Xenornis

I spent 4 days in the Cerro Colorado area from 23 to 26 January with Ramón Pineda Jr as guide. Most notably, we found a young Glow-throated Hummingbird ( Selasphorus ardens ) being fed by its mother, both of which were photographed. I base the identification as Glow-throated mainly on location (4km east of Cerro Flores on the new road to Llano Tugrí, at 1250m) and the white bellies of the birds. According to all books and my own experience, the Scintillant is not found to the east of Cerro Flores, and according to Ridgely, the very closely related female Scintillant Hummingbird ( Selasphorus scintilla ) has a cinnamon belly. My theory after several visits is that the dividing line between the ranges of Scintillant and Glow-throated Hummingbirds is the ridge that separates the San Félix and Tabasará river basins. Cerro Flores forms part of that ridge. The “main” road to Cerro Colorado runs more or less up that ridge, then turns off it slightly to the west at about 1500mt and aft...

A group from New Orleans—David Muth, Phillip Wallace, Dan Purrington and Mike Tifft— visited Panama July 31-Aug 10. We hit Plantation Rd. (photos and video of calling So. Bentbill), Rainforest Discovery Center and Pipeline Rd. (Blue Cotinga, Scaly-throated Leaftosser) while in Gamboa (2 nights at Soberiana Research Station). After that we went west to Fortuna and Finca la Suiza (2 nights). From there we visited Willie Mazu ( Barred Hawk , but otherwise rain and fogged optics) and the area up at the continental divide ( Brown-billed Scythebill ). Then west to Los Quetzales in Chiriqui-- 3 nights. We stayed up at Cabinas #9. From there we went to El Valle, and stayed at Canopy Tower 2 nights, then a night at Albrook Inn. Despite our short visit, we were delighted to get a half day tour from Danilo Rodriguez. The morning walk up the El Convento Trail was slowed by rain, but still memorable. Danilo made it up to us by meeting us at 5 p.m. and showing us, in short order, Mottled Owls, Tod...

While exploring Panama for their third time, members of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, led by Advantage Tour's Guido Berguido, birded the Cerro Gaital Nature Monument and other cloudforest ridges above El Valle on January 24th, 2009. Despite the constant bajareque in the mountains close to 3,000 ft., we managed to push on and were rewarded with a few interesting sightings including Brown-billed Scythebill, Snowcap, Tufted Flycatcher, Black-and-yellow Tanager and many individuals of the punctulatus race of the Common Bush-tanager. I was particularly glad to see a few Rufous-browed Tyrannulets in the mixed flocks, and very happy to learn that tour member Michael Nelson had taken some shots (see attachment). This was only the second time I ever see this species : ) We were quite delighted to find numerous warblers on the flocks including Canada, Mourning, Blackburnian, Black-and-white, a pair of Golden-winged Warblers, and even Wilson's and one Yellow-throated Warbl...

On March 16 visiting bird tour guides John Coons and John Rowlett birded the Xenornis Trail with Dave Kluber and myself. We saw and/or heard many of the specialities - Brown-billed Scythebill, Black-headed Antthrush, Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Black-eared Wood-quail, Slaty-winged Foliage-Gleaner, Striped Woodhaunter, Plain Antvireo, a very tame Tawny-Throated Leaftosser etc., - but no Xenornis. However, there was a pair of Stripe-throated Wrens. As far as I know, the first record of this species in the area was two years ago on the north side of Cerro Vistamares, in rastrojo. Until then, the species had not been recorded west of Nusagandi. This new record is from the west side of Cerro Vistamares, in heavy forest. The birds were identified both by sight and by voice. There was again no sign of Black-headed Brush-finch. I have come to the reluctant conclusion that if nobody sees it soon in the Cerro Jefe-Cerro Vistamares area, we shall have to assume it has been...