A real long shot!!!

Back in 2010 we included a tour to Munchique National Park in the hope that we would see the enigmatic Colourful Puffleg (Eriocnemis mirabilis). Since no-one had been birding up there for at least ten years it was a real log shot. However, without trying it we would never know. Our strategy was to start where the type specimen had been found by John Dunning back in 1967 and work it from there.

Quite remarkedly we found this adult male holding territory within a very short space of time. It spend much of its time sat on nearby perches while intermittently heading off to some nearby flowers to feed before returning to its perch.

We actually visited the area two days running and we saw this same individual on both days.

Another particular highlight for me was the excellent views e had of several Spot-fronted Swifts (Cypseloides cherriei) which appeared to be flying up from the pacific lowlands in the company of White-Collared and Chestnut-collared Swifts.

Unfortunately since our tour here, the area is now one of the very few places you cannot currently visit in Colombia due to ongoing security problems. Let's hope this changes in the near future.