retorno.birding

31/08/2024

28/08/2024

Which country do you think has the largest number of Antpittas in the world?

Yes, that’s right.

It’s Colombia with 31 Antpittas.

Most of them can be photographed in the right reserve. Here’s one from southern Colombia, the White-bellied Antpitta.

These birds are known as the ghost of the forest, that nickname is due to how difficult they are to see, but in Colombia they can be photographed like a pro.

22/08/2024

🌍✨ Have you ever thought about returning to Colombia to explore our incredible bird diversity? You could come back at least nine times! Each visit lasts around 12 days and lets you photograph 50 to 100 different species—more than any other country!

📸 Plan your bird photography adventure with Retorno Birding:

1. Colorful Birds Tour: 12-16 days in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
2. Blue Bearded Helmetcrest Expedition: 5-day trek for adventurous photographers.
3. Emblematic Birds Photo Tour: 12-25 days exploring various reserves.
4. Chiribiquete Emerald Expedition: 5 days capturing the Chiribiquete Hummingbird and cultural experiences.
5. Harpy Eagle Expedition: 4-12 days to photograph the largest eagle in the Americas.
6. Hummingbird Photo Tour: 12-25 days in the biodiverse hummingbird paradise.
7. Chocó Biogeográfico Expedition: 12-16 days featuring rare birds.
8. Guianan C**k of the Rock Expedition: 8 days in a unique ecosystem.
9. Iconic Birds Expedition: 12-16 days for experienced photographers.

🦜 Save this post and share with your bird photography partners! We can’t wait to welcome you in 2025 for extraordinary moments together! 🌿📅

13/08/2024

Este es el emblemático Colbri Cola de Bronce de los páramos del centro de Colombia, Endémico y mi llamativo. Durante el mes de julio y agosto es la época de apareamiento y llegan a la vida nuevos colibríes.

07/08/2024

The Band-winged Nightjar is an angel of the night, a nocturnal bird with spectacular camouflage.

Let us take a photo session of it during our photography tour in the largest Paramo in the world, the impressive Sumapaz.

01/08/2024

09/07/2024

Don't forget this amazing fact! The Acorn Woodpecker, known as Carpintero Payaso 🤡 in Spanish, is not only common but incredibly beautiful. You can spot and photograph these magnificent birds on many occasions during our thrilling expedition through Antioquia to Valle del Cauca. One of my favourite features of these birds is their stunning blue, checkered eyes.

07/07/2024

Look at the long blue tail of the magnificent Motmot Andino. Perhaps this bird is frequent and very common, but achieving this clean photo without more branches and leaves is not an easy task. In Retorno Birding, we know the ideal place for this photo, and you will get it in our Photographic Expedition of Emblematic Birds, of 12 or 16 days.

03/07/2024

A desired bird in our Emblematic Expedition is the great Green-and-black Fruiteater, and it is not for less. In addition to its magnificent colourful appearance, this bird has a beautiful story behind it. Many reservations want it for photographers, but only one can almost guarantee it in Colombia. On this tour, you will discover the essence of this magnificent person, a wonderful person who dedicated his life to attracting birds for us.

01/07/2024

Colombia has 3 of 4 Helmetcrest, all of them are endemic, 3 are from Colombia and the other one from Venezuela.

If you want to have all 4, it’s really a challenge, I’ll explain.

1. The easiest is the Buffy Helmetcrest, which you find in Los Nevados National Park, if you look carefully you will find it very quickly. But you need to go with a guide if you want to photograph it.
👉Season all year round.

2. Next, The Green Bearded Helmetcrest, you need at least two days if you want to take a good photograph of them. The difficulty is finding its place, understanding its behavior and trying to photograph , not is it a simple task, starting with the search.
👉Season June to August.

3. The Blue Beaded Helmetcrest requires 7 days of hiking in the Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta, a challenging expedition, due to the physical demands and also the task of photography.
👉Season from January to March, dry season.

👌I will doing a special expedition to have the third one The emblematic Blue bearded Helmetcrest, if you think you are in a good shape and want to have this beautiful Hummingbird, join me in January to catch a wonderful picture of him.

4. White bearded Helmetcrest from the paramos of Merida.

26/06/2024

The Green Thorntail has a Superman Shield, but on this occasion, I don't show it; I am focusing on the long blue tail.

