Chiriquí Report, by Ken Allaire
Just wanted to pass on a couple of the better sightings of the last few very rainy days in the Volcan area. At Finca Hartmann on 25/8 I found a Stripe-breasted Wren , I think a bit more than halfway up to Ojos de Agua, the first good pathc of forest I encountered en route. When I heard the bird it struck me as odd for the area, without really thinking about its usual range, so I employed playback, and the bird came in immediately and lingered for a minute or so, not 3m away. I collected audio of its response to playback, which will be posted on xeno-canto when I return home. I believe this would be a first record for Chiriqui- I'm hard-pressed to explain this, but anecdotal evidence from the Hartmann family suggests that heavy rains in the area drive some species to different locations, possibly explaining the wren's foray onto the Pacific slope. Also excellent for the area was a Bronzy Hermit , which came in to a plaintain tree as I was taking a bathroom break, of all t...
