Los Nevados

Hacienda El Bosque - Los Nevados National Park  - 28th February 2020

Our first stop was at a roadside location known as "Builders Alley".  We arrived here at around dawn hoping to see a Black-backed Bush Tanager.  Although rather brief we did manage to see one along with a Rainbow-bearded Thornbill. 

We then carried on to Hacienda del Bosque, a cattle ranch set in rolling hills where the owners had incorporated conservation into their commercial operation. First of all we had a pleasant breakfast in the farmhouse before heading off to the antpitta feeding station which we had to get to via the farmer's four wheel drive vehicle.  Once there we saw Rufous and the very distinctive Crescent-faced Antpitta. 

Some of the stunning scenery at the Hacienda El Bosque cattle ranch

Rufous Antpitta   -  Found from western Venezuela to Bolivia.  We only saw this species at this site.

Crescent-faced Antpitta   -  This NEAR ENDEMIC is scarce within its range in Colombia and Ecuador.

Crescent-faced Antpitta  -  We were fortunate to see a pair of this this species. 

Gray-browed Brushfinch    - Seen near the Antpitta feeding areas.
This Andean species is found from Venezuela to Peru.

Tourmaline Sunangel - One of several hummers seen at Hacienda del Bosque

Sword-billed Hummingbird - Always photogenic   

On the way to our next site, Los Nevados, we stopped to look at a mountain lake below the road where we saw Andean Teal and Ruddy Duck, the only waterfowl we saw on the trip, which was mostly spent in the Andes.  While we were scanning the lake a very scarce Andean Lapwing flew over.

In Los Nevados we reached the highest point of the trip, 4200m, well above the tree-line. Here we found a Buffy Helmetcrest on the tall spikes of Espeletia. A Brown-backed Chat-tyrant, Plumbeous Sierra Finch and a Rainbow-bearded Thornbill were also seen and, further down the road, Andean Tit-spinetail.

High Altitude!!

The Andes at Los Nevados

Buffy Helmetcrest  - An ENDEMIC species with a very small range centred around Los Nevados.  

Buffy Helmetcrest - We saw this bird within about 30 metres of the information centre.

One of the star birds of the trip!

During the descent to Termales de Ruiz we passed a grassy area next to a small farm house where there were three seedeaters, Band-tailed, Plain-coloured and Paramo plus a Stout-billed Cinclodes.  So a short photographic stop was called for.

Stout-billed Cinclodes   - A fairly common species in a limited range in Colombia and Ecuador.
Our only sighting of this species.

Band-tailed Seedeater  -  A widespread species found from western Venezuela to Argentina.
Our only sighting of this species.

Paramo Seedeater - Four were seen on this day. A widespread species in the northern Andes.

We continued to descend until we reached Termales de Ruiz, a hotel and hot springs with many feeders. We only just managed to see a very elusive Black-thighed Puffleg, the star hummer of the site, but we had very good views of the other hummingbirds, some even coming to hand.

Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager    -  This was out only sighting of this species.
 Found from Colombia to central Bolivia.

Lacrimose Mountain-Tanager - Another Andean species found from Venezuela to Peru

Black-thighed Puffleg  -  In the hotel gardens. 
A NEAR ENDEMIC which is found in Colombia and into Ecuador.
Our only brief sightings were at Termales de Ruiz.   

Rainbow-bearded Thornbill - This species was quick to fly in and leave.  Blink and it had gone!
This has a restricted range and is only found in the southern half of Colombia, Ecuador and into Northern Peru.

Viridian Metaltail - Being fed by Manuel!!  
This species has a fairly restricted range and is only found in Colombia, Ecuador and the very northern part of Peru.

Great Sapphirewing  -   A female.  Found from Colombia to Bolivia.    

Buff-winged Starfrontlet  - A hummingbird of the high Andes from Colombia south to northwestern Peru.

Andean Tit-Spinetail   - An Andean species found from Venezuela to western Bolivia.
This is the only sighting we had of this species.  

Other species seen during the day included :-

Shining Sunbeam, Mountain Velvetbreast, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Red-crested Cotinga, Blue-backed Conebill, Black-backed Bush Tanager, Plumbeous Sierra-finch.

A total of ten Hummingbird species was seen. The day ended with a fruitless search for Chestnut-crested Cotinga and the long drive to Otun Quimbaya where we arrive after dark.

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