Colombia {The Birdiest Country on Earth}

Sometimes I do impulsive things, like that one time I decided to go to Colombia an hour before departure. Yah, that was in February. My friend Nicole Koeltzow, (yes, Nicole, who else would I do these insane things with?) was going to a birding festival in Colombia. She'd been talking about it for awhile and I was kind of jealous, especially because at the same time, four other friends were sending me beautiful photos of the birds they were seeing in Costa Rica. She spent a night with us on her way to Miami International Airport. After she left, I started looking up flights, curious how much a last minute ticket to Colombia might cost. Turns out, it's $500. Hmmm. Still in bed, I turned to my husband. "If I could go to Colombia for $500, is that something I could actually do?" He said yes. "I'd be gone for TWO WEEKS!?"  "If that's something that you really want to do, you should do it." He says. Yes, he is just that amazing of a husband and father! At this point Nicole had been driving for an hour. She was surprised to hear from me, but even more surprised when I asked, "Could I go to Colombia with you?" She said she would love that, but needed to check with her friend with whom she'd be staying. I began packing while waiting for her call. He said yes! I asked her to wait where she was and give me an hour to shower and pack and I'd meet her.

Soon we were together again on the verge of yet another grand adventure! We birded as we drove south, stopping at some of our favorite spots, including Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay where we met up with Nicole's friend Jeff. A vagrant (bird found far from it's normal range) was spotted in the Everglades, so we made a quick run down there. I warned her, after our last adventure thru the Everglades, I may just hide in the van to avoid the mosquitos. Fortunately the bugs were very light and though we didn't see our target bird, we did see some other good ones. We spent a night with Nicole's friends Pat and Nannette before they dropped us off at the airport. I'll spare you the drama-filled details of our attempt at getting last minute typhoid vaccinations, let's just say it was quite stressful. As we boarded our flight, my stomach was in knots. I knew nothing about Colombia. I  vaguely remember hearing something in the news years ago, something about, kidnapping, was it? Let's not think about that! Jeff had reassured me the turmoil was due to the rebels around 10 years ago. "It's different now." He reassured me, then reminded me he took his wife and baby there last year.

As soon as we landed and collected our bags, Nicole's friend, Luis, was there welcoming us at the exit. We loaded into his father's taxi and despite the darkness, did our best to take in our surroundings. We spotted our first Colombian bird, Lapwing, on the way to Luis' abuela's (grandma's) house. We settled in and fell asleep to the sounds of a potoo calling outside. We were almost too excited to sleep, almost.

Very early the next morning we passed thru the market as they were setting up for the day. I have never seen so much produce. Cars literally overflowing with fruit, bananas tied to the roof, would pass on the street. The three of us joined our guide, Felipe (owner/operator of El Valle de Colores tours), on our way to Pance and the West Andes mountains, but not before stopping for a bag of pandebonos, (small cheese bread bagels). This was Luis' daily routine, one that we were happy he shared. While it was still dark, we arrived and began hiking up the mountain, flushing nightjars as we went. We reached the saddle and watched the sun rise, revealing the beauty surrounding us! Just imagine my delight to be birding in these beautiful mountains!

We spotted a Grayish Picculet, (look at those cute dots on his head!), a Flame-Rumped Tanager and a Yellow-Headed Caracara.

I found it amusing that only a day earlier, I had been searching for a glimpse 

of a Smooth-Billed Ani in Florida, and now here I am looking at a tree full of them!

Motmots were at the top of my list of target birds, so I was very excited to see one on my very first day birding Colombia. The Andean Motmot lives high in the Andes mountains from Colombia to South Bolivia.

We were silently sitting on the ground staking out Striped and Golden-Collared Manakins when we heard a strange noise. We looked up to see two horses coming down the trail toward us. Quite an unexpected sight.

The manakins were in lek (courting) and part of attracting a mate is making a snapping noise with their wings. I can't fully explain it, but it's amazing. Manakins are fascinating birds. I suggest watching videos of them to see the wild dances and sounds they make. Here's a link to a video (not mine) of a Golden-Collared Manakin, the bird we were watching.

