highlights of the last months

 Hi everyone, finally some time and sense to write. Despite the Covid times, which of course we are still in, but now with 4 vaccines in our body, we feel a lot safer and since December we have actually been working nicely. Not abundant but nice to be back to work. I've done quite a few bird watching tours and they were all fun. Many beginners, but also many people who were fierce bird watchers with target lists, so nice variety. In addition, I regularly went out on my own.

My camera had fallen and so I used another camera which was okay... but from now on my pictures will get better again... I hope :)

I just wanted to tell you a little bit about the highlights of recent times...

Of course every bird I see is a highlight, but there are a few that stick with you.

I was with a German couple and they really wanted to see the resplendent Quetzal. I went with them to the place where I used to go often, it was nice to be there again. The couple were novices at birdwatching, but not anymore after that day :) .We saw a lot of birds and the binoculars they borrowed from me, they could handle them really well and wow they had a lot of patience and super eyes. And then you will be rewarded with a female Quetzal fight!!!... Of course I didn't have a good camera...no video of it ...no pictures ...sigh!

But so I didn't have that stress from taking pictures either and so we enjoyed it to the fullest.

It started with 3 females and 3 males. The men were singing, so were the women... I said to the couple... watch out, we're getting a show, you're in luck!

And yes, the females started fighting and the males flew above. An "ugly" female fight and after about 5 minutes 2 females flew away with 2 males and 1 man remained and 1 female...then the male went to a dead tree and was baiting her with an insect in his beak and sweet sounds. And then they flew away together ... super cool!

Here are some pictures of resplendent Quetzales from the past few months. I really saw a lot of them, because there was also a lot of demand from people... did see a few occupied nests..always nice...

What was very nice...also something to do with the Quetzal... I was on a tour also with one birdwatcher, we were on the Pipeline trail on a Sunday. It was pretty busy with people...normally  I never go there but two weeks ago that was the best place to see Quetzales. And it was a request... 

We did see a nice display of males and females and we could point out this event to people from all over the world and Panama city. I thought that was really nice.

Another highlight was a trip with very nice guests of us. They were so much into nature, it was a great pleasure to go out with them. My kind of birders, no recordings, lot of patience and yes then you do see a lot! 

I am not so into posting a picture of myself...but this was with the one of the daughters...wow a fantastic birdwatcher... great girl too!

Her Dad, als a big birdwatcher, how fun for him to have a daughter like that!

Another highlight for me... I was on our other farm and a golden crowned Warbler was acting  like a Lapwing. She acted if she was hurt and tried to get me away from her nest...so cool to see. I never knew that this Warbler is doing that. 

Then finally I took a picture of a brown-billed  Scythebill, I was amazed that I could take one with my camera. I get always so excited when I see a Scythebill and even more when I did see that he was pretty clear on my picture!!

Another big thing for me was a pair of three wattled Bellbirds who were mating. I was alone in the forest with my dogs and no camera..only my phone and binoculars...not good pictures, but  for sure a sight that I will not forget. It was like a dance...

We did have the  migration of the birds...but I must say, not so much migrant Warblers  and so came through. Every year I have the idea it is less .

I did enjoy the big tree with all Baltimore Orioles  and a lot of Barn Swallows, that was fun too. But the Warblers...wow, not good!

Did hear for the first time in my life a Wilsons's Warbler singing and also a bay breasted Warbler, that was great!

Another highlight...uh well ...something I will not forget...was that I was standing on a bad snake (half May) . I always watch my feet and surroundings, but it happend. I did feel the Snake moving fast down below my rubber boots, I thought it was a big lizard ...but I did look down and was thinking "oops". Did not freak out, walked away . On a distance I took a picture and well I did  suspect it was a Fer de lance. It was in the province Bocas del Toro, much more humid and warm jungle. 

I always say, birdwatching is dangerous...I am so agree with myself... so watch your feet!

A Terciopelo  (Bothrops asper):

I did go to an area on a friends farm with my dog Max and did took very high up in the cloud forest ...this picture of  a buffy Tuftedcheek, I thought the picture is pretty cool...

A real cloud forest picture...

At this moment all the birds are singing and a lot of immatures are hatching and flying out. Fun times.

I learned that the family thick billed Euphonias, the immatures flew out 4 days ago, they come back every evening to their nest in the flowerpot on the balcony. It is the first time I do see that.

Always something new to learn and experience.

