Xenornis

The PAS fieldtrip to The Road to Darién (i.e. the Bayano area) was a complete success (i.e. they found and photographed a bird I have never seen). The following images of a male Golden-green Woodpecker were taken by Olmedo Miró. Bonus female Black Antshrike , also by Olmedo Miró.

Alexis Guevara, Carlos Aguilar and Euclides Campos found (and photographed) an Oilbird at Vistamares Trail in Cerro Jefe, roosting in a tree about 4 meters off the ground. Also seen were Russet-crowned Quail-Dove , Striped Woodhaunter , a flock of Tacarcuna Bush-Tanagers , and a single Blue-and-gold Tanager .

This photo was taken by José Carlos García near the Río Mono bridge in Bayano, sometime in June. The bird was identified as a Mangrove Cuckoo , which, though rare during the boreal summer, has been reported in Central Panama in June. As fas as I know, there are no records of over-summering Yellow-billeds in Panama, and the yellow bill seems to rule out all those southern vagrants, but if you have any better guesses do chime in.

Seven years after our initial (and lucky) sighting of a pair of Lanceolated Monklets during the yearly PAS fieldtrip to Santa Fe, Veraguas, we did it again. On Saturday, July 14, at around 7:45am we found a pair at pretty much the same spot: the place where the "Primer Brazo del Río Mulabá" crosses the road beyond Alto de Piedra. They were both singing, and very active. One of them flew in and called back at our tapes. Attached is a photo. Along the recently-fixed road to Guabal we found many Inga trees in flower, attended by many Green Thorntails , both male and female.

I visited El Real, Darién from 15-18 June with a party including Robert Dean, Kevin Easley, Dev Joslin, Ron Hoff, and Holly Ann Myers. We found Large-billed Seed-Finch and Yellow-hooded Blackbird at the El Real airport, both evidently established and likely breeding. Photos of both species taken by Kevin Easley are attached. Large-billed Seed-Finch Oryzoborus crassirostris A male was seen on 15 June at about 4 PM at the airport (all party members except Easley). The bird was larger than a Lesser Seed-finch, almost entirely black, with a large whitish bill and a prominent small white speculum on the bend of the wing. It was seen perched from about 10 m away. The following morning the entire party returned to the airport and saw several additional males (at least three), some of them singing. One bird was noted to have white wing linings when it flew. I recorded the song and Easley obtained photographs. I saw a probable female on 17 June on the Pirre Road, but was not certain. A singing...

José Carlos García and Billy Sandoval sent in a June 2, 2007 report (with photos!) of the endemic Azuero Parakeet from the boundaries of Cerro Hoya National Park, near the town of Cobachón. They saw 3 different flocks of about 12 individuals that were moving back and forth in the more open hilly areas close to forest. Locally this parakeet is known as “guaquita” (i.e. little macaw), because from distance, when perched, it resembles a miniature version of a Great Green Macaw. Lelis Navarete sent in the following highlights from a birding expedition to Panama from March 24 to April 06 2007: Gray-breasted Crake - Heard at the grass field across the road from the San Lorenzo preserve ranger´s headquarters while waiting to pay the entrance fee to the place. This is a species I know very well from the amazonian range in southamerica where a fairly common bird in the right habitat. Heard on March 26/2007. Dunlin - One single bird was seen at the Costa Este in the Panama bay mud flats. The...

On Saturday, May 20, a select crew of hardy Panama Audubonites (Bill & Claudia Ahrens, Solange Anchor, and Darién and Delicia Montañez) braved the calm seas and crisp, beautiful rainy-season weather for an afternoon of seabirding around Islas Frailes. A harbringer of the exciting things to come, casual pre-lunch scanning from Venao Beach produced about five Bridled Terns and ten Brown Noddies mixed in with a small flock of Black Terns. Later, when walking down to the boat that we would call home for the following four hours, we found three Elegant Terns with the Laughing Gulls, two flying and one standing on the beach. Things got more interesting once we were about 2 km offshore, with the appearance of a largeish, all-dark Storm-Petrel that we're calling a Black Storm-Petrel , as well as numerous Bridled and Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies , some carrying fish. Frailes del Sur were covered in birds, most likely nesting. The population of the bigger, southern island was very ...

Ariel Aguirre continues his treks to Quebrada Bonita (La Cascada) trail in Chagres National Park. Highlights are Sunbittern on March 23 and Marbled Wood-Quail on March 27. José Tejada sent in a list of highlights from the first six months of his tenure as Burbayar Lodge's birdmonger. Highlights (of the highlights) are as follows: Central American Pygmy-Owl around the lodge and Plumbeous Hawk on the red trail on Sept. 5 2006. Great Green Macaw on waterfall trail on Sept. 10. Green-crowned Woodnymph on El Llano-Carí Rd about 3 Km north of Burbayar on Nov. 18. A possible Tawny-breasted Flycatcher (a bird similar to the common Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher but with distinctly darker orange underparts), on the red trail on Jan. 27, 2007. Slate-throated Gnatcatcher on El Llano-Cartí Rd on Jan. 28. Green Manakin on the red trail on Jan. 29. Chestnut-collared Swifts and a pair subadult Harpy Eagles on El Llano-Cartí Rd on Jan. 31. White-fronted Nunbird, Red-billed Scythebill and Thicket Antpit...

While on the Panama Audubon fieldtrip to Summit Ponds, Rosabel Miró located a barely-visible Agami Heron stealthily walking among some twigs on the far side of the left pond. Also seen on fieldtrip day were two Capped Herons, as well as a couple of Yellow-green Tyrannulets. The Agami was also seen near dusk on Saturday the 14th by Ariel Aguirre and José Tejada.

After kind of trying for the week before, we finally succeeded at seeing the Summit Ponds Agami Heron. The Canopy Tower's Carlos Bethancourt was there with a group, which I suspect was what convinced the bird to show up. Also seen was Capped Heron and the ever-present Boat-billed Herons. These two photos (shown here for documentation purposes only) were digiscoped by Carlos, photoshopped by me. It seems the latest string of rainy days has replenished the bird's usual haunts, because it's been a couple of days since it was last seen. We'll try for it early on Sunday, before the Panama Audubon fieldtrip.

The Canopy Tower's Carlos Bethancourt sent in a scattering of reports from him and his colleagues: Agami Heron at Summit Ponds on March 1st . Great views at pretty much the same spot where one was seen last year. This is my 6th sighting of this bird at this location. Pheasant Cuckoo at the entrance of Pipeline Rd. on Feb 28 and on I had a Rufous Nightjar seen by Alexis Sanchez at the entrance of Pipeline Road on Feb 27, then again on March 3 with John Coons's FieldGuides group.

We received a second-hand José Tejada report of two Harpy Eagles seen this morning from the mirador beyond Nusagandi.