24/06/2024

The Shining-green Hummingbird (Near Endemic) is bright green with blue reflections on the crown and belly; I loved it the first time I saw it four years ago after the pandemic on a bird photography expedition, and since then, I can’t stop to take a photo when I see it on my photography expeditions.

This hummingbird is a target for those Hummingbird addicts and is not for less; this hummingbird is a total jewel.

19/06/2024

Which of these hummingbirds attracts you more? 1. The Emblematic Velvet-purple Coronet or 2. The Iconic White-tipped Sicklebill?

It is very challenging to take a picture of both of them, and more so if you want to reflect their entire name; the first one because taking purple colours is not easy; if the camera does not have an excellent white balance calibration, you will be very disappointed with its colours, and the second one because you do not time to take a picture, besides where the heliconia flower is, is permanently dark.

18/06/2024

Starfrontlets are the most wanted hummingbirds for hummingbird addicts; Colombia has four endemics: 1. White-tailed Starfrontlet 2. Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, 3. Dusky Starfrontlet (the most difficult to photograph) and 4. Blue-throated Starfrontlet (close to being Endemic for Colombia). Three you can photograph in two different photo tours: the first one, Colorful Birds of Colombia (the Caribbean, including the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta) and the second, Cundinamarca Photo Tour.

Let me know if you want to see all of them in pictures in the same publication.

15/06/2024

Sometimes, in the natural world, females are not as good-looking as males, but in this case, I can say that both are very beautiful. This Violet-tailed Sylph has one of the most stunning tails I have ever seen. More than that, I want to show its shiny patch of feathers in her throat in purple colours.

14/06/2024

This magnificent Hummingbird boasts a deep green hue that engulfs all light, daring photographers to capture its stunning colors. Additionally, its purple bib often remains elusive, adding to its mystique.

13/06/2024

Golden-bellied Starfrontlet. The total expression of perfection. This hummingbird could represent the whole of Colombia in a Bird. Their colours are gold, blue, and green, and they represent the richness of our country with two oceans and the magnificent Andes. Blow the mind of any photographer.

12/06/2024

Wow, Colombia is home to an incredible variety of hummingbirds, with at least 12 unique species found nowhere else! Among them is the stunning Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, which happens to be one of my personal favorites.

If you’re interested in capturing these beauties through photography, be prepared for an adventure that requires not only time but also plenty of energy. Some of these hummingbirds reside in remote and challenging-to-reach areas. However, if you’re up for the challenge, I invite you to join me on this exciting mission. Just send me a message, and together we can make it happen!

Our first expedition is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025, where we’ll embark on a 7-day trek through the breathtaking Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta in search of the emblematic Blue-bearded Helmetcrest.

Next, in the middle of 2025, we’ll head out on a 5-day expedition to focus on finding the elusive Chiribiquet Emerald.

And finally, in July 2025, we’ll embark on a 15-day journey with the goal of conquering at least 9 of these remarkable hummingbird species.

If you’re as passionate about these birds as I am, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s make this incredible adventure a reality together!

11/06/2024

Purple Throated Woodstar is a tiny Hummingbird with a 7.3 cm length and bill with 15 mm of length. This is possible in our Tour of Emblematic Birds in the Andes Range.

09/06/2024

Continue with a wish list of Hummingbirds that you have to photograph in Colombia 🇨🇴. I show the emblematic Long-tailed Trainbearer, the hummingbird with the most extended tail in the world (21 to 24 length); the most relevant aspect is the sound that emits with his tail, like a Big, continuous clapping, that shows their presence to the female, but also their dominance in the territory.

This picture is a gift of theirs because I can Immortalize their relevant photo aspects in one image, their blue “black-tailed” and their irodicense of his neck.

06/06/2024

The emblematic White-tailed Starfrontlet from the mountains of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (Endemic) is another jewel of Hummingbirds. Put it also on your wish list of goals in Colombia 🇨🇴.

05/06/2024

Open Season for Hummingbirds addicts.

FROM June to Agust, could you photograph the four iconic Hummingbirds from Colombia.

1. Green-bearded Helmetcrest (E)
2. Buffy Helmetcrest (E)
3. Purple-backed Thornbill
4. Bronze-tailed Thornbill (E)

Special Edition from January to April.
1. Chiribiquete Emerald (E)
2. Blue bearded Helmetcrest (E)

for more informarion.
Click on the bio.
Whatsapp +57 3052986006

02/06/2024

Becoming an Alpha male, the white-throated Daggerbill with its purple and blue feathers on its arms shows who’s boss.