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!