The Perijá Mountain Range shared by Columbia and Venezuela was next in our journey northward. It is a bit remote and up out of the valley to almost 10,000 ft, so we transferred our gear and ourselves into two four-wheel-drive vehicles to get up there. This is Villa Adelaide, a lovely little place we stayed on the trip up.

Rufous-capped Warbler

Swallow Tanager

Pale-breasted Spinetail

 

 

Lodge with rudimentary rooms on the left. Wonderful family-style meals in the small dining area on one end. It was COLD up there. But, they did have hot water.

The gardens were beautiful. 

Rufous-naped Brushfinch

Sparkling Violetear

Blue-capped Tanager

White-sided Flowerpiercer female

White-sided Flowerpiercer male

Sparkling Violetear at flowers

Lacrimose Mountain-tanager

White-banded Tyrannulet

Columbia was a very clean country, very surprising to us, since other Central and South American countries seemed to have a lot of street and highway trash. There has obviously been a public service effort in and outside Columbian cities to promote proper disposal of trash. MUCH appreciated by us!

Perijá Metaltail male

Perijá Metaltail with red tail showing

Crimson-mantled Woodpecker

Tyrian Metaltail

So happy to have just a wee bit of sunlight for some photos of this endemic bird.

Blue-backed Conebill

Slaty Brushfinch

And just as the day was waning, along came the most special of appearances, a flock of about 5 Golden-headed Quetzals, calling constantly among themselves, posing helpfully in the fading light for a full 20 minutes, giving us photographers ample time to play.

Montane Woodcreeper

The next morning early, I got this little beauty... Black-crested Warbler.

Lacrimose Mountain-tanager, a common bird where we were.

Sparkling Violetear

Nice ear flash.

Epiphytes

Andean Guan

Flowerpiercer

White-throated Tyrannulet

Common Chlorospingus

Next we visit northern coastal areas which I think I'll combine into one blogpost. See you then.