[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Brian Rapoza on 20:32:46 08/02/13
In Reply to: TAS Panama Trip posted by John Boyd
Thanks John, for a great trip report.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Canopy Tower Family for making this amazing Panama tour possible. Our primary guide, Carlos Bethancourt, once again proved he is one of the best in the business. Also providing expert guide assistance along the way were Eliecer and Danilo Rodriguez and Alex and Tino Sanchez. Thanks to the staff at both Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge for making us feel at home during our two-week stay and to all our drivers for keeping us safe while on the road. Thanks also to Jerry and Linda Harrison, formerly of Jacksonville, for opening their hummingbird-filled home to us during our visit to Cerro Azul. Special thanks to Canopy Tower founder and president Raul Arias de Para for hosting us during our stay at Canopy Lodge; it was an honor to finally meet this neotropical ecotourism pioneer. Finally, thanks to trip participants Bob and Alice Pace, Ted and Barbara Center, Bruce and Nancy Moreland, Ann Wiley, Ruth Baker, David Schaffter, Beth Shilling and Carol Schoeck, plus of course John Boyd; the trip wouldn't have happened without you!
Here's a report for the day John missed due to illness, followed by a comprehensive bird and mammal trip list:
Friday, July 26: Altos del Maria is a gated mountain community east of El Valle that is owned by the Melo Corporation, Panama s largest poultry producer. The area was once heavily deforested for cattle grazing, but a massive tree-planting effort has restored much of the forest habitat. Nearly 60% of the property is permanently set aside for preservation; 90% of each lot must remain undeveloped. Much of the area we visited remains almost completely undeveloped; the only house we passed was the castle-like residence of Melo Corporation s founder. Though most of the roads in the development are paved, most are steep, so four-wheel drive vehicles were used.
At our first stop, the guides quickly located a pair of Brown-billed Scythebills. Minutes later, a thunderstorm sent us scurrying for the safety of the vehicles. After nearly an hour, the rain and lightning ceased and we were able to resume birding. We parked near a tree where male and female Snowcaps and a White-tailed Emerald were actively feeding. Blue-throated (Emerald) Toucanet and Red-faced Spinetail were found nearby. Other birds seen in this area included Scaled Pigeon, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Tufted Flycatcher, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren and Common Bush-Tanager.
Before lunch, we explored a paved trail system around a pond and along a stream. A Neotropical River Otter exited the pond and scurried across the road soon after we arrived. Nesting Long-tailed Tyrants, a Masked Tityra battling a Tropical Kingbird and a Lesser Goldfinch were among the birds seen around the pond. A Dull-mantled Antbird was heard along the stream, but it never made an appearance. A Clay-colored Robin nest was found near the gazebo where we had lunch; the parent cautiously delivered food to its young while we ate. After lunch, we hiked up a steep hill. Purplish-backed Quail Dove were calling along the hillside, but remained invisible to us. New species added in this area included Russet Antshrike and Pale-vented Thrush; a female White-ruffed Manakin was also seen.