Up to the next post with new bird stories...

Greetings Terry

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html

Termites flying out, birds are happy and me too!

Hello readers, yes finally a post.. planning to post another later this week 

about my highlights of the last months..

For now this video that Hans took and my story with it on youtube:

Every year in May(2 times in May) when it is a rainy ..the termites are flying out.. I call them "helicopter flies". As a birdwatcher I get even more excited because the birds love it.So a lot of birds to see in a very easy way. Most birds need this extra dinner to feed the immatures but also need the protein for themselves. This time is very stress full for them, protecting their areas against predators, other birds, laying eggs, making nests...May is busy for them. I did see this afternoon birds like red legged Honeycreepers, tropical Kingbirds, thick billed Euphonias, Elegant Euphonias, yellow bellied Elaenias, lesser Elaenias termite catching... spectaculair! The record holder is a lesser Elaenia catching in one flight 8 termites! Greetings Terry http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html

 Hello dear readers, 

to my surprise I haven't posted for quite a while. That's partly because my camera stopped working...  dropped it while  birdwatching. Bought a new one, but too quickly before the big day (E-bird)in October would start and I kind of regretted it. Having a lot of trouble dealing with this one. Hans has now set it up in such a way that I can take some reasonable pictures again. Have to say that I don't have that much patience to put energy into it, I prefer to put my energy into birdwatching. Anyway, handy if you have one with you for "that special bird":)

Every day I'm birdwatching, of course I have more time because of the Pandemic. December was a bit more work in the cottages and I even did some birdwatching trips...with distance...but  started that after I had my 3 vaccinations. Have to say that I liked that again, it kind of felt "normal" again. Anyway ... now I get a lot of time again, some guests in the cottages and that's about it.

So a lot of jobs in the farm and a lot in nature. Yesterday I went for a long walk with my dog ​​Max .  Planned to go from 1850 meters altitude to 2700 meters and with succes. Walked and stood for about 8 hours with birdwatching.

Seen a lot. Animals like the Agouti, but also a Tayra and yes ... even a photo, even two.....

I was very happy to see yellow-green brush Finches, very good view. They are shy and  hard to see, but with my binoculars I did see them very well, they flew out, 4 of them and started to sing, I even did tape them with my phone....the proof. 

You can hear that on my e bird or Inaturalist.

No picture...ah well....next time

I was very happy with my pictures of the buffy Tuftedcheek.. that was on 2700 meters and the picture... I love it:

The respendent Quetzales were very busy, high up, lot of songs calls and displays, love to see that , but the Tuftedcheeks  were for me the highlight of the day and to be in a silent cloudy cloud forest only me and my dog. having my coffee and a cracker  and just enjoy this:

This was my story for today.  I will add my bird list of yesterday. Greetings from a sunny Boquete

Terry

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html

74 species (+1 other taxa)

Black Guan  3
Spotted Wood-Quail  2     heard more
Band-tailed Pigeon (White-necked)  13     1 perch..picture...with brown cap....
Ruddy Pigeon  2
Ruddy Ground Dove  1
White-tipped Dove (White-tipped)  3
Chiriqui Quail-Dove  1
White-collared Swift  X
Lesser Violetear  X
Talamanca Hummingbird  4
Fiery-throated Hummingbird  1
White-throated Mountain-gem  5
Scintillant Hummingbird  3
Stripe-tailed Hummingbird  4
Black Vulture  3
Red-tailed Hawk  1
hawk sp.  1
Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl  1     ho
Resplendent Quetzal  4
Collared Trogon (Orange-bellied)  2     1 with song
Prong-billed Barbet  X     ho
Northern Emerald-Toucanet (Blue-throated)  1
Acorn Woodpecker  3     heard more
Hairy Woodpecker  3
Golden-olive Woodpecker (Golden-olive)  1
Barred Parakeet  X     ho
Sulphur-winged Parakeet  X
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo (Silvery-fronted)  4     heard 2 seen2
Spot-crowned Woodcreeper  3
Buffy Tuftedcheek (Buffy)  2
Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner (Scaly-throated)  1     ho call
Lineated Foliage-gleaner  2
Streak-breasted Treehunter  1     + call
Red-faced Spinetail  4
Barred Becard  1
Eye-ringed Flatbill  1
Tufted Flycatcher  2
Dark Pewee  2
Yellowish Flycatcher  2
Black-capped Flycatcher  2
Dusky-capped Flycatcher  1
Boat-billed Flycatcher  2
Rufous-browed Peppershrike  3     heard call and songs
Yellow-winged Vireo  1
Brown-capped Vireo  2
Ochraceous Wren  3
Rufous-breasted Wren  2
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren  5     heard more
Black-faced Solitaire  2
Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush  1
Mountain Thrush  X     higher up ..above the 2200 singing
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher  X
Elegant Euphonia  4
Golden-browed Chlorophonia  X     ho
Yellow-bellied Siskin  5
Sooty-capped Chlorospingus  7
Common Chlorospingus  X
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch (Chestnut-capped)  1
Rufous-collared Sparrow  1
Large-footed Finch  1
White-naped Brushfinch (Yellow-throated)  4
Yellow-thighed Brushfinch  X
Yellow-green Brushfinch  4     4 together nearby a creek, 2450 m altitude. Hiding...but very well  seen  with my binocs, they flew out the brush and sing...so I did tape that with my phone...I will add, not a very good quality, but good enough  to hear .
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Flame-throated Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  4
Black-cheeked Warbler  X
Wilson's Warbler  X     all over did see only males
Slate-throated Redstart  4
Collared Redstart  4     around the 2500 m
White-winged Tanager  X
Silver-throated Tanager  1
Slaty Flowerpiercer  6
Slaty Finch  1
Yellow-faced Grassquit  1

