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Greetings, and welcome to The Canopy Report, home to rare bird reports from the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge,
sister ecolodges located in central Panama. The idea for this site evolved in response to two recent occurrences. First, on a trip to Panama in May of 2006 Raúl Arias de Para,
owner of both the Tower and Lodge, spoke to me of his interest in starting a 'blog' to report on the birds found by his guests. He
has, to some extent, implemented this plan, adding occasional brief notes regarding bird sightings to the websites for both of his properties.
The second occurrence took place when I submitted my sightings from the same trip to the region's ornithological authorities. The
birds that were of most interest to them were species that, while being relatively recent discoveries, are seen on a regular basis
on Canopy field trips. The fact that the keepers of the ornithological record were simply unaware of these sightings led me
to create this site with two essential functions in mind:
By the by, the creation of this site was inspired by my relationship with the staff of The Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge, and this deep friendship continues to be the bedrock upon which The Canopy Report is constructed. But in the time since I created this site, I've established a number of lasting relationships with other lodges in central Panamá, and I now receive reports from a variety of sources. While the guides and guests at the Tower and Lodge are my most consistent contributors, one should not infer that this site's scope is limited to their input; I welcome reports from any visitor to or resident of Panamá, as such contributions from a myriad of sources have greatly increased the relevance of this website to the Panamanian birding experience! About your webmaster: Ken Allaire is an avid birder, and former resident of New York City, who first visited the Isthmus in 2002. It was love at first sight, and Ken began returning to Panamá with increasing frequency, and recently moved full-time to El Valle de Antón. He lives with his wife, Rebeca, and their daughter, Magdiel, and has established a rapidly-expanding business as a private birding tour operator and travel advisor. Check out the Panama Gateway website (currently under construction) to learn more about Ken and his birding and tourism services. |
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I'm breaking my timeline a bit to post news of a recent, and very exciting, sighting from west-central Panamá. On November 1st, Canopy Lodge guides Danilo Rodríguez (who initially located the bird) and Harmodio ("Moyo") Rodríguez (related only by marriage) found the Yellow-collared Chlorophonia pictured above (photo by Moyo) at Altos del María, in western Panamá Province. I would agree with early assessments that this is an immature male; one can barely see the emerging yellow collar in the photo, a feature that does not exist in females of the species. To say that this discovery was unexpected would be the understatement of the century; it is, quite frankly, earth-shattering, and challenges many of our assumptions regarding the distribution of some Panamanian avian species. Here are the facts:
Here are two more looks at the chlorophonia, ciourtesy of Moyo Rodríguez; obviously the best photo (at top of this page) was used to spread the word of the sighting, although either of these would be sufficient to idenitfy the species.
As I study the photos I'm not completely convinced there's enough evidence to determine the gender of the bird, nor is there a suggestion in any of the literature that juvenille males and adult females can be reliably
distinguished in the field. (To clarify: in the first photo it looks like there's a hint of a yellow collar, but I don't see it in the others. Identification from a single photo can be a tricky business, the apparent collar
could just be a trick of the light, or feathers ruffled by a breeze. I hope to find out from Danilo and Moyo if the collar seemed more prominent in the field.)
In summary, I don't think that it's much of a stretch to declare this "The Bird of the Year" for Panamá. In 2011 we've had a species added to our checklist (Melodious Blackbird, which was anticipated), a few rare sightings of either irregular migrants or species whose range barely reaches Panamá, and records of some rare pelagic wanderers. To me, the Yellow-collared Chlorophonia tops them all-- a resticted-range species that is found unexpectedly far afield, something that occurs far more rarely in the study of avian vagrancy. Congratulations to Danilo and Moyo, two knowledgable and hard-working guides who have found more than their share of rarities over the years. Part of their success comes from being prepared for the unexpected, but I'll bet that this one took them completely by surprise! To bring you this breaking news we jumped over a year's worth of sightings, and a half-a-dozen or so pages in preparation. So visit us again soon, and remember to scroll down the page, as reports are shared in chronological order, even if posted online out of sequence. |
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Greetings and saludos! We're still playing catch-up on reports from the year 2010, a record-setting year in Panamanian birding, but there's light at the end of the tunnel! This entry covers roughly the middle half of the year, a 5-month period from April through August. It was a memorable period, as I joined a number of Panamá's finest birders on some special expeditions to some of the more remote parts of the country. So please excuse me for manipulating the timeline; I will address three very special trips at first, and then double back to take note of some sightings that occurred in-between.
In mid-April I joined Björn Anderson and Euclides "Kilo" Campos on an excursion to Cerro Santiago, a remote mountainous area in what used to be considered the eastern part of Chiriquí Province, now part of the Comarca Ngöbe-Bugle. A rough ride in a high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicle took us to a lovely patch of cloud/elfin forest, where we were seeking two of Panamá's most range-restricted endemics. The first was no problem; we were still off-loading our gear when Kilo spotted the first of several Yellow-green Finches noted on the day (pictured at top of this page). The second endemic was considerably more difficult to find, or at least to identify. We saw dozens of Selasphorus hummingbirds in low flowering bushes along the road, but virtually all of them were females or immature males, and the couple of males we saw well appeared to be the more widespread Scintillant Hummingbird. Finally, just minutes before we were to depart the area, I spotted a male with a mostly black tail, and we managed decent looks at our only certain Glow-throated Hummingbird of the day! Below are two of Björn's photos of female-plumaged hummingbirds in the area, with nice details of the tail feathers. Supposedly, female Scintillant Hummingbirds show a bit more rufous in the tail than Glow-throateds, but in studying these photos (and others), I really can't detect much of a difference. How about you?
After this trip I solicited the opinions of Dave Klauber, a top-notch birder who has visited Panamá many times, and George Angehr, chair of our Avian Records Committee, both of whom have examined specimens of the species in question. Dave is fairly certain that female Scintillants and Glow-throateds can't be seperated in the field, and George agrees, and raised the interesting point that even some museum specimens might be misidentified. Perhaps a careful field study combined with genetic analysis would discover a reliable field mark, but the remoteness of the study area might discourage most researchers. (Panamá is crawling with young ornithologists and biologists, but most of them confine their activities to the relative comfort of Pipeline Road, where one can find birds with multiple sets of bands from several seasons' worth of studies, and where the researchers can retreat to Gamboa each afternoon to enjoy games of Ultimate Frisbee, and hanging out with their fellow attractive young science geeks.) Another interesting question is: if we were seeing almost all Scintillant Hummingbirds (as is the experience of many visitors to Cerro Santiago), where are all of the Glow-throateds hiding? We enjoyed quite a few excellent western highland species on the morning, and, thanks to the paucity of reports from the locale, were credited with several area firsts, including Green-fronted Lancebill, Dark Pewee, Yellow-winged Vireo, and Wrenthrush. Another new species for the locale was Black-cheeked Warbler, apparently of the little-known bensoni subspecies. This form, distinguish by the color of its underparts (and possibly by voice), was described from farther east, in Veraguas Province, so with our efforts we may have extended the subspecies' range. Emboldened by our success on our first morning, Björn, Kilo and I decided to spend the remainder of our weekend farther west, in the Fortuna area. Late on the 17th, at the turnoff for the Contintental Divide Trail, we enjoyed great looks at an immature Bicolored Hawk, a rare find anywhere in Panamá. With its long, accipiter's tail, the bird was suggestive of a forest-falcon, until it took flight and we could see the rufous thighs. On the 18th we walked the Continental Divide Trail and another one just to the north. One of the highlights was my first Lattice-tailed Trogon (Björn's lovely photo heads the entry below dated January 1st), and a Black-bellied Hummingbird was another much-desired lifer. We at least heard 3 species of quail-doves on the day: Buff-fronted Quail-Dove was heard somewhat distantly; Purplish-backed Quail-Dove was seen quite well; and, after much work, we flushed a Chiriqui Quail-Dove, a target bird for Björn. A calling Blue-and-gold Tanager added another lifer for Björn on his march towards 7000. Even Kilo, who was fast-approaching 700 species for the year, found a couple of year-birds, so the trip was deemed a complete success by all!
