Wednesday, 20 November 2019

Colombia; Minca & Los Flamencos Sanctuary

Day 6 19.11.2019 
The day began as yesterday had ended, with frustration and missed targets. Our early morning birding around Minca was pleasant but we failed to see our key targets. Keel-billed Toucan, Red-crowned Woodpecker and Ochre-bellied Flycatcher were the best of the lifers, whilst nice views of Collared Aracari was probably the standout from the morning.
-Collared Aracari
-Orange-chinned Parakeet
-Bicolored Wren
At around 10 we headed up the coast to Las Flamencos Sanctuary, a three hour drive away. Despite arriving during the heat of the day we decided to head out birding in the scrub surrounding the lagoons, and managed a number of our key targets for the site. White-whiskered Spinetail was a stantout and a bird I really wanted to see on the trip. Buffy Hummingbird, Venezuelan Troupial, Greyish Saltator, Vermillion Cardinal, Russet-throated Puffbird and Northern Scrub Flycatcher were the standout birds, but there was a nice selection of storks, herons and ibises to enjoy as well. And as it got dark we watched 75 Lesser Nighthawks fly over us out in to the fields to feed. A few lingered and fed in the pools below us. After a frustrating day and a half, the afternoons birding more than made up for it.
-Brown Pelican
-Tropical Gnatcatcher
-Yellow Oriole
-White-whiskered Spinetail
-Black-crested Antshrike
-Northern Scrub Flycatcher
-Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant
-Grey Kingbird
-Greater Yellowlegs
-Bare-eyed Pigeon
-Greyish Saltator
-Red-billed Emerald
-Glaucous Tanager
-Russet-throated Puffbird
-Red-crowned Woodpecker
-Great Blue Heron
-Buffy Hummingbird
-Roseate Spoonbill
-Vermillion Flycatcher
-Lesser Nighthawk


Species List:
Minca: Squirrel Cuckoo, White-necked Jacobin, White-vented Plumeleteer, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, King Vulture, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk, Whooping Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Barred Antshrike, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Plain Xenops, White-bearded Manakin, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, House Wren, Bicolored Wren, Pale-breasted Thrush, Thick-billed Euphonia, Lesser Goldfinch, Golden-winged Sparrow, Crested Oropendola, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Rufous-capped Warbler, Summer Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Grey-headed Tanager, Crimson-backed Tanager, Blue-black Grassquit, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Buff-throated Saltator,
Los Flamencos: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Feral Pigeon, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Common Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, Eared Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Lesser Nighthawk, Red-billed Emerald, Buffy Hummingbird, Limpkin, Wattled Jacana, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Laughing Gull, Wood Stork, Magnificent Frigatebird, Neotropic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, American White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, Western Osprey, Savanna Hawk, Ringed Kingfisher, Russet-throated Puffbird, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Northern Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Black-crested Antshrike, Northern White-fringed Antwren, White-whiskered Spinetail, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Northern Scrub Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Pied Water Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Grey Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Buff-breasted Wren, Tropical Mockingbird, Venezuelan Troupial, Yellow Oriole, Carib Grackle, Vermilion Cardinal, Glaucous Tanager, Bananaquit, Greyish Saltator,

Day 7 20.11.2019
Our final day in the Santa Marta region was spent birding the scrub around Los Flamencos Sanctuary. Although we did miss a few of our targets, we enjoyed some fantastic birding with a nice range a species. The climate of this region was vastly different to anything we had experienced in Colombia thus far, with incredibly hot, almost desert like, temperatures. Birding highlights included; Chestnut Piculette, Black-backed Antshrike and Caribbean Hornero.
-Pale-tipped Inezia
-Chestnut Piculette
-Northern White-fringed Antwren
-White-whiskered Spinetail
-Black-backed Antshrike
-Brown-throated Parakeet
-Slender-billed Inezia
Unfortunately we had to leave at around 09.00 for our flight back to Bogota. We spotted a couple of Pearl Kite along the road, as well as Scarlet Ibis, a lifer for me, but otherwise the journey passed largely without incident. A bit of birding around the airport got us Sanderling, Turnstone and Royal Turn, as well as nice views of Brown Pelican.
-Scarlet Ibis
Once we landed in Bogota things started to go wrong. The ongoing saga of the lost bag continued for over two hours before it was finally reclaimed. And then, Bogota traffic took its tole as we travelled to pick up our car, only for the credit card used for the booking to be rejected. It took its time but all was finally sorted around 21.00 and we were able to make our way out of the city to find a hotel.


Species List:
Los Flamencos: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Feral Pigeon, Common Ground Dove, Scaled Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Wood Stork, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Scarlet Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Pearl Kite, Russet-throated Puffbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Chestnut Piculet, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Northern Crested Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Brown-throated Parakeet, Black-crested Antshrike, Black-backed Antshrike, Northern White-fringed Antwren, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Caribbean Hornero, White-whiskered Spinetail, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Slender-billed Inezia, Pale-tipped Inezia, Northern Scrub Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Grey Kingbird, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Bicolored Wren, Tropical Mockingbird, Carib Grackle, Blue-black Grassquit, Grey Pileated Finch, Bananaquit, Black-faced Grassquit,

Santa Marta Airport: Scaled Dove, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Royal Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Pelican, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture, Great-tailed Grackle,

No comments:

Post a Comment