A Visit to Colombia - Part 9

10 December, 2025

Jardin - Medellín

     After our usual excellent breakfast we loaded up and departed Jardin for Medellín, where we would spend one night before flying home. 

     This was essentially a travel day, but we did stop for about an hour and a half to do some birding along the way.

     I don't recall the insects being especially irritating, but here Selwyn is coating Victoria with repellent.

     It is always agreeable to see "our" birds in their winter quarters so we were happy when a Swainson's Thrush (Catharus swainsoni) put in an appearance.

     One is never surprised to see birders glancing skyward. 

     A Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) quickly became the focus of our attention.

Photo: Pam Sadler

      Piper peltatum is a shrub of the drier Neotropics in the black pepper family.

     Among the most fascinating insects to be found throughout much of Central and South America are Leafcutter Ants (three genera - Atta, Acromyrmex and Amoimyrmex)

     There are four castes in a colony, Minims, Minors, Mediae and Majors. 

      

     Very briefly, their functions are as follows.

• Minims are the smallest and skinniest workers, and tend to the growing brood or care for the fungus gardens. Head width is less than 1 mm.
• Minors are slightly larger than minim workers, and are present in large numbers in and around foraging columns. These ants are the first line of defence and continuously patrol the surrounding terrain and vigorously attack any enemies that threaten the foraging lines. Head width is around 1.8–2.2 mm.
• Mediae are the generalized foragers, which cut leaves and bring the leaf fragments back to the nest.
• Majors, the largest worker ants, act as soldiers, defending the nest from intruders, although recent evidence indicates majors participate in other activities, such as clearing the main foraging trails of large debris and carrying bulky items back to the nest. The largest soldiers (Atta laevigata) may have total body lengths up to 16 mm and head widths of 7 mm

     Pam's excellent pictures below show Mediae and Majors; possibly Minors but of that I am not sure.

    A Blue-necked Tanager (Stilpnia cyanocollis) is a breathtakingly beautiful bird.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     Heliconias (genus Heliconia) are found throughout the Neotropics and are much favoured by hummingbirds.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     This tree seems well defended against all comers; I think it is a type of Prickly-Ash (genus Zanthoxylum).

Photo: Pam Sadler     

     I am not quite sure what this bird is. A female euphonia (genus Euphonia) perhaps?

Photo: Pam Sadler

     An Olivaceous Piculet (Picumnus olivaceus) launched itself into the air.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     A Streak-headed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes souleyetii) was occupied doing what woodcreepers do.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     We had lunch in a restaurant which was interesting to say the least. Latter day gauche might describe the decor!

Photo: Pam Sadler

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Other than us, there were not many patrons. Perhaps they were waiting for the music to begin.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     

Photo: Pam Sadler

     I had a bowl of soup which was quite agreeable, and most of the others chose tilapia.

     When we left to board the bus, one might conclude that one dinosaur found another!

Photo: Pam Sadler

     We motored on towards Medellín.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     As we entered the outer reaches of the city, the traffic simply defied the imagination. I have seen traffic snarl in many cities around the world, but nothing compared to Medellín.

     We arrived at our hotel late afternoon and waited with our luggage while the front desk processed our reservations.

     The rooms were very well appointed.

     The view from the window was quite pleasant.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     This bovine formed part of the decor of the hotel.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     It is perhaps odd to our sombre, northern sensibilities, but there was a certain charm about it; hard to characterize but it was there.

     And that's no bull!    

Book Review - The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin's Classic Work - Princeton University Press

      Your initial reaction when viewing this book might be amazement at the work that has gone into it. It truly is monumental!

      When Charles Darwin published The Descent of Man in 1871 it was noteworthy and sensational, postulating theories and opinions that were were considered scurrilous by many, and sacrilegious by even more. To even hint that humans evolved from lower life forms flew in the face of established dogma, verged on heresy and was received with horror by the religious establishment. Theories of sexual selection and the gradual modification of Homo sapiens engendered outrage and condemnation since man was deemed to have been made in the image of God, perfect in form and immutable in nature.

      This annotated version is a magnum opus compiled by two experts in different fields, thereby combining the scientific and cultural aspects of Darwin's keystone work.

     It is laid out in an easy-to-read format with a numerical cross reference to the original text and the explicatory notes. For those who have not previously read The Descent of Man you will be coming at it from the best possible perspective, with interpretation and historical background as you progress through the book. As someone familiar with the work, I learned on every page and had the benefit of an expanded examination of Darwin’s foundational treatise. The commentaries by the two authors are crisp, sharp, informative and welcomed. You will meet all the luminaries of the day involved in the rapidly evolving theories of the origin of man.

     A couple of sections with coloured plates provide  marvelous insights into the intellectual developments of the period, and are just plain visually appealing.

     It is touching to see where The Beagle lay at anchor in Tierra del Fuego. I have actually gazed out at this very spot, and I visited a cemetery where two captains of The Beagle are buried, having committed suicide.

     The ornamentation of male birds, driven by female sexual selection is gloriously presented.

     This is one of those reference books that you know will stand the test of time. It will be as relevant and illuminating fifty years from now as it is today. A remarkable work in every way. 

The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin's Classic Work - Princeton University Press

James T. Costa and Elizabeth E. Yale

Hardcover - US$54.95 - ISBN: 9780691194042

816 pages - 8 x 10 inches (20 x25 cm)

2 colour inserts - 77 black-and-white illustrations

Publication date: 21 April, 2026

A Visit to The Bahamas - Part 7 (Final)

19 February, 2026 

Davis Beach - Walter's

     As usual, I was out early on the wall overlooking the mangroves and was delighted to see a Tri-coloured Heron (Egretta tricolor) moving from perch to perch, seemingly at random.

     There were shorebirds other than the usual Willets (Tringa semipalmata) and here is a Dowitcher (genus Limnodromus) alongside a Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).

     The probabilities are in favour of Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), but it's impossible to tell from this picture. 

     Here is a flock in flight.

     Mangroves are incredibly important as a nursery for many creatures, including sharks and turtles, and they furnish rich habitat for fish.

     This beautiful flower is in the subfamily Malvoideae.

  

     Ruellias (genus Ruellia) are sometimes referred to as Wild Petunias, but they are not in fact related to petunias.

     I am quite convinced that some of the most handsome roosters in the world live in The Bahamas.

     Brown anoles (genus Anolis) were common and at times combative, as can be seen here.

     Beggarticks (genus Bidens) were always appreciated.

     Around mid morning, we went over to Davis Beach for a while, a prime location for snorkelers and beachcombers.

     Rachicallis is a genus of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, found throughout The Bahamas island chain.

     It plays a significant role in stabilizing the sand.

     As mentioned in earlier posts I am quite fascinated by hermit crabs and their lifestyle. Here is a Caribbean Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita clypeatus).

     There was no shortage of Molluscs (Phylum Molusca).

     Four-toothed Nerite (Nerita versicolor) is singularly beautiful.

     

     While I was spending my time absorbed in the life forms that I don't get a chance to observe in Ontario, others were enjoying the water.

     Caroline was adjusting her equipment.

     Having gotten everything just right, she was off to explore.

     She and Will both saw a sea turtle and a ray.

     Better go and tell Miriam all about it.

     In the meantime I had found a  large aggregation of conch shells. Whether they occur naturally or have been moved there by humans, I am not sure.

     We returned to the house for lunch, this being a clean-out-the-fridge day - our last day in Eleuthera.

     It was fitting that on our final attempt the Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) paraded in full view and Miriam was able to get a picture.

     To the non-birder it's probably not much to look at, but it is only found in salt water or brackish habitat, is extremely secretive and hard to see, and was very special for us.

     We decided to go to Walter's for dinner.

     Why this place exudes a unique charm I am not quite sure - but it does!

     Here is the extensive and elegantly designed menu.

     This was my order of chicken wings and fries.

     The moon was a slim crescent in the sky.

     The going down of the sun was spectacular.

     Will and Holly.....

     Andrew and Caroline.....

     We went back to witness the Space X second Falcon 9 booster landing off the coast of The Bahamas on a drone ship. It was a rivetting experience to see the rocket head for space, and to hear the loud sonic boom at the culmination of the event.

      Our last night on Eleuthera literally went off with a bang!