Report from Field Guides tour
I received an excellent report from John Rowlett, co-founder and guide for Field Guides, Inc., getting 2008 off to a good start. John led a group for a holiday tour of the Canopy Tower and Lodge and, unsurprisingly, given John's extensive experience both specifically in Panamá and in the neotropics as a whole, a number of outstanding species were observed. Topping the list is a pair of Tawny-throated Leaftossers Sclerurus mexicanus seen and audio-recorded on January 1st at the westernmost part of Altos del Maria. Furthermore, by vocalization John was able to determine that the birds belonged to the subspecies S.m.pullus, which is generally a subspecies of the foothills and lower highlands of western Panamá and Costa Rica. The subspecies S.m.andinus, a rare find on the Caribbean slope of Pipeline Road, occupies the lowlands only west to the Canal area, while S.m.obscurior can be found in the higher elevations of Darién Province. Mr. Rowlett's discovery represents the easternmost record of this subspecies, although further research reveals a specimen collected by Alexander Wetmore in northern Coclé almost 50 years ago; other reports east of Chiriquí Province can be considered dubious, at best. Even better, John believes that the leaftossers were on territory, so there's a distinct possibility that breeding activity will be observed within the next few months; we would appreciate if any further observations of the Tawny-throated Leaftossers are forwarded to this site.
Ed. Note: further investigation has uncovered a recent sighting (reported on the Xenornis website) of Tawny-throated Leaftosser by Ariel Aguirre, a respected Panamanian birder, in San Lorenzo National Park (northwestern Canal area), on October 24, 2007. The bird was seen on the Tortuguilla Trail; I do not know this exact location, but it should be noted that the recent publication A Birdfinding Guide to Panama (soon to be available via ABA Sales) describes San Lorenzo N.P. as a good location for the leaftosser. John Rowlett, who has seen Tawny-throated Leaftosser in the area on several occasions, confirms that these records refer to S.m.andinus, as expected for the Caribbean slope lowlands location, but a western range expansion for this subspecies since Wetmore's time. San Lorenzo N.P. is also roughly 50 km due north of Altos del Maria, where John found S.m.pullus, making this area probably the closest point of contact between the two subspecies.
John also tells me that the Brown Violet-Ear is back at its usual site at Altos for the third straight year; January seems to be the month for this regionally-rare species, indicating a definite dry-season trend. An Olive-sided Flycatcher at Altos represented a rare wintering member of its species; they are more common in migration, and most winter farther south. A pair of Slaty Antwrens were found on January 2nd at La Mesa; this species is probably present year-round in small numbers in the area, but is a really tough find; this sighting, at the onset of the breeding season, is particularly interesting, as Lodge guide Danilo Rodríguez noted a pair of Slaty Antwrens hanging around a possible nest site in July of last year. A Spot-crowned Barbet was seen in the same area; it seems clear that this "Caribbean slope" species is rapidly colonizing the Pacific edge of the Continental Divide in the El Valle area. A Black-crowned Antpitta was seen quite well on Las Minas Road, near La Mesa; this is the 4th record of which I am aware from this general area in the last six months, after none in the relatively short prior history of the Canopy Lodge. It is possible that the new sightings of this splendid bird can be attributed to increased awareness on the part of Lodge guides, or the antpittas may be colonizing the area due to habitat reduction in adjacent areas. Altos del Maria, less than 15 miles to the east, where the antpittas are regular, is particularly vulnerable to environmental pressures, as the land is privately owned and luxury housing is being developed at a rapid pace. It will be interesting to follow the trend of Black-crowned Antpitta sightings in the future.
The Field Guides group also paid a visit to Omar Torrijos National Park, generally known as El Copé, on January 3rd; the Canopy Lodge has added this site to their itinerary as a special field trip, and this site may need to expand its scope in response to this development. The tour group subjected itself to the typical weather extremes of El Copé, suffering through heavy wind and rain before the skies thankfully cleared for part of the afternoon. Highlights included Blue-and-gold Tanager (a lifer for Lodge guide Tino Sanchez), Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, and Black-headed Antthrush. The first two species are on our Watchlist of species that may be seen farther to the east, and the antthrush is a very rare find at Altos del Maria. El Copé is probably the most accessible location in Panamá for finding the species of the extremely humid forests of the central Caribbean slope, and the birds found here may be considered among the most likely to be found at Altos del Maria or the extreme northern portions of the El Valle area.
Early returns from a VENT tour led by Jeri Langham indicate some fine results; highlights include a Hook-billed Kite at Achiote Road on 1/8 (this species seems to be on the decline in the region, and is seldom reported), a Semiplumbeous Hawk seen from the Canopy Tower, and a Tiny Hawk seen soaring over the Chagres River (both 1/7). All of these raptors are good finds in the region, and many visiting birders see none of them on a short trip.
Finally, a slightly-belated report comes from Roger Robb of Oregon, one of the fellows who discovered North America's first Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher at Cerro Azul last month. Roger passed on the images below, captured by his friend Kit Larsen, of a Yellow-rumped Warbler found at El Chirú on December 12th, 2007. This species, while abundant and absurdly familiar to most U.S. birders, is somewhat rare in Panamá, with few documented records east of Chiriquí Province. As such, this Yellow-rumped Warbler was a life bird for Lodge guide Danilo Rodríguez. I am always amazed by the resiliency of this species; a small number of Yellow-rumped Warblers winter on the cold coastal areas of the northeastern United States, while others make it as far south as Panamá- the adaptability of this species is no doubt the key to its abundance! Roger also submitted a thorough and excellent written report of the sighting, a perfect model for any report to a regional records committee!
