Trip Report - Panama - Part 5 (08 and 09 April 2019)

08 April 2019
Canopy Tower - Canopy Lodge

     I was awake early so I read for a while in bed waiting for the howlers to start to roar, signalling the start of the day. It was time to go up onto the observation deck where hot coffee and the awakening of nature were there for all who chose to partake. An Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) was pausing on the way north.

     Soon, I was joined by Larry, and it struck me how much I would miss him as we departed for the Canopy Lodge in El Valle de Anton, and Larry returned home to South Carolina. It had been a joy to share a week with him.
     Our trip took about two and a half hours, and we proceeded along at a decent pace once we left the greater Panama City area. The number of highway billboards in Panama boggles the mind. They are ugly and mar the landscape but they seem to be a source of information on everything from commercial advertising to politics. Some of them are huge and often two are placed side by side with others a short distance ahead. I think we were well versed in the country's political contests by the time we made it to El Valle! We also knew where to buy a car, check out a new sub division and where to get the best arroz con pollo in town!
     We arrived at the Canopy Lodge just before lunch and after a welcome from Tino Sanchez we were shown our rooms. Everything was very familiar to Miriam and me; we had fond memories from our stay twelve years earlier.

        Perhaps a couple of Blue-grey Tanagers (Thraupis episcopus) were there to greet us on that day too.

     The rooms are just as delightful as ever, but are showing a little wear. We had to fiddle with the lock every time we closed the door, the mats are getting frayed and water oozed out at the base of the faucets each time they were turned on. Perhaps it's time for a maintenance blitz.

     After lunch we spent a little time observing the activity at the feeders, and having watched the live feed from this location for several months prior to our trip, it was fun to witness the comings and goings in real life.
     Thick-billed Euphonia (Euphonia laniirostris) was the most common species and it was rare that at least one was not present, seeming to prefer bananas over all other fruit offered.

    Crimson-backed Tanager (Ramphocelus dimidiatus) is a show stopper of a bird, and it too was a familiar patron at the feeders.

Crimson-backed Tanager ♀

Crimson-backed Tanager ♂

          Red-crowned Woodpecker (Melanerpes rubricapillus) has also developed a fondness for bananas and if you watched the feeder for even fifteen or twenty minutes you were almost guaranteed that one or two would show up.

     It was a source of fascination every day to follow the progress of a pair of Common Tody-Flycatchers (Todirostrum cinereum) as they laboured away at the construction of their nest. They had chosen a location right next to the feeder, but the constant comings and goings of other species seemed to disturb them not at all.

     The nest appears flimsy but appearances seem to belie the truth, for it came through a very heavy rain shower with no apparent damage and the industrious pair continued to work on it.

     Hummingbirds were constantly zooming by, feeding briefly and squabbling and fighting with each other. They may be tiny but their diminutive size does not for one minute diminish their pugnaciousness. 

     Snow-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia edward) was one of the more familiar species observed at the Canopy Lodge.

     At 15h:00 we left with Danilo Rodriguez, Sr. to take a walk up the road to see what we could find. On the way out of the grounds we checked the stream as we crossed the pedestrian bridge and were rewarded with a Common Basilisk (Basilicus basilicus) sunning itself on a rock. In fact this seemed to be a favourite spot, for most days we could find it there.

     He is by all accounts a very handsome fellow.

     The road was quite birdy, but was also busy and we had to be constantly aware of vehicles approaching and be sure to move off onto the grassy verge.

 

         I have to say that for the most part people did not drive at breakneck speeds and always waved a cheery greeting as they passed by. The consequence of the traffic, however, especially in areas that were unpaved, is an abundance of dust and many of the roadside plants were coated with it.

     Hummingbirds were still to be found, however; always exciting, always beautiful.

Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti)

Blue-chested Hummingbird (Amazilia amabilis)

     Butterflies too enlivened our walk.

      On previous visits to the territory of Fulvous-vented Euphonia (Euphonia fulvicrissa) I had never been able to locate it, so I was especially happy when Miriam obtained a couple of decent pictures.

     Rosy Thrush-Tanager (Rhodinocichla rosea) is a species highly sought after by many visiting birders, and in this part of Panama it can be found reasonably easily with a little diligent searching.

    Anyone familiar with the large tanager assemblage will appreciate the level of diversity and the array of truly stunning plumages. Tawny-crested Tanager (Tachyphonus delatrii) is perhaps not the most exuberant of species, but it seems to me to be uniquely enigmatic and very appealing indeed. I was more than happy when we came across a small flock of them.

     Our principal target along the road was the tiniest of the motmots, Tody Motmot (Hylomanes momotula). Unlike the other members of its family it is not prone to perch out in the open, and given its small size and skulking habits can be very difficult to find. Danilo knew of one location where the bird could generally be found with a little persistence. And he was right!

     We are always on the lookout for interesting Coleoptera and this beetle certainly fit the bill.

