birding never sleeps: PANAMA 2024 part 2: Coiba, El Cope and Nusagandi (05-09 February)

PANAMA 2024 part 2: Coiba, El Cope and Nusagandi (05-09 February)

Monday 05 February. Breakfast at 05:15, we then drove a short distance to the beach where we left by speedboat at about 06:15. It seemed a long and a very bumpy crossing to Coiba Island and being so low very hard to get views of the birds passing. We waded ashore to the almost completely forested island at 09:15, me with a blister on my bum. We walked the chigger infested Sendero Pozos Termales, seeing the specialities Azuero Dove and Coiba Spinetail, Blue-headed Goldentail (also new for me) and a number of endemic races (including Barred Antshrike and unusually forest loving House Wren and Scrub Greenlet) and were back at the beach for lunch at 12:40. We left at 15:10, returning with a brief stop at the Ranger Station for Kees to drop off our registrations and to see Yellow-faced Grassquit (another endemic race). We were back on the mainland at 16:45 after a slightly smoother crossing. Back at Heleconia Lodge before another excellent meal I birded the grounds for half an hour seeing an excellent Mangrove Cuckoo. Other birds seen on Coiba included Garden Emerald, female Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, American Oystercatcher, Hudsonian Whimbrel, 2 King Vultures, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, 6 Lance-tailed Manakins, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Black-striped Sparrow and 3 Chestnut-capped Warblers.

approaching Coiba Island: Barry

Paul

Nick

landing on Coiba Island (photo: Barry Wright)

Azuero Dove on Coiba Island

Azuero Dove (photo: Barry Wright)

Azuero Dove (photo: Paul Noakes)

Lance-tailed Manakin on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

Chestnut-capped Warbler on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

Barred Antshrike on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

Blue-throated Goldentail on Coiba Island (photo: Barry Wright)

Coiba Spinetail on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

Coiba Spinetail (photo: Barry Wright)

Yellow-faced Grassquit on Coiba Island (photo: Paul Noakes)

leaving Coiba Island

female Garden Emerald at Heliconia Lodge

bats in our porch

Tuesday 06 February. What was mainly a travel day, to Nusagandi in East Panama incorporated a previously unplanned visit to Omar Torijjos Nation Park north of El Cope on our way back to Panama City. We’d made it clear to Kilo (several times in Nick’s case) how important it was for us to see Black-crowned Pittasoma and our concern that he hadn’t heard let alone seen any during his recent visit to reliable sites in Darien National Park. They were at Nusagandi too but were considered to be tape shy there. To maximize our chances Kilo came up with the plan to call in at the little visited Omar Rorijjos NP and arranged a 4WD to take us the final few kms from El Cope. We had breakfast at 04:00, left at 04:30 and were on trails in the reserve from 09:00-11:05 during which time we had decent views of a male Black-crowned Pittasoma in successive valleys. It was very nice to see our main target at the first attempt although views were too brief and/or obscured for photos and we were keen to see more. Also at El Cope was a Rufous Motmot, Spot-crowned Antvireo, 3 Bicoloured Antbirds, Black-headed Antthrush, White-ruffed Manakin, Tawny-faced Gnatwren and single Rufous-winged and Emerald Tanagers. We were back at the minibus at 11:35 and drove to Nusagandi with a stop somewhere forgettable for lunch. We arrived at Burbayar Lodge at 17:25 to find no power or internet although thankfully both came back on later. A very basic lodge at the top of a very steep drive (with very dim lighting in the rooms even when the power came back on) although we were well looked after. It had decent hummingbird feeders where I saw White-necked Jacobin, 2 Crowned Woodnymphs and 3 Blue-chested Hummingbirds.

Black-headed Antthrush at El Cope (photos: Paul Noakes)

Spot-crowned Antvireo at El Cope (photo: Paul Noakes)

Rufous-winged Tanager at El Cope (photos: Paul Noakes)