As usual, the month of May brought the first rains of Panamá's rainy season, so I took the time to go back to the U.S. to shut down my New York City apartment for good. So we undertook our next major excursion in mid-June, when, on June 19th, Björn, Gonzalo Horna and I struck out for Coiba Island, a former penal colony off the south coast of Veraguas Province. The island is now a spectacular national park, and home to two more endemic species, although ones that are not currently recognized by the American Ornithologists' Union. After a bone-jarring trip from the mainland in a decidedly undersized boat, we came ashore at Los Pozos Trail, and almost immediately observed a few Scarlet Macaws in flight. As with many large psittacids, their population has been decimated by the cage trade, and in Panamá now this species is confined almost exclusively to Isla Coiba. One of our two main targets, Coiba Spinetail (pictured below), was found quite easily, as the species was quite vocal and foraged actively. The AOU currently considers this to be a subspecies of Rusty-backed Spinetail, which is found in the interior of mainland South America. Given the large geographic seperation of the forms (not to mention the presence of the Andes in-between!), the Coiba birds almost certainly represent a full species. But the morphological and vocal characteristics of the forms strike me as inconclusive, so it will probably take a published study which includes genetic analysis for the Coiba Spinetail to be formally recognized. We had to work a bit harder to find the second endemic species, but after a bit of work Björn was able to locate a calling Brown-backed Dove, and captured the beautiful image that tops this paragraph. Again, this species is not recognized by the AOU, which considers it a form of Gray-headed Dove, which in Panamá is only found on a few islands of Bocas del Toro, in the extreme northwestern part of the country. But unlike the spinetail, Brown-backed Dove seems be quite distinct both physically and vocally-- check out my recording of the Coiba bird on the Xeno-canto website, and compare it to those of Gray-headed Dove from other locales. The split seems to be a slam-dunk, but once again publication of a formal paper would seem to be in order. As we enjoyed quick and total success in locating our primary targets, we set out to document a few of our secondary targets, some of the many
endemic subspecies to be found on Isla Coiba. George Angehr sent me a list of 18 endemic subspecies to be found on the island (excluding the spinetail and dove), and in my own research
I discovered a published description of a 19th. My thanks to Dr. Angehr for taking the time to work with me on the subject. We were fortunate enough to locate all but two of the island's endemic
subspecies, and obtained a number of photos and audio recordings. A number of the named subspecies did not seem to be particularly distinct, and further research
might reveal them to be invlaid (most of the descriptions are thanks to the pioneering work of Storrs Olsen, which has not subsequently been repeated). But in several
cases the differences from mainland forms were quite striking. Björn and I were floored when we got a look at the Coiba Streaked Saltator, which was substantially
darker than those to which we were accustomed. And the local version of House Wren sounded quite different than the mainland subspecies, although I have yet to
properly study my recordings. This species presents a tricky situation; some authorities already divide into Northern and Southern House Wren, but I think this touches
just the tip of the taxonomic iceberg. I've travelled extensively in the islands of the Caribbean, and on almost every island there is a local subspecies
of House Wren, some of which are quite distinctive (the St. Lucia form was vocally and physically more like a Carolina Wren!). It's my opinion that, when the dust settles, House Wren
will be split into a dozen or more species, and that DNA analysis will clinch the matter. The problem is that no one wants to take on half the job, and a comprehensive study
of all of the forms of House Wren is beyond the research budget of almost any ornithologist.
Someday perhaps a team of researchers will take on the project, and I opine that Coiba House Wren
merits a very close look for specific status.
One more exciting expedition was to be had during this period, a trip to El Real de Santamaria, a remote outpost in the lowlands of Darién Province. I'd been here a bit less than a year before, but my travelling companions were all checking it out for the first time. Alfred Raab and I were able to get a jump-start, and arrived on July 6th, and Björn Anderson and Gonzalo Horna followed on the 10th, all of us to leave on the 11th. As this was Alfred's first visit to anywhere in the province, we was keen on spending a couple of days at Rancho Frio (also known as Pirre Station), on the north slope of Cerro Pirre, where he might see a couple of the specialties of the region's middle elevations. I was eager to visit the same spot because of a remarkable discovery that had been made a couple of months earlier: on 5/11 Kilo Campos, Alex Guevara, and local guide Isaac Pizarro found a Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper below the Rancho Plastico camp on Cerro Pirre. This species had not been seen at this particular location in 31 years, and nowhere else in Panamá for 13 years. So let me skip ahead a little in my narrative; on July 8th Alfred, Isaac and I undertook the arduous hike up the north slope of Cerro Pirre. We were a couple of months into rainy season, so the trails were not only steep but muddy; Isaac scrambled up the trails like a Panamanian mountain goat, but Alfred and I often had to pull ourselves up with our hands. When we got to the spot for the streamcreeper, Isaac indicated that we had to descend a nearly vertical slope to the stream we could hear below. Alfred prudently decided to remain behind, but I was not be deterred. So Isaac patiently shepherded me down the steep, muddy slope for what seemed like forever, but realistically only about 20 minutes. (If I ever do this again, I'll bring a long rope to string down the slope.) Fortunately, the payoff came quickly when we reached the stream, as almost immediately we heard and saw the streamcreeper, and I was able to collect good audio recordings , the first concrete documentation of the species in Panamá in the 21st century (Kilo Campos had only captured blurry photos). Alfred had offered to hand me his camera to bring down the slope, and in hindsight I should have passed it to the sure-footed Isaac, who certainly could have safely carried the camera, and would have captured good images of the very accomodating bird. Next time! The rest of the trip was an equally smashing success for all participants, but before I summarize our results I'd like to share a brief story of a remarkable
experience with two common species that welcomed Alfred and I to El Real on the 6th. Close to dusk, not long after we arrived, Isaac took us on a short walk around
town to get acclimated. As light was fading we heard alarm calls we associated with Spot-breasted Woodpecker,
a common species in the area, but one that is localized in eastern
Panamá, and thus a target bird for Alfred. We located what turned
out to be two woodpeckers, one inside a cavity and one outside, and the source of their agitation
was a menacing Masked Tityra. We watched in amazement as the
tityra reached into the hole, grabbed the woodpecker with its bill,
and forcefully yanked it out of the nest. Days later the tityra still occupied the cavity; it stands to reason
that any cavity-nester that is incapable of excavating its own hole would depend on the work of other species.
But one tends to think of such species peacefully squatting in currently-unoccupied cavities, to witness such naked aggression
was quite spectacular!