     Now we have to try to put a name to it!
     After the elation of seeing the Tody Motmot, I thought it was especially considerate of this Rufous Motmot (Baryphthengus martii) to be at the feeding table waiting to greet us on our return.

     We were joined by Danilo to update our checklist and reflect on the glories of the day, aided by a glass of wine and a few nibblies.
     Dinner was very enjoyable - tomato salad, chicken in a delicious sauce, broccoli in peanut sauce, and rice and beans. Dessert was homemade ice cream.
     We went to our room when it got dark and read for a while, checked emails, took a peek at the weather back home and thanked our lucky stars we were in Panama! We turned out the lights around 21h:30 and fell asleep quickly on a very comfortable bed. It was good to be back at the Canopy Lodge.

All species 08 April: Great Tinamou, Grey-headed Chachalaca, Scaled Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Smooth-billed Ani, White-collared Swift, Band-rumped Swift, White-necked Jacobin, Stripe-throated Hermit, Garden Emerald, Violet-headed Hummingbird, White-vented Plumleteer, Blue-chested Hummingbird, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Broad-winged Hawk, Tody Motmot, Rufous Motmot, Green Kingfisher, Collared Araçari, Keel-billed Toucan, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Brown-hooded Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Red-lored Amazon, Mealy Amazon, Cocoa Woodcreeper,Common Tody-Flycatcher, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Blue-crowned Manakin, Red-capped Manakin, Green Shrike-Vireo, Lesser Greenlet, Black-chested Jay (heard), Barn Swallow, Bay Wren, Tropical Gatcatcher, Swainson's Thrush, Clay-coloured Thrush, Thick-billed Euphonia, Fulvous-vented Euphonia, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Orange-billed Sparrow, Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Northern Waterthrush, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Rufous-capped Warbler, Dusky-faced Tanager, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager, Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-coloured Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Tawny-crested Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Crimson-backed Tanager, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Variable Seedeater, Buff-throated Saltator.

09 April 2019
Canopy Lodge - La Mesa - Las Minas Road - Cara Iguana Trail - Canopy Lodge

     I awoke early after a bit of a fitful night. The local roosters seem to crow early - and - loud. By 03h:00 they were in full voice! In addition the lodge is right by the road and at times there was some heavy traffic noise during the night, especially as drivers appeared to gear down to get up the hill, with many a gear box protesting, with assorted clangs, squeals and grinding sounds. 
     I went to get a coffee for Miriam and then sat on the balcony for a while watching the day come alive.
     A Clay-coloured Thrush (Turdus grayi) was sitting tight on its nest, mere metres from our room.

     After breakfast we watched the feeders for a while and a beautiful Golden-hooded Tanager (Tangara larvata) was one of the first birds we saw.

     Grey-necked Wood Rails (Aramides cajaneus) were never shy about invading the feeding table, and with their large size were capable of clearing out the songbirds vying for food. They would often consume quite a bit of fruit on the feeder and then leave with another chunk of banana in their bill - "food to go" so to speak.

     Dusky-faced Tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii) was far and away the most common tanager to visit the feeder; sometimes four or five of them were vying for space.

     Rufous-capped Warbler (Basileuterus rufifrons) is a resident species, very attractive and always a joy to observe.

     It seemed inordinately fond of bathing and could often be seen at the edge of the stream repeatedly immersing in the shallows and tossing water over its back with vigour.
     The wrens of Central America are very appealing and Bay Wren (Canttorchilus nigricapillus) was quite common at the Canopy Lodge. I think I heard it every morning as soon as it got light and it could often be seen near the steps going down to the feeder.

     Grey-headed Chachalacas (Ortalis cinereiceps) were every bit as bold as the wood rails in raiding the feeders and sometimes there would be as many as half a dozen of them demolishing the food supply.

      In the minds of many, the mere word "sparrow" connotes drabness, ignominy, nothing to stimulate interest. Not so with Central American sparrows. How do you like this Orange-billed Sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris)? Now there's a bird that merits a second look!

     Rufous-and-white Wren (Thryophilus rufalbus) was not as common as Bay Wren at the Canopy Lodge, but it was present and showed itself from time to time.

     We set out with Eliecer (Eli) Rodriguez for a morning exploration of the area known as La Mesa and for a stroll along Las Minas Road. 
     Variable Seedeater (Sporophila corvina) was commonly seen and Miriam managed a fine picture of a female.

     This bird appears to have a tick or some other parasite attached to its neck.
     A Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis anthophilus) was finding a range of nectar-bearing plants to its liking.

     As we were watching the hermit a dog approached us, and we could see that it had been in a scrap with a porcupine, and the poor dog was left with quills in its muzzle.

