highlights November and December 2025

 Hello all, 2025 is almost over. I wanted to share my highlights of the past two months with you. In November, birders discovered a white-crowned Sparrow on the Caribbean coast. It was a vagrant and this bird had last been seen in Panama in 1982, making it the second record. I thought it was quite special to find this bird, which I did with Patricia and yes, we found it. Not a new bird for me, having seen it once in the USA, but a new bird for Panama.

We were lucky because the next day it was not there anymore.

Another highlight... a Potoo on the farm. They've been living on our farm for quite some time, and I've seen them in the dark, seen them fly by a few times and of course, heard them a lot. But this time I saw the Potoo sitting on a branch above my head while I was birdwatching. I showed the bird to Hans, as you see in the video. 

 And that day I was waiting for it to open its eyes and fly.

 Fun to do that. I took a picture... after that, it wasn't possible anymore, too dark.

During these two months, I often went birdwatching, including a few days with Hans. Now I had the time and besides all the work at home, took advantage of it. I also decided to participate in the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). That was quite a while ago. Here in Boquete on December 14th and in Volcan on December 21st. In Boquete, we went out with quite a few people and we did quite well. It's not an official circle yet but I think that will happen, judging by the results. 

Lots of new faces and very enthusiastic people. The group I was in was fun...all people from healthcare, like me in the Netherlands. It was mentioned that there were two people there who were beginners, well, truly superb birders...they're passionate about it!

 What I found a real highlight was when one birder explained to the two "beginners" that it's absolutely unwise to use recording to attract birds. My birding heart leaped... finally, someone who sees and understands... because now that many more young people want to be... or become... bird guides, I'm increasingly seeing recordings being used. Unfortunately, even by experienced guides/birders. I understand that they often feel pressured by their clients or employers, but also because they don't want to "fail." I'm not going to explain why you shouldn't use it. Anyone can Google that and if you think wise  about it, you don't even need Google. 

Below is a video of the sound of a Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl. I was birdwatching in the forest and heard it. It was supposed to be a new bird in that forest, so I quickly went there to confirm it. (Then I'll pass it on to the owner of the forest, because it's private property and the owner always likes to hear when a new bird has been spotted on their properties.)

Long story short... it was a tape, an experienced guide was playing for clients who were with him. I was a bit shaken up afterward.

Well on a happier note.... this was our Christmas Boquete group...I really enjoyed it and we counted a lot of birds:

December 21st was fun in Volcan and the surrounding area. I was with Patricia and we visited two private farms. We counted quite a few birds. We had more or less the same weather conditions on both count days. In Boquete Circle, we saw and counted a total of 258 different species, and in Volcan Circle, 213. You can find the trip lists on E-bird.

Here's one good photo from the Christmas count... I didn't take many because I was too busy counting :)

It is the red faced Barbet..I think it is really a Christmas bird.

Just a few more days and then a new year with new stories and adventures!

Happy New Year!!

Greetings from Terry

October 2025

 Hello! 

It was a wet October, but still good moments for good birding. The highlights I will mentioning in this story. Of course 11th of October was global big day and of course I did go out the whole day. Did start around 6 am and ended the day at 6pm.  The last years I did go to same places in Boquete, but there were birdwatchers who did go to those places. And important is to spread out and so I did. Of course I did start on our farm and then I did go up to higher elevations..there was one place in Boquete where it looked like the most "light" place...in the sence of the weather. A lot of places in Boquete were rainy and cloudy. I kept it dry and was birding  mostly in the clouds, but bird wise it was a great morning. Of course I know the place there very well, that helps. Then you know where the birds are. I was there 2 times before  in that week. A lot of  berries! The black faced Solitairs were singing and very active (in the fog)...

Also that day a HUGE amount of Swainsons Thrushes!

 After this morning ..I went home and Hans cooked already...so I ate , checked some lists from other birders and yes best was to go to the place what I already was planning to go...  even had a short time sun. Did see clouds coming in and out. Did use for 5 minutes my umbrella. Fortunately I could add the wedge-tailed grass-Finch to the Panama list! I was not expecting this bird...she flew in front of me up and landed down in long grass and then that rain did start. What a moment!

It was a great afternoon! 145 different birds I did mostly see and hear this day. Here the link... https://ebird.org/lifelist?r=world&yr=BIGDAY_2025b&sortKey=obs_dt&o=asc  you can see the list.

In May big day, Panama did really good, now a little bit less because it was bad weather in most areas. Many more people went birdwatching on the big day. I think it's also because the Minister of the Environment is trying to get people excited. A great stimulance.

I also see that many more young Panamanians are starting to enjoy birdwatching. Great !

