Arrival of the Bell Birds

Just a few weeks ago the Three Wattled Bell Birds began arriving to the island of Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Each year they fly down from the high slopes of Talamanca Mountains for their Caribbean vacation, but not until most of the North American Tourists have completed their northern migration.

Some years they show up as early as June and some years not until the beginning of August. But one thing is for sure, you know when they have arrived. The call, before you are accustomed to it, sounds man made. For sure it is out of place, metallic sounds do not normally occur in nature. Our guests here at the lodge have given the Bell Bird many nicknames over the years such as Clank Bird and Electricity Bird.

At Tranquilo Bay there is a tall stand of forest between the main lodge and the cabanas. This morning on my way to the barn, (3) Three Wattled Bell Birds were conducting an impromptu orchestra from the tallest perches in the stand of trees. The volume of these birds at close range is amazing. As always, I stopped what I was doing and listened to the music of the Bell Birds as I watched two Broad Winged Hawks, a pair of Common Black Hawks and a Turkey Vulture glide gracefully overhead.

After a few minutes I decided it was so beautiful that I had to get some sound recorded. I ran to my room to retrieve my IPod and microphone and quickly entered the forest beneath the canopy. After the last call, I counted 10 seconds and then held the microphone as high as I could and hit the record button. As I am sure you know, not another call was muttered. I sure enjoyed it while it lasted, maybe next time.