Bird List (* species not listed in John Boyd's trip report)
Great Tinamou
* Little Tinamou (H) - Pipeline Road, Valle Chiquito (El Valle)
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Black Guan
Gray-headed Chachalaca
Crested Bobwhite
White-tipped Dove
* Gray-chested Dove Canopy Lodge
Scaled Pigeon
Pale-vented Pigeon
Short-billed Pigeon
Rock Pigeon (I)
Plain-breasted Ground-Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
* Purplish-backed Quail-Dove (H) Altos del Maria
* Ruddy Quail Dove Pipeline Road
Common Potoo
Common Pauraque
Lesser Nighthawk
Band-rumped Swift
Short-tailed Swift
* Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Canopy Tower
White-necked Jacobin
White-tipped Sicklebill
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit
Green Hermit
Long-billed Hermit
Purple-crowned Fairy
* Black-throated Mango Ammo Dump Ponds
Long-billed Starthroat
Garden Emerald
Violet-headed Hummingbird
* White-tailed Emerald Altos del Maria
* Snowcap Altos del Maria
White-vented Plumeleteer
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
Crowned (Violet-crowned) Woodnymph
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
Violet-capped Hummingbird
Blue-chested Hummingbird
Greater Ani
Smooth-billed Ani
Groove-billed Ani
Squirrel Cuckoo
* Striped Cuckoo Mata Ahogado (El Valle)
* Sunbittern Canopy Adventure (El Valle)
* White-throated Crake (H) Ammo Dump Ponds
Gray-necked Wood-Rail
Purple Gallinule
* Common Gallinule Juan Hombron Road
Wood Stork
Magnificent Frigatebird
Brown Booby
Anhinga
Neotropic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
White Ibis
* Roseate Spoonbill
- Panama Viejo
Rufescent Tiger-Heron
Boat-billed Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Cattle Egret
American (Great) Egret
Great Blue Heron
Cocoi Heron
Green Heron
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
* Tricolored Heron Panama Viejo
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilt
Southern Lapwing
Wilson's Plover
* Semipalmated Plover Panama Viejo
Wattled Jacana
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Western Sandpiper
Willet
Short-billed Dowitcher
* Laughing Gull
- Panama Viejo
Turkey Vulture
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
Black Vulture
Osprey
* Gray-headed Kite Canopy Tower
Pearl Kite
* White-tailed Kite Miraflores Locks, Canopy Tower
Swallow-tailed Kite
Black Hawk-Eagle
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Double-toothed Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Snail Kite
Common Black-Hawk
Savanna Hawk
Great Black Hawk
Roadside Hawk
White Hawk
Gray-lined Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Tropical Screech-Owl (H)
Spectacled Owl
Mottled Owl
Black-throated Trogon
Orange-bellied Trogon
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Black-tailed Trogon
White-tailed Trogon
Gartered (Violaceous) Trogon
Tody Motmot
Broad-billed Motmot
Rufous Motmot
Whooping (Blue-crowned) Motmot
Ringed Kingfisher
Amazon Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
American Pygmy Kingfisher
Great Jacamar
White-whiskered Puffbird
Barred Puffbird
Pied Puffbird
Black-breasted Puffbird
White-necked Puffbird
Spot-crowned Barbet
Chestnut-mandibled (Black-mandibled) Toucan
Keel-billed Toucan
Collared Aracari
* Blue-throated (Emerald) Toucanet Altos del Maria
Crimson-crested Woodpecker
Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Cinnamon Woodpecker
Black-cheeked Woodpecker
Red-crowned Woodpecker
Crested Caracara
Yellow-headed Caracara
American Kestrel
Bat Falcon
Orange-chinned Parakeet
Brown-hooded Parrot
Blue-headed Parrot
Red-lored Amazon
Mealy Amazon
Yellow-crowned Amazon
Brown-throated Parakeet
Lance-tailed Manakin
Blue-crowned Manakin
Golden-collared Manakin
* White-ruffed Manakin Cerro Jeffe, Las Minas Road (El Valle), Altos del Maria
Red-capped Manakin
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
Blue Cotinga
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher
Black-tailed Flycatcher
* Thrush-like Schiffornis (H) Pipeline Road
Speckled Mourner
Masked Tityra
Cinnamon Becard
White-winged Becard
Golden-crowned Spadebill
Sepia-capped Flycatcher
Olive-striped Flycatcher
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
Olivaceous Flatbill
Yellow-olive Flycatcher
Yellow-margined Flycatcher
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant
Southern Bentbill
Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant
Mistletoe (Paltry) Tyrannulet
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Brown-capped Tyrannulet
* Forest Elaenia
