Xenornis

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.