Our final leg of our scouting trip to southern Colombia. We traveled further west in the Chocó lowlands to the coastal town of Tumaco. While the city does not provide too much of interest for naturalists, it is located in relatively close proximity to a few rather nice natural areas.
We made several stops between Junín (where we had spent the previous three nights) and Tumaco. At both of these locations a particular frog species was our main target species. Known as the Little Devil Poison Frog (
Oophaga sylvatica), this spectacular and variable species of poison frog is found in lowland and foothill forests in the Chocó bioregion. Like many species restricted to this part of the world, it is threatened by a number of factors but chief among them is habitat loss.
Before beginning our search for the frogs, we first stopped at a local elementary school which has been assisting in the conservation of these frogs. We also picked up our guides for the excursion - four of the students!
 |
| Junín area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
The frogs were not too tricky to find, thanks to the help of our expert guides. I was glad that I had my macro lens along for this part of the trip. They were just spectacular...
 |
| Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) - Junín area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) - Junín area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) - Junín area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
One disadvantage of having my macro lens attached to my camera is that I missed out on an awesome photographic opportunity of a Rufous-brown Solitaire that perched at eye level for five minutes. This species is known from several widely separated populations in South America, including one from the Chocó. A "lifer" that I was not expecting!
About an hour and a half later, our van pulled up to the second location where we would search for more Little Devil Poison Frogs. The day was getting hot, making hiking uncomfortable, but those of us that persevered down the muddy track were rewarded with over a dozen of the beautiful frogs. These ones had different patterning than the first population. There was very limited white colouration on the legs.
 |
| Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) - Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) - Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
A few of us continued on and crossed a river in hopes of birding some productive fields, with patches of secondary forest interspersed. Two species of cotingas are known from here - Blue and Black-tipped - along with a nice variety of birds.
 |
| Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Despite the hot weather, birds were still quite active and we quickly found a striking male Blue Cotinga. I heard my first Ecuadorian Ground-Dove here while we also picked up "good" species like White-throated Crake, Purple-throated Fruitcrow Black-breasted Puffbird and Large-billed Seed-Finch. But the Black-tipped Cotinga refused to play ball.
We were about ready to leave when someone spotted a big white bird fly into a nearby copse of trees, promptly vanishing. A tense 15 minutes followed as we tried to spot the bird. But five minutes later it flew back out of the trees and landed in a small tree in the middle of the field. Success!!
 |
| Black-tipped Cotinga - Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Even more incredibly, the cotinga remained in the tree, consuming its fruit, only a few meters above our heads. Now that is how I like to get a "lifer" cotinga...
 |
| Black-tipped Cotinga - Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Black-tipped Cotinga - Guayacana area, Nariño Province, Colombia |
That afternoon we arrived at our hotel in Tumaco, feeling a little tired and road-weary. Following a short siesta, some of us ventured out in flip-flops to check out the beach and see what birds we could turn up. It was a good decision and we enjoyed seeing our first Croaking Ground-Doves, while a number of waterbirds/seabirds including Blue-footed Boobies cruised by offshore.
 |
| Tumaco, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Croaking Ground-Dove - Tumaco, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Blue-footed Booby - Tumaco, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Tumaco, Nariño Province, Colombia |
The next morning we visited an area of known as Finca Maragrícola, which consisted of a dirt track that passed through secondary forests for several kilometers before terminating at a complex of large lagoons, chock-full of waterbirds. It was a day that I had long anticipated since it gave us a shot of some nice range-restricted birds including Brown Wood-Rail, Purple-chested Hummingbird, Ochraceous Attila and much more.
 |
| Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
We were welcomed by threatening skies and light rain, causing me to worry about how the morning might progress. But the rain largely held off and the birding was as spectacular as I had hoped. We finished with close to 110 species of birds for the morning including nearly every possible target that I had hoped for.
