Xenornis

Barry Zimmer sends in the highlights of three Panama tours led on October and November. Blue-footed Booby - 100+ off Costa del Este (east of Panama City) October 19 feeding very close to shore; more impressive was more than a thousand along the beaches (and covering an offshore island) off Santa Clara and near Juan Hombrón November 12 Swallow-tailed Kite - two from the Canopy Tower October 18 seemed very late. I have not seen them here in October before. Sharp-shinned Hawk - one at the Canopy Lodge in El Valle November 8 was the first I have seen in that area of Panama Collared Plover - pair at Panama Viejo October 23; only my second for Panama Long-billed Curlew - one found and photographed at Panama Viejo October 23; this is the third or fourth time I have seen one at this location in the last ten years (maybe the same bird coming back to winter each time?); attached photo Black-billed Cuckoo - one seen on La Mesa above El Valle October 25; only my second in Panama Touit speci...

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...

I wanted to send in a report for Xenornis of some of the more significant sightings during my visit for the last half of October. On October 17th, Danilo Rodriguez and I heard (only) a pair of Stripe-cheeked Woodpeckers on the Caribbean slope of Las Minas Trail, near El Valle (good audio was captured). These birds have now been present in the area for at least 5 months, and we are on the alert for signs of breeding. Other good finds at Las Minas were a calling Black-headed Antthrush, large numbers of Black-and-yellow Tanagers, a Spot-crowned Barbet, a pair of amorous Ornate Hawk-Eagles, a point-blank Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, and a flock of at least 10 Yellow-eared Toucanets. A field trip to the western limits of Altos del Maria on 10/19 (also with Danilo) yielded Black-crowned Antpitta, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, White-tailed Emerald, Snowcap, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, and Purplish-backed Quail-Dove. On 10/22 I took a trip with Danilo, Eliacer and Rodrick Rodriguez to ...

Marshall Iliff sent in reports for his three consecutive VENT tours to Panama. Highlights below: 2 Feb. Altos del María: 1 White-tipped Sicklebill, 12 Snowcaps, 4 Orange-bellied Trogons, 2 Spotted Barbtails, 3 Spotted Woodcreepers, 2 Plain Antvireos, 2 Black-crowned Antpittas, 2 White-ruffed Manakins, 1 Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, 15 Tufted Flycatchers, 12 Ochraceous Wrens, 5 Tawny-capped Euphonias, and two Black-and-yellow Tanagers, among more expected foothill species. Our one new sighting for the area was a single Brown Violet-ear singing from a high perch. We did not see this bird well, but I recognized it as a Violet-ear from its persistent single chip note that it delivered from a high perch. When we found the bird it was easily identifiable as Brown Violet-ear by its short bill and its brownish coloration with pale underparts without darker pattern or iridescence. Green Thorntail – We had three females and one adult male at El Valle 3 Feb. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – We had two bi...

Michael Gaston Harvey sent in the following report: I'm not sure if anyone still recieves these reports, but I thought some sightings from the last few months in El Valle/Altos del Maria would be of interest. I, along with Danilo Rodriguez and various other people, have found several unexpected species to be present and even common in the right habitat in this area. Barred Hawk, Black Guan, Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, White-tipped Sicklebill, Green Thorntail, Rufous-crested Coquette, White-tailed Emerald, Snowcap, Purple-throated Mountain-Gem, Orange-bellied Trogon, Tody Motmot, Blue-throated Toucanet, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, White-throated Spadebill, White-thighed Swallow, Ochraceous Wren, Pale-vented Thrush, and Blue Seedeater all seem to be present fairly reliably, many of them in numbers. Other species seen on occasion include Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Black-crowned Antpitta, and Rufous-browed Tyrannulet. The Mountain-Gem, Snowcap, Spinetail, Barbtail, and Wre...