Montezuma

Montezuma  - 1st-4th March 2020

1st March 2020

We arrived at Montezuma mid afternoon but not before a bit transport reorganisation.  The vehicle we had been using was not suitable for the rough and steep track that led to the reserve headquarters at Montezuema, so arrangements had been made for two four wheel drive vehicles to meet us in the nearby small town of Pueblo Rico.  So we said goodbye to our regular driver for a few days and met with two new drivers for the one hour drive to Montezuma Lodge.

After arriving we met up with our local guide Gleisson Guarin, and did some birding within walking distance of the lodge and managed to add a few new species in the form of Blue-lored Antbird, Red-headed Barbet and White-bearded Manakin.  Later we spent a short while at the lodge feeders, again adding a few new species including Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Green Thornbill and Empress Brilliant.

The day finished with the call over, a pleasant meal and beer at the lodge.  Overnight at the lodge.

Welcome to Monteverde (Tatama)

Lemon-browed Flycatcher - uncommon in the foothills of the Andes
from Venezuela to Bolivia

White-necked Jacobin - Found from Mexico through much of northern South America.

2nd March 2020

An early start and into the two four wheel drive vehicles for an hour and a half drive, up a very rough track, to the top of the track at 4,300 metres altitude.  On the way we stopped for a few species including the scarce and near endemic Tanager Finch and the endemic Gold-ringed Tanager.  

We eventually reached a military communications base where in September 2000 the rebel group FARC attacked and killed a number of military personnel, a large number of rebels also being killed..  These days the rebels do not operate in this area, so there were no concerns regarding our safety.

We stopped just outside the military base and soon found our target bird Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer and other species such as Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager. We also had wonderful views of the Andes range.

We then started a slow descent stopping at various points to view (or try to view) various species.  These included Munchique Wood-Wren, Narino Tapacolo, Barred Fruiteater, Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia, Then came one of the highlights of the day when we were able to observe an adult and a juvenile Swallow-tailed Nightjar that were roosting on the track and they were obviously on the track when we drove past a few hours earlier!  As you can see from the photos below, the track is not very wide but the birds were not bothered when we drove back past them.

Andes view close to the summit

Another early start and back up the mountain to find some of the birds we had not encountered the previous day.  However we did not need to travel as far up the mountain for our target birds.

We soon picked up Black Solitaire, Pale-eyed Thrush, Uniform Treehunter and a smart Toucan Barbet.  A Tatamá Tapaculo was a bit of challenge, as all Tapaculos are!  One key stop off was at a bridge over a small stream.  Here was the only known site for Olive Finch in the area.  A few mealworms placed in the parapet of the bridge soon produced the bird.  At one point the track gave fantastic views across the valley and we got views of both Choco Toucan and Purple-throated Fruit Crow.  Before getting back to the lodge we encountered three of our key birds, Scarlet and White Tanager, Moustached Puffbird and Lanceolated Monklet.  Then back at the lodge we spent a while at the feeders. 

Before retiring for the night we looked at some of the impressive moths that had been attracted by the lights.  See the bottom of this page for photos.

Gold-ringed Tanager  -  A local and uncommon ENDEMIC species.  The "star" species at Montezuma and the species on the noticeboards.

Chestnut-bellied Flowerpiercer  -  A Colombian ENDEMIC species.  
We only saw this species at Monteverde with these photos being taken where
the track ends at a high point where a military communications base is.

Tatamá Tapaculo  -  A Colombian ENDEMIC species.
As with all Tapaculos really difficult to see, hence the rubbish photo!
This was our only sighting of this species.

Munchique Wood-Wren  -  A Colombian ENDEMIC species with a very limited distribution within the country.  This was our only and rather brief sighting.

Bar-crested Antshrike  -  A NEAR ENDEMIC found only in Colombia with small populations in Panama, Venezuela and Ecuador.  This was our only sighting of this species.

Toucan Barbet  -  A locally common but NEAR ENDEMIC species found only in Colombia and Ecuador.
WE only saw this species at Montezuma.

Scrub Tanager  -  A NEAR ENDEMIC that is found in Colombia,just into Venezuela and part of Ecuador.

Empress Brilliant   -  A NEAR ENDEMIC species to Colombia which also occurs in northern Ecuador.  We saw this species on three occasions at two different sites.

Narino Tapacolo  -   A Colombian NEAR ENDEMIC species found only in Colombian and northern Ecuador.  We saw or heard this species three times at Montezuma.  Another difficult bird to see and even more difficult to photograph!

Lanceolated Monklet  -  This uncommon species is actually found from S Nicuagra to N Bolivia.
There was another bird group present when we drove down the track and they were all excited to have found this bird.

Moustached Puffbird  -  Found from Venezuela to the very northern parts of Ecuador.  Described as an inconspicuous species species, so not easy to locate.