https://ebird.org/checklist/S100687594

https://www.inaturalist.org/people/terryvanniekerk

Migration of the birds, exciting times!

 October 3, 2021 

Hello dear readers, I'm hyper again, while I'm working outside you can hear the Migrant Warblers, Flycatchers and Swainson's Thrushes everywhere. 

Also "our" birds are quite active in defending their territory. That's not easy with this "invasion". Yesterday I treated myself again to a day of birding somewhere further away. This time I chose the continental divide area. I enjoyed a day in the Fortuna reserve. It is a long road of 11 km and at the end you end up more in the Caribbean side. 

I stayed the longest at the beginning of the road, about 3 hours and then drove on and stopped now and then. This road is so much fun because you deal with different altitudes and micro climates. This also means different bird opportunities. Also an area with many other cool plants and trees. All in all with the 23 years that I have been coming there, it is still a good entertainment. I am 100% happy when I am there. Hans takes care of the horses and dogs, so I don't have to go to the horses in the early morning (which I really like, but it saves time) I roll out of bed, make coffee, fill my thermos and take my bowl of fruit I'll eat that when I'm on the spot. It is about a little over 1 hour drive. I arrived  at 7.15am.

Above my first bird of that day, a Louisiana Waterthrush

 I drive away when it is a bit light, it also saves time and then I can see what the weather is like, I wanted to go a month ago, but then it was intensely dark  cloudy in that area and so I went the other way. was a good choice, because that day I heard that it had rained quite a bit in that area. It does that a lot there, that's why it's so green and lush. I haven't had any rain this day, just a few splashes. Did start with some fog, but I managed to see the birds quite good. 

                                           A keel billed Toucan in the mist

As soon as I drove down, it got warmer and sunnier. So around 1pm I retreated into the woods and successfully, bird wise.

a red tailed Hawk above

Above you can see ..loads of forest and a cute immature black Vulture and adult

This was half way ... going down on the road.

  

And more at the end of the road you can see the caribbean sea:

above ..always there is a Sloth to see.

Above a brown billed Scythebill, different ..I was confused...because of the spots on the belly, but the bill was clear...maybe a mix??? with spotted  Woodcreeper and a Scythebill????

During the day, Barn Swallows and other Swallows were constantly around me. Really a lot! They love that road. Yes, the migration is really underway!

Down below my list of  this day.