We also managed to locate and document two of the most recent additions to the Panamá (and North American) checklist, Large-billed Seed-Finch and Yellow-hooded Blackbird. The seed-finch came quite easily, as Alfred and I found it quite promptly on the morning of the 7th, and I collected audio recordings , while Alfred captured the nice photo above and at right, among others. Interestingly, an Audubon Panamá field trip to the area earlier in the year did not find the seed-finch, and Isaac Pizarro did note that our sighting of the species was his first of the year as well. The blackbird made us sweat a little bit, as it did not appear until Björn and Gonzalo had joined us on the morning of the 10th. But when it did appear, it did so with a vengeance; multiple individuals were present for the remainder of our visit (a high count of 8 birds), and evidence was obtained of courtship and possible nesting activity. I collected a few audio recordings , and Alfred captured the spectacular photo that headlines this section of my report. A couple of weeks after these sightings the newest A.O.U. Checklist Supplement was released, and Yellow-hooded Blackbird was added to the list-- not based on the very real birds found any given day near El Real, but on re-evaluation of a century-old specimen from Barbados. This sent me into a tizzy, and I picked a fight on the BirdChat Listserve. This earned some thoughtful (if unsatisfying) responses from members of the Checklist Committee, who explained to me that unequivocal photographic evidence in North American Birds did not constitute "published documentation." Thankfully, this egregious error was to be rectified later in the year: see future posts for more details on this subject.
The aforementioned 3 trips were my personal highlights for the season, but by no means did these include the only noteworthy sightings. At the top of the 'miscellaneous' list
is the experience I enjoyed with Alfred Raab, and Mark and Joanie Hubinger on April 11th. En route to Cerro Azul we decided to detour to the former Tocumen
Marsh birding spot, which has been officially closed to the public for the last year or so. Fortunately, an unmarked service road (one that I'd used before)
was still passable, and we cautiously drove into the rice fields. Mark, quite innnocently, asked me where one might
find Long-winged Harrier in Panamá; I had to laugh, and explained that it had only been found 3 or 4 times previously, although one of those sightings was
indeed at Tocumen Marsh. Literally within one minute of this question having been asked, we saw a raptor soaring low across the road maybe 25 meters ahead of us.
It was clearly a harrier, and all of us were experienced with Northern Harrier (a rare but regular migrant in Panamá); we immediately knew we had struck gold
-- the size of the bird alone identified it as Long-winged Harrier. The harrier passed to our right, soaring deep into the
rice fields before abruptly plunging to the earth, presumably seeking prey. We knew that it was only a matter of time before the bird would alight, either after having consumed a kill,
I enjoyed a few trips to the Lago Bayano region during this period; located in eastern Panamá Province, Bayano is really the first area where one
gets a taste of the avian species of the Darién. On April 12th Alfred Raab, the Hubingers and I enjoyed excellent looks at a pair of vocalizing
Streaked Xenops near the famed Rio Mono bridge. This species was only recorded from the Bayano area within the last couple of years, but the number of sightings are on the rise. During this period the species was also
recorded at the same spot on April 7th by Guido Berguido, and on the 28th my family and
I enjoyed one as we stopped for lunch near the 12k marker. I suspect the taxonomy
of this species might prove of interest; the eastern Panamá race is considerably less-streaked
than their western counterparts, and in Chiriquí
the xenops is exclusively a highland species. In the east it has now been recorded at near
sea-level at Bayano; at Cana in the extreme eastern Darién it is most common around the
base camp at about 450 m, and its favored elevation varies wildly throughout its South American range. Keep an eye on this one, folks!
On the 12th we also found
a female Yellow-rumped Warbler at the Rio Mono, a rare wintering bird anywhere in Panamá,
and we heard calling Marbled Wood-Quails, apparently
a first report for the area. On 4/23, Judy Klein and I enjoyed excellent looks at a pair of Yellow-billed Cuckoos, a particularly rare transient in spring,
on a trail just past the Rio Mono. Finally, on the 28th my family and I stopped by to visit relatives
in the Emberá village of Pirietí (just east of Bayano), and enjoyed
brilliant looks at a Spot-breasted Woodpecker. Current range maps illustrate a spotty range for this species between
the Panamá City and El Real in the Darién, but this and a host of subsequent sightings by myself and other observers suggest that
the woodpecker is fairly widespread throughout the region. We also enjoyed a singing Tropical Mockingbird, an introduced species that
has apparently colonized the eastern lowlands all the way to El Real, at least.
Kilo Campos, having already shattered the 600 species barrier for the year, continued to add excellent sightings. On March 3rd (I erroneously failed to include
this in my previous post) he photographed a Yellow-breasted Crake being devoured by a Great Egret at Las Macanas Marsh in Herrera Province. This rail
is one of the most hard-to-find breeders in Panamá, and there are many birders who would love a glimpse at
even a moribund member of the species! On his aforementioned expedition
to the north slope of Cerro Pirre on April 8th, Kilo and friends spotted Yellow-collared Chlorophonia, a first record for this side of the mountain.
I suspect that
this record has more to do with a lack of coverage of the area than an actual range expansion, since few birders have Kilo's stamina to undertake this grueling trek!
More dribs and drabs from central Panamá: on March 28th (another belated report) I spotted a Blackpoll Warbler, a rare
migrant anywhere in Panamá, in Parque Metropolitano,
while birding with a small group that was to fly to Cana later that day. Later in the morning I explored the coastal area around
Amador, in Panamá City, while I waited for the clients to check out of their hotel,
and found a Wandering Tattler (previously reported on this page), another rare
but annual transient. In both cases the number of reports seem to be on the rise, I suspect due to increased birder awareness and activity more than any change in
distribution. On April 8th the industrious Björn Anderson quite casually drove past the guards at Tocumen Marsh, and found both Spotted Rail and
(heard-only) Paint-billed Crake, lending evidence to the supposition that both of these rare species may in fact
be established in appropriate habitat.
On June 4th my family and I spotted the elusive Sungrebe on the lake near the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center,
a much-anticipated Panamá lifer. The difficulty
of finding this secretive species within Panamá's borders is evidenced by the fact that Carlos Bethancourt, the extremely talented and experienced
Late in August I headed for the Chiriquí highlands for a week or so, not so much to chase birds but because I anticipated having to take a short vacation to Costa
Rica for immigration reasons (a recent change in policy earned me a reprieve). But I was not about to waste the trip (birding-wise),
and added a host of year-birds, along with some
genuine rarities. On August 25th I visited the wonderful folks at Finca Hartmann, and, as is my custom, got off the bus a couple of kilometers past the entrance
to the coffee farm, so as to enjoy a few specialties that might be found along the road. And, as usual, I was rewarded for this effort, finding
several Spot-crowned Euphonias to go along with more expected species. At the farm itself, I focused on the road leading to higher elevations on the property, an area I had not visited before.
In a particularly forested stretch of this road I heard a wren call that I recognized, and employed playback to enjoy good looks at a
Stripe-breasted Wren, capturing mediocre (but diagnostic) audio of the bird. It was only after the fact that I realized the significance of the find; the species
has never been recorded at Finca Hartmann, nor anywhere else on the Pacific slop of Chiriquí, for that matter. I can only speculate as to why the species
strayed to such a significant degree. Western Panamá experienced an exceptionally wet rainy season in 2010, even by our high standards, and the region experienced
substantial flooding, habitat alteration, and apparent changes in the normal pattern of fruiting and flowering vegetation.
