Xenornis

MacGillivray's Warbler and Ruby-throated Hummingbird seen at Raton Comunity (Comarca Gnabe) on January 18. I saw two other MacGillivray's at Volcan Lakes and Hotel Dos Rios on February 10 and 11. Bonaparte's Gull seen at Panama Viejo on February 10 and April 7 at Panama Viejo Mudflats. A big group of Violet-green Swallows (over 50) were seen at Volcan Lakes on February 10. They were flying really low close to the water, field marks were really evident with its unique rump and face pattern. Some individual were seen through the scopes. Melodious Blackbirds are around Hotel Dos Rios (Volcán) where two were seen on February 11. Crimson-bellied Woodpecker showed up around the ground of Sierra Llorona Lodge on April 6. I think this is the second report of this rare woodpecker close to The Panama Canal, the first report is from Pipeline Road. Next day was even better around the hotel grounds at Sierra Llorona, with a Crested Eagle perched on the top of a tree for more ...

The Boquete Melodious Blackbird is still around. Says Facebook that Jason Lara and Rafael Gutiérrez saw it at the same Garden Inn last week. And now, Deibys Fonseca confirms that the weird sounds she and Venicio Wilson heard at Finca Ceriana, Volcán, were indeed Melodious Blackbirds, too.

During my last trip Bocas del Toro, I decided to do birding close to the border of Costa Rica to check if any new bird species had established itself in Panama. I, Euclides Campos, was a companied by Laura Reyes and David Santos. We drove from Changuinola to Guabito area where we took the road down to Las Tablas town. Continuing through the town, we reached a place called Sinostres, Finca Centinella where we discovered a Melodious Blackbird which flew across the road and perched on the top of a palm tree for a few seconds. We had just enough time to make the identification. Then I used playback to lure it back and suddenly two birds popped out.