Clements Bird List - 321 Species

We had a few guests here the first week of January who were here to bird. They had some great days and some rain. On one of the days they saw 101 species over the course of the day. We encountered a few new birds for the list during their stay here. There have been other additions as well, but Ramon and Natalia were on vacation so the list hasn't been updated since September. We have a number of guests and groups coming to look for birds over the next few months so we anticipate additions to the list over this period as well. You can see the updated Bird List here.

Color Series: Blue # 4

Up and Down: Oropendolas in a Tree

Up and Down: Parrots

It Itches: Good Thing My Neck Stretches This Way

It Itches: Two at a Time

It Itches: Pelican

It Itches: Woodpecker

Up and Down: Pelican Fishing

Up and Down: Green Ibis

Up and Down: Grackel

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 5

Jean and Bob were with us on this trip. We passed by Bird Island on our return to Tranquilo Bay to check out what we might see there as well. It was a fabulous day. Come try it with us some time!

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 4

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 3

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 2

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 1

This week we are focusing on a specific excursion we have been doing recently - a slow trip down the Changuinola Canal. According to Clyde Stephen's Outline of History of the Province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, this canal was dug from Almirante Bay to the Changuinola River sometime between 1899 and 1903 as part of an agreement between the Snyder Banana Company and Colombia.

This canal has served many different purposes over the years. It was originally created in order to move bananas grown in different locations throughout Bocas del Toro. In the recent past, it served as a water route for many tourists coming into Panama from Costa Rica. The tourists would catch a water taxi outside of Changuinola which delivered them to Isla Colon. About four years ago during one of the big November rains, many trees from up river and large amounts of sand ended up in the canal, making it impassable for the water taxis. It is navigable again by small boats, but the water taxi service has not returned.

It is a gorgeous trip. Taking it slowly down the canal allows one to take in all of the wildlife and nature alongside both edges of the canal. At one point along the canal, we stop and walk along the beach to check out other areas. This week's photos give you a glimpse into taking this excursion. We have developed the excursion for birders, but it is an excursion that any naturalist would enjoy.

Mainland Birding - Chiriqui Grande

We had a long day full of birds in nice weather while we were hiking the low lands and enjoying great sea views.

At noon we had a really nice surprise when we found the Boat-billed Heron. We saw two in different perches by the naked eye, but when we looked with our binoculars we saw a third one, behind one of the other two. It was great. We stayed there watching those calm and quiet birds for a while. Then in flew another one, then another, then another… and like that over 10 of them landed. They were perching in the tree behind the one we were watching and then flew to another tree where we could see most of the group “disperse” in two trees next to one another.

In the afternoon we had a perfect view of a couple of King Vultures flying in circles over us. We wondered if we were smelling bad, but the truth is at that point we had been exploring a lot and maybe we were attractive to a vulture. Anyway, it was great for us to have an opportunity to see those majestic birds for a while.

The highlights for the day:

White-crowned Parrots
Laughing Falcon
Green-breasted Mango
Pied Puffbird
Boat-billed Heron
King Vulture
Bat Falcon



FAMILY & COMMON NAME

Cracidae: Gray-headed Chachalaca

Fregatidae: Magnificent Frigatebird

Phalacrocoracidae: Neotropic Cormorant

Ardeidae: Great Egret, Boat-billed Heron

Threskiornithidae: Green Ibis

Cathartidae: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, King Vulture

Accipitridae: Roadside Hawk

Falconidae: Laughing Falcon, Bat Falcon, Crested Caracara

Rallidae: White-throated Crake, Gray-necked Wood-rail, Common Moorhen

Jacanidae: Northern Jacana

Scolopacidae: Solitary Sandpiper

Columbidae: Pale-vented Pigeon

Psittacidae: Blue-headed Parrot, White-crowned Parrot, Red-lored Parrot

Cuculidae: Squirrel cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani

Apodidae: White-collared Swift

Trochilidae: Purple-crowned Fairy, Green-breasted Mango, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Alcedinidae: Green Kingfisher

Bucconidae: Pied Puffbird

Ramphastidae: Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Lineated Wookpecker

Furnariidae: Streak-headed Woodcreeper

Thamnophilidae: Western Slaty-Antshrike

Tyrannidae: Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Acadian or Willow Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird

Tityridae: Masked Tityra, Cinnamon Becard

Vireonidae: Lesser Greenlet

Corvidae: Black-chested Jay, Brown Jay

Troglodytidae: Band-backed Wren, House Wren

Polioptilidae: Tropical Gnatcatcher

Turdidae: Clay-colored Thrush

Coerebidae: Bananaquit

Thraupidae: White-lined Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, Black-headed Saltator

Emberizidae: Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-striped Sparrow

Icteridae: Orchard Oriole, Red-Breasted Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Montezuma Oropendola

Fringillidae: Yellow-crowned Euphonia, Olive-backed Euphonia

Mainland Birding - Around Palo Seco National Forest

We spent the most of the day walking trails in the forest. There were creeks with big rocks and fresh clear water, surrounded by great vegetation around and within Palo Seco National Forest. In one of those amazing creeks we saw the Sunbittern which was a most spectacular experience. The abundance of hummingbirds was rather remarkable. We saw a whole exhibition of colors, shapes and birds humming around us.

Some of the highlights of the day:
Sunbittern
Green Hermit
Violet Sabrewing
Buff-rumped Warbler
Double-tooth Kite
Ornate Hawk-Eagle







FAMILY & COMMON NAME

Cracidae: Gray-headed Chachalaca

Accipitridae: Double-toothed Kite, Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Rallidae: White-throated Crake

Eurypygidae: Sunbittern

Columbidae: Pale-vented Pigeon

Apodidae: White-collared Swift

Trochilidae: White-necked Jacobin, Green Hermit, Stripe-throated Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy, Violet Sabrewing, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Trogonidae: Slaty-tailed Trogon

Ramphastidae: Collared Aracari, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Lineated Wookpecker, Pale-billed Woodpecker

Furnariidae: Spotted Woodcreeper

Tyrannidae: Mountain Elaenia, Torrent Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Long-tailed Tyrant

Vireonidae: Lesser Greenlet

Troglodytidae: Bay Wren, House Wren

Turdidae: Mountain Thrush

Parulidae: Buff-rumped Warbler

Thraupidae: Tawny-crested Tanager, Crimson-collared Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Emerald Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Buff-throated Saltator

Emberizidae: Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-striped Sparrow

Fringillidae: Tawny-capped Euphonia, Olive-backed Euphonia

Clements Bird List - 308 species

We have had a few excursions over the past couple of weeks where we have seen some new species. We have also had some migratory birds checking us out here at Tranquilo Bay which has bumped up the list by a few species. So, the list is up to 308 species spotted at Tranquilo Bay or on our excursions. You can find the list on our website.

Even in the rain