     I hope that the dog learns its lesson and that it has a sympathetic owner to extract the quills as painlessly as possible. It makes you wonder how often this happens to wild animals who then starve to death, being unable to eat.
     Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti) was the most common small dove, usually quite unobtrusive and feeding methodically

     We walked along the road, stopping and birding as necessary, and were impressed by a large colony of Chestnut-headed Oropendolas (Psarocolius wagleri) with birds flying back and forth.

     There was small chapel at the side of the road at one point, representing the cultural heritage of Panama as much as the celebration of religion. Eli mentioned that few people go to church any more, and he thinks those that do, attend services more for tradition than belief. It was an exquisite little building, however.

     The house you can see at the right of the chapel had a system of terraces for gardening with may different crops being grown, especially a variety of herbs.

     Just as we were about to leave a Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) came into view.

     At one point as we walked along Eli heard the sound of a Golden-collared Manakin (Manacus vitellinus) and by careful field work was able to lead us to a lek. The birds were difficult to photograph as the males hopped from branch to branch in their endless quest to attract a female, but here is what Miriam was able to achieve.

      For a really fine picture of this species I am indebted to my good friend Masaru Koyanagi who took this image in the Darien region of Panama.

     A Black-throated Trogon (Trogon rufus) posed nicely.....

     .....as did this Orange-bellied Trogon (Trogon aurantiventris), even though it refused to turn around!

     One of the highlights of the morning was the appearance of a Blue-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis), a very beautiful species indeed.

     A Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) was perhaps on his way to Ontario.

     In total contrast was this Bay-headed Tanager (Tangara gyrola), a resident of the area.

       It was time to make our way back to the Canopy Lodge but Eli knew of a location where Rufous-crested Coquette (Lophornis delattrei) had been sighted and he was anxious to give it a try. Needless to say, we were all bowled over by superb looks at this tiny wonder of nature. Even though we had seen the bird at close range at the feeders at Cerro Azul, this encounter was even more satisfying.

   
     Thank you, Eli!
     Back at the lodge a dragonfly greeted us.

     And a few moths joined in the welcoming party too.

     We had lunch and were able to relax until 15h:00 when we left with Danilo Rodriguez, Jr to visit Cara Iguana. Miriam decided to stay behind and take a break.
     The highlight of this excursion was a Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata), known to be on private property, but accessible to the guides at the Canopy Lodge. It took a fair amount of searching, with the able assistance of the custodian of the property, but the bird was finally found and we were all able to see it.

     The custodian advised us that there is a pair present and he believes they are breeding, and he showed us a hole where he has concluded that the female is sitting on eggs, and he showed us photographs of owlets from previous years.
     I did not take many pictures that afternoon and the only other shot of interest is of the nest of a Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus).

     Back at the lodge Miriam and I walked around a little and a couple of the familiar feeder birds put in an appearance for us. It might have been expected that a Dusky-faced Tanager would be the first.

     Not to be outdone a Grey-headed Chachalaca was not far behind.

     To round out the welcoming committee a Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) let us know that it too was glad to see us.

     Dinner consisted of potato salad, sea bass, stuffed peppers, and rice and beans. It was all very tasty indeed. There was dessert every night, but since I rarely ate it I do not recall what it was. Others, however, ate it with gusto so I have no doubt it was good.

All species 09 April: Grey-headed Chachalaca, Ruddy Ground Dove, White-necked Jacobin, Stripe-throated Hermit, Rufous-crested Coquette, Long-billed Starthroat, Garden Emerald, Crowned Woodnymph, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Grey-necked Wood Rail, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Plumbeous Kite, Roadside Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Spectacled Owl, Slaty-tailed Trogon (heard), Gartered Trogon, Black-throated Trogon, Orange-bellied Trogon, Lesson's Motmot, Rufous Motmot, Broad-billed Motmot (heard), Green Kingfisher, Blue-throated Toucanet, Collared Araçari, Keel-billed Toucan, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker (heard), Yellow-headed Caracara, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Barred Antshrike, Spot-crowned Antvireo (heard), White-bellied Antbird, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Lesser Elaenia, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Grey-capped Flycatcher, Piratic Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, White-winged Becard, Golden-collared Manakin, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-green Vireo, Southern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Scaly-breasted Wren (heard), House Wren, Rufous-breasted Wren, Rufous-and-white Wren, Isthmian Wren (heard), Bay Wren, White-breasted Wood Wren, Long-billed Gnatwren (heard), Swainson's Thrush, Clay-coloured Thrush, Yellow-crowned Euphonia, Thick-billd Euphonia, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Orange-billed Sparrow, Black-striped Sparrow, Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Shiny Cowbird, Giant Cowbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Buff-rumped Warbler, Rufous-capped Warbler, Canada Warbler, Dusky-faced Tanager, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager, Red-crowned Ant Tanager (heard), Blue-grey Tanager, Palm Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Emerald Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Tawny-crested Tanager, Flame-rumped Tanager, Crimson-backed Tanager, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis, Bananaquit, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Variable Seedeater, Black-headed Saltator, Buff-throated Saltator.