Xenornis

Darién Montañez spent a week with Dale Herter and Alan Clark on a whirlwind tour of Central and Western Panama birding spots. Following, the cream of the 430-species crop. 24th: Bronzy Hermit, Black-throated Wren, Gray Catbird and Olive-crowned Yellowthroat at the Chiriquí Grande dump/oil tanks road. 25th: All three Spinetails, Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner and Worm-eating Warbler at Volcán Lakes. 27th: Anhinga, Least Bittern, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbil and singing Willow Flycatchers at Las Lajas Beach. Slaty Antwren at Santa Fe, and Fulvous Whistling-Duck at Las Macanas Marsh. 28th: Bare-crowned Antbird and Stripe-breasted Wren on Achiote Road.

A group of Panama Audubon board members went with a handful of WHSRN conference atendees for a morning of birding on Fortuna's Continental Divide Trail. The highlight was a mixed flock with a Black-banded Woodcreeper, Slaty and Rufous-rumped Antrwens and a Rufous-breasted Antthrush.

It's only natural for a couple of rarities to pop up after five days of 90+ birders combing central panama for all things avian. Highlights include Red-tailed Hawk and Black Swift at the Canopy Tower, Ornate Hawk-Eagle at Achiote Road, Yellow-green Tyrannulet both at the base of Semaphore Hill and at the Metropolitan Nature Park, Great Jacamar on Pipeline Road, and Tody Motmots at El Valle.