Xenornis

Ernesto Rodríguez sends these photos of a Cattle Egret colony near the airport in Santiago, Veraguas.

Complementando el excelente reporte de Jan Axel Cubilla, enviamos pruebas fotográficas de nuestro viaje a Cobachón (Euclides Campos "Kilo" y Rafael Luck, en donde en 24 horas y saliendo desde ciudad de Panama, logramos ver y fotografiar al endemico Perico Pintado siguiendo las instrucciones de Jan Axel y los conocimientos del área de Kilo. También aprovechamos y enviamos fotos adicionales de la visita al Cope ( Ave Sombrilla y Trogones Colirrayado y Ventrinaranja ).

El pasado domingo 16 de agosto, Hildegar Mendoza, Osvaldo Quintero y mi persona nos encontramos con Rafael Luck y Euclides Campos (luego que observaran Azuero Parakeet y Great Green Macaw en una intrépida gira a Cobachón el día anterior) en el Centro de Visitantes de el Parque Nacional GDDOTH (El Copé). Ya Rafael y Euclides habían caminado el sendero de La Rica (Snowcap trail), encontrando varios individuos de Bare-necked Umbrellabirds y un Lattice-tailed Trogon. Siguiendo sus instrucciones logramos observar TRES Umbrellabirds con crestas pequeñas vocalizando... el más grande con piel desnuda roja en el cuello parcialmente oculta (como se aprecia en la foto por Quintero). Había otro individuo (más pequeño y curioso) con algunas plumas blancas en el pecho (probablemente un grupo familiar en su época post-reproductiva?). También logramos observar una bandada mixta compuesta por varias especies de tanagers (Tawny-capped, Speckled, Black-and-yellow), por lo menos tres Yellow-throated ...

As I came down the road from the Ranger station at El Respingo on Aug. 13, 2009, this covey of Spotted Wood-Quail walked along the side of the road, then crossed right in front of me. This was the best I could do with these lifers at my feet!

Cerro Azul denizens Steve Luce and Michael Cooling sent in these photos of fellow Cerro Azul denizen Yellow-eared Toucanet, taken from their porch last friday.

Bartolo Tumolo sent in this photo of a Southern Lapwing diving at him in defense of the 3–4 fledgelings he was trying to photograph. He reports having seen over 30 individuals at a pond near Pedasí during the dry season.

Les "Marco" Lieurance sent in this still from the male Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker he videotaped from his Cerro Azul terrace apartment last Friday. The Lieurance's blog has an account of their first jaunt down Xenornis Trail, and is definitely worth a read, so click on.

We are getting some nice weather here in the montañas. Kay and I went up above Boquete yesterday, to the Culebra Trail, and FINALLY got some good pics of the Green-fronted Lancebill. We've seen this hummer a number of times on the river there for the past 2 yrs or so. And though we almost got some pics on 2 different occasions, had never gotten any good ones. As always, luck played a big part yesterday. Of course, digiscoping and hummers are not exactly a winning combo. BUT........I got even luckier. After our cooperative Lancebill flew downriver, I left Kay by the rio for a coupl'a hrs. She wanted to see if the Lancebill returned, hoping for more/ better digiscope pics. (It never returned). I walked up the trail. Since I had my mud boots on, I decided to walk up some of the little quebradas that spill out of the steep forest, crossing the trail. On one of them I saw a little crab in about 4" of water. Since I was standing in the shallow water, I knew that the least am...

Panama Rainforest Discovery Center 's Carmela Luciano reports that a Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo was seen walking the walkways right by the visitor center last Friday morning. The bird, which was snapping its bill all along, had rather muted colors, so it might have been a young bird.