Birding the compost heap

After breakfast we made the transfer from Canopy Tower to Canopy Lodge. The drive was about 2 hours and after four days of steady hiking and birding we were ready for a rest. We hung out by the feeder at the lodge, had a nice lunch and a little rest. Soon we felt the call to explore again. We passed on going out with the group and a guide and instead went down a short trail to their compost heap. What a treasure trove it turned out to be! Once you adjust to the smell of rotting fruit, all focus is on the birds. We had fun finding and identifying on our own several lifers for us. Most fun we've had with a pile of garbage ever. 

Bay-rumped warbler.  This was our first bird at the compost heap. He stayed in the brush for quite some time and we got fleeting glimpses of his tail. Eventually, he came out for a photo.

Dusky faced Tanager 

Wood Thrush 

Rosy Thrush Tanager.  When looking up the identification of the wood thrush, Mike saw a photo of the rosy thrush-Tanager and said he'd like to see one. Within five minutes this one came out.

Cocoa woodcreeper

Gray cowled wood rail 




Orange-billed Sparrow. 

Chris found an ant swarm

On our last day on Pipeline Road, Chris spotted a flycatcher and looked off the trail for it. We never found it again, but ten feet from the trail there was an ant swarm that attracted many insect eating birds. The highlight was the ocelated antbird, but there were about ten species feasting on ants. 

Ocelated Antbird

Bicolored Antbird 

Grey-headed tanager

Last Day at the tower

We haven't had any close views of toucans at Canopy Tower, until our last day.  Today, Chris spotted two about 25 feet away.

Mantled Howlers; dad and baby

Early morning highlight was finding howler monkeys doing something other than just lying flat on a branch not showing their faces. Dad was giving this young one a good cuddle and then the baby turned around to face us as well. Probably a little TMI but we even saw the urine stream coming down before it looked away and went back to snuggling up to the dad. So fun to watch but eventually we pushed on up the trail for birds.

Here's a whooping motmot, one of the reasons we went to Panama

The great sock caper

Nope, a sock caper is not a bird or a nickname we have given to a bird. Chris, as we know from previous writings, packs light, is super organized, is ridiculously neat, and prepares for these adventures with the appropriate high tech clothing that drys quickly, which includes socks. Smart Wool brand socks are her favorite - they wash and dry incredibly fast and are light and comfy in hot climates even though they are wool. Of course she has tried coercion and convincing tactics to get Mike to try them, at least for trips, but he wants no part of them and wriggles and squirms just trying them on. He sticks with heavy cotton socks which take several days to dry, and Chris just rolls her eyes. 

Upon returning to our room tonight after a jovial dinner (we purchased some coconut vodka duty free at LAX all to Mike's credit), Chris sees a pair of her special socks on the floor in a ball. As Chris almost never ever leaves her things like this, she assumes Mike has done it and inquires as to the sock situation. "Yeah," Mike says, "I got them off the heated drying rack and wore them."  

Of course Mike takes no blame and tells Chris, "that's what you get for making me wear socks that look like yours" - he has at least come around to wearing the Billibong brand low cut ones which do look slightly similar.  We engaged in a good outburst of laughter to end of a great day of birding if ever there was one. No photographic evidence (as Chris was quick to wash and hang again to dry before she realized it warranted a blog entry).  

My comfy feet ensconced now in my hammock before bed . . . . . . . .

Better Birding today

Better guides and better light have made us much happier with Panama birds.

Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher

White-whiskered Puffbird

Tody Flycatcher 


Oh, and a capuchin monkey.