birds in Caldera

 Today it started with pooring rain in Boquete, so no cloud forest today. When we came back around 11am .... no clouds, no rain...weather here ..totally crazy.
I was with a family non birders, but interested to watch the birds. We did see some birds, it was pretty warm weather, no rain.

Turkey Vulture
cattle Egret
road side Hawk
Pale vented Pigeon(T)
ruddy ground Dove
brown throated Parakeet
blue hooded Parrot
bronze tailed Plumeleteer (Kolibri)
red crowned Woodpecker
southern beardless Tyrannulet
mouse colored Tyrannulet
lesser Elaenia
streaked Saltator
streaked Flycatcher
black Phoebe
dusky capped Flycatcher
great Kiskadee
boat billed Flycatcher
fork tailed Flycatcher
tropical Kingbird
house Wren
clay colored Thrush
yellow Warbler
Summer Tanager(T)
red legged Honeycreeper
blue gray Tanager
Crimson backed Tanager
blue black Grassquit(T)
variable Seedeater(T)
great tailed Grackle
Eastern Meadow Lark

gray breasted Martin
blue and white Swallow
crested Oropendola

Parakeets in Holland

I got this Christmas morning a e-mail from my sis in Holland , she said...why are you not here...we have parakeets too....
Last October I did see more "Halsband parkieten" in Holland then  the years before, they spread out like crazy....

Sendero Los Quetzales...wet, but mixed flocks

Today a day sendero Los Quetzales...we had clouds, rain, bajareque(drizzel)...10 minutes sun...
The birds were hiding , but we did see mixed flocks ....nice birds.
black Vulture
broad winged Hawk
white throated mountain Gem
stripe tailed Hummingbird
fiery throated Hummingbird
red faced Spinetail
spotted Barbtail
prong billed Barbet
hairy Woodpecker
streak headed Woodcreeper
dark Pewee in flight
tufted Flycatcher
yellowish Flycatcher
black capped Flycatcher
gray breasted wood Wren
ochraceous Wren
black and yellow silky Flycatcher

black faced Solitair (in flight)
black billed nightingale Thrush
ruddy capped nightingale Thrush
clay colored Thrush
Wilson's Warbler
black throated green Warbler
collared Redstart
slate throated Redstart
black cheeked Warbler
golden crowned Warbler
flame throated Warbler
silver throated Tanager
spangle cheeked Tanager
sooty capped bush Tanager
common bush Tanager
yellow thighed Finch
chestnut capped brush Finch
yellow faced Grassquit(female)
rufous collared Sparrow
slaty Flowerpiercer


Just a nice picture of one of the beautiful big trees...

I will sleep  with a smile after this day...in my warm bed.....

Sun bathing rufous crowned Motmot

This Motmot was sun bathing in front of our balcony for at least 1 hour...

This year, comparing with other years, we have a lot of Baltimore Orioles in the garden...a lot of immatures, but also the colorful males who are fighting a lot with each other.

Sunday after the Christmas count I stopped to see some birds on the way home , just before Porterillos...
Just a half an hour...
Squirrel Cuckoo
garden Emerald
purple crowned Fairy
lance tailed Manakins
Cherrie's Tanager
variable Seed eater
red crowned Ant Tanager
golden hooded Tanager
was nice!

Christmas bird count 2012 Volcan Panama

CRISTMAS BIRD COUNT - VOLCAN CIRCLE
Sunday 16 December 2012

Since the Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago, it has relied on the
dedication and commitment of volunteer citizen scientists. In other words, it
all starts with you!

The count takes place within "Count Circles," which focus on specific
geographical areas. Each circle is led by a Count Compiler. Therefore, if you
are a beginning birder, you will be able to join a group that includes at least
one experienced birdwatcher. In addition, if your home is within the boundaries
of a Count Circle, then you can stay home and report the birds that visit your
feeder once you have arranged to do so with the Count Compiler.
MEETING PLACE & TIME:
Super Romero in Volcan at 6:30 AM, 16 December

 
The list today from our group who went to Finca Hartmann, Santa Clara

 

