Xenornis

While heading back from Coiba Island to Playa Arrimadero on April 26, rougly 8 to 10 miles away from the Hot Spring Trail, I spotted a large gull that turned out to be a Swallow-tailed Gull . I think it is the third record for Panama of this vagrant. John Hornbuckle, Brian Foster and Rodney Martins were with me during this sighting. Other birds seen were 2 Nazca Boobies, plenty of Black Terns, Brown Noddy and a lot of Red-necked Phalaropes. A White-throated Flycatcher was seen on March 7th at Old Gamboa Road. This is the second record of this difficult to identify Empidonax along the Panama Canal. Just to confirm ID, this bird responded after playback. Red-tailed Hawk adult seen on January 24th at Lagunas de Aruza, Metetí, Darién. This place is located in the back part of Reserva Hidrológica Filo del Tallo.

José Tejada, Rafael Lau and Niurka Castillo found an American Golden-Plover on the mudflats around the Panama Viejo Cathedral. And then there was this: After we ended watching the American Golden-Plover at the mudflats behind the old Cathedral tower, we found possibly the same American White Pelican we'd been watching a couple months ago. To my surprise, the pelican is at the same area as months ago and for a migrant it seems to be pretty confortable at the place it's been using; very cool to observe it again, and as before, a great opportunity to take some more pictures of it.

Jan Axel Cubilla found a few Elegant Terns mixed in with the regulars at the sandbars by the Cinta Costera. Full account at his blog .

Osvaldo Quintero photographed this  Nazca Booby flying above the entrance to Pipeline Road on the morning of April 18.

José Tejada visited Summit Ponds on April 17 and found both Agami Heron and Capped Heron, as well as the usual Boat-billed Herons . Old Gamboa Road produced a  Spectacled Owl , as a bonus.