Our fortnight with the rental car was nearing its conclusion but we still had two nights remaining. We drove south towards Bogotá and veered west, aiming for the town of La Vega. Located in the western foothills of the eastern cordillera, this particular part of Colombia has a mixture of Andean species as well as lowland ones associated with the Magdelena Valley. We had immensely enjoyed our time in the higher elevations but now we were ready for a change of scenery and an uptick in species diversity.
We found a gorgeous property on AirBnB located about 30 minutes south of town and up in the hills, surrounded by nature. Our hosts, Adriana and Juan, were lovely people. We had fun practicing our Spanish with them (though they knew enough English to help us out if we got stuck) and they cooked some excellent meals for us. The birding and mothing on their property was great! A trail headed down to the nearby river, perfect for cooling off after a long day in the field. We were guided by their dogs, Mike and Muñeca, who showed us the best places to jump in to the river.
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| La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
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| La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
We watched for birds on a few occasions from the top of the hillside. The panoramic views from there were excellent for scanning for birds, while the odd flock passed through the trees below us.
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| La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
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| Birding with Mike - La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
Since we were birding in a new habitat for the first time we encountered many species that were different than the previous weeks. A pair of endemic Velvet-fronted Euphonias provided eye-level views. We also logged Cinereous Becard, White-bellied Antbird, Apical Flycatcher, Indigo-capped Hummingbird and many tanagers from this vantage point.
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| Gray Seedeater - La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
We set up our moth sheet during both nights. While we did not find any of the big fancy ones, there were enough interesting moths to keep us occupied.
The trail heading down to the river was productive after dark as well. Unfortunately, we were unable to find any reptiles but the invertebrates were more than enough to interest us.
Laguna El Tabacal is located about 45 minutes from the location of our AirBnB. This small lake is surrounded by steep hillsides and scrubby forests and provides habitat for well over 350 species of birds, many of which I had not yet encountered this year. It happens to be a popular destination for local Colombians but we planned on being there early before the crowds grew too large.
There were four potential “lifers” that I could pick up at Laguna el Tabacal or elsewhere in the La Vega area. They were Black-headed Brushfinch, Rufous-naped Greenlet, Blue-lored Antbird and the endemic Velvet-fronted Euphonia. The entrance gate did not open until 8 AM, meaning we would miss the dawn chorus. At 8:01 we paid our entrance fee (about 2 Canadian dollars each) and entered.
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| Sphenorhina sp. - Laguna El Tabacal, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
The birding was great and our day list quickly grew. Little Tinamou, White-throated Crake, Velvet-fronted Euphonia and several Bar-crested Antshrike were heard vocalizing, early on. We soon saw a male Bar-crested Antshrike well.
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| Bar-crested Antshrike - Laguna El Tabacal, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
We found a quiet forest trail that was devoid of people at this (relatively) early hour. It was quite birdy and we enjoyed species like Olivaceous Piculet, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Gray-cheeked Thrush (amongst hordes of Swainson’s Thrushes), Orange-billed Sparrow and Speckle-breasted Wren. Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Jet Antbird and Red-billed Scythebill were tallied as heard-only species, unfortunately.
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| Olivaceous Piculet - Laguna El Tabacal, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
As we approached the late morning I was stuck at 1 for 4 of my target species. Finally, I came across a singing Blue-lored Antbird at a part of the trail higher up in the hills, but the brushfinch and greenlet remained unaccounted for. That’s birding!
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| Indigo-capped Hummingbird - Laguna El Tabacal, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
The crowds of people began filtering in and that was our cue to leave. It had been an agreeable morning and we were happy with our decision to visit Laguna El Tabacal.
The next morning was our very last in La Vega as the car was due back at the airport. We elected to take it easy and do some casual birding at the AirBnB property, picking up our first Red-billed Emerald and Violet-bellied Hummingbird of the year. By 10 AM we hit the road.
I had given up hope on my two remaining targets, the Black-headed Brushfinch and Rufous-naped Greenlet, but kept the window of the car open as we navigated the gravel road, just in case. And then I heard it – the distinctive song of the Rufous-naped Greenlet. I slammed on the brakes and ran back with my binoculars – there he was! Fortunately, the little quartet of greenlets hung around long enough for some photos. It was a fitting way to end our two-week adventure with the rental car!
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| Rufous-naped Greenlet - La Vega, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
We returned the vehicle to Bogotá without any issues and made our way to the hotel to prep for our upcoming trips with Quest Nature Tours. My year list was sitting at 475 bird species.
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