The Hartmann family informed me that
high-elevation species such as Resplendant Quetzal and Three-wattled Bellbird (both largely frugivorous) had recently been found at the lower elevations around the family
farm itself, and even there outside of the season when such vagrancy was most expected. Possibly the wren was further evidence of this temporary displacement, wandering in search of
intact habitat and food sources. It's worth noting that the habitat in which I recorded the wren, although on the 'wrong' side of the Continental Divide, was very similar
to that in which it is normally found in other parts of Panamá.
Elsewhere at Finca Hartmann, I experienced some good luck when I spotted a Bronzy Hermit while I was- ahem!- answering the call of nature. I was able
to compose myself in time to enjoy binocular views of this species, rarely found at this high an elevation,
as it gleaned insects from a fruiting plaintain tree. Back at my hotel
in Volcán later in the day (where heavy rain forced me to be almost every day by about 11 in the morning), I was pleasantly surprised to find a female
Magenta-throated Woodstar feeding on flowers in the hotel garden. According to the literature, the elevation of Volcán is within the range of the species,
but it is rarely seen away from a few more remote strongholds in Panamá (I was careful to distinguish it from the female of the common Scintillant Hummingbird).
On the 27th I paid a visit to the cabins maintained by Los Quetzales Lodge, above Cerro Punta, actually within the boundaries of Parque Internacional La Amistad (PILA).
I was delighted to find a dozen or more Slaty Finches coming in to feed near one of the cabins, a much-desired life bird for me.
This bamboo specialist is irruptive in western
Panamá; the '09-'10 dry season was a good one for seeding bamboo, and the good folks at Los Quetzales
managed to keep the finches in the area by consistently putting out seeds,
even after the bamboo irruption had passed. I walked for a bit on PILA trails with Los Quetzales' resident guide, Abel (who was quite sharp, considering he lacked binoculars, a field guide,
or any formal training whatsoever), and some non-birding Colombian tourists, and we lucked upon a Buff-fronted Quail-Dove. This stunning species is probably not uncommon in the region, but, as with any quail-dove,
can be quite difficult to actually see. I slipped away from the group early so I could spend some solo time near the seed feeders, and was eventually rewarded
with modest (but certain) views of another long-awaited lifer, a Peg-billed Finch. This species is even rarer than Slaty Finch, but Abel informed me that he had
seen it occasionally around the feeding area, usually after doing just what I did, waiting and observing for an extended period.
On the 28th I mixed business with pleasure, joining Glenn Lee, owner of the lovely
Cielito Sur Bed and Breakfast in nearby Nueva Suiza, for a morning of chatting
and birding at one of my favorite spots, the high-elevation Lagunas de Volcán. The birding was,
as usual, excellent, and we found several year birds
for me, including excellent looks at a Scaly-throated (formerly Spectacled) Foliage-Gleaner, a very tough bird in Panamá, only my second sighting.
The bird was vocalizing before we spotted it, and I'm kicking myself for not recognizing the call,
as by the time I made the connection I had missed my opportunity
to capture a recording. A bit later on, Glenn commented that he was surprised to hear that I had found a Sunbittern on the lakes just over 3 years before,
as he had never found this species on dozens of visits to the locale-- I was credited with the first sighting for the area. You might guess what happened next; a few minutes later Glenn signalled that I should join him,
and pointed out a bird across the lake that he had zoomed in on with his camera: a Sunbittern. The odds of my being involved in the only two records of
this species, with a gap of 3 years in-between, at a locale that is visited somewhat regularly, are fairly staggering! Glenn capped my day by taking up to the grounds
of Los Quetzales Lodge to see a Torrent Tyrannulet at a known location. The tyrannulet was my 700th species of the year in Panamá!
I did not sit on my laurels, but on the 29th headed down the hill at bit to the Bajo Frio area, a patch known to house a few foothill species
that are otherwise hard to find in western Panamá. The highlight of the day for me was my life Charming Hummingbird, at the upper edge
of its altitudinal range. The bird was perched and calling (once again I kick myself for not being quicker to capture a recording), and when I finally tracked it down
it appeared to be a female-plumaged bird. The literature suggests that only males emit this distinctive call, so I suspect I was watching a juvenille male
who had yet to attain adult plumage. I left Bajo Frio in a hurry to avoid inclement weather, but found myself back in Volcán with a surprising
early afternoon respite. So I walked back towards the gateway to the Volcan Lakes, and birded around the
airstrip and adjacent Jansen family lands, finding a
calling White-throated Flycatcher, a rare-but-regular find in the region. The Jansens, by the way, are the makers of quite excellent coffee, and also are
responsible for the preservation of much of the forest surrounding the Lagunas de Volcán. Visitors to their facilities can likely gain access to parts of their land that
are otherwise off-limits, and the purchase of their product (as with that of the Hartmanns out in Santa Clara) is a de facto contribution to local environmental health.
The mid-year tally for
The 600 Club- Panama gave Kilo Campos the lead, with a remarkable
(and unlikely to be surpassed) 728 species seen in Panamá in just half the year!! I trailed by some distance, at 641 species,
a product more of my good fortune to have led tours to widespread locales more than any particular effort or skills. But in the last couple of months I'd
begun to focus my efforts, and by the end of August had seen 706 species, almost certainly narrowing the gap. The last third of the year would undoubtably prove
most interesting-- stay tuned to these pages for the rest of this story!
