Rogitama

Whilst in Boyacá Department we paid a visit to the nature reserve of Rogitama, near to Arcabuco. This small private reserve of 29 hectares provides inspiration to those who would like to restore wildlife to Colombia. It is also a great place to see several species of rare hummingbird.

View of SFF Iguaque in the mountains and the back of Rogitama on the extreme left

The reserve is at 2500m above sea level in the green valleys in the north of Boyacá. Roberto Chavarro and his family have been working since 1982 on the reforestation and restoration of a former cattle farm which had become eroded. Trees were planted to stabilize and protect the water sources. Hedges were established to increase habitat connectivity. They are improving the fertility and health of the soils using composting and worm farming.

As a result of this hard work there is now much more healthy undergrowth with moss, lichens and epiphytes in the trees which all store moisture and release it slowly which helps keep the streams running steadily. This means less erosive flash floods and fewer periods with a lack of water. Many species of insects are recolonizing the reserve.

They have also planted many flowering plants and bushes on the reserve which attract 19 different species of hummingbirds as well as flowerpiercers and other birds. Although it can get very cold at night, it is seldom below freezing and there are flowers year-round. With so much natural nectar, there is no need for artificial feeders.

Black Inca

Birders coming to Colombia from around the world are visiting the reserve to see a few harder to find species. Roberto is especially proud of the population of Black Inca (Coeligena prunellei) an endemic species classified as Vulnerable to extinction and only present in the Eastern Andes of Colombia. The population on the reserve seems to be healthy and they are easy to see. (They are also present in good numbers in the ProAves reserve Reinita Cielo Azul in Santander see my previous post).

Lazuline Sabrewing

Another rare species that is easy to see by the house is the Lazuline Sabrewing (Camplyopterus falcatus). I got this photo from the balcony just outside our room. They look much more blue in the right light!

It is possible to see other harder to find species including Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei), Mountain Velvetbreast (Lafresnaya lafresnayi) and Short-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon poortmani). You can get great opportunities as well to photograph commoner higher-altitude species like this Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys) which sat just feet away.

Speckled Hummingbird

But there is more ....Rogitama achieved some fame at the end of 2011 after several unidentified hummingbirds were photographed and filmed.  There is a picture here and you can see some youtube video here  and here. Apparently there are/were at least 3 individual birds and they come and go somewhat, so I didn't get a chance to see them.

Initially it was thought they might be Bogotá Sunangel (Heliangelus zusii) an enigmatic species only known from a 1909 skin marked "Bogotá" and never seen since. The rediscovery of this species would be sensational. Later, some theories emerged that this "Rogitama Sunangel" was a new species, a hybrid, or possibly a new sub-species or colour morph of the Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingi). DNA testing would resolve the debate. Feather samples were taken and sent to the University of the Andes in Bogotá to be tested. However, since then, no results have been released, so the mystery continues!

A Long-tailed Sylph from Santander. They like blackberry bushes!

Whatever the outcome it is fantastic that the hard work gone into restoring the habitat and encouraging the hummingbirds at Rogitama has been rewarded by the discovery of a very interesting bird as well as the presence of many others that are in decline elsewhere.

If you want to see hummingbirds in their more natural environment rather than at feeders, this is a great place to come.

Reinita Cielo Azul

 We took a trip to the excellent Proaves Reserva Reinita Cielo Azul near San Vincente de Chucuri in Santander. The drive from Bucaramanga to San Vincente (3 hours) is long and tiring but the scenery is very interesting. On the way we saw some kind of stoat or weasel (probably a Long-tailed Weasel) and what I think was a Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) also crossing the road.

Proaves is a Colombian NGO dedicated to the study and conservation of birds. They set up this reserve to help protect the migrant Cerulean Warbler (Reinita Cielo Azul, Setophaga cerulea) a bird of the Andes which breeds in Eastern North America. The reserves visitor's centre is a 5km drive up a very rough, and in parts very steep, track from San Vincente, but it was worth the drive.

The vistor's centre is surrounded by coffee, cocao and banana plantations and has many feeders, including numerous hummingbird and fruit feeders. They attract orioles & lots of tanagers including this Lemon-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus icteronotus).

Although I didn't see any of the real rarities of the reserve, I did see two new species here including Yellow-backed Oriole (Icterus chrysater) and Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy). The hummingbird feeders attract many Indigo-capped, Rufous-tailed, Black-throated Mango and White-necked Jacobins all of which are frequent on our balcony feeder at home. They also get Brown Violetear (Colibri delphinae) like this one below.

There are many Andean Emerald (Amazilia franciae) which seem to be very common in parts of Santander, but I've never seen one at our home feeder.

There was also this superb little lizard posing on the Proaves sign.

The walk up from the visitors centre to the forest reserve follows the old Lenguerke trail which leads to Zapatoca. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the reserve with not so much to see as it is mostly open grazing. I did notice these Cattle Tyrants (Machetornis rixosa). They're common but I've not seen them doing this before!

The reserve is thickly forested and, except for the birds, it is very quiet. There reserve is inside the Yariguíes National Park.  It seems to be alive with the buzzing of hummingbirds. Elena and I were both delighted to see a Black Inca (Coeligena prunellei) at very close quarters. This vulnerable but distinctive hummer is endemic to Colombia and restricted to the Eastern  Andes (and Yariguíes). We were told that a few years ago they were not often seen, but now, with feeders placed at lower part of the reserve, they are seen quite frequently here.

I'm not used to neotropical birding in such a place and without knowing many of the bird calls, it is tough to identify species I've not seen before. I did manage to add distinctive Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) and Ornate Flycatcher (Myiotriccus ornatus) to my list. There were many other probables / possibles too, but I don't like to add things to my list until I can be sure I can ID them correctly myself.

In the forest are many butterflies, grasshoppers and this dragonfly/large damselfly.

Sadly we had all to little time in the reserve and we had to go before dusk at 5.30 pm. On our way out, Carlos, one of the guides from San Vincente, kindly showed us a nearby location for the endangered endemic Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia castaneiventris). Apparently there are only 3 or so around this area, and  as they are much easier to see in the morning, we'll have to return another day for this one.