Xenornis

In the early afternoon if Sunday 21 November 2010 on the Achiote road, I saw a Sharp-Shinned Hawk perched high in a moderately-foliaged roadside tree near the first bridge on the approach to the village. It did not move for at least half an hour, providing prolonged clear sightings from front and rear. Its plumage matched perfectly the illustration in Ridgely, except that the relative widths of the grey and white tail bands were reversed. From behind, the tail showed three narrow white bands and a narrow white tip. The iris at first appeared more yellow than the illustration but later, when it turned its head towards the hazy sun, it showed redder. The similar species mentioned by Ridgely, Tiny Hawk and Double-Toothed Kite, could confidently be ruled out. It twice uttered screechy two-tone calls. Amongst other sightings on or near the Achiote Road were Royal Flycatcher (crest folded but still unmistakable), Black-Breasted Puffbird, Bay Wren (with their buzzy chatter) and a floc...

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...