So our very first stop yielded 43 life birds (birds I've never seen before) including the very loud Colombian Chachalaca (below) and one of my new favorites, the Squirrel Cuckoo. This unique-looking bird  actually seems more like a four-legged creature than a bird when you see it jump from tree to tree.

 Next stop was Balcon de los Colibries where we ate breakfast while watching hummingbirds zoom right past us to the feeders just a few feet away! Just beyond that, plantains were laid out to draw tanagers as well.

Black-Throated Mango (above)  Andean Emerald (below)

White-Necked Jacobin (above)   Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird (below)

We could have spent all day here watching all the bird activity, but the guys had other plans. We happily headed further up the mountain, once they told us we'd be back here for lunch afterwards. We located a Green Hermit (hummingbird) in lek.

The next day we enjoyed birds with breakfast at La Minga before heading over to check the feeders at Finca Alejandria. When we first arrived at La Minga, Nicole and I were quite overwhelmed with the gorgeous birds. The guys told us to stay calm and enjoy the next few hours here. A few seconds later they erupted with joy over seeing one of their all-time favorites, the Multicolored Tanager! Can you blame them? Look at this beauty!

Blue-Winged Mountain Tanager

Golden Tanager

Red-Headed Barbet

Long-tailed Sylph (above)      Brown Violetear (below)

Saffron-Crowned Tanager (below)

It was here where I met my favorite hummingbird, the adorable Booted Raquet-tail.

Look at those adorable "boots"!

The mesmerizing Crowned Woodnymph. 

Even the bugs are gorgeous here! We saw a tiny frog with the same colors.

That night we enjoyed dinner in the Cloud Forest. This giant tostada was served with eight toppings- sauces, meats, and cheeses, just break off a piece and top it.

Everything comes with queso (cheese) even coffee and hot chocolate. This cheese is unlike any I've had before, it looks like a stick of butter, but softer like a tofu consistency and very mild tasting. It doesn't melt in the drinks, you kind of chop it up before drinking it.

When we arrived back at Luis' abuela's house, there was a party going on! It was his aunt's birthday and they were waiting for us to return before lighting the cake. They didn't use candles like we're used to, they lit a firecracker that shot off lightning from the cake for about 30 seconds straight! How exciting! Nicole and I sang "Happy Birthday" in English and then we all sang it together in Spanish.

The next day was the first day of the Colombia Bird Fair 2018 and 330AM was coming up fast!

Birding 101

The Green Heron can be found along water throughout most of the United States.

Along our travels I often meet people who are interested in birds, but aren't aware of how to find birds in new places or need help with identification. I figured I'd put together a post so I can easily share what I've found most helpful for a new birder and even someone who is just casually interested.

What do I need?

- Binoculars. I use these because they are highly rated for lower cost birding binoculars. If you're not ready to spend money on birding yet, you can often find used binoculars for a low price. 8x42 is ideal for general birding.
- Field Guide. There are many options. I love my Stokes guide because I prefer photographs however some of the others with drawings do a better job at pointing out the particular distinguishing features to look for.
- Smart Phone. Really? Well, no, but it sure makes life easier. You can go old-school as many do and just use a notebook, but I prefer my phone.

That's all you NEED, but if you get serious, you'll want more and I'll explain those in a bit.

Where do I look for birds?
- Start in your own back yard but then search out a neighborhood park, pond, or lookup your nearest wildlife refuge. Keep in mind that birds migrate every spring and fall, so watch for a larger variety of birds during these times.

- Soon you'll want to know where to find new birds and that's when apps like Ebird and BirdsEye will come in handy. More on that later.
- I strongly suggest looking up your local Audubon chapter here. They typically lead bird walks for beginners on a regular basis for free (some charge a few dollars). Often the guide will bring along a spotting scope and focus it on the bird so you can see all of its details close up. Looking thru a scope will change your whole experience. Even if you're just traveling thru, they will welcome you to join them. 

How do I identify the bird I'm looking at?

- Pay attention to the bird's size, color, and shape. Use benchmarks- Is it sparrow size? Larger than a robin? 

- Habitat and behavior can help narrow it down as well. Does it bob its tail? It is high in a tree or on the ground. Take time to really watch the bird, especially if it's calling. That's a great time for your brain to associate the bird with its call. 