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Yes, I'm back, after a long absence that was the product of many factors: my final move to Panamá, establishment of a bird-guiding business, computer and internet problems, etc... But nobody wants to hear my excuses! Let's get on to the birds that we've seen, and failed to discuss, in the year 2010! Longtime readers of this page will note that my regional emphasis has changed a bit, and I am focusing more on Panamá as a whole. rather than limiting myself
to the central region. My reasons for this are many, but first and foremost is that in my new status as a permanent resident of Panamá and a
full-time birding guide, my focus has shifted to the entire country. Also, I was hired this year by one of our most respected tour companies,
Ancon Expeditions, to lead multiple tours at their amazing camp at Cana, in Darién Province,
How does one summarize almost a year's worth of birds in a neotropical locale? Well, let's start with this; a very dry verano and a very wet invierno- the extremes for both our dry and wet seasons probably pushed historic limits (although I admit to lacking data to back this up). The result was some interesting species movement both up and downslope, as birds sought reliable food supplies in both seasons. In the El Valle area, flowering trees in the La Mesa area attracted a bizarre assortment of hummingbirds for most of the dry season, including lowland specialties such as Black-throated Mango, Blue-throated Goldentail and Garden Emerald, and highland/cloud forest species such as Snowcap, Rufous-crested Coquette, and White-tailed Emerald. During my time at Cana I recorded no fewer than twelve species that were not previously listed for the area, most of them species normally associated with lower elevations. A smaller movement of highland species to the low foothills was recorded in both the Darién in the east and Chiriquí in the west. Greater minds will sort out this data, but it seems clear that climate conditions are somewhat affecting avian distribution. Another factor that contributed towards a monumental year in Panamanian birding was the establishment of The 600 Club- Panama. One of our most articulate and well-studied birders, Jan Axel Cubilla Rodríguez (click here to visit Jan Axel's wonderful blog) stumbled across an old article that suggested that finding 600 species of birds in Panamá within a single year would be a milestone of note. BOOM!- the race was on! Most of Panamá's finest birders soon signed on, and everybody was making the extra effort to find (and in many cases. document) as many birds as possible within the country's limits. The effort got an immediate boost from the extraordinary work of Euclides "Kilo" Campos, another of our finest birders, who shepherded a team of outstanding birders and ornithologists who found almost 600 species in just one month, from late in December of 2009 until January of 2010. I was fortunate to have been with this group for the first part of their trip, in Cana, and am indebted to them for sharing their skills and enthusiasm. More inspiration was provided by a short-term resident of Panamá, Björn Anderson, one of the world's greatest listers (he recorded his 7000th species this year!), and one who was keen on seeing as many Panamanian specialties as possible during his stay here. He spear-headed many excursions to our more remote regions, with excellent results throughout (Björn's beautiful shot of a Lattice-tailed Trogon headlines this post). We here in Panamá are indebted to this world-class birder for his contribution to our humble community! These are but the broad strokes-- details of these efforts will be delivered below, and in future pages. There is so much to cover, and trying to do so in chronological order would create a massive mess; so let's go by region, more or less, with a few diversions! We'll start with Cana, a birding paradise in extreme eastern Darién Province, where I was privileged to lead 6 tours of varying lengths in the early part of the year. A recent birding-related publication described Cana as a "well-birded locality;" with all due respect, I beg to differ. Aside from the tours I led, there were perhaps 6 other groups of birders who visited Cana in the last year. almost all concentrated in the brief dry season, and almost none of whom contributed their data to the scientific record (Kilo Campos is a noteworthy exception). An average of 5-7 days per month of coverage, unevenly distributed, does not constitute "well-birded" by any measure. Furthermore, the site has been closed entirely this season, due to unusual late season rains in December, which overwhelmed even the excellent drainage system protecting Cana's airstrip. So, unless emergency repairs can be implemented rapidly, this "well-birded" locale may be un-birded for almost a year (sadly, as the unseasonal weather this year might have produced some interesting records)! To illustrate the point that much remains to be discovered at Cana, the following thirteen species were recorded there for the first time this season, based on the rather thorough listing included in A Birdfinding Guide to Panama (if I was not among the original observers, the appropriate discoverer is noted):
Mind you, several of these species are included on Ancon Expeditions' area list, or on trip reports I unearthed from various tour companies. But none of these companies/individuals saw fit to share their data with the official records-keeping committees, and if you don't tell anyone about a sighting, it officially never happened! Among the birds found rather routinely at Cana are many species not found anywhere else in the world, but this season also provided a number of sightings that were particularly noteworthy for the locale- birds that were unexpected in a place known for the unexpected. On January 2nd I enjoyed a fly-by of a pair of Saffron-headed Parrots, a tough find anywhere in Panamá; I heard them coming, and alerted a couple of clients, who observed the birds briefly, only knowing that the parrots were of a species that they had not seen before. (In mid-July of 2010 Venecio (Beny) Wilson, one of Panamá's finest birders/guides, found this species farther west in Darien Province, near Nuevo Vigía.) On January 3rd, Kilo Campos and a group of experienced observers found an sub-adult Varied Solitaire on the Boca del Cupé Trail at Cana. This near-endemic is normally found at the higher elevations on Cerro Pirre, so it's appearance at roughly 400m was a distinct surprise. But this sighting coincided with a period of un-seasonal cool and wet weather atop the mountain, so perhaps we can add this to the list of weather-related altitudinal movement during this season. On 1/5 I was with several clients (from North America) on the Boca del Cupé Trail when we spotted an accipiter-type raptor soaring overhead. We all responded instinctively and called "Sharp-shinned Hawk!". This species is quite rare in central and eastern Panamá (although it has been recorded at Cana), but it turned out that our instincts were right! On February 5th several intrepid clients and I took a night hike towards the summit of Cerro Pirre and, as we approached a spot to which I had been alerted, we spooked a Bare-shanked Screech-Owl, which brushed my face with the tip of its wing as it flew past. I have experienced, and counted, 'heard' birds in my lifetime, but this was one of few 'felt' birds I'd ever known! Fortunately the owl called from its new perch; this species is seen infrequently in Panamá, known only from a very few areas in the highest elevations east and west. On 2/12, at Cana, I spotted a large oropendola with a blue facial patch in flight, and was able to direct one client to a rare sighting of a Black Oropendola. This lowland species is seldom-recorded at Cana, but given the seasonal trend of altitudinal movement in the region, I'm a bit surprised I only saw it once. On 2/14 a number of observers watched a Cattle Egret fly over the Cana base camp; this is not unheard of, but still surprising given the absence of agricultural activity and livestock in the area. On 3/29 multiple observers enjoyed a male Purple-throated Woodstar on flowering bushes near the Cana base camp. This South American species is most-often found near the Cerro Pirre camp at much higher elevations, but is known to stray lower on occasion. One of Cana's most desired target birds, Choco Tinamou, did not make an appearance at Cana until mid-March, true to form. Björn Anderson informed me, as we crossed paths on the Cana airstrip, that he had seen this scarce regional endemic several times during his tour, and I was fortunate enough to see and record the species on 3/31. The following reports come from elsehwere in Panamá during the first 4 months of 2010:
My lovely wife, Rebeca, spotted a Mangrove Cuckoo at Las Macanas Marsh, Herrera Province, on March 3rd. This species is considered to be a rare breeder in Panamá, only marginally more common during the boreal migration period. But a host of reports this year suggest that increased observer awareness and study of appropriate habitat may find the species to be more common than previously supposed. On 3/13 Howard and Amy Landers and I were fortunate to find not one but two Plumbeous Hawks in the general vicinity of the Visitors' Center at El Copé (Howard captured photos of one of them devouring a snake). I was credited with having seen the first Plumbeous Hawk at El Copé in 2008, and I have not missed it at the locale since; the species appears to be firmly established in the area. Other rare-uncommon birds seen on that day with the Landers' include Smoky-brown Woodpecker and White-throated Shrike-Tanager. A sub-adult Fasciated Tiger-Heron that has been seen on and off for the last two dry seasons in El Valle reappeared for me and Curt McCamy on March 19th, on the more remote portions of the Canopy Lodge property. Carlos Bethancourt later informed me that the bird was seen again a few days later, near the same spot.
