black vulture, although im sure it would have been more impressive were it
flying lower. 
-Plain-coloured Seedeater
-Andean Condor
-Black-chested Buzzard Eagle
-Rufous-fronted Parakeet
-Paramo Tapaculo
-Paramo Seedeater
-Stout-billed Cincloides
-Black-backed Bush-Tanager
-Golden-crowned Tanager
-Northern Crested Caracara
In the late
afternoon, after heading down for lunch, we returned to the mountain, to the
hotel we had visited the previous day. It was more of an afternoon filling in
time but I thought it might give us an opportunity to try for Andean Pygmy Owl
after dark. I did not realise this species was diurnal until we were almost at
the site, and this was a game changer as not long after we had taped in a
fantastic individual. Other birds went absolutely mental when it appeared, with
tanagers, hummingbirds and warblers all mobbing. It was a suitable end to a
really enjoyable days birding. 
-Andean Pygmy Owl
Species
List:
Nevado
del Ruiz: Andean
Teal, Andean Duck, Buffy Helmetcrest, Viridian Metaltail, Black-thighed
Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet,
Andean Condor, Black Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Tropical Screech Owl,
Andean Pygmy Owl, Northern Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, American
Kestrel, Rufous-fronted Parakeet, Paramo Tapaculo, Stout-billed Cinclodes, Andean
Tit-Spinetail, White-throated Tyrannulet, Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant, Grass Wren,
Great Thrush, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Pale-naped Brushfinch, Black-crested
Warbler, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Lacrimose
Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Golden-crowned Tanager,
Blue-backed Conebill, Black-backed Bush Tanager, Plumbeous Sierra Finch,
Plain-coloured Seedeater, Paramo Seedeater,
Day 16 29.11.2019
Today was
our final day in the Manizales area, but it had one of the species I had been
most looking forward to seeing. We had arranged with a local farm to go and see
their Crescent-faced Antpitta, a bird that they had been staking out for just
over a year, and one of the most desirable species in the family.
The birding
around the farm was excellent. The farmers son took us around, clearly showing
us how proud he was of all the work they had been doing to make the farm more
suitable for birds and those coming to visit. We were first taken to see a pair
of Rufous Antpittas which performed excellently, in a really well structured
arena, before being taken to see the main star of the show. A friend of mine
had been two days previous and had to wait a few hours before the bird came in,
but not so on this occasion when not one but two different individual
Crescent-faced Antpittas came to the feeding station. Obviously these are shy
birds, but the views we were afforded were quite simply incredible. It was one
of the highlights of the trip so far, without doubt. We birded around the farm
until late morning, seeing species such as Red-crested Cotinga, Grey-breasted
Mountain Toucan and Barred Fruiteater, before having to depart on what was
supposed to be a six hour journey, but actually resulted in being an eight hour
journey thanks to stacks of roadworks on the main road. At one point we had to
wait over an hour before being allowed to pass the work. It was fortunate that
we’d had such a excellent morning.
-Crimson-mantled Woodpecker
-Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan
-Grey-browed Brushfinch
-Rufous Antpitta
-Tyrian Metaltail
-Sword-billed Hummingbird
-Crescent-faced Antpitta
-Red-crested Cotinga
-Blue-backed Conebill
-Golden-faced Whitestart
Species
List:
Hacienda
del Bosque: Andean
Guan, Eared Dove, Lesser Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Tourmaline Sunangel, Tyrian
Metaltail, Black-thighed Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Collared Inca, Buff-winged
Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, White-bellied
Woodstar, Black Vulture, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Bar-bellied Woodpecker,
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Northern Crested Caracara, Rufous Antpitta, Crescent-faced
Antpitta, Rufous Spinetail, Barred Fruiteater, Red-crested Cotinga, Rufous-headed
Pygmy Tyrant, White-banded Tyrannulet, White-throated Tyrannulet, Mountain
Elaenia, Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrant, Tropical Kingbird, Brown-bellied Swallow,
Mountain Wren, Great Thrush, Hooded Siskin, Grey-browed Brushfinch, Rufous-collared
Sparrow, Slaty Brushfinch, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-crested Warbler, Golden-fronted
Whitestart, Black-capped Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Hooded
Mountain Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Black
Flowerpiercer, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer, Paramo
Seedeater,
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