Xenornis

Ruby Zambrano and the birdwatching course found a Crane Hawk eating something on a tree just past the gate to the Mono Tití Road, casually before the STRI Crane. Further on the road they found a Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant.

An adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle was seen on Achiote Road, Colon, between the first and second bridge. Also of note that day was a male American Kestrel on the fields past the Gatun Spillway. On sunday, october 24th, Rosabel and Karl Kaufmann and Darién Montañez went over to the Atlantic Side to add birds to our NTT world bird count list. The Snail Kites were at their usual haunt on the pond by the railroad crossing past the entrance to Ft. Davis, perched on the fenceposts next to the water. The grassy fields on the earth dam past the Gatun Spillway produced a male American Kestrel, also perched on a small post. But the bird of the day was, without a doubt, an adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle seen soaring over Achiote Road at noon. Our first guesses ranged from Gray Hawk to Hook-billed Kite (which we were desperately seeking for the count). Its broad, rounded wings and longish tail were barred black and white, and the white breast had bold black splotches. The throat was white and the sides of the ne...

A female Great Jacamar was seen by the group of high-school students taking the birdwatching course on the road up Radar Hill, a few meters after the bridge.

A flock of six Snail Kites was seen flying along the coast at Ft. Sherman, Colón. Also seen was a Savanna Hawk and various migratory warblers. The fields along the airstrip were crawling with shorebirds, including a Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

Charlotte Elton reports 5 Southern Lapwings and 4 Black-necked Stilts from the mouth of the Chagres River, at the recently established San Lorenzo protected area.

Another pair of American Kestrels was reported, this time standing on a light pole on Loma La Pava, near La Locería, right in the middle of Panama City. They were observed carefully through a spotting scope and seemed to be of the isabellinus race of northern South America, as the male had no spots in its underparts. Also, the female showed only a small amount of streaking on the flanks.

The Audubon fieldtrip to Cerro Campana found a pair of American Kestrels close to the mirador by the visitor center.

Just one small flock of Brown-chested Martins was seen today, a few miles beyond the spot where the big flocks were seen last sunday.

Large flocks of Brown-chested Martins were seen on the transmission lines besides the Interamerican Highway beyond Chepo. The Brown-chested Martin is the only austral landbird that migrates to Panama on a regular basis. Therefore, it is a shame that many birdwatchers still need that check on their life lists. But now, and for a limited time only, you can add this tick to your list. This morning, Loyda Sánchez, Judith Anguizola, Karl & Rosabel Kaufmann and Darién and Camilo Montañez went east of Chepo to see if they could find the species and, sure enough, their effort was rewarded with not one or ten, but about a thousand individuals on large flocks. The first one, of about 200 birds, was seen perched on the wires beside the road about halfway between El Llano (just past the turnoff to Nusagandi) and Polin (the next town on the Panamerican Highway). That flock flew off after a short while and joined an even larger flock (maybe 300 birds) on the high voltage transmission lines on th...

Wally Murdoch reports a Capped Heron on a creek by the stables at Howard Air Force Base. On 27 June 1999 at 0640 hours I observed a Capped Heron at Howard Air Force Base. It was feeding in the small stream to the right that crosses under the main road to the base just before the Stables as one travels South. I stopped to observe it better, it saw me and flew into the underbrush upstream. It was about the size of a cattle Egret, entirely white except for the beak which was blue and the top of head which was black.

The Kaufmanns report more than 25 Short-billed Dotwichers on Costa del Este, about four of them were in partial breeding plumage. Also, a Pearl Kite was also seen at the same location.

A Franklin's Gull in full breeding plumage was seen flying along avenida Balboa. The white on the tips of the primaries was especially noticeable.