A few times I did go to the coast area. In the Netherlands I was a coast/ river birder...but since I live in Panama, I love the highlands and not a big fan of going to the hot coast. So that is why mostly lately I do see new birds (lifers) when I go to the coast/rice fields.  We did go to find the Cattle Tyrant. Ann my friend she did see him/her first. Thank you Ann!!!   (mmmm why is this an other letter type ..😓)

So the goal was reached! Another goal was to eat a nice fish on the beach!

mission completed :)

Hans and I always celebrate our anniversary on October 31th. This year we've been together for 49 years and we always celebrate  with an outing. Hans and I wanted to eat that fish again and ...of course, I brought my binoculars. We walked a bit on the beach and also explored the wetlands on the other side of the beach. I saw a Tern hunting for fish in a small lake in the distance and managed to take a picture of the bird. Later it turned out that it was a Caspian Tern.

A new bird for me in Panama. Then it was absolutely bizarre when I did see a northern Shoveler among three blue-winged Teals. I did not realize that that was also a new Panama bird for me. I've seen those ducks a lot in the Netherlands of course. Maybe I should brave the heat more often and go to the coast!I am by the way amazed that I do see more and more Eurasian collared Doves along the coast. Love their songs , reminds me of ..yes..the Netherlands.

Well we are going into the November month, the weather is changing into dry season. A lot of migration birds did arrive or are still migrating. Crazy busy on the farm here, a lot of fun!

While gardening, painting and doing jobs around and in the house..my ears and eyes are wide open!

Until de next story!!

greetings from Terry

what happend with September 2025?

Hello, hello... yes where is that month September 2025... it flew by and when I am writing this story... it is already 2th of October...

Anyway it was a good month, almost no guests..a lot of work done in our farm and on the cottages and our house. And of course some trips to different areas, with friend, alone and with Hans. The migrants are coming through, so I am as always up early and walk in town, in restaurants, in city with my binoculars...because you will never know what shows up.

Did go to the beach and rice fields with my birding friend and did see good birds and always traditional eating fish on the beach. Loads of roseate Spoonbills:

I love all birds..but my passion is "the little hard to find birds"

Wetland birds...sea birds... in the Netherlands I was pretty good in it...living next to the wetlands.

But since I live in Panama(27 years), I have to admit, I get a bit slow with the wetland/ seabirds.

Next coming week we go again and I promised myself to prepare myself more.

I had a talk with Hans this morning, he loves the idea of the fish:), so we go also more together.

What was very cool is the immature bare necked Tiger Heron with adult, I think I even get my hubby happy with that...next to the fish:)

Love to check  the birds on the beach...

Did see a juvenile northern Jacana eaten by a great Egret, unfortunately the picture is not fantastic, but here the Egrets...brutal, but well that is nature...

Another animal what stick his head out was a Coyote, always pretty cool to see...

Yes the area on the coasts with all the rice fields beach and wetland is pretty cool there and  the road gets better and better, so in the nearby future we will be in an hour on the beach. They work hard on the road.

You can also find a Eurasian Dove there , I have the idea that they spread out..well that is what Doves do right?

I did do some nice trips  with...myself.

To a lot of areas. Here 10 minutes in the cloud forest this nice buff fronted Quail Dove flew up in front of me and he did let me take this picture and even a video...on my you tube channel to see. 

Such a pretty Dove, mostly hidden in the forest. 

Well and of course in this time  the migration.

Two pretty good pics of these very active Warblers:

Wilsons Warbler male:

Chestnut sided Warbler female:

They will meet this fiery-billed Aracari

or this nice road side Hawk:

hope for the Warblers a friendly one...

I always wonder, when those Warblers and Vireos..on their first trip to the south... are they freaking out? when they see all those  new birds, insects and other dangers. Just a thought.

Well I think this is it, in 9 days I will be busy with the big day (11th of May) you will find a story in my blog next time.

In the meantime..maybe I have to buy a new book, the duck tape is getting old :)

Greetings  from Terry.

in August 2025...

 Hello :)

yes in August 2025..it was great weather overall... lots of sun, not too much rain...unusual for the time of the year and so good for me. I did do a lot of birdwatching... jobs in and around the house and some good hikes with the dogs (and yes with my binoculars)

I did go and check "our" Potoo... was amazed that she/he was  for a long time on her same post. This was the first picture that I took on 8th of August:

And this on 24th of August:

and this one on the 31th of August:

On the 31th of August she/he was sitting 2 posts further away, so that means she /he was busy to be more "outdoors".

I did go back 4th of September and she/he was not there anymore. It was fun to follow her/him.

In August I did go with Patricia, another birder, to the caribbean area, just after the continental divide (Palo seco nature reserve) Was fun, next to nice birds, we did see a Sloth and a Tayra and a Coati.