Because I am always traveling to new areas, I've learned to use www.ebird.com to see what birds I can expect to see. First I explore by city to find hotspots in the area. I then make a list of the birds which have been seen in the last month or two that I'm unfamiliar with. I will look up those birds in my field guide and make notes so that I'll know the bird when I see it. I take this note birding with me. This is much easier than going thru the entire book trying to find what you saw and helps reduce misidentification. It's not going to help you if you see a bird that someone else hasn't reported though, so keep that in mind.

There is a free app called Merlin Bird ID which will help you identify a bird based on 5 quick questions. Once you input your location (by GPS), size, colors and what the bird was doing, it will return a list with photos of birds it may be.

Another great app for identification, is iBird Pro. This one you must pay for, but for me it was worth $20 to have an entire field guide with songs and calls in the palm of my hand especially when I have no access to internet. Sometimes two species are so similar that hearing their song is the most reliable way to differentiate.

If you're still stumped, post a photo of the bird on the Facebook group called "What's this bird?" and you're sure to get a quick answer.

How do I keep track of the birds I see?

- Create a free account on www.ebird.org.

- Download the Ebird app to easily keep track of the birds you see and at the same time become a citizen scientist supplying valuable information to biologists and ornithologists who will use the data you submit. 

When you begin birding a location, open the Ebird app and enable GPS to select the nearest hotspot or your actual location if you aren't in a hotspot. Type in the birds you see by using the 4 digit code. If  the species has a one-word name (Mallard), type the first 4 letters (MALL). If it has a 2 word name (Canada Goose), type the first 2 letters of each word (CAGO). If 3 words (Red-Winged Blackbird), type the first letter of each word (RWB). Soon you'll be talking in code. Don't let the codes overwhelm you. If you prefer, you can type the full name or even the first couple letters and a list will pop up for you to select your bird. You can type in the number of birds you see, or simply tap the number and it will increase one for every tap. After you've submitted your sightings, you'll be able to use ebird's website or app to easily see how many species you've seen in each county, state, or country, this year and in your life. It's quite fabulous!

How do I find birds I've never seen before?

I love using the BirdsEye app for this. It syncs with my Ebird account and will tell me if there are any birds nearby that I haven't seen before. How fantastic is that?! The app is free however many of the species are hidden. I pay $3/mo to reveal all species. Tap on the bar chart to see on a map where the bird has been seen. Adjust the filter if you want to see the most recent and closest sightings. If you tap on the photo of the bird, it will give you more photos and help with identification.

Black-throated Green Warbler singing at The Biggest Week festival in Ohio.

Ready for the next challenge of birding?

Try learning the calls of three common birds in your area. Soon you will be able to identify the birds in your yard without even looking! Once you have those down, try three more. It's a fun challenge! 

Soon you'll be reading books about birds and going to birding festivals! There are tons to choose from, but here are my favorites:

Books:

- Kingbird Highway

- The Big Year (This is derived from a true story and was turned into a movie featuring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson) 

- Birding on Borrowed Time

The Biggest Week in American Birding is a festival held in northwest Ohio during the peak of spring migration in May. Warblers come thru in huge numbers and are easily seen on the short trees along the boardwalk as well as many parks in the area. Highly recommend!

Colombia's BirdFair in Cali, Colombia is held in February. Colombia has more birds than ANY other country, and they are gorgeous! If you want to be completely overwhelmed by feathered jewels, this is the place to go. The guides on the birding tours did well with knowing english names, but  unfortunately all but one of the nightly presentations were in Spanish with no translations available. If you go to Colombia, contact Felipe at Valle De Colores tours. With his fine-tuned ear for hearing and identifying birds by sound and his detailed knowledge of the area, we saw nearly 300 species in 10 days!

Andean Motmot found in Pance, Colombia.

Soon you'll be amazed as a whole new world is revealed to you. It has been surrounding you all along but somehow you were oblivious to it. You'll gain a whole new appreciation for nature and the One who made these intricately designed creatures. I've always loved hiking, but with my new heightened awareness, I find myself noticing all kinds of creatures that I would have previously missed. It's brought much joy to my life.

Happy Birding! 

Feel free to ask questions in the comments.