crossing the Panama Canal

Wednesday 07 February. After an early breakfast we left Burbayar with owner/guide Tonio at 05:20, walked down the hill to our minibus and drove a short distance down the road to a narrow, barely noticable trail. Up until this point the hills in Panama had involved fairly moderate inclines but Nusagandi was a foretaste of what was to come in Darien, climbing up to steep ridges, dropping back down to follow streams in deep valleys and little flat ground anywhere. It was also very muddy. I found it hard going, more so when raining which it was more often than not, with few birds seen. I was very pleased to have a walking pole although the very rugged terrain was probably why any forest remained so I shouldn’t really complain. Our main target was the endemic Spiny-faced Antshrike and Tonio took us to the areas he regularly sees them but no luck although seeing Sapayoa was nice. We returned to the road and drove back to Burbayar Lodge for lunch. It was still raining but was easing off and we left at 15:30 and drove back to the trail-head although this time birded along the road until 18:00. Sometimes it was wet and sometimes dry but bird activity was much better making for a pleasant afternoon. The rain became more persistent and we called off looking for Choco Screech Owl at dusk. After dinner the rain eased off and Paul caused a bit of excitement finding a pair of Crested Owls while thermalling behind the lodge. Birds seen included White-tipped Sicklebill, Long-billed Hermit, Common Potoo, White-tailed Trogon, White-whiskered Puffbird, 2 Keel-billed Toucans, a pair of Dull-mantled Antbirds, 3 male Blue Cotingas, male Velvety and 4 male Red-capped Manakins, Stripe-throated Wren, Buff-rumped Warbler and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis.

Dull-mantled Antbird at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

Sapayoa at Nusagandi (the best I managed)

Sapayoa (photo: Barry Wright)

Sapayoa (photo: Paul Noakes)

male Blue Cotinga at Nusagandi

one of four males seen in fruiting tree beside the road

male Blue Cotinga (photos: Paul Noakes)

Cinnamon Becard at Nusagandi

Short-billed Pigeon at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

Short-billed Pigeon (photo: Barry Wright)

Sulphur-rumped Tanager at Nusagandi

Sulphur-rumped Tanager (photos: Paul Noakes)

Red-capped Manakin at Nusagandi, stunningly bright even when out of focus

Common Potoo at Nusagandi

Keel-billed Toucans at Nusagandi

Crested Owls at Burbayar Lodge (photos: Paul Noakes)

Thursday 08 February. Breakfast at 05:30 then we drove to the same patch of forest slipping around until 14:00, climbing the same ridges, dropping into the same valleys and walking along the same streams, some of the rocks becoming as recognizable as friends - more than could be said of Spiny-faced Antbird which eluded us again. Despite the weather being brighter and dryer bird activity was again very low. At 15:30, after lunch, we walked out of Burbayar and along the road and back for a couple of hours but little was seen, the habitat appearing poor/degraded compared to the section we’d walked the previous day. At 17:30 we drove to the original section of road and soon after dusk Tonio soon taped in a Choco Screech-Owl. A nice finish to what had been a disappointing day. Other birds seen included Band-tailed Barbthroat, Purple-crowned Fairy, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, male Gartered Trogon, Rufous Motmot, White-whiskered Puffbird, Splendid Woodpecker, Sapayoa, Dull-mantled Antbird and Buff-breasted, Bay and 2 Song Wrens.

Green Hermit at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-whiskered Puffbird at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

Splendid Woodpecker at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

Song Wren at Nusagandi (photos: Paul Noakes)

Scarlet-thiged Dacnis at Nusagandi (photo: Paul Noakes)

Blue-chested Hummingbird at Nusagandi (photos: Paul Noakes)

Gartered Trogon at Nusagandi

Choco Screech-Owl at Nusagandi

Choco Screech-Owl without red-eye (photo: Paul Noakes)

Friday 09 February. Breakfast at 06:30 then at 07:00 we drove further down the road to a different trail, this one on indigenous land. It was equally difficult terrain and as far as Spiny-faced Antbird went no more successful. Going down we disturbed a small group of Tawny-faced Quail but being at the back at the time I only saw the rear end of the last one running away. We saw another Sapayoa and a Slaty-winged Foliage-Gleaner but it was hard going. When returning up the main ridge we encountered a pair of Black-crowned Antpittas which responded to tape. Despite being constantly on the move as they circled us several times they gave much better views than those at El Cope with Barry and Paul getting decent photos. On one occasion while watching the female further down the track, the male and another similar sized bird flashed across the path nearby making me wonder if we’d stumbled upon a pair with a youngster? We left at 12:25 in a much happier frame of mind, returned to pack and have lunch before heading east at about 14:20. We stopped in very dry forest near Rio Mono Bridge a birded the busy road for a couple of hours scoping a distant male White-eared Conebill. We continued on to the rather nice Hotel Portal Avicar in Rio Torti arriving at 18:30. Other birds seen included 2 Checker-throated Stipplethroats (weird name, is the throat checkered or stippled), 2 Masked Tityras, 10 Chestnut-headed Oropendolas and a Grey-headed and 3 Plain-coloured Tanagers.