Cerro Gaital (PM) - 28 Feb 2017

At Raul's suggestion, John and I took an hour after lunch to check out the compost heap on the other side of the bridge for the Gray-cowled Wood Rails. No sooner had we crossed the bridge that John motioned up the trail. There, at the right edge of the path about 20 yds away, was a Gray-cowled Wood Rail bristling and displaying. I took a video of the rail as it shook it wings, then walk out into the open for several moments before disappearing up the path. Thank you, Raul!

We then spent some time at the compost heap photographing a flock of Dusky-faced Tanagers and the Wood Thrush that still continues.

The Orange-billed Sparrow also made an appearance. It posed on the log in front of the compost and was most cooperative.

As we got back to the Lodge I spotted a Striped-throated Hermit feeding in the bushes near the feeders.

Danilo arrived at 3 pm and he, John and I would be the only ones out this afternoon. We headed back up the hill to look for an Orange-bellied Trogon and Bay-headed Tanagers. The day would turn out to be light on birds, but still productive.

As we left the van Danilo spotted a roosting Broad-winged Hawk through the tree. I was able to digiscope it for several minutes. It never moved.

We would find several Two-toed Sloths; one was hanging upside down in the tree over the trail, and then found climbing when we returned.

Otherwise, we had to settle for listening to calling White-throated Spadebill, Rufous-and-White Wren, Bay Wren, and White-breasted Wood-Wren. We would see a Tawny-capped Euphonia long enough to get a photo or two.

Hummingbirds were present but elusive. We would get fleeting glimpses of Violet-headed and Snowy-bellied Hummingbirds, but they quickly chased away by aggressive Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds. Danilo was able to get the scope on a calling / roosting male Green Hermit, but it flew before I could get my scope on its location deep in vegetation. One hummer appeared to be a Rufous-tailed from behind, but showed a black belly when it landed facing me. Snowy-bellied Hummingbird.

As we were getting ready to pack up for the evening we found a pair of Southern Lapwings in the same field as yesterday morning (wow, seems like a week ago). Overhead I directed everyone to a flock of ~300 Swainsons Hawks that were floating on thermals, then kettling, the streaming west over the mountains. Cool!

One last stop for Bay-headed Tanager was a failure, but John put us onto a pair of Spot-crowned Barbets. We would return to the Lodge only to find that Linda had a flock of Bay-headed Tanagers bathing in the stream right below the bridge. Grrr...

I spent a few minutes in the last bit of light photographing a Gray-cowled Wood Rail that appeared in the stream just below the bridge. The low-light required flash, and images were generally blurry, but I did get one keeper.

We would end our evening with Raul and Christina at dinner, and thank them again for a wonderful 2.5 days at the Canopy Lodge. Tomorrow early we'd be heading back to Panama City for our flight home on Thursday.

Canopy Lodge, Coclé, PA
Feb 28, 2017 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Lodge and Cerro Gaital
31 species

Scaled Pigeon (Patagioenas speciosa)  1
Ruddy Ground Dove (Columbina talpacoti)  1
White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi)  1
Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana)  1
Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy)  1
Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis)  1
Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti)  1
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird (Saucerottia edward)  1
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)  2
Blue-chested Hummingbird (Polyerata amabilis)  1
Gray-cowled Wood-Rail (Aramides cajaneus)  3
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)  2
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)  1
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)  1
Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)  300     several large kettles over the mountains during late afternoon.
Spot-crowned Barbet (Capito maculicoronatus)  2
Black-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani)  1
White-throated Spadebill (Platyrinchus mystaceus)  1
Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)  1
Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer)  1
Boat-billed Flycatcher (Megarynchus pitangua)  1
Rufous-breasted Wren (Pheugopedius rutilus)  1
Rufous-and-white Wren (Thryophilus rufalbus)  1
Bay Wren (Cantorchilus nigricapillus)  1
White-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucosticta)  1
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  1
Tawny-capped Euphonia (Euphonia anneae)  1
Orange-billed Sparrow (Arremon aurantiirostris)  1
Dusky-faced Tanager (Mitrospingus cassinii)  2
Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava)  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S149738288

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

My list:

Gray-headed Chachalaca

Magnificent Frigatebird

Anhinga

Faciated Tiger-Heron (immature)

Cattle Egret

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Swallow-tailed Kite

Roadside Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Gray Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Swainson's Hawk (300+)

Sunbittern

Gray-necked Wood-Rail

Southern Lapwing

Rock Pigeon

Scaled Pigeon (H, fly-over)

Ruddy Ground Dove

White-tipped Dove 

Squirrel Cuckoo

Spectacled Owl

Green Hermit

Stripe-throated Hermit

Long-billed Starthroat

Garden Emerald

Violet-headed Hummingbird

Snowcap (female)

Crowned Woodnymph 

Blue-chested Hummingbird

Snowy-bellied Hummingbird

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Rufous Motmot

Green Kingfisher

Spot-crowned Barbet

Blue-throated Toucanet

Collared Aracari

Keel-billed Toucan

Black-cheeked Woodpecker (H)

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Yellow-headed Caracara

Orange-chinned Parakeet

Blue-headed Parakeet

Fascinated Antshrike (female)

Spot-crowned Antvireo

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper

Cocoa Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Lesser Elaenia

Olive-striped Flycatcher

Paltry Tyrannulet

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Tropical Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher (H)

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Great Kiskadee

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Rusty-margined Flycatcher

Social Flycatcher

Streaked Flycatcher

Tropical Kingbird

White-ruffed Manakin

Golden-collared Mannikin

Yellow-green Vireo

Black-chested Jay

Gray-breasted Martin

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Scaled-breasted Wren (H)

House Wren (similar call to our's but with a "tweet-tweet-tweet" at the end)

Rufous-breasted Wren

Rufous-and-white Wren (H)

Plain Wren (H)

Bay Wren (H)

White-breasted Wood-Wren (H)

Wood Thrush

Pale-vented Thrush

Clay-colored Thrush

Tropical Mockingbird

Louisiana Waterthrush

Golden-winged Warbler

Black-and-White Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Bay-breasted Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Buff-rumped Warbler

Rufous-capped Warbler

Blue-Gray Tanager

Palm Tanager

Golden-hooded Tanager

Plain-colored Tanager

Silver-throated Tanager

Green Honeycreeper

Tawny-crested Tanager

Flame-rumpled Tanager

Crimson-backed Tanager

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Scarlet-thighed Dacnis

Bananaquit 

Yellow-faced Grassquit

Thick-billed Seed-Finch

Variable Seedeater

Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch

Black-headed Saltator (H)

Buff-throated Saltator

Dusky-faced Tanager

Orange-billed Sparrow

Black-striped Sparrow

Common Chlorospingus (formerly Bush-Tanager)

Hepatic Tanager

Summer Tanager

Red-crowned Ant-Tanager

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Great-tailed Grackle

Shiny Cowbird

Giant Cowbird

Chestnut-headed Oropendola 

Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Thick-billed Euphonia

Tawny-capped Euphonia

Lesser Goldfinch

Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth

Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth

Red-tailed Squirrel 

Central American Agouti (large rodent at feeders)