Bahamas

I have had little time for birding so far this year, so I took the opportunity to take some photos during a family vacation on Columbus Isle, a tiny island without a huge variety of bird life. The header image is of a bird from a family that I had never spotted before; they are usually nocturnal, but the Antillean nighthawks were very active where I was during the day, including, on one occasion, a huge flock of 40 to 50 birds hunting for insects for a couple of hours, including this one:

There were a couple of other new species for me, including this White-cheeked Pintail :

A least Grebe :

And a Pearly-eyed Thrasher :

There were many Yellow-crowned Night Herons, that were almost tame :

And I found this American Kestrel to be particularly beautiful

There are a few endemics in these Islands, Wikipedia lists 8, 2 of which are extinct, and none of which I saw. One species which is quite local, but also found on a few other Caribbean Islands, was this Bahama Mockingbird :

There were also many White-crowned Pigeons, which I had only ever before seen at a distance, so I was pleased to be able to get close enough to get some good photos:

June 13, 2025 0

The Dominican Republic

This was a family holiday in an all inclusive resort, which had a few native bird species on the property, including the endemic Hispaniolan Woodpecker below. Just before leaving I spotted the critically endangered Hawk, the Ridgway’s Hawk, which is the header image for this post.

There were many Palmchats, who build large communal nests.

I took the opportunity to have one day birding, which was actually not a success. The trip was advertised as being a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Punta Cana, where we were staying, to the Los Haitises National Park for a birding walk with a guide. It actually took nearly 4 hours to get there, and 3 hours to get back, for a 2 hour birding walk with a guide who had limited knowledge, and mis-identified some birds.

We did manage to see the following on the walk:

Verveine Hummingbird, the second smallest bird in the world!

Then we had a 1 hour boat ride to see a cave, travelling through the mangroves.

Little Blue Herons, Adult and Immature (who is white!)

Back at the resort, there was a Kestrel frequently hunting on the property

And many Ruddy Turnstones forming mixed flocks on the beach with Sanderlings

The Ridgway’s Hawk was banded, as you can see, and probably came from “Reserva Ecologica Ojos Indigenas”, situated about 6 km away, and which has a rescue program.

January 4, 2025 0

Panama, last day.

My flight left late on the last day, so I was able to have one last guided trip, on the viewing platform of the Canopy Tower, and down the street that leads to the tower. Which is where we had the view of the Snowy-bellied Hummingbird in the header image.

I saw several Puffbirds during the trip, it was only seeing this male face-on that made me realize exactly why it has that name, with the droopy moustache-like feathers on the face.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 8. Canopy Tower.

I was able to add an extra day at the end of the Wings tour, and organised an overnight at a place which is iconic for birdwatchers, indeed I had heard of the place years before I became a birder. The Canopy Tower is an old US military radar installation, on top of a hill, so the tower pierces the forest canopy, giving eye-level contact with canopy birds, as well as amazing views of the canal itself. From there I had a couple of outings, including to the Pipeline road. The header image is a Black-faced Antthrush, normally quite shy, this guy came right close to our feet as he was singing away.

Black-faced Antthrush

The largest of the new world Kingfishers.

If you look carefully, you can see the notches on the bill of the kite that give it its name.

In the afternoon, after some photography at the hummingbird feeders, the trip was to the Gamboa rainforest reserve.

The bill of this kite is just as frightening as the Hook-billed Kite

As you can see the immature Little Blue Heron isn’t blue, but snowy-white with as a bluish tinge to the beak and legs.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 7. Back to Panama city.

The final day included several stops along the trip back to Panama city, with yet more new species to be seen. The first stop was at a little house where a local woman had seen Great Currasows in her garden, and had started throwing out rice for them, so they now return regularly. They have recently also been joined by group of Wood-Rails. The header image is of the male Curassow.

The on to a nature reserve on land that belonged to local priest, and is called Reserva San Francisco

Then back to the restaurant where we had lunch the first day.

A couple more stops on the way back.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 6. Part 2

The final stops of the day were to areas just along the PanAmerica highway, south of the Canopy camp. The header image is the elegant Fork-tailed Flycatcher.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 6. Yaviza forest and wetlands.

Another river trip, this time in smaller dug-out canoes (some were really dugouts, others looked similar but were made from separate pieces of wood). The seating was plastic garden chairs, with no attachments to the boat, we picked them up and moved them around in order to load the canoe. The tropical river, again the Chucunaque, was very calm, even when other boats passed in the other direction.

Most of them carried locals, who use the river as the main highway. In addition there were many canoes which were packed with adults wearing life-jackets, immigrant/refugees who had been processed further downstream, and were being transported for further processing. Apparently many of them were from Haiti, and in the short time we were on the river there were probably a couple of hundred. Probably thousands a day are arriving, on just one river.