Olive Finch  -  Colombia is at the northern most part of its range, extending down to Peru but with large breaks in the range.
Clearly a hard bird to connect to as the site where we eventually saw it was the only available site to us.  This was on a bridge over a stream and the bird came down to a few seeds placed on the wall of the bridge.

Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia  -  An uncommon in Andean cloud forest from Venezuela to Peru.
We saw just individuals at Montezuma after struggling to find any at all.

Swallow-tailed Nightjar - One of the highlights of the stay at Montezuma was the chance to photograph two roosting Swallow-tailed Nightjars.  Yes they are in this photo.   The vehicle had driven past the birds on the way up the mountain and they were still there on the way back!

Swallow-tailed Nightjars  - A little easier to see.

Swallow-tailed Nightjar - The juvenile with the adult behind.

Swallow-tailed Nightjar  - The adult.

Scaled Fruiteater  - This uncommon species has a fairly scattered range from Venezuela to Bolivia.

Scaled Fruiteater  -  We only saw this species at Monteverde.

Barred Fruiteater   - A similar range to the Scaled Fruiteater but more continuous and a more common species. 

Barred Fruiteater   - This was not an easy bird to see against the green foliage.. 

Tricolored Brushfinch  -  Found from Colombia to Peru.  We saw this species on all three days at Montezuma.

Green-crowned Brilliant  -  Found from southern Nicaragua to southern Ecuador.at lower elevations.
Our only sighting.

Green Thorntail  - An uncommon species found in Colombia and into the northern part of Ecuador.
This was our only sighting.

White-tailed Hillstar  -  Only found in Colombia and northern Ecuador at mid elevations.
We were fortunate to see on all three days at Montezuma.

Steely-vented Hummingbird  - A common species in its limited range from western Venezuela to northern Ecuador.
We saw this species on several days at several sites.

Tawny-bellied Hermit  -  Found from Colombia through Ecuador to northern Peru at higher elevations.
We encountered this species at two sites.

Andean Emerald  - Found from Colombia to Peru.
A widespread species which we saw on six occasions.

Crimson-backed Tanager  - Found in parts of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and parts of Venezuela and Ecuador.

Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner - The focus of this species is more into Central America with populations from southern Mexico down to Colombia and into Ecuador.  This was the only sighting of this species.

Sickle-winged Guan  -  Found just into western Venezuela, down the Andes into Peru, with a few in Bolivia.
We saw this on several days at several sites.

Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager - Found from NW Venezulea to Southern Peru.
We encountered this species at three different sites.

Grass-green Tanager   -  A striking bird found from Colombia to Bolivia.  We saw the species at two different sites.

Greenish Puffleg  -  A fairly wide but broken range from southern Panama to northern Bolivia.
We saw this species at two sites during the trip.

Masked Trogon  -  A widespread species that is found in parts of  eastern Venezuela and a continuous range from western Venezuela to Bolivia.  We saw this species on three days during the trip.

Cinnamon Flycatcher  - A species with a very long range from Venezuela to northern Argentina.
A common species that we saw at several sites.

Yellow-bellied Elaenia  -  A really widespread species through Central America and through much of the northern half of South America.  So not surprisingly on our trip list on four days.

Ornate Flycatcher  -  Apparently a fairly common Andean species found from Colombia south to the northern tip of Bolivia.  However we only saw this species at Montezuma.

Hook-billed Kite - Not identified as such in the field but a series of photos show this to be a
Hook-billed Kite.  This was our only sighting of this species.

Insects and Plants follow some of which are still to be identified

Enyo Falcon, Corades enyo

Butterfly, Pedaliodes sp

Helvina Lady Slipper   Pierella helvina

Weevil Sp

Mantis Sp

Beetle Sp

Orchid Lepanthes Species

Also seen at Montezuema were :  Brown Inca, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Velvet-purple Coronet, Booted Raquet-tail, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Broad-billed Motmot, Slaty Antwren, Yellow-breasted Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Fulvous-dotted Treerunner, Rufous Spinetail, Orange-breasted Fruiteater, Club-winged Manakin, Rufous-naped Greenlet, 11 tanagers, 5 flower-piercers,  Dusky Brush-finch, Crested Ant-tanager, Buff-tailed Starfrontlet, Choco Toucan, Rufous-rumped Antwren, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner, Golden-faced Tyrannulet, Streak-necked Flyccher, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Barred Becard, Sooty-headed Wren, Black Solitaire, Pale-eyed Thrush, Scarlet-and-white Tanager.

Our last  early morning view from the track that leads to Pueblo Rico.

4th March 2020

After breakfast it was time to head back down to  Pueblo Rico and move onto our next birdig site at La Linea.  However we did pick up a few birds while still on the track from the lodge.  These included Black-chested Jay, Golden Hooded Tanager and Swallow-tailed Kite.

At Pueblo Rico we transferred back to our original vehicle and driver, and thus began the journey from hell!

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