Gray headed Chachalaca  5x
Cattle Egret  31x
black Vulture 9x
Turkey Vulture 2x
Laughing Falcon 2x
short tailed Hawk  1x
broad winged Hawk 2x
road side Hawk 3x
yellow headed Caracara  4x
band tailed Pigeon 2x
ruddy ground Dove 1x
orange chinned Parakeet 6x
blue headed Parrot 19 x
green Hermit 1x
long billed Starthroat 1x
rufous tailed Hummingbird  4 x
charming Hummingbird 2x LIFER
white tailed Emerald 1x
blue crowned Motmot 1x
chestnut mandibled Toucan 1x heard
red crowned Woodpecker 1x
lineated Woodpecker 2x
pale billed Woodpecker 1 x heard
streak headed Woodcreeper 3x
plain Antvireo 1x heard
ochre bellied Flycatcher 1x
southern beardless Tyrannulet 1x
yellow Tyrannulet 2x
paltry Tyrannulet 4x
black capped Pygmy Tyrant 1x heard
eye ringed Flatbill 1x LIFER
yellow bellied Flycatcher 2x
white throated Flycatcher 1x LIFER
dusky capped Flycatcher 1x
great Kiskadee 2x
great Crested Flycatcher 1x
social Flycatcher 1x
boat billed Flycatcher 1x
tropical Kingbird 1x
greenish Elaenia 1x
masked Tityra 1x
Turquoise Cotinga 2x LIFER
white ruffed Manakin 2x
lesser Greenlet 1x
yellow throated Vireo 1x
Philadelphia Vireo 2x
red eyed Vireo 1x
rufous breasted Wren 1x
house Wren 1x
tropical Gnatcatcher 4 x
orange billed nightingale Thrush 1x heard
clay colored Thrush 1 x
tropical Mockingbird 1x
golden winged Warbler 2x
Tennessee Warbler 1x
tropical Parula 2x
chestnut sided Warbler 5 x
black throated green Warbler 2x
Townsend's Warbler 1x
black burnian Warbler 1x
rufous capped Warbler 2x
Baltimore Oriole 2x
Cherrie's Tanager 2x
blue gray Tanager 1x
gray headed Tanager 1x
Palm Tanager 2x
silver throated Tanager 9x
bay headed Tanager 5x
golden hooded Tanager 4x
Bananaquit 5x
buff throated Saltator 3x
streaked Saltator 1x
blue black Grassquit 4x
yellow faced Grassquit 3x
rufous collared Sparrow 1x
Summer Tanager 1x
great tailed Grackle 2x
crested Oropendula 10x
yellow crowned Euphonia 1x heard
thick billed Euphonia 5 x
yellow bellied Siskin 6x
lesser Goldfinch 3x

 And at the end of the bird count.. a very nice gift  , coffee!!!
 And 4 new birds for me.. the Turquoise Cotinga was not seen on the farm for 2 years, so he is back and the white throated Flycatcher is very special...only a pitty that I was the only one that did spot him...

Thanks family Hartmann!!! And thanks nice group...see you next year or somewhere in the nature!

Sendero Los Quetzales

 Today we did go to the sendero Los Quetzales, we hiked the whole trail. Felt my legs, but it was beautiful....

Bird list 15th of December 2012 Sendero Los Quetzales..Boquete to Cerro Punta
black Vulture
broad winged Hawk
band tailed Pigeon
sulphur winged Parakeets
fiery throated Hummingbird

white throated mountain Gem

Magnificent Hummingbird
Volcano Hummingbird
prong billed Barbet
acorn Woodpecker
red faced Spinetail
ruddy Treerunner
streak breasted Treehunter
streak headed Woodcreeper
spot crowned Woodcreeper
black banded Woodcreeper
silvery fronted Tapaculo(T)
tufted Flycatcher
yellow winged Vireo
brown capped Vireo
rufous browned Peppershrike(T)
blue and white Swallow
gray breasted Wood Wren
black faced Solitair
black billed Nightingale Thrush
ruddy capped Nightingale Thrush
mountain Thrush
clay colored Thrush
long tailed silky Flycatcher
flame throated Warbler
black throated green Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
slate throated Redstart
collared Redstart
three striped Warbler
black cheeked Warbler
common bush Tanager
sooty capped bush Tanager
silver throated Tanager(T)
spangle cheeked Tanager
yellow thighed Finch
rufous collared Sparrow
Summer Tanager
golden browed Chlorophonia (T)

a regular asked question, do birds eat the coffee berries

Do birds eat coffee berry's is a question that we get a lot in the coffee tours.

