COLOMBIA 2026 part 6: Guajira and Los Flamencos (14-16 March 2026)

 COLOMBIA 2026 part 6: Camarones and Los Flamencos (14-16 March 2026)

14 March 2026 (continued).  Heading out onto the Guajira Peninsular we stopped to walk down a track through some shady some gallery forest but it proved to be rather quiet with a White-chinned Sapphire the highlight. Further on some drier looking forest, and later scrub at Troncal del Caribe, better with Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Crane Hawk Chestnut Piculet, Pale-tipped Inezia, Northern Scrub Flycatcher, Black-crested Antshrike, White-whiskered Spinetail, Trinidad Euphonia, Tocuyo Sparrow, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Glaucous Tanager. We arrived at the Camarones lagoon late afternoon. It was stacked with birds and the tide coming in. It was hard to know where to look first with flocks of waders large and small (Willet, both Yellowlegs, Semi-palmated and Least Sandpipers), Laughing Gulls, Caspian and Royal Terns, Black Skimmers, American Flamingo, White and a Scarlet Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Brown Pelicans and herons (Little Blue and Tricoloured Herons, Reddish, Snowy and Great Egrets), There was so much to see on the lagoons that we almost overlooked the Green-rumped Parrotlets in the trees behind us. As the light was going we continued to our hotel in Riohacha.

Tocoyo Sparrows on the Guajira Peninsular

     

Tropical Gnatcatcher on the Guajira Peninsular

female Black-crested Antshrike on the Guajira Peninsular

 Rufous-vented Chchalaca on the Guajira Peninsular

bats on the Guajira Peninsular

Vermillion Flycatcher on the Guajira Peninsular

Great Egret at Los Flamencos

Los Flamencos

Reddish Egret at Los Flamencos

mostly Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns and Black Skimmers

Great Yellowlegs at Los Flamencos

15 March 2026. Another early start and we were birding in scrub in Los Flamencos National Park before it became too hot. Noteworthy species seen were Crested Bobwhite, Buffy Hummingbird, Vermilion Cardinal, Orinoco Saltator, Red-billed Emerald, Slender-billed Inezia, Grey Pileated Finch and Black-faced Grassquit. Some gave excellent views at a busy feeding station where breakfast, for me at least, was an afterthought. We continued to Camarones where Trevor had organsied two sailboats to take us out onto the lagoon. The wind was gusty and the boats didn’t look too sturdy so I was pleased to have a lifejacket (and kept my camera in a waterproof back for most of the time). We had closer views of American Flamingo, Scarlet Ibis and Roseate Spoonbill, and fairly distant Yellow-crowned Night Herons and Wood Storks but the highlight was landing on the far side of the lagoon where a pair of Mangrove Rails came to investigate. On the way back Paul G picked out what he thought was a Knot amongst a few other waders. Back on dry land (unfortunate wording as it turned out) photos confirmed the identification which had Trevor wading out to see it – rare in Colombia and he’d not seen one before. Leaving Camarones we diverted briefly to see a pair of Double-striped Thick-knee. We drove back to Santa Marta stopping again in the gallery forest which was more active later in the day and produced Gartered Trogon, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and Lance-tailed Manakin.

Orinocan Saltator in Los Flamencos National Park

Pied Water Tyrant in Los Flamencos National Park

Brown-throated Parakeet in Los Flamencos National Park

Buffy Hummingbirds in Los Flamencos National Park

Cactus in Los Flamencos National Park

breakfasting Black-faced Grassquit and Grey Pileated Finch in Los Flamencos National Park

Grey Pileated Finch in Los Flamencos National Park

Grey Pileated Finch showing a bit of its red crest

 Carib Grackle in Los Flamencos National Park

Red-crowned Woodpeckers in Los Flamencos National Park 

White-tipped Dove in Los Flamencos National Park

Scaled Dove in Los Flamencos National Park

 Tropical Mockingbird in Los Flamencos National Park

female Vermillion Cardinal in Los Flamencos National Park

male Vermillion Cardinal in Los Flamencos National Park

male Vermillion Cardinal in Los Flamencos National Park

another Orinoco Saltator in Los Flamencos National Park

nesting Tropical Gnatcatcher in Los Flamencos National Park

me, John, Heather, Andy, local guide and boatman heading across Laguna Grande (photo: Paul Chapman)