In late February Kilo Campos (who seemed to be a step ahead of everybody in the first half of the year), found two excellent rarities in central Panamá: a Snowy Plover on El Aguallito Beach near Chitré, and a Reddish Egret on nthe Aguadulce salt ponds. I took a short trip to the area with my family just after Kilo's sightings, and managed to relocate both species, the plover on 3/3, the egret on 3/4. Kilo managed one sighting early in the year that defied subsequent pursuits. On March 31st Kilo, Alex Guevara, and Juan Pablo Rios were led by a native guide to a place called Michilá, somewhere inland on the Caribbean coast in Bocas del Toro Province (Kilo later told me that he wasn't exactly sure where his guide had led them!). There they heard and saw a Gray-headed Piprites, a species previously documented in Panamá only by a specimen collected in 1994. Kilo managed to obtain a few blurry photos of the bird; hopefully we'll soon be able to retrace his tracks, and thoroughly document this species in life, in Panamá. On 3/23 Peter Robinson and I clearly observed a Merlin in flight above Goofy Lake, downslope from Cerro Azul. This species is rare anywhere in Panamá during either migration or the northern winter months, and to the best of my knowledge was not previously reported from the Cerro Azul area. On 3/24 I was driving with my family on the road to El Valle, just north of Las Uvas, when my wife spotted a very long-tailed flycatcher flying across the road. She referred to it as "tijeritas" ("little scissors"), a local term for Fork-tailed Flycatcher, but when we pulled over to look at the perched bird we realized it was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. This boreal migrant is rare but regular in western Panamá (which yielded several sightings this year, once by me), but considerably harder to find farther east. But Kilo Campos found one at Punta Chame a week or so before my sighting, and Danilo Rodríguez of the Canopy Lodge found one south of Antón later in the year, suggesting that we saw a modest southward movement this year. On 3/26 I found a pair of Rusty-margined Flycatchers building a nest in La Mesa, above El Valle. This species has been marching west in the last decade or so, but this is the first time I have documented breeding in the El Valle area. The species was seen many more times around El Valle for the rest of the year, so its move seems to be a permanent one. On 3/28 I saw a Wandering Tattler along the coast in the Amador section of Panamá City. The only other sightings of this rare migrant for the year came from the extreme Pacific side: Bill and Claudia Ahrens saw one at Playa Venao on the Azuero Peninsula on August 28th, and Kilo Campos and Rafael Luck found (and photographed the species on Isla Coiba in late November of 2009. Alfred Raab kicked in with some good sightings from his seasonal home in Altos del Maria.
Finally, one of the more remarkable sightings of the year occurred during this period, but was not recognized until much later in the year. On January 18 a self-described amateur birder named Suzanne Osier observed and photographed a Myiodynastes-type flycatcher at Fort Sherman, a well-known vagrant trap on the Atlatic coast of Colón Province. When she studied her photos over a year later, she noted features of the bird that were not consistent with the common streaky flycatchers of the area. She posted her photos on the BirdForum chat page, and the consensus was that she had discovered a Variegated Flycatcher Empidonomus varius, a Panamá first! For photos and a full account of this excellent discovery, check out the Xenornis website. That's all for the 1st few months of 2010-- was that enough?! We'll cover the remainder of the year in subsequent posts, and hopefully be writing about 2011's sightings
before too much of that year has passed! Keep watching this page, we're back in business!
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We're leading things off today with news regarding the handsome fellow pictured above: one of four Barred Paffbirds discovered my Harmodio "Moyo" Rodríguez on December 4th. Moyo is one of the excellent guides at El Valle's Canopy Lodge, and on a vacation day was exploring an area along the Río Indio, north and slightly east of El Valle, when he discovered these birds (lifers for him). The location was roughly a kilometer north of the village of Jordanal, which is well down the Caribbean slope on the very western edge of Panamá Province. This area was very difficult to reach except on foot or by horseback until recent months, but extensive road improvements along the east side of the Río Indio have made access to at least Jordanal quite easy with a 4WD or probably any high-clearance vehicle. George Angehr, chair of the Panamá Avian Records Committee, tells me that Barred Puffbird was found to be fairly common in this area during surveys from 2002-03 (at which time such a survey required essentially mounting an expedition), but this is the first time any guide from the Canopy Lodge has found the species here. The key is access- much of the Caribbean slope of central/western Panamá is hard to reach and seldom visited, except by occasional scientific surveys such as that mentioned by Dr. Angehr. With only sporadic coverage of the region it seems there might be much more out there waiting to be discovered, and I tip my cap to Moyo and the other guides at the Lodge for moving quickly to survey the newly-accessible areas, The flip side of access is that it is only a matter of time before the area is colonized and much of the forested areas converted to farms and ranches, so whenever one birds in such a locale it feels like you are just a step ahead of the chainsaws... Barred Puffbird occupies an unusual range in Panamá; it is very common in the eastern Darién (especially at Cana), somewhat less so but still regular around Lago Bayano, and then there's a big jump to the west to northwestern Panamá Province and historically parts of northern Coclé. The areas in between have only seen a very few records, including just one in a century at Pipeline Road, and one at Cerro Azul. Perhaps the opportunity to observe this species on a regular basis in the Río Indio region will offer some insights into its distribution and even taxonomic status. More of Moyo's excellent Barred Puffbird images can be found below. As if to illustrate the avian potential of the area north of Río Indio, Danilo Rodríguez joined Moyo for a return trip two days later
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Moyo shared a number of excellent digiscoped images of the Río Indio Barred Puffbirds with me, and I'm sharing some of the best below. I think these shots illustrate very nicely the striking plumage and intriguing behavior of what has to be one of Panamá's most interesting birds. I'm always impressed by Moyo's steady hand- well done my friend! |
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This report was all set to go a few days ago, but in the interim between preparing the page and obtaining a sufficiently rapid internet connection to upload the files I recieved the following report: Barry Zimmer, on his second tour of El Valle in the space of a month, contributed the image above of a female Rose-throated Becard found near El Valle on November 10th. This bird was a lifer for Canopy Lodge guide Danilo Rodríguez, and is almost certainly a first record of the species for Coclé Province. Depending on how you look at it, this is the becard's deepest incursion into southern North America; previous reports from the Azuero Peninsula are actually farther south and closer to the South American continent, but this is probably an easternmost record. This sighting is especially intriguing as it comes on the heels of an October report of a male becard unidentified as to species found on an Audubon Panama field trip to El Copé, west of El Valle, as reported on the Xenornis website. I feel that the El Copé bird was more likely to be a Rose-throated, as One-colored Becard has shown no trend toward movement west of the Canal area, while a slow eastward march of Rose-throated had been well-documented in the last few decades. Barry's photo might lend credence to this supposition. Thanks to Barry for sharing news of this amazing find; by the by, I often trim the photos I receive to focus more completely on the bird in question, but I love the compostion of Barry's shot, and have posted it untouched!
And now, back to our previously-scheduled posting.... Well, I'm now falling behind by a matter of weeks at a time, rather than months, as has been the case as of late. So here's the latest news for the last part of October and the most of November. We'll lead things off with reports graciously shared by Barry Zimmer, a guide for the esteemed birding tour company VENT (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours). The handsome male Spot-crowned Barbet pictured above left was photographed at Cerro Azul on 10/18; this species is fairly common in parts of eastern Panamá, but is quite local and much sought-after in the central foothills on both sides of the Canal. Above at right is nice documentation of a Long-billed Curlew found at Panama Viejo on 10/23; this species is usually represented in Panamá on an annual basis by a single bird, which has been somewhat predictable during the northern winter at this exact locale. Barry also noted a pair of Collared Plovers on the same date; this species is supposedly not uncommon in Panamá, but as I think about it I hear about very few sightings (Barry and I have each seen it only twice on the Isthmus). An October 25 visit to La Mesa yielded Slaty Antwren and Dull-mantled Antbird, both of which are uncommon in the area, as well as a Black-billed Cuckoo on the Candelario Trail. The latter species is quite rare in Panamá, and I've yet to find it here. The star of the show at Altos del Maria on 10/26 was a small flock of touit parrotlets, presumed to be Blue-fronted Parrotlets, a species of the eastern foothills that was only documented west of the Canal a couple of years ago. As I write this Barry is en route to El Valle with another tour group, and I look forward to more of his excellent reports!
