Xenornis

A single Gray-and-gold Tanager was discovered in a small flock of Speckled and Golden-hooded Tanagers at Calle Maipo, Altos de Cerro Azul, by Bill Adsett, Gilles Seutin, Darién and Camilo Montañez and Jan Axel Cubilla. It was a little bulkier than the others and, since the tree where they were perched had few leaves, the differences were clearly visible. Its plumage was silvery-gray, with black wings and tail. It had a black mask, separated from the black speckling on the chest and sides of the neck by an all-white throat. The speckled chest showed a slight golden tinge. The westernmost report of this Darién species is that of a single bird seen twice on the road to Nusagandi in 1983, and that is about 50 Kilometers East of Cerro Azul. The following is the original report, from The Toucan, Vol. 10 No. 2, February 1983: At appoximately one-third of the way into El Llano-Cartí Road, in a second growth forested area on the edge of the road a basically all gray tanager with black mask and ...

After spending 2 frustrating days trying to see the Tawny-faced Quail at the end of Calle Maipo at dusk, hearing them but not seeing them, yesterday (Sunday) we decided to play back the call at about 3.00pm. Much to our amazement, we got responses. Having called one bird in to spitting distance without seeing it, and then losing touch we went on to look for easier prey such as tanagers. I then heard a quail calling back along the trail and went to investigate. This was an areawhere you can see into the undergrowth. I first saw two small birds on the opposite side of the trail from the one which was calling. They walked quickly away, but I was able to clearly see the brown wing coverts mottled with buff (or grey?) and darker brown (or black). The pattern was clear, but it was not easy to determine the exact colours in the shady undergrowth. The other bird was giving the single note call; when I eventually located it it scurried off which did not help in getting a good look; nevertheless...

Bill Adsett, Gilles Seutin, Darién and Camilo Montañez and Jan Axel Cubilla visited Xenornis Trail in the morning. Things were rather slow, but we had some interesting species: Green-crowned Brilliant, Slaty Antwren, male and female Speckled Antshrike (seen separately), Slaty-winged Foliage-Gleaner, Tacarcuna Bush-Tanager, Black-crowned Antpitta (heard), and Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker (also heard).

Bill Adsett, Gilles Seutin, Darién and Camilo Montañez and Jan Axel Cubilla spent most of the day at Cerro Vistamares Trail. The weather was mostly miserable, rainy and windy, and the birds were mostly quiet. But things changed when we went past the clearing. A small mixed flock with Dot-winged and Checker-throated Antwrens had a Stripe-throated Wren, unknown west of Nusagandi. It was the same color as the Checker-throateds, but the black and white streaking extended beyond the throat all the way to the cheeks of the bird. Also, its wings and tail had the characteristic barring like most wrens have. It foraged quickly among the tangles about two meters above the ground, and it did not make a sound. The following is Bill's report: On Saturday, Jan 22, there was a pair of Stripe-Throated Wrens feeding in a viny tangle about 15ft above the ground on the Cerro Vistamares Trail just beyond the first clearing. I should estimate the altitude to be between 650 and 750 mts. There is an area...

Jan Axel Cubilla found a male One-colored Becard scolding from a fruiting tree at the first bridge after the Bayano, on the road to Darién. It was similar to the White-winged Becard, but clearly lacked the white wingbars. The One-colored Becard is usually thought of as a Darién specialty, but actually it is commoner on the Bayano River Valley.

José Tejada stopped briefly at Panamá Viejo to scan a large flock of gulls on the rocks behind the visitor center. And, sure enough, one Gray Gull was mixed in with the Laughing Gulls. He also picked out a few Franklin's Gulls. The Gray Gull had not been reported in Panama since early 1998, when we had many reports thanks to El Niño (see The Toucan Vol. 24 No. 4).

Bill Adsett, Darién and Camilo Montañez and Jan Axel Cubilla stopped early morning at what used to be La Jagua (the dirt road to the right, right after crossing the bridge over Río Chico, on the road to Chepo). We had six sightings of Northern Harriers, of at least two different birds, all females or juveniles. Also seen were Savanna, Short-tailed, and Zone-tailed Hawks, plus a gray Merlin and both caracaras. Also, a Capped Heron, right next to the road.

Pacific Bird Count: 313 species. Central Bird Count: 260 species. Atlantic Bird Count: 323 species. These numbers will certainly change as we finish compiling each count. The final results will be published shortly.

Lined Seedeater and Pomarine Jaeger at Ft. Sherman (Gilles Seutin), American Pygmy-Kingfisher, Parasitic Jaeger, and Ring-billed and Herring Gulls at Galeta Island (Karla Aparicio), Blackpoll Warbler on the road to the Brazos Golf Club and Black-throated Green Warbler at Skunk Hollow (Darién Montañez), Hooded Warbler at Rancho Ramos (Jan Axel Cubilla), Agami Heron, Hook-billed Kite, Barrred Hawk, Rufous-crested Coquette and Bare-crowned Antbird at Achiote Road (José Tejada), Montezuma Oropendola and Yellow-faced Grassquit also at Achiote (Loyda Sánchez)...

A bunch of Palm Warblers were seen at Ft. Sherman (Gilles Seutin, Bill Porteous), and a female Black-throated Blue Warbler on the road to the Brazos Golf Course (Delicia and Darién Montañez).