Thursday, June 10, 2010

Colombia Birding Trip 2010






Speckled Hummingbird Cinnamon Flycatcher Blue-winged Mountain Tanager



I had a great birding tour this year, we saw over 175 species, including several lifers for me. Six clients from California went with me to Cali, Colombia and we spent nine days birding four distinct habitats: south of Cali, open fields and riparian habitat on the river Cauca valley area; west of Cali, highlands jungle area (over 6600 ft); north of Cali, wetlands at Laguna de Sonso, and finally, we visited Nirvana Reserve on the Central Mountain Range east of Cali.


West of Cali, up in the mountains on the very first day the clients saw not one but three Multicolor Tanagers, a Colombian Endemic very much prized by birders all over the world. Another rare sighting, seen through a scope at the wetlands north of Cali, was a Horned Screamer a majestic looking bird.