Colombia; Rio Blanco

Day 13 26.11.2019

It will be hard to describe today in a simple short post, but here goes. Today was one of the best days birding I have ever had. We headed to Rio Blanco reserve, famous for its Antpitta feeders, and it did not disappoint. The Antpittas were the stars of the show, with four different species visiting the feeders set up for them. Each had a designated feeding time, and two of them were already there waiting for us when we arrived. First we stopped to see Bicolored Antpitta, then Chestnut-crowned and Brown-banded at the next feeding station before finishing off with Slaty-crowned.

-Bicolored Antpitta

-Chestnut-crowned Antpitta

-Brown-banded Antpitta

-Slaty-crowned Antpitta

Away from the Antpittas the reserve also has a number of different Tapaculo species and we managed to see three of the four species present. Sadly the one we missed was the ocellated, but we actually saw Ash-coloured, Blackish and Spillmann’s, although all were typically tapaculo like and difficult to see.

-Spillmanns Tapaculo

We had a fantastic young guide called Danny. He was incredibly sharp and immensely keen to show us the birds. He put in all the effort for us and was a great asset to our day. Birding around the reserve yielded a grand total of 87 different species of bird. The hummingbird feeders were immense, with highlights including Long-tailed Sylph, White-bellied Woodstar and Andean Emerald. Mixed species flocks always had a wide range of species within them, often including more unusual species such as Masked Saltator which was finally seen in the evening when three individuals appeared. The variety of Tanagers, Hemispingus and Bushfinches was really something to appreciate. Overall it was just a fantastic days birding.

Buff-tailed Coronet

-Speckled Hummingbird

-Fawn-breasted Brilliant

-Andean Emerald

-Long-tailed Sylph

-Tourmaline Sunangle

-White-bellied Woodstar

-Streak Tuftedcheek

-Golden-headed Quetzal

-Rufous-headed Pygmy-Tyrant

-Black-billed Mountain Toucan

-White-throated Toucanet

-Great Thrush

-Cinamon Flycatcher

-Capped Conebill

-White-capped Tanager

-Masked Saltator

-Western Mountain Coati

We attempted a night walk with Danny but sadly none of the owls would respond. After such an immense day it felt like something of a loss to finish with nothing, but on the drive out of the reserve we flushed a bird from the side of the road, and although we had no idea what it was we tried some tapes and managed to draw in a pair of White-throated Screech-Owl, which we finally spotted in the torchlight with some effort. And then, as we continued driving out of the reserve there was a Rufous-banded Owl perched up at the side of the road. It was a really fitting ending to our day.

-White-throated Screech-Owl

-Rufous-banded Owl

Species List:

Reserva Ecologica Rio Blanco: Sickle-winged Guan, Band-winged Nightjar, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, White-collared Swift, Lesser Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Tourmaline Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Purple-backed Thornbill, Bronzy Inca, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-bellied Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Black Vulture, Roadside Hawk, White-rumped Hawk, White-throated Screech Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Andean Motmot, White-throated Toucanet, Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Crested Caracara, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Streak-headed Antbird, Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Bicolored Antpitta, Brown-banded Antpitta, Slaty-crowned Antpitta, Ash-colored Tapaculo, Blackish Tapaculo, Spillmann's Tapaculo, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Pearled Treerunner, Green-and-black Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Rufous-breasted Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, White-tailed Tyrannulet, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Blue-and-white Swallow, House Wren, Mountain Wren, Sepia-brown Wren, Swainson's Thrush, Great Thrush, Yellow-bellied Siskin, Grey-browed Brushfinch, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Slaty Brushfinch, Northern Mountain Cacique, Black-and-white Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Canada Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Summer Tanager, White-capped Tanager, Black-capped Hemispingus, Black-eared Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Grass-green Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Metallic-green Tanager, Capped Conebill, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer, Grey-hooded Bush Tanager, Masked Saltator, Red-tailed Squirrel, Andean Squirrel, Western Andean Coati, 

Day 14 27.11.2019

Since we had cleared up on almost all of our targets at Rio Blanco we only had a few birds left that we needed to work for. The number one target for our morning was Ocellated Tapaculo, a bird that would require a seiours amount of effort and luck in order to see. Fortunately, our guide, Danny again, was once again on top form and we managed to see a very vocal individual skulking through the vegetation.

We birded through the forest for the morning seeing a number of different bird species. Once again we had a fantastic species selection, with 64 species managed just in the morning. Brown-billed Scythebill, Black-billed Peppershrike and Crimson-backed Woodpecker were all excellent birds that we encountered during the morning.

-Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant

-Crimson-backed Woodpecker

-Plushcap

-Pearled Treerunner

-Occelated Tapaculo

-Andean Squirrel

-Tourmaline Sunangle

-Carib Grackle

In the afternoon we drove an hour to our new hotel near Nevado del Ruiz in readiness for the following morning. Since we had plenty of time in the afternoon we visited a hotel built near some thermal springs which had an excellent selection of Hummingbird feeders. We saw eight different species, seven of which were new. Highlights were Great Saphirewing and Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. The hummingbirds here were incredibly tame, and would often land on your head, hands or phone screen. There was also a small tanager feeder which attracted Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer and Pale-naped Brushfinch.

-Shining Sunbeam

-Great Saphirewing

-Golden-breasted Puffleg

-Mountain Velvetbreast

-Buff-winged Starfrontlet

-Rainbow-bearded Thornbill

-Acorn Woodpecker

-Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager

-Pale-naped Brushfinch

-Masked Flowerpiercer

-Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager

-Mountain Wren

Species List:

Reserva Ecologica Rio Blanco: Lesser Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Tourmaline Sunangel, Speckled Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, Purple-backed Thornbill, Bronzy Inca, Collared Inca, Buff-tailed Coronet, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, White-bellied Woodstar, Andean Emerald, Black Vulture, Masked Trogon, Andean Motmot, Black-billed Mountain Toucan, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Bronze-winged Parrot, Golden-plumed Parakeet, Ocellated Tapaculo, Blackish Tapaculo, Brown-billed Scythebill, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Xenops, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Pearled Treerunner, Barred Becard, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Mountain Elaenia, Black-capped Tyrannulet, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Pale-edged Flycatcher, Black-billed Peppershrike, Brown-capped Vireo, Blue-and-white Swallow, Brown-bellied Swallow, House Wren, Sepia-brown Wren, Grey-breasted Wood Wren, Lesser Goldfinch, Grey-browed Brushfinch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, White-naped Brushfinch, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-crested Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Canada Warbler, Slate-throated Whitestart, Golden-fronted Whitestart, Summer Tanager, Black-capped Hemispingus, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Black-eared Hemispingus, Grass-green Tanager, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Blue-winged Mountain Tanager, Blue-capped Tanager, Blue-and-black Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Masked Flowerpiercer, Plushcap, Grey-hooded Bush Tanager, Carib Grackle, Red-tailed Squirrel, Andean Squirrel,

Hotel Termales del Ruiz: Tourmaline Sunangel, Rainbow-bearded Thornbill, Black-thighed Puffleg, Golden-breasted Puffleg, Shining Sunbeam, Buff-winged Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Great Sapphirewing, Acorn Woodpecker, Mountain Wren, Great Thrush, Pale-naped Brushfinch, Lacrimose Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer,