A Visit to Colombia - Part 2

03 December, 2025

Manizales - Represa Cameguadua - Caldas Forest Edge Trail - Manizales

     The Estelar Recinto del Pensamiento was a very comfortable place to stay and featured quite extensive grounds where numerous birds could be reliably seen.

     Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) is widespread across a good deal of South America, and a pair could be regularly spotted each morning as we made our pre-breakfast perambulation.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     At the edge of a pond covered in waterlilies a Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) often emerged from dense cover.

Photo: Victoria Ho

       Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) is ubiquitous and familiar, but always delightful, its perky nature enchanting to all who see it.

Photo: Victoria Ho

   

     It became clear to us that Bare-faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus) has adapted well to human occupation, provided suitable habitat is still available.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     It has a patchy distribution in northwestern Colombia so it was very agreeable to have them right outside our door. They fed on the moist lawn, probing  in the soil with their long bill, and also feeding off the surface.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     Even when disturbed they would take to the air only for a short distance, to land and resume feeding.

     A wonderful bonus for us was to espy this dragonfly as we went in for breakfast.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     I am pretty sure it is a species of Neotropical Darner, Rhionaeschna marchali. 

     Breakfast, as always, was a fine affair with more items than one might imagine on the buffet, with a constant supply of freshly made Colombian coffee.

I was surprised that bananas were the most cherished item on the fruit tray, an item readily available at home. Papaya was my choice and it was always fresh, juicy and delicious. I was happy to cede the bananas to others.

     We set out for our day's birding fuelled and ready for new thrills!

Represa Cameguadua

     This reservoir is part of the Río Quindio river basin, and is rich in bird life. Unfortunately we were denied entry into part of it, for reasons not quite clear to me, but saw many spectacular birds, nevertheless.

     One of the first species we saw was Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris).

Photo: Pam Sadler

   It was especially interesting to be able to compare it with Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), a more common species that associates with humans  freely.

Great-tailed Grackle (♂) Photo; Victoria Ho

Great-tailed Grackle (♀) Photo: Victoria Ho

     As mentioned above, we saw Bare-faced Ibis frequently in the hotel grounds, but Pam managed a great shot of this individual in the kind of habitat one might more likely expect to find it.

     This Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) in breeding plumage was exceptionally handsome.

     It is a sobering thought that they were once pushed to the brink of extinction to satisfy the craving for egret plumes on ladies' hats.

     We were all quite excited to see a male Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus).

Photo: Pam Sadler

     It is a sensational little bird, and I will always remember the first one I ever saw at the old Spanish mission in Tumacacori, AZ many years ago.

     Various colloquial names have been assigned to Vermilion Flycatcher, but my favourite is the one widespread in Mexico, Brasita de Fuego (Ember of fire). Seems spot on, doesn't it?

     We were equally pleased to have several views of Golden-faced Tyrannulet (Zimmerius chrysops), but it doesn't have quite the oomph of a Vermilion Flycatcher.

Photo: Pam Sadler

Photo: Victoria Ho

     Rusty-margined Flycatcher (Myiozetetes cayanensis) was a familiar sight and we quickly became used to it.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     It is very similar to Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis), a species familiar to most members of our group, and it was initially a little confusing for some.

     Yellow-tailed Oriole (Icterus mesomela) was a wonderful treat for all of us.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     It flitted around in the foliage quite a bit, and rarely was fully open for a photograph.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Both Pam and Victoria did very well, however, and these images convey the full sense of this gorgeous bird.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     A Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) was a reminder of home.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     A lone Southern Rough-winged Swallow (Steligdopterix ruficollis) perched high atop a snag.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     We often heard the rollicking song of Southern House Wren (Troglodytes musculus) and from time to time the bird revealed itself.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti) was seen in clearings and open areas, even in vacant lots as we travelled through towns and cities.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Plants in the genus Artocarpus (think Breadfruit) originate in southeast Asia but have been introduced widely throughout the tropics. This is probably A. carpusaltilis.

     Most mornings we saw Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) before going for breakfast, but generally partly hidden in the grass. Pam managed an exceptionally pleasing shot of an individual in full view.

     Before leaving - one last shot of a Vermilion Flycatcher!

Photo: Pam Sadler

Gallinazo, Villamaria, Caldas Forest Edge Trail

     A Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) caught our attention.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     It seemed that we saw this species as often as we spot Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) at home.

     This beautiful yellow flower, genus Munnozia, in the family Asteraceae, is centred in the Andes.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     We were gazing aloft, as birders tend to do.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Wood Sorrels (genus Oxalis) have a cosmopolitan distribution and it was very agreeable to find them in the Colombian Andes.

     A Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) was high in a tree and difficult to find initially. 

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Perhaps this is what we were craning our necks to see in the picture above.

     Airplants (genus Tillandsia) are widespread and beautiful.

Photo: Pam Sadler

      Equally attractive are Sages (genus Salvia).

Photo: Pam Sadler

     This flower is in the genus Melastoma in the large family Melastomataceae.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     We were in cattle country. With a bit of a stretch, both the landscape and the activity reminded one of western Canada.

Photo: Pam Sadler

Photo: Pam Sadler

     I had the delightful experience of having this butterfly land on my arm and remain there for several minutes, feeding on the salt from my sweat.

     The species is Parisama appeli and appears to bear the English name Citron Perisama, at least in some locations. I am not sure whether that designation is universal.

     

Photo: Victoria Ho

     It was a pleasure to spend time as a butterfly dining table!

     Miconia is a genus of flowering plant in the glory bush family Melastomataceae.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     The leaves are exceptionally attractive.

     Butterflies were numerous and some even landed so that we could take a picture! Identification of these unfamiliar species often presented a challenge, and even back at home I have no field guides for the lepidoptera of this region.

Subtribe Pierina Photo; Pam Sadler

Genus - Pedaliodes Photo: Victoria Ho

Genus Actinote Photo: Victoria Ho

Unable to identify. Photo: Victoria Ho

     We spotted our first Sickle-winged Guan (Chamaepetes goudotii) of the trip, a species that we would see quite often.

Photo: Pam Sadler

Estelar Recinto del Pensamiento, Manizales

     We were back at our hotel by mid afternoon, with time for a siesta before gathering to bird around the grounds.

     A Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is an active little bird, and we were captivated by its constant motion as it flitted from perch to perch, snagging insects with dexterity and precision.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     It was a surprise to see an Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) on the ground - and alone.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) was very common, so surprisingly this is the only picture of it - as far as I know.

Photo: Pam Sadler

    

      Pam developed superb proficiency photographing hummingbirds  and produced some scintillating images.

Steely-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia saucerottei)

Western Emerald (Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus)

      There is a story around this impressive building, but I confess to forgetting the details.

Photo: Pam Sadler

     Selwyn and Pam couldn't resist taking a self-guided tour and saluted us from their lofty perch.

Photo: Victoria Ho

     An Andean Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis) was on hand to bid us "Good evening" as we made our way back to our rooms to get ready to go for dinner in Manizales.

     The sun was sinking and the view was magnificent.

     Dinner was enjoyed at an Italian restaurant and Trevor and I split a tasty pizza.

     In the largest city or smallest hamlet, Christmas in Colombia is celebrated in the most extravagant fashion, and Manizales was like Las Vegas South!      Pam took a few pictures as we made our way from the restaurant back to our vehicle.

     The actual experience was far more garish than the pictures show, but you will get an impression of what we saw.

     Time to get ready for another day of birding in the Colombian Andes.