I did see that buff throated Saltators and the blue headed Parrots in our coffee farm like  to eat the skin of the berry, nice and sweet. They leave the beans , so in a way they help us , then we don't have to peel the berry...
It is absolutely not a big problem, it is not like a huge swarm of Thrushes and Starlings...like in Holland, eating a lot of cherries or damage the Prunes or red Berry's or Strawberries.
Two days ago I did see at least a group of 20+ bay headed Tanagers eating the skin of the coffee berry's, that was new for me..with them a bunch of Warblers , mixed group of Wilson's Warbler Tenessee Warblers and Philadelphia Vireo's, yellow throated Vireo and our own rufous capped Warbler...I did not see these little fellows eating the skins , but they came more for the insects...that safes me some insect bites while picking our coffee.

This picture shows you the "damage" of the Berry's.....

The big group of Bay headed Tanagers were very loud after that, flying around...caffeine???

9 December 2012, bird trip, two spots

I had company of a Dutch lady with a big camera. She like to make pictures of birds...so it was a morning with birds who needed to sit on THE good spot, in good light.
Birds in the shade...no priority.
Difficult sometimes, the birds they don't sit usual on the spots where we want to have them.
But we did see nice birds and I think she took some need pictures...
I did take some pictures, but I am totally not so good in it.
First Quetzal sighting for this season . Nearby our house a nice Bat Falcon , never saw a Bat Falcon in this area, so that was nice. Two cute black and yellow silky Flycatchers and a nice Red headed Barbet...good birds...ah well they are all good...

Bird list 9th of  December 2012

cattle Egret
black Vulture
Bat Falcon

ruddy ground Dove
snowy bellied Hummingbird
green Hermit
green violet Ear

scintillant Hummingbird (on the tip top of the twig, but I love also the blue sky!)

white tailed Emerald(T)
violet Sabrewing
resplendent Quetzal

red headed Barbet
prong billed Barbet
red crowned Woodpecker
tropical Kingbird
social Flycatcher
dark Pewee

black Phoebe
yellow bellied Elaenia
paltry Tyrannulet
common tody Flycatcher
yellowish Flycatcher
black faced Solitair(T)
black and yellow silky Flycatcher

ruddy capped nightingale Thrush(T)
yellow winged Vireo(T)
brown capped Vireo
Tennessee Warbler
Philadelphia Vireo
Wilson's Warbler(T)
black burnian Warbler
black throated green Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
red legged Honeycreeper
slate throated  Redstart
three striped Warbler
thick billed Euphonia
yellow crowned Euphonia
silver throated Tanager
Palm Tanager
flame colored Tanager
white winged Tanager in flight.(T)
blue gray Tanager
buff throated Saltator
variable Seedeater(T)
yellow faced Grassquit
rufous collared Sparrow
lesser Goldfinch
black striped Sparrow
white collared Swifts
northern Waterthrush(T)

Acorn Woodpecker

The Acorn Woodpeckers decided to come and live  for real on our farm.
I love it!

finding new bird spots

Today was a "party day" for me, because I did go out to find more new bird spots.
Found in the hills on the slope of the Volcano 3 potential bird spots, different then Boquete.
Cloud forest, messy brush areas, open fields in different micro climates.Altitute from 1150 to 1330 M.
I did see birds that I is see normally more lower elevation , higher elevation birds and bird that I see also on our farm...a nice mix.

I was later, did arrive 9am, it was warm , so slower with the birds, I will go back earlier.
southern Lapwings
laughing Falcon
Turkey Vulture
yellow headed Caracara
ruddy Ground Dove
sulphur winged Parakeets
long billed Starthroat
garden Emerald
Magenta throated Woodstar
Violaceous Trogon (heard close by)
red crowned Woodpecker
lineated Woodpecker
tawny winged Woodcreeper
streak headed Woodcreeper
barred Antshrike
lesser Goldfinches
tropical Kingbirds
boat billed Flycatcher
white fronted Tyrannulet
scale crested Pygmy Tyrant
masked Tityra
orange collared Manakin
ornage billed nightingale Thrush
common tody FlycatcherAmerican Redstart
slate throated Redstart
Wilson's Warbler
Summer Tanager
golden hooded Tanager
silver throated Tanager
blue gray Tanager
white naped brush Finch
buff throatedSaltator
black striped Sparrow
variable Seedeater
yellow faced Grassquit
blue and white Swallows.

a cool Cricket

A cricket, always cool!