This innovative Little Blue Heron was using a floating log as his transport.

Three-toed Sloth, aka Brown-throated Sloth

The first stop on the journey was to a site where the scarce Dusky-backed Jacamar had been seen. Expecting to have to search for a while, we disembarked and prepared for a walk, but the bird was waiting for us about 10 m from the landing spot!

Then over to a village of the Embera People, Nuevo Vigia, and a walk to an Ox-bow lake.

And at the oxbow lake, several new species

Back to the village for lunch and a view of the “cutest” of all the birds we saw, the diminutive Spectacled Parrotlet, only 12 cm long from head to the end of the stumpy tail.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 5. Local road and the Yaviza wetlands

A drive to a forest road this morning, where a family of Mantled Howler Monkeys were watching us.

In the afternoon further on to a swampy area. Among the many raptors we saw, this one had the most vicious looking bill, which they use to extract snails from their shells.

December 7, 2024 0

Panama, day 4. Expedition to find the Harpy Eagle

The group set off very early, breakfast at 4h30, to drive to the very end of the TransAmerica highway at Yaviza. From there we took a “lancha”, a motorized boat, travelling upstream on the Chucunaque river to a town called El Real.

After the boat trip, there was a half hour or so in a 4-by-4, then another hour of walking, during which this magnificent Macaw was spotted, we entered the Darién national park, and finally arrived at the ironically named Rancho Frio.

Offices of the Ministry of the Environment at Rancho Frio

After lunch at Rancho Frio, the last 30 minutes walk took us to a nest of the Harpy Eagle, today’s goal. There was a female on the nest, with a chick of about 10 days of age (the top of whose head we occasionally glimpsed) and as we were watching, the male flew off in search of prey, which are mostly monkeys and sloths.

The Harpy Eagle has little sexual dimorphism, the identification by our guides was based on their activity, usually the female stays on the nest with the chick, while the male is out hunting.

On the trip back there were very heavy showers; we were still able to see the Great Green Macaw, a real rarity, a Wood Stork (not rare at all), and a small flock of Brown-hooded Parrots. Despite arriving back soaked through, the day was a great success.

December 6, 2024 0

Panama, day 3, local birding around the camp

Started the day with several mammals around the camp, the White-faced Capuchins, above, are fans of fruit.

As are the Geoffroy’s Tamarins

The morning was spent walking the road up from the camp, with the following sightings

Plain brown Woodcreeper one of several similar species

Back at the camp the Crested Oropendolas were feeding each other

In the afternoon we drove out to a local rural road, and ended up at some rice fields

The feeders at the camp attracted a variety of different birds and mammals, including these Hummingbirds.

And these Capuchins

December 6, 2024 0

Panama, day 2, to Canopy Camp, Darién province

This was the first full day of the organised trip, mostly organised around the long drive down to Canopy Camp in Darien province, with a side trip to Nusagandi for a walk in a forested area on the Caribbean slope, and therefore a variety of birds somewhat different from the pacific slopes.

At lunch the restaurant had feeders set up for hummingbirds and fruit eaters.

Then on to the Canopy Camp, with its grounds and feeders, and birds which included the Black-cheeked Woodpecker in the header image.

December 6, 2024 0

Panama, November 2024

I was fortunate to take a 1 week trip to Panama, with “Wings“, going east to the Darien region. The guide, Gavin Bieber, was amazing, the accommodation, in fancy tents, was excellent, and the birding was exceptional.

The first night was an extra, staying in a hotel right next to the canal, although the flight was delayed, and I arrived at the start of rush hour, so it took nearly 2 hours of taxi to the hotel, traffic in Panama city is horrendous.

The next morning started well with several new birds before breakfast, including great views of the Yellow-headed Caracara

Also these other birds

I then walked down toward the Biomuseo, with many other avian encounters

Common Black Hawk, immature (not yet all black)

There were many thousands of Black Vultures around, including this one

Black Vulture on Korean friendship monument

The Biomuseo was designed by Gehry, and is fascinating, with the geologic history of Panama well explained. The isthmus formed about 20 million years ago, followed by the Great Interamerican Biotic Interchange (apparently), with south american bids and animals heading north, and vice versa, which is what gives Panama its amazing biodiversity.

Right on the grounds of the Biomuseo were these 2 birds, one from a family originally south american, the second northern.

I then hired a bike to cycle down the Amador peninsula, constructed from rock that was excavated to build the canal, to a group of 3, what used to be, islands. On the first of which there is a Smithsonian research institute. On the way down there is a view of the city, and this sunken boat with a Brown Pelican perched.

At the research centre, just near the gate, a Hoffman’s two-toed Sloth was hanging out.

I then took a trip to Panama city old town, which was interesting, but marked by a tropical downpour, so I got soaked cycling back to the hotel area. An amazing first day.

December 5, 2024 0