Xenornis

As a preface, we have these photos of the Kelp Gull reported from Costa del Este by David Uit de Weerd and Lennaert Steen on December 1 . Then we have these photos of a mystery gull seen by Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann at Panamá Viejo during yesterday's Pacific Christmas Bird Count. This is clearly a different bird, with the solid mantle and darker streaks on the head that usually signal a third or fourth year bird and (gasp) pink legs —which would rule out pretty much anything known or from Panama. What do you think? A Western Gull with uncommonly streaky face? A very lost Slaty-backed Gull? Ring-billed Gull included for comparison.

Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann and Darién Montañez went to Costa del Este this morning to look for large gulls. No Belcher's was seen, but the 3rd winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was around, plus three Herrings , a Ring-billed and a few Franklin's .

Jan Axel Cubilla visited Costa del Este for this afternoon's high high tide and found a strange gull with the thousands of Laughing Gulls just east of the bridge. Originally thought to be a Kelp Gull, when it took flight it showed a lot of black in the tail, which could mean he saw a Belcher's Gull. We'll have to wait for his photos to be sure, but it would be a good idea to visit the area tomorrow for an even higher tide at 4:26 pm. [The bird in question was proven to be but a subadult Kelp Gull . Apologies] We waited for the tide to recede and the gulls to reassemble, but could not find the one we were looking for. We did see two or three Herring Gulls , a few Ring-billeds and a young Lesser Black-backed . The beach at Panamá Viejo had two Elegant Terns and a Long-billed Curlew .

Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann, Jan Axel Cubilla and Darién Montañez spent last afternoon's high tide again braving rain and shine to scour through the flock of gulls at Costa del Este. We got there earlier this time, which gave us time for a first stop at Panamá Viejo, where we had a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Herring Gull, a few Ring-billed Gulls, a first-cycle Forster's Tern, a diminutive Elegant Tern in front of a huge Royal Tern, a Franklin's Gull and a Laughing Gull with aberrantly-bright-red bill and legs. Photos by Rosabel Miró. Then on to Costa del Este, where we had pretty much the same as on Friday: at least five Ring-billed Gulls, at least three Herring Gulls, at least two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and the third-cycle type Kelp Gull that has been hanging around for a week or so. Alas, no Kittiwake. Photos by Jan Axel Cubilla.

This afternoon, Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann, George Angehr, Jan Axel Cubilla and Darién Montañez hit Costa del Este at high tide looking for the Kittiwake yet again, with no success on that front yet again. This afternoon's 16' tide pushed zillions of gulls to Costa del Este, and all we had to do was find the rare ones in the massive flock of mostly breeding-plumage Laughing Gulls. The third-cycle type Kelp Gull made a late appearance but stayed in sight for a long while, as did not one but three first-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one of which is shown here next to one of the at least three first and second-cycle Herring Gulls. Also seen were at least five first and second-cycle Ring-billed Gulls (one of which was as ratty as a Herring Gull). Also present were a bunch of cineracens Black Skimmers, a Franklin's Gull, and what proved to be a Laughing Gull with a Heermann's-like black-tipped red bill (the blurry bird inthe middle of all the Laughing Gulls behin...

Karl Kaufmann sent in some photos taken at Costa del Este last Sunday, April 14 whilst looking for Black-legged Kittiwake. The Black Skimmers photographed show the slaty-gray underwing and reduced white on the tail that betrays them for the South American race cineracens. The North American subspecies niger (check your Sibley) would show mostly-white underwings and much more white on the tail. Karl also sent better photos (as opposed to my crummy digiscoped efforts) of the third-cycle-type Kelp Gull, shown in the last two photos in front of a first-cycle-type Ring-billed Gull. Also present was this extremely-bleached Ring-billed Gull (fide tapered bill, yellowish legs, medium size), possibly another first-cycle individual. More interesting is this large first-cycle gull that our sun-tired eyes called out as a Herring while we were there, but that upon closer scrutiny Karl is calling a Lesser Black-backed Gull (and we the editor agree) based on the coarsely mottled bre...