New bird on the farm

While picking coffee... a nice Townsend's Warbler joined me, new on the farm.

It was the call that he made , to convince me that it was  a Townsend's, because they are so similar to the black throated green Warbler.
A lot of birds today on the farm, lot of American Redstarts, I noticed.
Lot of wind in the mountains and not in our valley, means that the birds are coming and hide, great!

moth picture

Don't ask me which one... but he/she is beautiful

I took the picture in Palo Alto cloud forest ..Boquete.

According to Dan Wade, thanks Dan!

 This is a member of a large group of moths called 'wild silkworm moths'. I think the 'wild' is included because the famous domesticated silkworm moth that is used in the silk industry (Note: and has been used for silk production for SOOOOOOOOO LONG that it no longer exists in the wild!) is not in this same group.

Group is Saturnidae (Saturnids) and this is a Rothschild's Silk Moth.
Google it....lots of pics and info.
And......just as interesting.....google the Rothschild who it's named for.
He was one of the world's great collectors....back in the 'age of collecting'. A member of the Rothschild family that emigrated from France to England, becoming a big part of the Bank of England....rich, powerful, influential family members, thus part of English history.
And this Rothschild collector guy was, of course, very rich, and able to go himself ( but he was a huge man, and also hugely FAT, but did travel internationally, collecting specimens, back when this type of travel was not to be taken lightly). But most of his private collection of specimens from around the world was done by others, professional collectors working for him.
Much of the greatness of the British Museum of Nat History collections is because he donated his vast collection to the museum.

Anyway...........all the Rothschild Silk Moths have those 4 transparent 'window panes', thus are easy to ID. And all are huge.
Next time you see one, if able, put your hand or finger near the moth for 1-2 photos, as a way of showing how BIG these moths are!

Dan 

Waiting for my Husband and 2 other hikers...

that was not a punishment.
They hiked the Quetzal trail from Boquete and Cerro punta and so I drove to Cerro punta to pick them up at Respingo.
It was drizzeling a bit (Bajareque) but around me where some nice birds. Lot of Endemics.

band tailed Pigeon
Volcano Hummingbird (Endemic)

fiery throated Hummingbird (Endemic)
magnificent Hummingbird
streak headed Woodcreeper
black capped Flycatcher ( Endemic)

gray breasted Wood Wren
ruddy capped nightingale Thrush
Wilson's Warbler
flame throated Warbler (Endemic)
black cheeked Warbler (Endemic)
sooty capped bush Tanager (Endemic)

sooty faced Finch (Endemic)
large footed Finch (Endemic) (I had to zoom it in , he was shy)

yellow thighed Finch (Endemic)
And heard a Quetzal close by , could not find him.

trip

Cloudy morning...2 spots

Bird list 21th of November 2012
cattle Egret
black Vulture
ruddy ground Dove
brown throated Parakeet
snowy bellied Hummingbird
rufous tailed Hummingbird
green violet Ear
white throated mountain Gem
stripe tailed Hummingbird
prong billed Barbet
red crowned Woodpecker
tropical Kingbird
gray capped Flycatcher
social Flycatcher
yellow bellied Elaenia
mountain Elaenia
common tody Flycatcher
yellowish Flycatcher(T)
paltry Tyrannulet
plain Wren
house Wren
black faced Solitair

clay colored Thrush
orange billed Flycatcher
yellow winged Vireo
Wilson's Warbler
LouisianaWaterthrush

black burnian Warbler
black throated green Warbler(T)
yellow throated Vireo
Tennessee Warbler
Philadelphia Vireo
Baltimore Oriole
rose breasted Grosbeak
red legged Honeycreeper
rufous capped Warbler(T)
slate throated Redstart
yellow crowned Euphonia
thick billed Euphonia
silver throated Tanager(T)
flame colored Tanager
blue gray Tanager
Palm Tanager
yellow thighed Finch
buff throated Saltator
chestnut capped brush Finch
bronzed Cowbird
yellow faced Grassquit

rufous collared Sparrow
variable Seedeater
lesser Goldfinch
slaty Flowerpiercer
American Dipper

