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| Lake Fúquene |
Almost every major birding trip offers extensions for additional birding in nearby areas. It follows the philosophy of, “Hey, we’re here anyway, we might as well go for more.” Conversely, it allows people with limited time or budget to go for less.
The Colombia's Endemic Rich Birding: Cauca and Magdalena Valleys tour had two options: seven additional days in the Santa Marta area of northern Colombia or five additional days in Rogitama, Soatá, Zipaquirá and Chingaza in Colombia’s northwestern mountains.
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| One extension option |
Heather and I looked at both and I suggested the shorter of the two because it was less expensive and because I wanted to be home by my wedding anniversary. I think she would have preferred Santa Marta, so I appreciate her flexibility. It ended up that only Heather and I picked this option, so it was just the two of us.
Since being in Colombia and talking with guides and then doing additional research for my blogs, I have come to realize that Santa Marta is a major birding hot spot with lots of endemics and that might have been a better choice. Fortunately, that tour is also offered separately, so maybe Heather and I will do it later. Especially if we can get Alejandro to guide.
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| Santa Marta Sabrewing; Santa Marta is on the Caribbean; Left: eBird |
I was happy with the extension we took, although I didn’t feel that it produced as many birds per day. There were some really great ones, though.
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| The best were on the last day |
One thing I was very happy about was that Alejandro stayed with us as our guide. We had a new driver, who was fairly reserved and didn’t really become part of the tour the way Hernan had. I think his name was Robert, but can't even remember. And, with just the three of us, we had a much nicer vehicle.
Lake Fúquene
We started early in the morning as the other PIB groups were headed to the airport to go home or to Santa Marta. We were driving. Our route took us north-northeast from Bogotá in a long skinny loop. Our first stop was a large lake about three and a half hours north.
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| Our path |
A heart-shaped lake in the Ubaté-Chiquinquirá Valley, Lake Fúquene sits at an average altitude of 8,330 feet.
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| A misty morning on Lake Fúquene |
It is surrounded by farms, primarily dairy, and has several areas for recreation. When we visited, some areas were under construction – it looked like road improvement – but we were not restricted from walking. In fact, the security guard who looked like he was there to keep people out was quite friendly and waved us through. There were very few other people around.
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| Just birds (American Coots here) on the lake |
Lake Fúquene was considered sacred in the religion of the Muisca peoples who inhabited the area before the Spanish conquest in the 1530s.
In the Chibcha language of the Muisca, Fúquene means "Place of swamps covered with fog.”
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| There were quite a few reedy areas, but not any fog, just overcast |
The lake was along a trading route that formed the connection between the territories of the Zipa in the south and Zaque in the north. When conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and his troops arrived at the lake in 1537, the water level was about 40 feet higher than it is today.
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| This Goat was grazing above the lake where the shore used to be |
Much of this drastic drop is attributed to drainage for agriculture and dairy farming. As a result, many plant and animal species have disappeared.
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| Many we saw were probably migrating through like these Lesser Goldfinches |
About 200,000 people live in the area around the lake and there are about 50 dairy farms surrounding it. I would not swim in it!
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| Farms dominate |
Our visit was leisurely, with us strolling along several paths beside the lake and then along an irrigation canal bordered by farms. Alejandro had several targets that did not materialize. But, we did see birds.
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| In pretty good numbers after a slow start |
On the main lakeshore, we saw …
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| American Coots |
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| An Eastern Kingbird |
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Great Thrushes |
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| Lesser Goldfinches |
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| Southern Lapwings |
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| Shiny Cowbirds |
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| Lots of Western Cattle-Egrets that were building nests behind a bank of shrubs |
Along the canal, we saw …
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| A Great Egret (and more Western Cattle Egrets) |
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| Rufous-collared Sparrows |
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| Eastern Meadowlarks |
Best of all was the only lifer I managed to photograph: a group of Golden-rumped Euphonias.
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| Alejandro said one was a treat and a group as big as we saw (eight!) was rare |
While they do have golden rumps, I think I would have named them for their striking blue heads!
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| It is interesting how some bird names seem wrong |
As usual, there were lots of birds I didn’t photograph, mostly because of distance or because I had seen sooooo many by this point. They included a Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorants, an Andean Siskin, a Black-crowned Night Heron, a Little Blue Heron, a White-throated Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbirds and Mockingbirds, Yellow-hooded Blackbirds, Black-crested Warblers and a Blue-gray Tanager. Overhead, we spotted Black and Turkey Vultures, an Osprey and Blue-and-white and Brown-bellied Swallows.
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| I had so many good Yellow-hooded Blackbirds already; this is from Guarinocito Lake |
I saw, but didn’t snap, another two lifers: a Mountain Elaenia and same Black-backed Grosbeaks. I did try for those.
As we were walking, we saw access to the edge of the lake down a lane that ran next to a farm.
Several people (an older woman, a younger woman and two children) seemed interested in what we were doing. Alejandro introduced us and asked permission to access the lake from their property. They were welcoming and seemed interested in the “American tourists.” Alejandro let the children look through his scope and the women showed us a beautiful birdflower bush in front of their house.
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| These flowers really look like birds! |
Since we seldom met any local people except innkeepers, this was fun.
After Lake Fúquene, we traveled north toward our evening’s lodging and our next birding stop. That’s when things got interesting. Very Interesting.
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| Crowded, too |
Tour dates: March 7-28, 2026
