PeterHG's Big Year-4th time

[PeterHG]

The last batch from the El Dorado Reserve:

 

525 (C148). Santa Marta Wood-wren. Another endemic, very hard to get any shot of.

 

 

526 (C149) Golden-crowned Flycatcher. 

 

 

527 (C150) Santa Marta Woodstar. The tiniest endemic of them all at 6cm

 

 

528 (C151). Masked Trogon. Seen at various locations.

 

[Galana]

I have just enjoyed a full catch up of your beautiful collection and it was an overdose of Wow Factors.

Too many to comment on individually so all I can add are belated congratulations on the magic 500 achievement. Great stuff.

[Kitsafari]

23 hours ago, PeterHG said:

524 (C147). Blue-naped Chlorophonia. One of the most beautiful birds around the lodge. Quite common here, but not seen anywhere else.

 

 

 

totally agree with you! what a lovely creature it is.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Galana and @Kitsafari.

 

I am quite close to the last stages of our trip. From the beautiful El Dorado lodge we descended to the village of Minca again for one night. A short walk produced some additions.

 

529 (C152) Greyish Saltator.

 

 

530 (C153) Grey-rumped Swift

 

 

531 (C154). Rusty-margined Flycatcher.

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

The day after we set out to our last stop: the city of Cartagena. On our way there we passed a vast wetland area, the Cienaga marshes. The final birding session of the trip was an excellent boat tour through the area. Quite a few birds were already familiar from Costa Rica, but there were also a few new one.

 

532 (C155) Wilson's Plover. There were three or four of them among the many sanderlings and semi-palmated plovers. A long way off, though

 

 

533 (C156). Pearl Kite. The smallest neotropical raptor, only 25 cm tall. It mainly feeds on lizards.

 

 

534 (C157). Laughing Gull. Together with Swift and Sandwich Terns

 

 

535 (C158). Black-crowned Night Heron. Found all over the world, but a first one this year for me.

 

 

536 (C159) Large-billed Tern. Easily told apart from the othe terns by its oversized bill and black wingtips.

 

 

537 (C160). Yellow-billed Tern

 

 

538 (C161) American Purple Gallinule. Or Swamphen, anyway 'Porphyrio Martinicus'

 

 

539 (C162). Brown-throated Parakeet.

 

 

540 (C163). Smooth-billed Ani. 

 

 

541 (C164) Least Grebe

 

 

542 (165) Cocoi Heron. Looks like the great blue heron, but the neck is much whiter

 

 

543 (C166) Common Black Hawk.

 

 

544 (C167) Snail Kite. Very common in the marshes. The distinctive slender, deeply hooked bill is an adaptation for its diet: large snails

 

 

 

I think this concludes the Colombia collection and I did manage this before the end of the year ! I may come across a few more when I have the time to go more slowly though the multitude of photos from the trip but certainly not many and for the thread I'll leave it at this. In total we saw 327 species of birds, including doubles from Costa Rica of course, which is more that we managed to see on any other trip until now. Photography was often not easy, but I am very happy with the Hummingbirds and Antpittas. We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the country.

 

[xelas]

Your whole Colombia series is a fascinating one, both in species and in quality. So many new birds one can see there. Thanks for taking the effort of posting them all.

[TonyQ]

An outstanding collection from Columbia. The Masked Trogon is really beautiful. The photography may have been difficult, but your results are superb. 327 species is amazing.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks so much for your Columbia collection Peter, I enjoyed your shots a lot. That last Trogon ... just stunning! And congratulations to beating me in the count - more to come from Europe or are you finished with "Bronze"?

[PeterHG]

Thank you @xelas, @TonyQ and @michael-ibk.

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

more to come from Europe or are you finished with "Bronze"?

Yes, I'm finished. I know I have a song thrush EBC somewhere, but nothing to really alter the final score ( a score I am very happy with). Off to the new year.....

[pedro maia]

I really enjoyed your Colombia series and i’m sure your SA tripwill be a great start of 2020.

 

By the way, the trip with a group was ok?

[PeterHG]

Thank you @pedro maia. 
Yes the group trip went smoothly. Only ten people, including the Dutch tourleader and all like-minded travellers. Nobody complained about early rising or unexpected delays and all in all it was a better experience than we expected.

We are very much looking forward to our start of the year in South Africa. My ageing bones tell me to flee the cold  and it will be good to see the colours of the South African birdlife again!

[Dave Williams]

Excellent achievement Peter and some superb photography along the way. happy New Year and good luck in South Africa.

[michael-ibk]

Have a great time in SA Peter - what better way to start a New Year!

[Peter Connan]

Over 300 birds in a single trip! That is incredible and shows real commitment. Fantastic quality on many of them too!

 

I wish you a great 2020.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Dave Williams, @michael-ibk and @Peter Connan ! A very happy new year to all of you, too. 

[Zim Girl]

A really fabulous collection of birds from Colombia, @PeterHG.  Well done on getting past 500 and have a great time in SA.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Zim Girl ! 

[Tdgraves]

Well done on a very big year!

[lmSA84]

Good luck in South Africa and congrats on a great 2019

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Tdgraves and @lmSA84 !

 

[Kitsafari]

I too have enjoyed your Columbian collection - tremendous photos of beautiful birds - that masked trogon is awesome. Congrats on your 2019 BY and i look forward to your 2020 BY!

 

Enjoy your SA trip!

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Kitsafari !

 

[PeterHG]

I have still some work to do on the Colombia birds, but South Africa is waiting!  For those who would like to see some more birds from that beautiful country:

https://peterdehoog.smugmug.com/Travel/2019-Colombia/n-4VnMQx/i-LspqxTh

 

[TonyQ]

Thank you for that link @PeterHG  you really have some excellent photos there

Which company did you use for your Colombia Trip? and do you know what Ground Agent (Colombian Company) they used?

And have a wonderful time in South Africa!

[PeterHG]

Thank you @TonyQ! We used a Dutch nature tour company (SNP), but I do not know which local agent they used,