A few odds and ends: Carlos Bethancourt found an army ant swarm on 11/20 on Pipeline Road with a Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo in attendance. On 10/27 Moyo Rodríguez found ants and two ground-cuckoos near the entrance of the Canopy Adventure, but the next morning it rained steadily and the ants stopped hunting, depriving Barry Zimmer and his VENT group of a fair shot at seeing the birds. This has been a very slow season for ant swarms in general and ground-cuckoos in particular compared to the last couple of years, but historically the rainy season has been a tough time for this enigmatic species, so we can hope for a more fruitful dry season in this regard. On 11/5 Alexis Sanchez enjoyed yet another sighting of an Oilbird on Semaphore Hill, his second sighting of this year, and one of only a handful historically in the Canal area, once again raising specualtion that there might be a roosting colony somewhere relatively nearby. The Mugolettis and I enjoyed a very nice surprise on 11/14, a Rufous-browed Tyrannulet seen at point-blank range on the trails at the Canopy Adventure. This species is now known to be fairly common at Altos del Maria, and is occasionally found near Cerro Gaital, but this is the first record of which I am aware from down in the valley. The next day the same observers found a pair of calling Rusty-margined Flycatchers at the entrance of Las Minas Trail in La Mesa; this species is clearly extending its range west and up into the foothills, but is still quite rare in the El Valle area, and this is the first time I've observed more than one bird here.
Finally, I must take a moment to play Proud Papa. On October 27th I was walking into the village of El Valle with my wife and
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Catching Up...and a Mystery Happy Hallowe'en! As I've been trying to find my rhythm and keep current with the latest sightings I find myself continually distracted by the backlog of reports and photos from the northern summer months. So to follow are the highlights from mid-June to mid-September, presented with all due apologies to the kind folks who contributed information in a more timely fashion than I was able to post it.
The lovely images presented above were graciously shared by Alfred Raab, my inside man at Altos del Maria. At left is a striking Black Guan, photographed on September 5th, an excellent look at a species that I find to be quite skittish in central Panamá (although not so much elsewhere in its range). This species and the other large representatives of the family Cracidae are on the decline throughout most of the country due to subsistence hunting, and are perhaps more likely to thrive in private developments such as Altos than in public reserves that offer little real protection. At right is a quite decent shot of a really furtive bird, a Tawny-throated Leaftosser, found on August 10th. This species was first noted at Altos in January of 2008 by John Rowlett and Tinp Sanchez, and was furthermore determined to belong to the subspecies pullus, here at the easternmost edge of its range. The species has since been found to be rare-but-regular at a couple of particular spots at Altos, but I am unaware of previous photographic documentation of its presence. Alfred also mentioned several Purple-throated Mountain-Gems found at multiple locations, a species noted by several other observers (including myself) as well during this period.
This hummingbird is at the eastern edge of its range at Altos and seems to be increasing in numbers, with breeding all but certain in the area.
Finally, Alfred shared a few shots of the hummingbird pictured at right, which I am almost certain is a female White-tailed Emerald. I say
almost because, as I've opined in these pages before, the criteria for distinguishing this species from the female Snowcap (which is often found in the same locations in Panama)
is not exactly crystal-clear in any of the regional field guides (Birds of Panama does not picture the females of either species). In this case I believe
the green feathering on the flanks and the extent of white in the tail identify this as an emerald. But I could be wrong.... Thanks
to Alfred for his excellent contributions.
Many other sightings from Altos del Maria represent exciting species that have become almost routine in the locale; Black-crowned Antpitta, Snowcap, Brown-billed Scythebill, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, and Black-and-yellow Tanager were noted on many occasions by multiple observers. Several of these species raised eyebrows only a few years ago, but the bar has been raised thanks to the work of the guides at the Canopy Lodge and many other observers. Of particular interest is that a reliable spot has been found for Black-eared Wood-Quail, a regionally-rare species, which I heard in the company of Dodge and Lorna Engleman on 8/28. On 9/18 Tino Sanchez found both Green Shrike-Vireo and Yellow-eared Toucanet in the western part of the property, both of which are quite uncommon in the area.
From a little farther afield, Björn Anderson shared the lovely photo below and at right
of a stunning Yellow-eared Toucanet found on a Panama Audubon Society trip to El Copé on October 3rd. Also noted were
several Yellow-throated Bush-Tanagers and a White-throated Shrike-Tanager, both of which occupy a rather narrow range in Panamá
Elsewhere around El Valle; the Caribbean slope of Las Minas Trail continues to host a pair of endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpeckers, although breeding has yet to be documented at this site, the western edge of the species' range. Sightings at the same locale of Ocellated Antbird (Tino Sanchez 8/30) and Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaner (José Perez 8/28) were also noteworthy. Slaty Antwren and White-thighed Swallow were widely reported from El Valle proper and La Mesa; the former seems to be increasing in population locally, while the latter is apparently irruptive, and disappears from the area for long periods. As the seasonal wave of northern migrants passes through, an encouraging note has been the number of Cerulean Warblers reported. The first report of which I am aware came from Tino Sanchez in La Mesa on 8/24, followed by 3 separate birds on consecutive days: Dodge & Lorna Engleman, Canopy Lodge 8/27; me, the Englemans, Altos del Maria 8/28; and me, El Valle 8/29. Björn Anderson and I spotted another Cerulean at exactly the same spot at Altos on 9/26; a lingering bird, or sheer coincidence? And Tino reported the species from La Zamia Trail on 9/16 and Cerro Gaital on 9/17. This is an encouraging series of reports of a species that is seemingly on the decline throughout its breeding range. On 8/11 David Bell and I counted at least 30 Blue-footed Boobies feeding offshore at Playa Juan Hombrón, a good number a fair distance from known breeding islands in the Bay of Panama. But probably the most exciting news from west of the Canal has been the discovery, by guides at the Canopy Lodge, of a small population of Grassland Yellow-Finch in the El Chirú area. The first report of which I took note was provided by Tino Sanchez and Michael O'Brien (the latter of VENT) on 8/10, but Lodge guides tell me the species has been fairly reliable at the site for several months. This is encouraging news regarding a species whose population has declined precipitously in Panamá in the last few decades. I've only seen it once, in grasslands south of Penonomé, and subsequent observers failed to relocate those birds. Grassland Yellow-Finch seems to depend on relatively pristine grasslands, the sort which is now almost absent from Panamá, but southern Coclé Province holds enough lightly-used pasture and farmland that the species may still persist in isolated pockets. Also of interest from Tino and Michael's report was that of a Barn Owl, a very localized species on the Isthmus, which has been found as of late with some regularity around Juan Hombrón. From the Canal area the most exciting find was that of an Oilbird discovered by the Canopy Tower's Alexis Sanchez on Semaphore Hill on 7/15. There are
only a handful of records of this extraordinary bird from Panamá, this being only the second from the locale. It has been the subject of some debate as to whether
Panamá's Oilbirds represent strays from South America or if there is an as-yet-undiscovered roosting cave somewhere on the Isthmus. If the latter is true, is
it better that it remain undiscovered, or is the possibility of development affecting its habitat more of threat than unwanted attention? Congrats to Alexis on this great find.
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Back in Business!