torrent Tyrannulet
black Phoebe

Bird trip

Today I did go to two different places, was a good day without wind and with a lot of sun.
The bird list 16th of November 2012
black Vulture
gray headed Chachalaca
ruddy ground Dove
brown throated Parakeets
rufous tailed Humming bird
Snowy bellied Hummingbird
red crowned Woodpecker
streak headed Woodcreeper
Tropical Kingbird

boat billed Flycatcher
great Kiskadee(T)
social Flycatcher
gray capped Flycatcher
yellow bellied Elaenia
lesser Elaenia(T)
paltry Tyrannulet
common tody Flycatcher
plain Wren
house Wren
clay colored Thrush
orange billed nightingale Thrush
lesser Greenlet
yellow throated Vireo
Wilson's Warbler
chestnut sided Warbler
bay breasted Warbler
black and white Warbler
black throated green Warbler
Mourning Warbler(T) in flight
Tennessee Warbler
Philadelphia Vireo
Summer Tanager
rose breasted Grosbeak (male and Female ...female on Picture)

eastern Wood Pewee
Baltimore Oriole
indigo Bunting Female(T)
red legged Honeycreeper
rufous capped Warbler (immature on picture)

yellow crowned Euphonia
thick billed Euphonia

silver throated Tanager

palm Tanager
blue gray Tanager
Cherrie's Tanager
buff throated Saltator
black striped Sparrow
rufous collared Sparrow
yellow bellied Seedeater
yellow faced Grassquit
lesser Goldfinch
blue black Grassquit
great tailed Grackle
gray breasted Martins
black Phoebe

And this little Darling....sorry cannot resist to put it on this blog....

new bird for me! uhhh an extra note.....

Today I was at the el Respingo ranger station nearby Cerro punta...did see a Purple throated mountain Gem.Female and male...
Darn he turned around when I took the picture, but it was clearly the purple throat!!

Just an extra note...I thought I saw this bird for the first time , but no I did see this bird before in 2006 in Boquete cloud forest...but still it was exciting to see them again. (never saw the female before...)

not a bird

It's not a bird , but a cool insect. I did ask my bird friend...who knows also a lot about insects, what it was...here is the picture and his comment...

Your photo is a cool bug.
This is a 'bush cricket'. Same insect order....Orthoptera....as grasshoppers. Orthoptera has 2 sub-orders.
One is the 'grasshoppers' (and a few other groups) They all share one trait........short antennae, w/ the antennae 'stiff' in appearance.
The other sub-order contains 'bush crickets, crickets' (and a few other groups). They all have long antennae.
Bush crickets are almost strictly tropical............almost none in temperate climes. They can have, like your bug, VERY LONG antennae.  Many of the bush crickets are cool because they are SO CRYPTIC. This guy is usually found on tree limbs that are covered w/ whitish or greyish or gray-greenish epiphytic growth, like moss or lichen. I've usually come across this guy when I was cutting down, or cutting back, citrus trees that are unhealthy and slowly dying. The trees are covered w/ these mosses and lichens. If you put this guy on a branch like that, he just about 'disappears'. Of course, on a green leaf, like your photo, he really stands out. Check out how long his antennae are!!
Dan Wade  wrote this

just a picture, blurry but cosy

Busy times , picking coffee, do all kinds of small jobs to be ready for the season. I keep my eyes open of course , according the birds...the Hummingbirds are getting more alive, the hormones are active!
The monkeys(no birds , but I want to mention it) are eating the last fruit and are fighting more, because the young monkeys are getting bigger and they want to have a spot in the group. One immature male Monkey(white faced capuchin) was pushed out of the group, he sitting a kind of sad on a distance of the group.
Here a picture of the feeder this morning, bit blurry, but I thought it was so cosy.....

Sunday 28th and Monday 29th of October 2012

Sunday I took a hike  with the dogs around a small lake . This lake is a part of the Fortuna dam and they are cleaning it, so a lot of machines...but I never saw these  black bellied whistling Ducks on this lake and they were totally not afraid for me , the dogs or the machines...

Also there was a least Grebe, they are very shy normally , but they were not in a rush and then I did see a nice green Heron.

 And the usual birds, like several different  Flycatchers (social, tropical,boat billed, great Kiskadee,lesser Elaenia, black Phoebe), cattle Egrets and a nice great Egret, yellow faced Grassquits and lesser goldfinches.

Then this afternoon after the rain shower, these beautiful birds... scarlet thighed Dacnis,  and a thick billed Euphonia sitting in front of our porch , always nice....