Enjoy this nice time of year!

greetings from Terry

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html

Camino de la Divisoria Continental, Ngäbe-Buglé, PA
Oct 2, 2021 7:15 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
11.0 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments:     all kinds of weather... Fortuna reserve... loads of Swallows and blackburnian Warblers
82 species (+3 other taxa)

Short-billed Pigeon  1
Squirrel Cuckoo  1
Green Hermit  3
Stripe-throated Hermit  2
Green-crowned Brilliant  1
White-bellied Mountain-gem  1
Violet-headed Hummingbird  1
Crowned Woodnymph  1
White-throated Crake  1     heard only
Black Vulture  X
Turkey Vulture  2
Red-tailed Hawk (costaricensis)  1
Collared Trogon (Orange-bellied)  2
Broad-billed Motmot  1     heard only
Keel-billed Toucan  3
Merlin  1     hunting ..good view on him
Fasciated Antshrike  2
Black-crowned Antshrike  1
Russet Antshrike (Tawny)  3     2 heard 1 seen
Zeledon's Antbird  1     heard only
Ochre-breasted Antpitta  1
Silvery-fronted Tapaculo  1     heard only
Rufous-breasted Antthrush  1     heard only
Spotted Woodcreeper (Berlepsch's)  1
Brown-billed Scythebill  1     first I thought it was the spotted Woodcreeper, because of the spots on the belly..then I did see the bill.. I almost think it is a mix between a scythebill and spotted Woodcreeper
Lineated Foliage-gleaner  2
Spotted Barbtail  1
Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant  2     1 seen 1 heard
Mistletoe Tyrannulet  1
Tufted Flycatcher  1
Western Wood-Pewee  2     + songs, all very close together in same area
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Western/Eastern Wood-Pewee  4
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1     + calls
Empidonax sp.  1
Golden-bellied Flycatcher  2
Tropical Kingbird  2
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Bank Swallow  X
Barn Swallow  X
Barn Swallow (American)  X
Long-billed Gnatwren  1
Scaly-breasted Wren  1     heard only
House Wren  1
Band-backed Wren  2
Gray-breasted Wood-Wren  5
Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush  2     1 seen 1 heard
Swainson's Thrush  5     heard more calls
Clay-colored Thrush  2
Golden-browed Chlorophonia  X     heard only
Yellow-crowned Euphonia  2     heard more
Olive-backed Euphonia  2
Tawny-capped Euphonia  5
Common Chlorospingus  X
Black-striped Sparrow  1
Orange-billed Sparrow  1
Chestnut-capped Brushfinch  1
White-naped Brushfinch (Yellow-throated)  2
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Northern Waterthrush  3
Golden-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  2
Mourning Warbler  3     1heard 2 seen
American Redstart  1
Tropical Parula  2
Blackburnian Warbler  X     lost count..mostly males ..3 females only
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1
Costa Rican Warbler  5
Canada Warbler  3
Slate-throated Redstart  2
Summer Tanager  4
White-winged Tanager  X     heard only
Tawny-crested Tanager  5
White-lined Tanager  4
Scarlet-rumped Tanager (Passerini's)  4
Blue-gray Tanager  4
Palm Tanager  4
Golden-hooded Tanager  3
Silver-throated Tanager  4
Green Honeycreeper  1
Blue-black Grassquit  2
Yellow-bellied Seedeater  1
Bananaquit  3
Yellow-faced Grassquit  2
Buff-throated Saltator  4

https://ebird.org/checklist/S95511575

Resplendent Quetzal in cloud forest Boquete (Panama)

Hello again.......It was a "cold" morning, a lot of birds and a nice silhouette of the resplendent Quetzal (male) ..you don't see the colors, but still he is stunning and special.

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html http://terryboquetebirdstory.blogspot.com/ https://ebird.org/profile/NjIxMjky/world

shooooort video ...orange collared Manakin male

Yes a very short video of a nice male orange collared Manakin (Male) While watching a blue-black Grosbeak, he popped out of the brush...very quick I took a video. Such a stunning bird. http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html http://terryboquetebirdstory.blogspot.com/ https://ebird.org/profile/NjIxMjky/world

western Wood-Pewee ...the first migrant bird on our farm this season....

Hello readers....and so.... not the black -and-white Warbler is the first migrant  bird this season...but the western Wood-Pewee. 

Since last week a lot of blackburnian Warbler are coming through and of course the sweet black-and-white Warblers(mostly females), did see already some Wilson's Warblers(males) and  also Canadian Warblers (Males) 

Because it is wet season now, in the afternoon we do have showers. But the last 4 days also dry late afternoons and then it is super! to watch the birds. They love those afternoons.... like me... "our" birds are in these days more alive, because they don't like all those" strangers". So I did see some ugly fights. 

Even a nice cute white browed Gnatcatcher was chasing away a female black-and-white Warbler.

You understand, I am a lot outside with my binoculars. Great times in birdy wonderland.

Greetings  from Terry

http://coffeeadventures.net/tinamou.html

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