birding never sleeps: PANAMA 2024 part 4: Darien National Park - Rancho Frio to Pirre Ridge (15-19 February)

PANAMA 2024 part 4: Darien National Park - Rancho Frio to Pirre Ridge (15-19 February)

Thursday 15 February. After the hottest, sweatiest night I can remember we had breakfast at 06:00, Frio it was not! We left at 06:30, birding our way up along the ridge to a clearing below Rancho Plastico and back (we had another two nights at Rancho Frio before going all the way to Plastico). In the clearing we saw a distant pair of Viridian Dacnis although views were brief, particularly of the male. A Central American Pygmy Owl was actually attracted to its call, the only time one did, as well as the more usual pulling in of smaller birds wanting to join in the apparent mobbing. We were back at Rancho Frio by 11:40 where the clearing was more active with a Choco Syristes moving through and I had a decent view of Double-banded Greytail, We had lunch and I spent the next 90 minutes relaxing, in part sitting in the river with a Bay Wren for company nearby. We were out again from 15:00-18:00 with White-headed Wren above the camp our most notable sighting although as it remained in the canopy views could have been better. Other birds seen during the day included Violaceous Quail-Dove, 2 Pied and a Black-breasted Puffbird, Black-crowned Antshrike, Ochre-bellied and White-ringed Flycatchers, Southern Bentbill, female Blue Cotinga, 2 Golden-collared Manakins Lemon-spectacled, 2 Scarlet-browed and a male Rufous-winged Tanager.

Central American Pygmy-Owl at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Violaceous Quail-Dove at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Stripe-throated Hermit at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

strange tree trunk flower/fruit, not a parasite as I'd thought

White-breasted Wood-Wren at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Choco Syristes at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black-breasted Puffbird at Rancho Frio

Black-breasted Puffbirds at Rancho Frio (photo: Barry Wright)

Golden-headed Manakin at Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-headed Wren above Rancho Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-headed Wren above Rancho Frio (photo: Barry Wright)

Friday 16 February. Another day based at Rancho Frio. We had added an extra day here in case there was an active Harpy or Crested Eagle nest that we wanted to go and see. There had been both in 2023, although several hours walk away. This year none had been found although an adult Crested Eagle was being seen fairly regularly in an area that involved a somewhat arduous 6-8 hour round trip. Fortunately this was no longer necessary as we’d all seen Crested Eagle two days earlier. There were birds we’d not seen around Rancho Frio and Kilo knew After breakfast at 06:00 we left at 06:30 to walk two fairly flat and generally birdless trails with a break in the clearing between. We returned for lunch at 12:30 and again I spent part of the afternoon sitting in the river, disturbing a/the Fasciated Tiger Heron this time. We went out again from 15:00-18:00. The day’s highlights were Crested Guan, Plumbeous and White Hawks, Slaty-tailed and Black-tailed Trogons, Dot-winged Antwren, Spotted Antbird, Brownish Twistwing, Choco Siristes, 2 Golden-collared Manakins, Rufous-winged Schiffornis and 2 Black-chested Jays.

Plumbeous Hawk at Rio Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Spotted Antbird at Rio Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Brownish Twistwing at Rio Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Rufous-winged Schiffornis at Rio Frio

Rufous-winged Schiffornis at Rio Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

Olive-backed Quail-Dove at Rio Frio (photo: Paul Noakes)

tall trees at Rio Frio

Saturday 17 February. Breakfast at 06:00 after a third hot night. We packed, sorting our stuff into what we’d carry up to Rancho Plastico, what would be taken by our support team (most) and what to leave (not much). We left Rancho Frio at 07:00 walking and birding on a long generally uphill ridge trail, steep in places but not as much as I had feared. I was OK at my pace, helped by two extended stops at lookouts. At the first a female Viridian Dacnis came in to the Central American Pygmy-Owl although views were almost as brief as before. Below the ridge behind the second lookout, which was not far below Rancho Plastico, was a passing antswarm. Here we looked down on Bicoloured, Spotted and Ocellated Antbirds and a pair of Tody Motmots, although with some ants on the trail one had to be careful where standing or sitting (as I found out to my cost). Nick briefly saw a Black-crowned Antpitta hopping away but unfortunately it didn’t reappear and the slope was too steep to go down after it. The antbirds looked great as they stood out well through a thermal camera. Also looking down interestedly on the antswarm and its attendants was a White Hawk although it appeared to remain an onlooker. While at the antswarm we were overtaken by our team and when we arrived at Rancho Plastico at 13:00 the tents were already up and lunch was being prepared. After lunch we went back down to the upper lookout and spent an hour there although the antswarm had moved on. We tried further down where a Choco Tinamou was calling and tried to tape it into view. Much to our amazement this worked with it appearing below us right by the speaker before walking quickly away down the trail. Quite a bonus as it was not something I anticipated seeing. We headed back to Rancho Plastico seeing a pair of Wing-banded Antbirds on the way, my first for over 40 years! After eating we tried spotlighting along the trail but nothing was seen or heard. Another hot and sweaty night despite it feeling a bit cooler outside the tent. Other notable birds seen included 2 Great Green Macaws, 2 rather brief Spot-crowned Barbets, Lemon-spectacled and 5 Scarlet-browed and a Bay-headed Tanager. Quite a contrast on the previous day which had been rather disappointing.

