Fabrice Schmitt on his just-concluded scouting trip to the Santa Marta region of Colombia

I just spent the last few weeks scouting the stunning Sierra Nevada and the Guajira Peninsula for the forthcoming March 2015 WINGS tour to Santa Marta. The endemism in the Sierra Nevada is impressive, and most of the bird names begin with “Santa Marta” or “Sierra Nevada”: Brush-Finch, Warbler, Screech-owl, Antpitta, Foliage-gleaner, Woodstar, Tapaculo, etc. The semi-arid Guajira Peninsula offers a good contrast to the tropical forest found in the Sierra Nevada; my personal favorites include the Chestnut Piculet and the “punk like” Cotton-top Tamarin!! I am now back home, finalizing the details for that Santa Marta tour details of which will appear soon on the WINGS website.

The Sierra Nevada

Santa Marta Brush-Finch

Santa Marta Screech-Owl

Santa Marta Antpitta

Chstnut Piculet

Cotton-top Tamarin