- Pipeline Road, Metropolitan Park
* Gray Elaenia Pipeline Road
Greenish Elaenia
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Lesser Elaenia
Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
Bright-rumped Attila
Piratic Flycatcher
Rufous Mourner
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Panama Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Lesser Kiskadee
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Streaked Flycatcher
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Long-tailed Tyrant
Bran-colored Flycatcher
Tufted Flycatcher
Tropical Pewee
Dot-winged Antwren
Checker-throated Antwren
Moustached Antwren
Pacific Antwren
White-flanked Antwren
Slaty Antwren
Great Antshrike
Fasciated Antshrike
Plain Antvireo
Spot-crowned Antvireo
Barred Antshrike
Black-crowned (Western Slaty) Antshrike
Spotted Antbird
White-bellied Antbird
Chestnut-backed Antbird
Bicolored Antbird
Dusky Antbird
Streak-chested Antpitta
Black-faced Antthrush
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Plain-brown Woodcreeper
Northern Barred-Woodcreeper
Spotted Woodcreeper
Black-striped Woodcreeper
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Straight-billed Woodcreeper
Streak-headed Woodcreeper
Plain Xenops
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner (H)
Pale-breasted Spinetail
Green Shrike-Vireo
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
Scrub Greenlet
Golden-fronted Greenlet
Lesser Greenlet
Yellow-green Vireo
Black-chested Jay
Mangrove Swallow
White-thighed Swallow
Southern Rough-winged Swallow
Gray-breasted Martin
Long-billed Gnatwren
Tawny-faced Gnatwren
Tropical Gnatcatcher
* Scaly-breasted Wren (H) La Mesa (El Valle)
Southern House-Wren
White-headed Wren
Plain Wren
Bay Wren
Rufous-and-white Wren
Song Wren
* Buff-breasted Wren Ammo Dump Ponds, Metropolitan Park, Valle Chiquito (El Valle)
White-breasted Wood-Wren
* Gray-breasted Wood-Wren Las Minas Road (El Valle), Altos del Maria
Rufous-breasted Wren
Black-bellied Wren
Tropical Mockingbird
* Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush (H) Mata Ahogado (El Valle)
* Pale-vented Thrush Altos del Maria
Clay-colored Thrush
Yellow-crowned Euphonia
Thick-billed Euphonia
Fulvous-vented Euphonia
White-vented Euphonia
Tawny-capped Euphonia
* Lesser Goldfinch Altos del Maria
* Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch
- Las Minas Road (El Valle)
Black-striped Sparrow
Orange-billed Sparrow
* Common Bush-Tanager Las Minas Road, Altos del Maria
Red-breasted Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Yellow-billed Cacique
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Scarlet-rumped Cacique
Chestnut-headed Oropendola
Yellow-backed Oriole
Yellow-tailed Oriole
Giant Cowbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Shiny Cowbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Buff-rumped Warbler
Rufous-capped Warbler
* Rosy Thrush-Tanager (H) Metropolitan Park, Valle Chiquito, Cara Iguana (El Valle)
Dusky-faced Tanager
Red-throated Ant-Tanager
Red-crowned Ant-Tanager
Carmiol's Tanager
Highland Hepatic-Tanager
Blue-black Grosbeak
Buff-throated Saltator
Black-headed Saltator
Slate-colored Grosbeak
Streaked Saltator
Bananaquit
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Rufous-winged Tanager
Bay-headed Tanager
Emerald Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager
Plain-colored Tanager
Speckled Tanager
Blue-gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
Golden-hooded Tanager
Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch
Green Honeycreeper
Sulphur-rumped Tanager
Black-and-yellow Tanager
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Shining Honeycreeper
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis
Blue Dacnis
Blue-black Grassquit
White-lined Tanager
Flame-rumped Tanager
Crimson-backed Tanager
White-shouldered Tanager
Tawny-crested Tanager
Gray-headed Tanager
Thick-billed Seed-Finch
Variable Seedeater
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Ruddy-breasted Seedeater
Saffron Finch (I)
Mammal List
Central American Woolly Opossum
Hoffmann s Two-toed Sloth
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth
Nine-banded Armadillo
Lesser White-lined Bat
False Vampire Bat
Orange Nectar Bat
Common Tent-making Bat
Geoffroy s Tamarin
Panamanian (Western) Night Monkey
White-faced Capuchin
Mantled Howler
Variegated Squirrel
Red-tailed Squirrel
Western Pygmy-Squirrel
Central American Agouti
White-nosed Coati
Kinkajou
Neotropical River Otter
Collared Peccary
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]