I received the accompanying report and photos from Joel Rosenthal of Miami, FL, who visited the Canopy Tower and Lodge in the last couple of weeks of April. Joel had a specific wish-list that included Ocellated Antbird, Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, and Rufous-crested Coquette, and was truly fortunate to find all three species. The Ocellated Antbird pictured at left was found on the Plantation Trail on 4/22. Joel found the Rufous-crested Coquette in the Canopy Lodge's gardens sometime during the last week of the month- apparently one person or another saw the bird every day, implying that this tiny hummingbird is once again a regular at the Lodge in the late dry season. The Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo was found on Pipeline Road on 4/23- Joel's account of the sighting is typical of the ground-cuckoo experience, and it is with pleasure that I share the account presented below (with photos):

The cuckoos(we saw a pair) were seen about a mile into Pipeline Road on a sunny dry day, 4/23, between approx. 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., when I finally got my photos of one of them. It is a long story, but the birds were seen as we prepared to return to the Tower, by the side of the road foraging- not near any antswarm. They absconded when we saw them from the truck, and Alexis and I jumped out to give chase- after a fruitless half-an-hour we were walking back to the car, only to see the two birds cross the road about 5 feet from the vehicle- I felt like I was in a Keystone Cops movie. Emily, who had wisely remained in the truck, had not seen the birds, and Alexis and I, as much a matter of principle as anything, headed into the bush to "get" the birds. I am six feet tall, 61 years old, 215 pounds, with a replaced knee, was carrying my binos and five pounds of camera and 100-400 mm lens and bulky flash attachment. In short, I lumber, and the vines, thickets, stumps, trees, thorns, and bushes were getting the best of me- additionally, it was 88 degrees, I sweat in cold weather, and my glasses were so fogged I could barely see through the viewfinder, plus the light was so poor the camera wouldn't acquire autofocus, so I had to approximate focus by hand. Alexis and I chased/tracked one of the birds for another 45 minutes- ultimately about a few thousand meters into the jungle- every now and then it would give us a look, or perch nearby in full view when we weren't looking in the right place--you know the drill. Finally, the bird had pity on me (and maybe Alexis, who had to put up with my stumbling about), and perched for some photos.

Congrats to Joel for his perseverence, and for a well-earned sighting of an outstanding bird!