Xenornis

Raúl Arias forwarded this report by Allen Chartier: While birding from the top of The Canopy Tower, a small bird appeared in the top of a small Cecropia tree below eye level about 30-40 feet away. The bird was viewed in Zeiss 10 x 42 binoculars. I recognized it immediately as a Blackpoll Warbler as it had the characteristic bill shape of a North American Wood Warbler. The head was olive-green with a distinct dull whitish line over the eye, and a whitish throat. The back was olive-green with 4-5 distinct, bold streaks. As the bird moved, I was able to see that it had two white wing bars, and white tails spots (seen only from above when the bird briefly flicked its tail). There were narrow, but distinct streaks on the sides of the breast and flanks. I called the bird out so that others could see it (Nancy my wife, and 3 other birders from California who were only slightly familiar with the species). I also checked the rear flanks and under tail coverts to be sure they weren’t buffy or ye...

The following report from Dodge Engleman was also received deviously: Karl and Rosabel took Lorna and I to Las Macanas 19th and 20th. We picked up the ANAM girl, Marina Gómez, and went out to the lake. The north end, where the tower is, yielded +/- 100 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, with at least 5 Fulvous Whistling-Ducks being seen at one time. Seemed like more, but most seen at once was the 5. The thick-leaved shallow water vegetation was pretty obscurring and most good sights were of flying birds: all fulvous with black wings and white rump patch. a couple seen standing revealed the white scalloping on the sides. Bills and feet dark gray, but with all the immature Black-bellieds around, this wasn't a good field mark. In the south branch there was a strung out raft of 250-300 ducks viewed from less than 100 yds with the light at a 90 degree angle. I say less than 100 yds because I could have flown a wedge into them. All were Lesser Scaup with females out-numbering males about 6-1...

His formerfieldeditorshipness himself Dodge Engleman (kinda) sent us the following report: Lorna and I went to El Valle as a guest of Raúl [Arias] on December 3d --4th. Rain prevented much birding but during a spell in the weather on the AM of the 4th, we did get the Tody Motmot and Eye-ringed Flatbill. Raúl and his birding manager, Danilo, say the Motmot is fairly regular along the trail below the Chorro Macho falls. On the AM in question, while I was awaiting Lorna and Raúl at the trail head, Danilo went in and heard it calling. He came to fetch us and we heard and saw it against the banks of the creek side ravine. Of interest to me, while it perched quietly on an arching horizontal branch about three feet above the ground, it would twitch its tail slowly back and forth as is the wont of its larger relatives that have a raquet-tail! I managed a shitty recording and it showed little interest in playback. Perhaps because the recording was shitty. Eye-ringed Flatbill. I report this beca...