A pair of Ochraceous Attilas started things off nicely around the same time that an Orange-fronted Barbet flew over.
 |
| Ochraceous Attila - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Wood-rails are fantastic, huge rails that have crazy vocalizations and they have always been among my favourite birds. I had wanted to see Brown Wood-Rail for several years now, after first reading about them in an Ecuador field guide. We lucked out with hearing two birds, and seeing a different one!
 |
| Brown Wood-Rail - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Rufous-headed Chachalacas provided the soundtrack for the morning and occasionally some would be seen perching high up in cecropia trees.
 |
| Rufous-headed Chachalaca - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Below are a few more bird photos from our walk through the cecropia-dominated woods.
 |
| White-necked Puffbird - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Plumbeous Kite - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| female Blue Ground-Dove - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Smooth-billed Anis - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Frogs were well-represented and included this awesome little poison frog known as
Epipedobates boulengeri.
 |
| Marbled Poison Frog (Epipedobates boulengeri) - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
We spent a couple of hours around the ponds, scanning the shorebirds and waterbirds as thoroughly as we were able. I was thrilled to catch up with a few new species of birds here, including Peruvian Meadowlark, Chestnut-throated Seedeater and Masked Water-Tyrant. The water-tyrant in particular was fun to watch, as it scoured the marshy edges for spiders and other arthropods to eat.
 |
| Masked Water-Tyrant - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Masked Water-Tyrant - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Shorebirds were well-represented with 11 species, and ducks included mostly Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and White-cheeked Pintails with some Blue-winged Teals and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks springled in. A Striped Cuckoo also gave incredible views as it perched at the side of the path.
 |
| Striped Cuckoo - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Stilt Sandpiper - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Wilson's Phalarope - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Our walk back to the van took far less time, mainly due to the oppressive heat and humidity forcing us back. I stopped to photograph a few butterflies while eagle-eyed Laura came through again with a great herp find. This time it was a Colombia Wood Turtle!
 |
| Orange Daggerwing (Marpesia berania) - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Colombian Wood Turtle - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Colombian Wood Turtle - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Colombian Wood Turtle - Finca Maragrícola, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Later in the afternoon, several of us explored a different area in search of Crimson-breasted Finches - a rare species in Colombia.
 |
| Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Despite tree cover being limited to palm plantations and a few cecropia groves, the birding was surprisingly active. Seedeater types were abundant while a few wading birds made use of the ditches and flooded sections.
 |
| Variable Seedeater - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Greater Yellowlegs - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Striated Heron - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Hook-billed Kites are pretty crazy looking raptors and one I never get sick of. A pair kept us entertained throughout our walk.
 |
| Hook-billed Kite - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
We had not used up all of our luck for the day and after an hour and a half of searching, several Crimson-breasted Finches were spotted!
 |
| Crimson-breasted Finch - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
A few more great sightings were in store before sunset. We heard a Red-billed Scythebill in a cecropia grove and later saw a pair of Guayaquil Woodpeckers in some palms.
 |
| Guayaquil Woodpecker - Agrosavia, Nariño Province, Colombia |
The next day was our last in southern Colombia. As is always the case with trips, it was hard to believe that it was over so soon.
We had a few hours to explore before needing to catch our flight back to Bogotá. We decided that we would explore two trails heading off into cecropia-dominated forest, including the famous "Km 42 road". We were hoping to encounter Orange-fronted Barbets, a species that had eluded most of the group so far.
 |
| Birding the KM 42 road, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Our first stop failed to turn up the barbets, though we enjoyed a nice diversity of species including a few I had not seen in Colombia before - Olivaceous Piculet, Violet-bellied Hummingbird, Dusky Antbird and Black-faced Dacnis. We found a Yellow-bellied Elaenia nest and enjoyed watching a flock of Collared Aracaris.
 |
| Collared Aracari - Finca Las Lomitas, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Yellow-bellied Elaenia - Finca Las Lomitas, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Stictia sp. - Finca Las Lomitas, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Four-spotted Sailor (Dynamine postverta) - Finca Las Lomitas, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Our time at KM 42 was a little bit more productive for the barbets. It took until the 11th hour but a pair were tracked down, eventually providing great views!
 |
| Orange-fronted Barbet - KM 42 Road, Nariño Province, Colombia |
Eagle-eyed Laura also picked out a few frogs in the roadside vegetation including a spectacular Harlequin Treefrog.
 |
| Harlequin Treefrog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus) - KM 42 Road, Nariño Province, Colombia |
 |
| Marbled Poison Frog (Epipedobates boulengeri) - KM 42 Road, Nariño Province, Colombia |
And with that, it was time to head back to the airport for our flight to Bogotá. Our time in Putumayo and Narińo provinces in southern Colombia was a whirlwind, but the places we visited and the people we met were all incredible. It is exciting to see the potential for ecotourism in this part of the country and to view the steps being put in place by many of the people to help facilitate this. The potential in this part of the country is almost limitless due to the diversity of the landscapes, habitats and associated flora and fauna, along with an equally rich cultural history. I hope that I can return soon!