Yes, after a break of several months, The Canopy Report is back in action. I've got a few good excuses for the long layoff: I closed
down my home in New York City, moved to El Valle de Antón, Panamá, on a permanent basis, and got married in mid-June!
Not to mention a couple of trips to the Darién, a couple to Nusagandi, and a honeymoon in Costa Rica... I've had my hands full, to say the least!
But hopefully we're back online and here to stay, so without further ado let's get to the backlog of splendid reports and photos from central
Panamá that I've accumulated in the last few months....
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I have to apologize for the gap of almost a month between reports, but I've got a good excuse; I just moved (for good) to El Valle de Antón a couple of weeks ago, and have been overwhelmed in recent weeks with the enormous task of closing down my life in New York, and with preparations for my marriage in a few days. The good news is that, now that I'm here in Panamá full-time, I'll be able to collect and publish a lot more reports! The early rainy season hasn't offered any mega-rarities, but instead a steady stream of sightings of some of the region's regular-but-scarce species. The image above, of an American Pygmy Kingfisher, was captured by Carlos Bethancourt at the Ammo Dump Ponds on May 23rd. This species generally prefers slow moving streams surrounded by vegetation, so this was an unusual opportunity to view and photograph Panamá's smallest kingfisher out in the open. José Soto relocated this bird on 6/1 at the same location. On 5/23 Carlos also noted a pair of Olivaceous Piculets; there is little doubt that this locally-scarce species bred in the area this season. José also took note of the piculet on 5/12, and added nice sightings of Least Bittern and Blue Ground-Dove. The former is a rare-but-regular visitor to Panamá and the latter is seldom found in the Canal area, seeming to prefer drier habitats such as those of the Coclé grasslands. Also noteworthy from the Canal area: on 6/1 José Perez found a Collared Forest-Falcon on Semaphore Hill; this species is heard with regularity from atop the Canopy Tower, but is tough to get a look at. And on 5/16 Carlos B. found a Bran-colored Flycatcher on Old Gamboa Road, a locale at which the species is irregular at best. Well done, gentlemen! I thought I'd share the interesting photos below, captured by Cedric Kinschots on Pipeline Road in mid-April. At left is a lovely look at a Speckled
Mourner, a species that can be quite tough to find and identify. Speckled Mourner and a handful of other mid-sized, mostly brown-colored flycatchers are superficially similar
and can be tricky to identify in the field, but Cedric's lovely photo shows some wonderful detail of the mourner's distinctive feather pattern. At right is a
form of a bird that you won't find in any field guide; it's a juvenille male Blue-crowned Manakin. The green cap on the bird matches the color of adult females of the species,
but this individual has started to attain the mostly black plumage of an adult male. Adding to the bird's unusual appearance is the fact that Cedric managed to catch it mid-blink!
I've spent much of the last couple of weeks at home in El Valle, preparing for my wedding and working on my new guiding business, but this has given me the chance to get to know the birds in my yard a lot better. I've enjoyed a few surprises; a Rufous-breasted Hermit has been a regular visitor to our garden the last several mornings. This species is not particularly common in El Valle, and this is the first time I've seen it in the village proper. This afternoon I watched a Gray-capped Flycatcher foraging across the road from my home; this species is very much a Caribbean-slope bird in this part of Panamá, and this sighting is the farthest down the Pacific slope I've heard of (although it has been seen on the grounds of the Canopy Lodge, just a kilometer or so up the road). Away from home a bit, on 5/10 I watched a pair of Piratic Flycatchers harassing a Tropical Kingbird near the start of the Lodge property. The former species is certainly known from the El Valle area, but generally in the semi-deciduous woodlands of Cara Iguana or Valle Chiquito; this was the first time I've seen it in the village itself. On the same day I enjoyed long looks at a calling Sepia-capped Flycatcher in a mixed flock on the grounds of the Lodge. A few years ago this would have been big news, but this is another species on the rise in the area, and sightings are increasing in frequency at many specific locations. |
It's been a few weeks since our last post, and a number of intriguing reports have crossed our desk. One of the highlights of the late dry season was the Emerald Tanager pictured above, beautifully digiscoped by Tino Sanchez of the Canopy Lodge. Tino found this stunning bird near the village of Rio Indio, north and east of El Valle, on the Caribbean slope, and just across the border into western Panamá Province. The bird appeared to be constructing a nest, a welcome sign of breeding activity from this locally-scarce species. The Caribbean slope of Panamá, by-and-large, contains most of the least-studied portions of the country; the guides at the Canopy Lodge undertake regular forays into this region (I've been fortunate enough to tag along on a few such adventures), and have thereby gleaned a great deal of knowledge regarding the distribution of a number of species, including the spectacular Emerald Tanager. Also from the El Valle area: sightings of Slaty Antwren continue to be on the rise; once considered rare in the region, the species is, as of late, a relatively easy find. During this period it is reported by Domi Alveo from La Mesa, on 4/27, by Tino Sanchez on Cerro Gaital, on 5/2, and by Domi and Alexis Sanchez at Altos del Maria, on 5/10- these are only the published reports! On 4/27, Domi and his charges also enjoyed nice looks at Black-faced Grosbeak, a perfect example of a species that was little-known from the El Valle area until the Canopy Lodge guides started their careful exploration of the region. On 5/2, Tino's trip to Cerro Gaital also yielded Blue Seedeater and White-throated Spadebill, neither of which is an easy find at the locale. Alexis and Domi's visit to Altos del Maria on 5/10 also included sightings of Orange-bellied Trogon, Ochraceous Wren, and Red-faced Spinetail. All of these species seem rather routine these days, but one should remember that they were all considered scarce in the region only a few years ago. Domi and Alexis also took their NatureTrek group to the Coclé lowlands on 5/9, and enjoyed such species as Aplomado Falcon and Straight-billed Woodcreeper. The former species was not known from this part of Coclé until a few years ago, and the latter was only recently found to populate a small area of rice farms near Juan Hombrón. This striking species was formerly best-sighted, in the region, at the Tocumen Marsh area, but this locale is under development and now closed to the public, so we are delighted to have a new "hotspot", and grateful to the owners of the Juan Hombrón rice fields for their accomodation to birders. Another visit to the El Chirú area, on 5/3, led by Tino Sanchez, yielded the endemic Veraguan Mango, now considered common in the area. Check out Matt Miller's blog regarding the taxonomic issues surrounding Anthracothorax mangos in Panamá; Matt is a researcher with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and his new blog promises to be an outstanding resource regarding Panamanian birds. On 5/3 Tino found a Black-bellied Wren at Valle Chiquito, south of El Valle. This is a fairly high elevation for the species, but regular visits to this new birding spot have found it to be regular at the locale. Finally, a rather brief report was shared of a possible Fasciated Tiger-Heron spotted by Tino, on 4/22, on the streams around the Canopy Adventure. This would be a new species for the region, but one that was not totally unexpected; this is the tiger-heron most likely to venture into the Panamanian foothills, a habitant of fast-moving streams and rivers, and is known from similar elevations and habitats to the east and west of El Valle, at Nusagandi and El Copé. I hope to be able to present documentation of this sighting in the near future. (ed. note: George Angehr, the current ranking expert on Panamá's birds, visited the area a few days later, relocated the heron, and identified it as a probable immature Fasciated Tiger-Heron).
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