Panama: El Valle's Canopy Lodge Extension Feb 10—15, 2007
Posted by Marshall Iliff
Marshall Iliff
Marshall Iliff, a lifelong nature lover, began birding at age 11 after attending a National Wildlife Federation Camp in the mountains of North Carolina. He attended VENT...Related Trips
The Canopy Lodge at El Valle was certainly a comfortable and relaxing place, and especially welcome after a week of hard-core birding at the Canopy Tower. We all took full advantage of the veranda, cold drinks, spacious rooms, and riverside setting to relax and recuperate fully from the previous week’s exertion. But this didn’t mean we stopped birding! From the veranda, with drinks in hand, we watched feeders swarming with birds, including several species of tanagers: White-lined, Crimson-backed, Flame-rumped (we all wish they’d call this one Lemon-rumped officially), and Dusky-faced, along with Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, Thick-billed Euphonias, Tennessee Warblers, and even the odd Rufous Motmot.
We didn’t spend all our time on the veranda. On our first and last days we explored the forest trails of nearby El Chorro, where hikes along the rushing stream produced such specialties as Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, a roosting Mottled Owl, and others. A highlight from our first day’s walk was a Black-faced Antthrush, looking every bit like a rail as it crept stealthily along the forest floor. The grand finale for that walk was the stunning Sunbittern that we startled from beside a small pool. It posed in the open for a minute or more while we enjoyed scope looks.
On other days we ventured somewhat farther afield. The Cariguana Trail was a good diversion after our shopping excursion to the Sunday market. Danilo knew where a Tropical Screech-Owl was roosting (lucky for us, since I doubt any of us would have spotted it!), which made for a major highlight. Other birds up the trail included an amazing Mourning Warbler behaving as if he were defending a summer territory, and a showy Blue-crowned Motmot. In the lowlands of El Chirú on another day we found a variety of other new species, including Brown-throated Parakeet, Lesser Elaenia, and a surprise Veraguan Mango. This large, purple-tailed hummingbird is one of Panama’s few endemics, and occurs here at the extreme eastern end of its range. It was a great surprise.
The day at Altas del Maria is always one of my favorites. This year the birding got good as soon as we crested out onto the ridge. Fruiting trees caused us to pull off, and immediately we noticed Pale-vented Thrushes, a rarely seen species on this tour, feeding in the trees around us. Adding color and zest were at least three Orange-bellied Trogons. A bit further along, magic with the iPod produced two showy Yellow-eared Toucanets that, like the toucans, seemed to want to show off their bright colors. A bit further along we found a flowering tree that was attracting Snowcaps. Although the tiny but striking males were coming in at regular intervals, they were so small and fast-moving that it took quite a while for everyone to get a good look. But patience paid off, and while searching we scored Song Wren and several other species. Alas, a calling Brown-billed Scythebill would not show itself for the group.
Continuing down the road, we made a stop for Dull-mantled Antbird and, although the bird did not cooperate immediately for the entire group, many of us had several good looks. Declared hopeless and “one of the most difficult birds ever” by some of us, persistence paid off, and before long we were all congratulating ourselves on the good looks we had at a bird that surely knows how to hide when it wants to!
Taking a break from the rushed morning, we settled down for some lunch, but the birds would not leave us alone! A showy pair of Tufted Flycatchers sallied forth over our lunch tables. A Plain Antvireo calling nearby begged us to tape it into view, and so we obliged. Later, a super-responsive Red-faced Spinetail put on a show?this species is a rarity here and was only discovered in the region a few years ago! The grand finale here turned out to be one of the more difficult Central American hummingbirds?the White-tipped Sicklebill. But who would believe that this species is normally hard-to-find? The one we saw, spotted by one of our drivers, sat obligingly in a Heliconia patch, giving us scope views for some 30 minutes! Close up photos and killer looks were had by all. Unfortunately, our access to Altas del Maria was possible due to construction roads that have been put in for an upcoming development. The forest is being razed there quickly, and our feelings about the fine birds we found were soured somewhat by the knowledge that their habitat will soon be fragmented, if not gone.
By the morning of our final day one target remained?the incomparable, but elusive, Tody Motmot. Several of us set out on a quest to roust out this one last bird. Our hike took us up the somewhat steep trails of El Chorro, but with persistent whistling, and whistling, and whistling, Danilo finally got a response and quickly put the group onto the bird. After eluding us for days the little devil put on a spectacular show in our last hour, sitting still at eye level for more than ten minutes while we admired him in the scope and tried for the perfect photo. A fitting end to another great week at El Valle.