Xenornis

El pasado fin de semana fuimos Euclides Campos y Rafael Luck a visitar las Tierra Bajas de Chiriquí, en vista de la lluvia continua en Boquete, que era nuestro destino original. En los potreros camino a  Puerto Armuelles encontramos un    Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.  En la reserva de Petroterminales en Charco Azul (al sur de Puerto Armuelles) reportamos las siguientes aves: Baird's Trogon, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Riverside Wren, male and female de Black-hooded Antshrike, Charming Hummingbird, Blue-throated Goldentail, Fiery-billed Aracari, y media docena de Mangrove Cuckoos, entre otras aves. Al dia siguiente, domingo, al grupo se agregaron Olmedo Miró y Milagros Sánchez, con destino a Batipa y en busca particularmente de la Yellow-billed Cotinga , que afortunadamente encontramos. La Cotinga nos llego de sorpresa en unos arboles con frutos al borde de la carretera, antes de la casa del centro de operaciones (frente a un laguito y como a unos 150 metros de...

After my family hopped the bus back to El Valle early last week, I spent a few long days chasing some target birds from the Burica Peninsula through Fortuna to lowland Bocas del Toro. The first major highlight was a male Yellow-billed Cotinga found at the end of the road at Chorcha Abajo on 24-10; the bird was present but distant even for a scope view when I arrived, but I waited almost two hours for it to come in closely enough for a clear i.d. Thank you to Kilo Campos for his reports for this area, which gave me the faith to keep waiting! On the 25th I visited the Burica Peninsula, but bad weather early in the day, combined with confusion as my Charco Azul access, served to limit my success. Nonetheless, the road leading uphill just before the Petroterminales access yielded a male Common Yellowthroat and a female-plumaged Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The water level on the Quebrada Mellicita was very high, so I could walk in for 100 yards or so (even with good boots), but still a...

During the first weeks of January, I spent a few days birding in the Chiriquí highlands and foothills of Bocas del Toro with some friends, looking for some of the Talamanca range endemics. On January 5th a male Masked Duck and a Masked Yellowthroat were seen at Volcán Lakes. The next day we had a White-fronted (Rough-legged) Tyrannulet on the way to the ANAM headquaters at Respingo, where we saw a Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl close to the main building. On January 7th a single White-throated Flycatcher (juvenile) and two Bran-colored Flycatchers at Volcán Lakes. The following day we moved to Rancho Ecológico Willy Mazu. The birding was superb around the area yielding White-crowned Manakin on 8th; Lanceolated Monklet, Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager, Dull-mantled Antbird, plenty of Yellow-throated Bush-Tanagers, a Black-headed Antthrush (heard only) and a good bonanza for the day: a male Bare-necked Umbrellabird on the 9th. On 10th at the Verrugosa trail, Ochre-breasted Antpitta almost...

Last July 26 I went on a boat trip out of the Port of Pedregal near David, Chiriqui to check-out the mangroves in search of the Yellow-billed Cotinga. We saw Mangrove Black-hawk, kingfishers, and other usual suspects. Worth noting were a troop of about 20 Squirrel Monkeys nearby the port of Pedregal. We stoped by the house of a gentleman in one of the "islands" formed by the meandering river on the eastern side of the eastuary near the mouth of the river. We were surprised to see Keel-billed toucans, Chachalacas, Crimson-backed tanager, Lance-tailed Manakin.. we inquired the fellow living there for the Cotinga, and he replied that yes, they have seen "puerqueras" (the local name for Tityras, because of their calls). He went on to say that yes, there was one kind with a red face and one with a yellow "face". Those were of course encouraging news. He also said that there is a "zigua" tree in front of his house where both these birds come to feed. U...

Loyda Sánchez sent a report of the birds seen on the PAS fieldtrip to Boquete, Chiriquí. The bird of the trip was definetly the Yellow-throated Euphonia. The group also visited Cerro Batipa in the lowlands, where they saw many Yellow-billed Cotingas. Hi, good reports from Boquete, Chiriqui. The Thanksgiving dinner at Hotel Panamonte was GREAT!!! The weather was fine except for Saturday (it rained a little), Contingas at Batipa were plentiful on our way back on Sunday. And I had TWO lifers!! Thursday, Nov 26, 1998: Our best bird is the Yellow-throated Euphonia, of which we saw 3 individuals, 2 females, 1 male. At first we though it was the Thick-billed when we saw the male's yellow throat but then we saw the females, whitish underneath and yellow at the flanks. Very small forecrown in the male confirmed our wishes. The yellow throat line at the sides was not straight; it had like a dent in the direction of the nape of the neck. Birds were seen by Judith Anguizola, Abdiel Baules, Wal...