American Flamingo on Laguna Grande

Roseate Spoonbills on Laguna Grande

with American Flamingo

Snowy Egrets on Laguna Grande

Scarlet Ibis on Laguna Grande

presumed young Scarlet Ibis on Laguna Grande

Tricoloured Heron on Laguna Grande

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on Laguna Grande

rail twitch - boatman, Trevor, Paul C, Paul G, Martin and folded sail

Mangrove Rail at Los Flamencos National Park proving much easier than I expected!

its partner

back on dry land - interesting waders 

presumed young White Ibis on Laguna Grande

Trevor adding Knot to his Colombian List

Double-striped Thick-knees in Los Flamencos National Park

Rufous-tailed Jacamar at Gaviotas

 Gartered Trogon at Gaviotas

16 March 2026. We left Santa Marta at 04:30 and drove west towards Baranquilla stopping at km 4 on the Isla de Salamanca where we picked up a local guide. In the early morning gloom we were soon shown our first target, a singing male Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird performed from a low perch. We continued to a roadside truck stop, fortunately devoid of trucks, where the somewhat uninspiring Bronze-brown Cowbirds were sharing a line of bushes with Shiny Cowbirds and Carib Grackles. That they had a red eye was about the best one could say about them but it is a very restricted range endemic so worth seeing. We continued a bit further west and took a track out into the marshes where we saw Northern Screamer, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Striped Cuckoo, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, plentiful Purple Gallinules, Glossy Ibis, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Snail Kites, Russet-throated and Pied Puffbirds, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Sapphire-rumped Parrotlets ( our last endemic) and Stripe-backed Wren. We continued to shadier and slightly cooler mangroves where a boardwalk produced Black-collared Hawk, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Golden-green Woodpecker, Panama Flycatcher., Prothonotary Warbler and Bicolored Conebill. We made a short diversion to the Shakira statue on the way in to Baranquilla seeing more Northern Screamers and a Large-billed Tern. Birding now over we had a brief hotel stop to clean up, change and repack before being dropped at the airport. My connections worked well and I was back home early evening the next day.

Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird at Isla de Salamanca

Panama Flycatcher at Isla de Salamanca

Russet-throated Puffbird at Isla de Salamanca

Black-bellied Whistling Duck at Isla de Salamanca

Bronze-brown Cowbird and Carib Grackle at Isla de Salamanca

Stripe-backed Wren at Isla de Salamanca

Bicoloured Wren at Isla de Salamanca

Spot-breasted Woodpecker at Isla de Salamanca

Grey-cowled Wood Rail at Isla de Salamanca

Turquoise-winged Parrotlets at Isla de Salamanca

the buffalo was taking a somewhat concerning interest in us

Blue-winged Teal family at Isla de Salamanca

properly white White Ibis at Isla de Salamanca

Northern Screamer at Isla de Salamanca

 Ferruginous Pygmy Owl at Isla de Salamanca

 more Russet-throated Puffbirds at Isla de Salamanca

 Pied Water Tyrant at Isla de Salamanca

Great-tailed Grackle at Isla de Salamanca

 Pied Puffbird at Isla de Salamanca

 Prothonotary Warbler at Isla de Salamanca

 Black-collared Hawk at Isla de Salamanca

 Green Heron at Isla de Salamanca

 Golden-green Woodpecker at Isla de Salamanca

It had been a brilliant trip, very well organised and lead by Trevor and with excellent participants – all Brits. John R (my ideal roomshare), Paul C (walking pole lender), Paul G, Andy T and Martin and Heather H (medical reassurance). A big thanks to you all for making it such an enjoyable experience.