view across the forest from the first lookout

views across the forest from the second lookout

male Spot-crowned Barbet at the second lookout (photo: Paul Noakes)

female Spot-crowned Barbet at the second lookout (photo: Paul Noakes)

White Hawk keeping an eye on the antswarm

and us

Bicoloured Antbird at the antswarm

Ocellated Antbird at the antswarm (photo: Barry Wright)
Rancho Plastic being set up

female Wing-banded Antbird at Rancho Plastico (photo: Paul Noakes)

White-tailed Trogon at Rancho Plastico (photo: Paul Noakes)

Scarlet-browed Tanagers at Rancho Plastico

Scarlet-browed Tanager at Rancho Plastico (photo: Paul Noakes)

Mistletoe Tyrannulet at Rancho Plastico (photo: Paul Noakes)

Keel-billed Toucans at Rancho Plastico

Ruddy Quail-Dove at Rancho Plastico (photo: Paul Noakes)

Sunday 18 February. Breakfast at 06:00 and it was with some trepidation that I set off at 07:00 for the steep climb up to Pirre Ridge, except we started by going down as we followed the trail from Rancho Plastico. That didn’t last and we were soon climbing up a steeper and steeper slope. It was a tough climb and I was noticeably slower than the others but thanks to having a walking pole and grabbing at every available hand hold I managed to haul myself up and was pleasantly surprised to reach the Pirre Ridge at 10:00. It had been a much less challenging climb than I feared but maybe the exertions of the previous week (Nusagandi and Chucanti had been good preparation). As with the previous day I’d long been overtaken by the crew by the time I got to the ridge the tents were being set up in a small clearing and Lemon Grass Tea prepared. Low cloud rolled in and out, unfortunately being in when a Green-naped Tanager appeared in the top of a nearby tree. It was just about identifiable, given that Spangle-cheeked doesn’t occur, but no more. We had more luck taping in an excellent Sooty-headed Wren on the edge of the clearing. We left the camp and birded along a muddy trail that continued west along Pirre Ridge. It had a few steep sections but was more flattish than not, at least for the first km. Highlights along the ridge were 2 female Pirre Hummingbirds, male Zeledon’s Antbird, Chaco Tapaculo, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush and 6 Pirre Chlorospinguses. We returned for lunch at 13:40 and birded from the clearing for much of the afternoon, a pair of Black Hawk-Eagles flying over in and out of the low cloud a couple of times and a Grey-breasted Wood-Wren, were further highlights. As the light was fading a Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner was heard on the edge of the. It gave several frustrating views as it made its way past the tents before being spotlighted going to roost in some bushes nearby. Several Scarlet-rumped Caciques were also roosting by the campsite. An evening walk along the ridge produced a Russet-crowned Quail-Dove that was thermalled then spotlit while an earlier Bare-shanked Screech-Owl was frustratingly only heard, initially from quite close but it immediately moved some distance away before going silent. We were back in our tents when the rain started, me discovering I’d dropped my small torch on the way back (I hadn’t noticed its loss as I was using a head-torch to see the trail).

female Pirre Hummingbird on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Sooty-headed Wren on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Sooty-headed Wren on Pirre Ridge (photo: Barry Wright)

Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Choco Tapaculo on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Pirre Chlorospingus on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Grey-breasted Wood-Wren Sooty-headed Wren at Pirre Ridge camp (photo: Paul Noakes)

Black Hawk-Eagle over Pirre Ridge Camp

Black Hawk-Eagle at Pirre Ridge Camp (photos: Paul Noakes)

Russet-crowned Quail-Dove on Pirre Ridge (photo: Paul Noakes)

Monday 19 February. We were out at 05:45 owling but no response from the Bare-shanked Screech-Owl we’d heard briefly the previous evening. We returned for breakfast during which time a Green-naped Tanager appeared briefly in the low cloud, views would have been a lot better 10 minutes earlier or later. We spent the morning birding along the ridge traiI, Kilo finding my torch where we’d seen the Quail-Dove the previous evening. I was hoping to see Greenish Puffleg, a new hummingbird previous trip reports suggested was almost a banker. No luck but I was more than happy to settle for a superb Tooth-billed Hummingbird, something I’d always wanted to see but felt was a real long-shot. Late morning we turned around and were met half-way back by trainee guide Antonio who had brought us lunch. The trail was very muddy and I fell over a couple of times (recommendations to leave wellingtons at Rancho Frio not seeming such a good idea). We were back at the camp clearing by 15:00, me having also seen 2 Black-eared Wood-Quail, 3 female Pirre Hummingbirds, White Hawk, male Zeledon’s Antbird, 4 Varied Solitaires, 5 Pirre Chlorospinguses. Chestnut-capped Brushfinch and 2 each of Bay-headed and Silver-throated Tanager. The rest of the afternoon became an uneventful Green-naped Tanager watch – no further sign of the tanager before the cloud came right in about 17:00. A Grey-breasted Wood-Wren was playing hide and seek as it feed around the clearing and as the light was fading about 20 Scarlet-rumped Caciques flew around the camp site wondering where their roost bushes had gone. For some unknown reason they’d been trashed by our guys while we’d been along the ridge. The Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner briefly appeared and headed for its bushes which were untouched. A night walk to 20:30 produced excellent views of Bare-shanked Screech-Owl although before we saw it I ended up losing my balance and falling over twice.