Xenornis

A Black Noddy was seen on the Islas Frailes del Norte, Pedasí, Herrera. Also seen were hundreds of Brown Noddies, Bridled and Sooty Terns and Brown and Blue-footed Boobies. A Black Noddy was seen on Islas Frailes del Norte (Las Monjas) at 5:00 P.M. on September 12th, 1998. It was observed by Débora Herrera, Evelyn White, Rosabel & Karl Kaufmann, and Delicia, Darién & Camilo Montañez. The day was overcast, and the sea was relatively calm, allowing for excellent views of the bird. Also, the noddy was standing at eye level, which only made things easier. Observation time was about 15 minutes, and we got as close as 3 meters from the rock, and thus the bird. The Frailes del Norte was full of (breeding?) Brown Noddies, so we had plenty of birds of all ages to compare it with. The Black Noddy was first noted by Rosabel, who picked it out from the ones surrounding it by its brighter white crown. It did not move from its spot in the rock, but would sometimes look the other way, so we h...

Loyda Sánchez and Charlotte Elton saw a bunch of Snail Kites and a male Purple Martin flying over Lake Gatún at Nueva Providencia, Colón.

A female Purple Martin was in a flock of Gray-breasteds on the wires at Gamboa.

A Yellow-throated Warbler was seen by Solange Anchor, Loyda Sanchez and Jose Tejada on Sunday, September 6 at Parque Omar around 1230 midday. A single specimen, it was very close to the parking area of the National Library and Jose got it on videotape. Jose Tejada had seen this same bird the day before and recorded it with his video camera also. Its behaviour was very much like the Black-and-white Warbler, moving about the main and adjacent trunks of the Caribbean Pines. At times it went flying to the Teak trees that are next to the pine trees. Supercilium was white throughout (Dendroica dominica albilora).

Dannie George et al saw the male Blue Seedeater at Cerro Campana. A pair of White-tailed Hawks and a few warblers were also reported. Our crew of four went to Cerro Campana on Saturday, September 5, looking for the Blue Seedeater, migrant warblers, the Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, and the red-crowned Ant-Tanager. The latter species was on Mark Letzer's hit list. Mark was visiting from Baltimore, and has birded extensively in Panama, but had never seen the tanager. The others in the party included Maria Allen, Sue Follett, and Daniel George, the undersigned. The real objective of the trip was the Blue Seedeater, last spotted by Sandy and Wally Murdoch, and Maria Allen, Saturday afternoon, August 8, 1998, along the road beyond the INRENARE office. This was the weekend of the PAS fieldtrip to Cerro Campana. The group was also armed with information from the former Fieldeditor, Dodge Engleman, with precise instructions where to find the Blue Seedeater in the park gardens. His instructions...

José Tejada discovered (and video-taped) a Yellow-throated Warbler on the pines around the parking lot of the National Library at Parque Omar. Also seen was a Willow Flycatcher (vocalizing) and a pair of Shiny Cowbirds.

A light phase adult Swainson's Hawk was seen soaring over the parking lot of the PCC training center at Balboa. September is way too early for this migrant to arrive to Panama, and this is the first sighting of any migratory raptor for this season that I'm aware of.

A single Vaux's Swift was seen in a flock of Short-taileds by the PAS birdwatching course at Summit Ponds. Also seen at the same place were a pair of Blue Cotingas, and (to my knowledge) the first Red-eyed Vireo of the season.

On their drive up Cerro Campana, María Allen and Wally and Sandy Murdoch encountered a pair of Blue Seedeaters right by the road.

Loyda Sánchez et al report a Hook-billed Kite on one of the Madden Road trails, Soberania National Park. On one of the Madden Road trails, Soberania National Park (close to tower #12), a male Hook-billed Kite was seen through a Leica APO Televid scope (Eyepiece B 20x to 60x) on Sunday, August 2, 1998 by Judith Anguizola, Carmen Martino, Jose Tejada and Loyda Sanchez. The bird was first inside the forest, it was disturbed by our presence and when we approached went flying just below canopy. It then perched on a horizontal branch. It was observed for about 15 minutes, distance was about 50 meters. Its upperparts were slaty gray, plain gray below (no barring observed), we were all able to see its small yellowish spot in front of whitish eye.

Loyda Sánchez and José Tejada visited Costa del Este, where they found Gray Gulls, Elegant and Caspian Terns, and a few Royal Terns.

Easily a hundred, and possibly more, Gray Gulls were seen at Costa del Este on high tide. We also saw many Elegant Terns and one Caspian Tern . Last week's rains have flooded Costa del Este, creating two different ponds that were full of seabirds during high tide on Saturday and Sunday. They were mostly cormorants, but also Lughing and large groups of Franklin's Gulls, not to mention the Gray Gulls: about 25 were counted on Saturday, and at least a hundred were present on Sunday. Also, a small flock of Surfbirds in full breeding plumage, small flocks of Elegant Terns, a few Common Terns and one Caspian among the commoner Gull-billed and Sandwich's Terns. The ponds were noticeably smaller on Sunday, so it would be wise to check them ASAP, unless it keeps on raining. Expect an article about the Gray Gull Saga on the next Toucan