colombia
Endemics of the Santa Marta Mountains
November 21 - 28, 2008
Reservations and prepayment are required on all Ventures. Your place on this Venture will be reserved when your deposit of $300 has been received. Please make your check payable to VENTURES, Inc. and send it to this address or call the office with your VISA or MasterCard #.
Limited to 10 participants.
The Santa Marta
Mountains in Northern Colombia are home to a whole range of endemic birds,
including the Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta
Seedeater, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Mountain Tanager, Santa Marta
Brush-Finch…..and the list goes on. This mountain range, bordered by the
Caribbean Sea on the north, reaches a height of over 18,000' or over 5,700
meters, with the highest peak being Cristobal Colon, Colombia's highest peak.
Cloaked in coastal and montane forest, this portion of Colombia is a classic
zone of endemism for many plants and animals.
With one of the best bird books covering any Neotropical country, The Birds of Colombia, Colombia is slowly reappearing to the birding community and this is now an excellent time to visit the richest bird country on our planet. Our accommodation throughout our short tour will be comfortable and convenient to the best birding spots. The food is excellent and the people very friendly. If you have never been to South America before, this trip to Colombia will open your eyes to the beauty and diversity that is South America.
Leader: Simon Thompson
$2975 per person with single room supplement of $125
(Single available only in Barranquilla & Riohacha)
The maximum group size with 1 leader is 10 persons. An additional leader will be
added if required.
Price includes: Ground transportation throughout, all accommodation, meals (except where specified): entrance fees and gratuities (except for leader/guide), trip information packet & bird checklist, and guide/leader service throughout.
Not included: Flights to/from Barranquilla, airport departure tax, alcoholic beverages, any meals specified in the itinerary, laundry, and other items of a personal nature.
Day 1 (Friday, November 21) Barranquilla
Your international flight leaves from Miami with either an afternoon
arrival into Bogotá with a continuing connection to Barranquilla or we may be
able to fly direct to Barranquilla from Miami. We will meet our guide after
transferring to our hotel. Dinner is on our own today. Night in Barranquilla
Day 2 (Saturday, November 22) Salamanca
Breakfast will be in the field this morning around Salamanca as 
we
search for such specialties as Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird and Chestnut-winged
Chachalaca. Other birds possible in the area include Bare-eyed Pigeon,
Russet-throated Puffbird, Chestnut Piculet, Bicolored Conebill and Panama
Flycatcher. Being so close to the Caribbean Sea, there are lots of herons,
egrets, shorebirds and other coastal species here, but as the day heats up we'll
head for the cooler Santa Marta Mountains and lunch in Minca. We'll spend some
time birding the lower elevations near Minca in the afternoon looking for Red
and White Wren, Venezuelan Tyrannulet, Black-backed Antbird, Rusty-breasted
Antpitta, the endemic Santa Marta Tapaculo, Blossomcrown, Rufous-capped Warbler,
Swallow Tanager, Coppery Emerald, Northern Royal-Flycatcher, Golden-winged
Sparrow and more. In the afternoon we'll drive to Riohacha which should take us
about 3 hours. Night in Riohacha
Day 3 (Sunday, November 23) Los Flamencos
The morning will be spent birding at Los Flamencos, where we will again
look for Bare-eyed Pigeon, Buffy Hummingbird, White-whiskered Spinetail,
Black-backed Antshrike, Venezuelan Flycatcher Tocuyo Sparrow, Vermilion
Cardinal, Orinocan Saltator, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Glaucous Tanager,
Slender-billed Inezia (Tyrannulet), and Two-banded Puffbird. In the afternoon
we'll drive further into the Santa Marta Mountains for our 4 night stay at the
wonderful El Dorado Lodge, where we'll arrive around dusk. Night at El Dorado
Lodge
Day 4 - 6 (Monday, November 24 - Wednesday, November 26) Santa Marta
Mountains
We'll enjoy three full days on the San Lorenzo Ridge birding different
elevations for a multitude of localised species. One day we'll take our 4 wheel
drive jeeps to the higher elevations of th
e San Lorenzo ridge to look for such
endemic targets as 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 and
Streak-capped Spinetails, White-tailed Starfrontlet, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa
Marta Warbler, Black-backed Thorntail (rare) and Santa Marta Woodstar. Other
species may include White-tipped Quetzal, White-rumped Hawk, Black-fronted
Wood-Quail, Golden-breasted Fruiteater, Grey-throated Warbler and Lined
Quail-Dove. An un-described species of Megascops Owl is to be seen here too!
Nights at the El Dorado Lodge.
Day 7 (Thursday, November 27) Barranquilla
Our last morning in the Santa Marta Mountains will be spent birding the
lower elevations before we begin our drive back to Barranquilla for the night.
Day 8 (Friday, November 28) Flights home
After an early breakfast, our flights leave Barranquilla this morning.
Due
to weather and other conditions, this itinerary is subject to change.