I did go alone on a Sunday to the Fortuna nature reserve, did find a nice new trail and spend a lot of hours there. 

A nice white nosed Coati was crossing my path. Scale crested pygmy tyrants were very active...

and very good view on a black bellied Hummingbird male....

I did go a couple of times to our other farm and did see suddenly an uniform Crake, 

 first time there. Of course I did not have my camera with me only my phone...

Bad video, but I am happy with it, because they are pretty elusive.

Normally you will find them down below the 1000 meter, but I did learn, it is possible that they can come higher in altitude. In our case 1150 meters.

The last day of August I treat myself on a visit in Potrerillos area, around a half hour drive  from us, 950m altitude. I know there a great place and  did not go there for a while. Still a great place..different birds . The barred Antshrikes were pretty active.

Almost every day I do watch birds on our own farm...now it is getting of course even more exciting...because the migrants are coming through. A nice surprise was  a cerulean Warbler...

But also one of the first ones with the cerulean(26th of August) was the western Wood Pewee (20 of August first one), a Louisiana Waterthrush, black and white Warbler, American Redstart, blackburnian Warbler. And the 25th of August the first black throated green Warbler on another farm.(1850m)

Still we did have quite a bit of immatures in the month of August... did see even the last days of August immatures of lesser Goldfinches, bay headed Tanagers, black throated Jays, yellow headed Caracara, variable Seedeaters, blue black Grassquits, yellow faced Grassquits, yellow bellied Seedeaters....as you see a lot of seedeater immatures...because in these months there is a lot of seed always, so they do nests later in the year. 

Above an immature orange billed Nightingale Thrush

While I am writing this story, the month September did start already and yesterday I did go to the wetlands with a bird friend...but that is a story for next time.. but also there... still young birdies....

juvenile black-bellied Whistling-Ducks :)

Next time more...

Happy birding!

Terry

That was July 2025

Hello readers, July was still a month of many immature birds, but especially in the third week of July, I saw many birds molting, which means their song is diminishing, they're more subdued and there's more hiding. Except for the birds that still have loudly begging babies. For seed-eaters, this July is a time of abundant seed and for these birds, there's more song and courtship. So yes, I'm often found in open fields during this time. The hummingbirds in our garden are happy. Thanks to the rain and sunshine, there are plenty of flowers, so the feeders aren't really necessary. That will change in a few weeks when the weather gets wetter. Although due to climate change...I don't know anymore...the "weather" is acting strange here in Boquete too. We've often had summer weather... often a northerly wind, which is actually more noticeable in December, January, February, and March.

I've had plenty of time to watch birds for at least two hours every day... on our other farm and here on the farm. I've been out to other areas a few times. My highlight was definitely the immature Potoo. I went a few times with Hans and also with Ann. You've seen that I've already mentioned this Potoo in my blog. It's fun to see the feathers changing; the wings are longer, and the tail is longer. She/he will soon fledge. I happened to go and see her/he a few days ago, and she/he was still sitting on her/his perch.

Another July highlight was walking around our other farm when I suddenly saw a uniformed Crake flying into a tree. Never seen one on the farm before. I didn't have my camera with me, but I took a picture with my phone. Pretty special!

It was also remarkable to see an older, immature orange-billed nightingale thrush chased away a younger one(same nest)from our feeding platform. It was quite intense and harsh, actually... even though the parent seemed to be okay with it... but now I'm humanizing it a bit :)

On my Youtube channel is also a video of the two immatures.

And of course I did go a few times higher up in the mountains...a cute black faced Solitair juvenile, perching in between her /his food...berries:

And  from our balcony with my scope I took a picture of  the adult streaked Saltator feeding  immature. 

\

I did go to the continental divide, hope to go tomorrow again...maybe a few highlights for my next story of August 2025!! :)

On the last picture the yellow throated Toucan, always nice to see them...

Greetings from Terry

https://www.youtube.com/@terryvanniekerktinamoucott7548

https://ebird.org/profile/NjIxMjky/world

Common Potoo immature!

 

Okay next week I will write my July story...but I cannot wait to share with 

you  one of my high lights from the month.

This cute and cool common Potoo. On our farm I hear them  and a few times did see them.

But I never did see an immature Potoo, so here it is. Just along a road.

I was happy to share this in a second visit with Ann, my bird buddy.

Greetings from Terry

scaly breasted Wren

                                         Always special to see a scaly breasted Wren. 

The alarm calls you hear are from the gray-breasted Wood-Wrens.

The scaly breasted Wrens are mostly very shy, but probably I was passing their nest side or their area, in July they are very active, a lot of nice high note songs you will hear in the forest, but to see them is another thing. But when you have a lot of patience and wait..sometimes you will see them

New story of the month July will come soon in this blog.

Greetings Terry