To no avail. Rosabel Miró, Ariel Aguirre and Darién Montañez didn't get to Costa del Este until two hours after high tide, and by then not even the Kelp Gull was visible. At least two Herring Gulls an four Ring-billed Gulls were around, though, and the flock of South American Black Skimmers was up to 25 individuals.

This morning's installment of Find the Kittiwake at Costa del Este had mixed results. Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann, George Angehr, Venicio Wilson, Jan Axel Cubilla and Darién Montañez were unable to find the needle in the haystack, but had some nice consolation prizes anyway. Top on the list was a presumed Kelp Gull of mysterious age, amply photographed. The legs (whih were dull greenish yellow) were not bright enough for anything else that came to mind, but somehow the back color didn't seem black enough, and the bird had too much dusky on the face and nape. The flock had more Ring-billed and Herring Gulls than any of the participants had ever seen together at once. Also present were about a dozen Black Skimmers of the South American denomination (i.e. with little white on the tail, dark underwings and little red on the bill), a dozen or so Elegant Terns, a Caspian Tern, and a Franklin's Gull. We'll probably hit Costa del Este again tomorrow at noon, so more photos ...

Jan Axel Cubilla visited Costa del Este at high tide on February 8 with Osvaldo Quintero, who photographed the group of Black Skimmers that has been haunting the area. On the 12th, Jan Axel returned and found at least four Herring Gulls, a Ring-billed Gull and a Franklin's Gull as well as the skimmers among the hundreds of gulls, and some Red Knots among the hundreds of shorebirds present. Then on February 17 Itzel Fong visited Costa del Este, where she photographed the skimmers and a handful of Marbled Godwits.

Here are some of the pelagic birds we saw during a National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions trip on board of the Sea Voyager from Costa Rica to Panama. Dec 31: During while sailing from Coiba Island to the Panama Canal, some 60 nautical miles west of Punta Mariato I spotted a "rare" tern. After closer observation we realize it was a juvenile Red-billed Tropicbird. It was together with some Laughing Gulls and Black Terns. [A rare bird anywhere away from Bocas del Toro—Ed.] Later during that same afternoon, while looking for whales, dolphins and marine life, we got 2, maybe 3, Pomarine Jeagers. Several pictures where made of these birds. They floated and flied around the boat for over and hour. Jan 2: During the ducking operation at Pier 6 in Cristobal Port we got an adult Parasitic jeager chasing a laughing gull. Also they were several Ring-billed Gulls and a Herring Gull. I am not very sure of this last 2 birds so I hope the pictures and your expertise help.

El grupo compuesto por Gloriela Archbold, Osvaldo Quintero, Rafael Cortéz (quien nos visitaba desde Colombia) y mi persona salimos los días 29 y 30 de noviembre hacia el camino del oleoducto y alrededores. El 30 observamos muy brevemente un Sungrebe (Heliornis fulica) en el lago Gatún desde el puesto de observación del sendero del Centro de Visitantes de Avifauna gracias a Venicio Wilson, Rafael Luck y compañía, quienes localizaron el ave gracias a su sonoro llamado. El lugar es fácilmente accesible y los que ahí trabajan refieren que observan el zambullidor con cierta regularidad (paciencia y scope). Camino al aeropuerto, el 30, Rafael Cortéz y mi persona observamos una Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan) y una Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) en Panamá Viejo. Regresé por mi cuenta el día de hoy (1 de diciembre) a Panamá Viejo y nuevamente observé las cigüeñas (un grupo de cinco) y una Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) inmadura (1st winter) junto a las Laughing y Franklin...

Itzel Fong photographed this first-winter Ring-billed Gull taking a dip in one of the puddles by the new visitor center at Panama Viejo. The Southern Lapwings were also at Panama Viejo, but the Black-necked Stilts were at Costa del Este.