Xenornis

Charles Davies, Jan Axel Cubilla, Dan Wade and I made a trip to the Cerro Santiago and Cerro Colorado area from August 8 to 11. The road is now asphalted all the way to Entrada de Hacha (correct name for "Acha" in Where to Find Birds in Panamá) on the Continental Divide, ie beyond the area on the flanks of Cerro Santiago commonly—but erroneously—referred to as Cerro Colorado, where sightings have been made in previous years of the two endemics, Yellow-green Finch and Glow-throated Hummingbird.  We continued beyond Entrada de Hacha on the rough track that after a kilometer or so goes over the real Cerro Colorado and thence to the village of Ratón, where it ends. We stayed right on the Continental Divide at a basic cabin we have dubbed the Yellow-green Finch Ecolodge, about 4 km beyond Entrada de Hacha. Accommodation here costs $5.00 per night—great views and great birds! At and near the cabin we had good sightings every day of the finch and other good birds su...

The following miscellaneous observations may be of interest. The first hummingbird I saw using my newly-installed feeder, on 3 September, was a Long-billed Starthroat. It has returned several times since, though Rufous-tailed now dominate. On one occasion the gorget showed clear lateral projections, befitting the name Starthroat better than the illustration in Angehr. On 12 October I saw a male Purple-throated Mountain-gem at Monte Azul, at about 1000m. Blue cap, purple gorget and white post-ocular stripe were all clear in direct sunlight. This extends the range stated by Angehr a little to the east. On 9 October, at Valle Bonito, five small birds foraging on or near the ground took to the trees on my approach, revealing yellow rumps and flanks. I could not get a definitive sighting but Yellow-rumped Warbler would appear to be only possible identification, in which case they were a full month earlier than the period stated by Angehr. Blackburnian Warbler have been more numerou...

 On Sunday, March 27 2011 Alfred Raab was leading a group of 15 local and visiting birders up to the higher elevations of Altos del María. At 1000 m elevation we saw a male Elegant Euphonia . We also saw 2 Barred Forest-Falcons and a male Purple-throated Mountain-Gem .

Euclides Campos spent a couple of days birding La Amistad International Park. The highlight for October 7 was a pair of Green-fronted Lancebills seen at El Retoño trail. Things turned for the best on October 8, with Ochraceous Pewee, a male Peg-billed Finch (feeding on the seeding bamboo two meters overhead), and a few Slaty Finches. Also recorded were Ornate Hawk-Eagle and a few Purple-throated Mountain-Gems and Barred Parakeets.

Altos del María resident Alfred Raab photographed this Ornate Hawk Eagle this morning, at 1100 m elevation. Also seen in the same area were 2 or more Black Guans and a male Purple-throated Mountain-Gem, both at 1050 m elevation [both at the eastern limit of their ranges.] Earlier in the morning he had a Black-billed Cuckoo at elevation 700 m.

Over the last couple of weeks we have gathered a couple of interesting bird sighting from all over the country. Sapayoa (Oct 6, 2007): While conducting a scouting trip for Advantage Tours in a remote creek in the vicinity of La Marea village in Darién, Euclides Campos filmed for about 3 minutes a pair of Sapayoas. These elusive birds are only found in a few places in Panama. They were foraging close to the ground and under a drizzle common to this month. Blackpoll Warbler (Oct 7, 2007): While conducting an Advantage Tours snorkeling trip at Playa La Huerta , Portobelo National Park, Guido Berguido and Venicio Wilson Altamiranda spotted a 1st year male Blackpoll Warbler . The bird was filmed for around 4 minutes while foraging intensively at a recently-cut bush some 20 meters inland from the beach. After several revisions using Sibley’s Guide to Birds of North America, National Geographic Birds of North America and some pictures from internet we were able to identify this confusing...

The PAS fieldtrip to El Copé, Coclé, had some good reports. Slaty-capped Flycatchers and Stripe-breasted Wrens were encountered frequently and where seen (or heard) by most of the group. Hummingbirds included White-tipped Sicklebill, Purple-throated Mountain-Gem and a possible Snowcap. But the best bird of the trip was a female White-throated Shrike-Tanager seen by María Allen and Hildegar Mendoza on the new trail.