Tours
A Week In Santa Marta Endemics Tour
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Operator: Manu Expeditions Birding Tours
Location: Colombia
Duration: 7 days
From : Fri 08th May 2009 to Fri 11th Dec 2009
Description:
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of Colombia - mystical and remote rising straight out of the Caribbean behind the coastal city of the same name which was founded by Spanish Conquistadores in 1525. Snow covered peaks rise to 5800 meters above sea level and are clothed with rich mossy Cloud Forest that harbour a host of endemic bird species. The very comfortable El Dorado Lodge will be our home for most nights as we explore this tranquil forest. Some time on the coast will give us a chance at some other endemic species.
Why we think you should book with us:
Comfortable accommodations and many endemics
Special Target Species:
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Bogotá and connect to Barranquilla or fly direct to Barranquilla from Miami Transfer to our hotel in Baranaquilla Your guide will meet you at the Hotel.
Day 2: Field Breakfast. Morning around Salamanca for Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird and Chestnut-winged Chachalaca. Other birds include Bare-eyed Pigeon, Russet-throated Puffbird and Chestnut Piculet, Bicolored Conebill and Panama Flycatcher. Lots of Herons, Shorebirds/Waders ands coastal species here, and as the day heats up we’ll head east of Santa Marta to Riohacha and bird the afternoon at suitable desert habitat and the Los Flamencos reserve. Specialties here include White-whiskered Spineatail, Blue-crowned Parakeet, Buffy Hummingbird, Black-backed Anyshrike, Stripe-backed Wren, Black-faced Grassquit, Vermillion Cardinal, Tocuyo Sparrow and Oriinocan Saltator. Night in Riohacha.
Day 3: Morning agin birdng the Los Falmencos are picking up what we may have missed As the day heats up we’ll head for the cooler Santa Marta Mountains and lunch in Minca. Bird lower elevations near Minca in the afternoon looking for Red and White Wren, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Black-backed Antbird, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Santa Marta Tapaculo (endemic), Blossomcrown, Rufous-capped Warblers, Swallow Tanagers, Coppery Emerald Royal Flycatcher, Golden-winged Sparrow and more. We’ll arrive at the El Dorado Lodge at dusk. This new lodge is extremely comfortable with a very birdy garden with many endemics visible from the balcony. B:L:D
Days 4 - 6: Three full days on the San Lorenzo Ridge birding different elevations for different species. One day we’ll take our 4 wheel drive jeeps to the higher elevations of the San Lorenzo ridge. Endemic targets include Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Seedeater, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Mountain Tanager, Santa Marta Brush Finch, White-lored Warbler, Yellow-crowned Whitestart, Rusty-headed Spinetail, Streak-capped Spinetail, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa Marta Warbler, Black-backed Thorntail (rare) and Santa Marta Woodstar. Others include White-tipped Quetzal, White-rumped Haw, Black-fronted Wood-Quail, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Grey-throated Warbler and Lined Quail-Dove. An un-described specie
s of Megascops Owl is to be seen here too! Nights at the El Dorado Lodge. B:L:D
Day 7: Morning birding the lower elevations of the Santa Marta Mountains and then to Barranquilla for the night. B:L:D
Day 8: Morning flights home. B