My Global Big Day 2018

Last Cornell's Global Big Day on May 5th was certainly the most memorable for me... not only I got a life bird that day (something that is becoming more and more difficult for me in Panama), but I also was involved a lot in the organization and promotion of it before the event and in the data analysis and review after it.  That's right my friends, this was the best GBD for Panama so far, and I like to think that my effort contributed a little bit to the success!

People attending my first talk on GBD and eBird.  Metropolitan Natural Park.  March 28th, 2018. Photo courtesy Audubon Panamá 

The work started several weeks before (as I already explained here).  Personally, I spent several hours reviewing eBird data and other sources to create target lists per provinces and sites and also gave talks about the GBD and the use of eBird in Panama and Cocle provinces (central Panama).  It was fun, but also hard work.  Being in such position helped me to realize that most of the important habitats would be covered for that day, except pelagic waters.  Last year, I participated in a pelagic trip from western Azuero (the report here) and most of the species seen were absent for the GBD that was held just the day before.  There is a problem with pelagics trips in Panama... there are no scheduled trips, the best areas are far away from Panama City (my home), we don't have many pelagic enthusiasts or experienced birders on pelagic avifauna, and those trips are expensive... but I was decided to do it anyway! All the planets aligned because I managed to book a space in the world-renowned Tropic Star Lodge of Bahía Piñas, in Darién province.  They offer pelagic trips for big game fishing on almost a daily basis to one of the richest pelagic zone within the country, and the place is well-known for the tons of fishing world records set there.  I found only few birding trips reports from there, but the quality of the records convinced me that there was not a better place that combines facilities, expertise and pelagic bird diversity in Panama.  Also, being situated in the middle of Darien jungle, it also offers a chance to register some rare eastern Panama species for the count too.

Exchanging airplanes in Garachiné, Darién.  May 4th, 2018

So, as many other birders in Panama, my journey started on May 4th, by boarding the smallest plane I ever had the chance to fly in.  Due to a mechanical issue, we had to land on a forgotten track in the town of Garachiné (Darién), where almost two hours later, another plane (this time a little larger) picked us up and we continued our way to Bahía Piñas.  I spent my time in Garachine watching birds of course, although I saw only common stuff there.  At Piñas, personnel of the lodge was waiting for me and, after a quick boat ride, they were showing my room.  In spite of being tucked in the middle of the jungle in the less developed province of the country, the lodge counts with all the modern facilities you need.  My comfortable room with air conditioning and wi fi was facing directly to the dock, and the property  is completely surrounded by forests.

Tropic Star Lodge dock

The managers of the lodge welcomed me and soon I was birding the gardens before dinner by the pool.  The most common species quickly became evident, but soon I got my first life bird of the journey.  In the way to "The Palace", I noticed a small greenish bird working the Hibiscus along the stairs.  A close look with my binocular revealed a female Viridian Dacnis!  This range-restricted species is only present in eastern Darien province and adjacent Colombia, and is quite rare.  Among the common birds were hordes of Palm, Blue-gray, Plain-colored, Crimson-backed and Flame-rumped -Lemon-rumped- Tanagers, nesting Chestnut-headed Oropendolas and Masked Tityras, Crowned Woodnymphs, Rufous-tailed and Blue-chested Hummingbirds (but no Sapphires) and the Darien race of Bay Wren that was frequently heard (and often seen).

Bay Wren. Tropic Star Lodge, May 5th, 2018

At dinner, we discussed the details of my pelagic trip the next day.  That night, only two other guests joined me and the managers for dinner... the resident chef simply showed off by offering us a gourmet dinner, presenting personally his exquisite creations one by one... what a dinner!  That night, I barely sleep thinking on all those pelagics birds out there.  The Continental Shelf ends abruptly very close to the coast in this part of Panama, so getting to depths of more than 1000 meters takes only one hour from the lodge.  Less time traveling, more enjoying shearwaters, storm-petrels and petrels!  The eight-hours trip would start around 6:30 am after breakfast... we planned to be back at the lodge around 3:00 pm, with time enough to record the birds of the grounds and surroundings.

After a tasty breakfast, I met my crew.  The captain of "Miss Alaska", Gustavo (aka Punto com), and his mate, Levi, were a quite-experienced crew.  They knew about my intentions (birding, not fishing) and as soon as we left the dock, it became evident that these guys know what they are doing.  Instead of navigating directly to deep waters, Gustavo took me north along the shores, watching coastal species like Brown Pelicans, Brown and Blue-footed Boobies, among others.  Seeing the forested coast emerging from the water is simply amazing in that part of Panama.  Gustvo knew that I was looking for pelagics species, but still took us along the shore for a while... but it was for a good reason... there was a rainstorm system over the ocean directly west of the lodge.  He was simply surrounding the storm. Suddenly he said "enough is enough" and turned 90 degrees west towards the Continental Shelf break, a place known as "La Caída"  ("The Fall Out").

Stunning forests and coastal in-shore species

Brown Pelicans. Piñas Bay, May 5th, 2018

On the way to the deeper waters, we kept finding more inshore species and started to see the first flocks of migrant Red-necked Phalaropes.  Even before getting to "La Caída", we started to find some tubenoses in the form of storm-petrels.  The three regular species started to show up, with Least and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels as the most common, and only few Black Storm-Petrels.  All of them are quite difficult to photograph under normal sea conditions... so I'm very happy with these photos!

Least Storm-Petrel.  Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel.  Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

At waters 300-feet deep, interesting things started to appear.  The first Galapagos Shearwaters showed up.  First a few, then some loose flocks around the boat, some times trying to land on the deck, something that Gustavo commented that was not unusual.  There have even been records of couples copulating in the bow of the boats!  Soon, one of the -many- highlights of the trip appeared suddenly.  A dark, large procellarid with powerful flight passed by the boat... the uniform dark-coloration and dark-tipped pale bill confirmed my suspicion: a Parkinson's Petrel!  Why so excited?  Well, it was a life bird for me, and the first photographic record for Panama!  This species returned from the brink of extinction thanks to the efforts of environmental authorities on the few islands where it breeds in New Zealand.  My record that day in Panamanian waters was the only one Worldwide!

Galapagos Shearwater. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Parkinson's Petrel.  Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Few seconds after the petrel, a second all-dark, but smaller procellarid flew by the boat, with contrasting pale underwing... a Sooty Shearwater.  Older literature describe this species as the most common shearwater in Panamá; however, we now know that this species is irregular at best. This is only my second Sooty Shearwater for Panamanian waters in several pelagic trips.  I had some experience with it, however, in waters off Peru, where it is pretty common, and from where is supposed the individual of Central America comes (birds moving north in food-poor years at the Humboldt Current according to Howell 2012).  In fact, I have seen more dark-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwaters that are superficially similar, but general shape and underwing pattern all differs.  I saw only one of those dark-morphs during this pelagic trip; the pale-morphs were more common.

Dark-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwater.  Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Pale-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwater. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

The tubenoses are always the highlights of any pelagic trip, and many more Galapagos and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters accompanying us during the trip.  We even saw another Parkinson's Petrel in deeper waters, but I'm not sure if it was the same individual.  The only other tubenose that I managed to identify was a Pink-footed Shearwater, an species that proved to be regular in our waters.  Apart of the tubenoses, the lariformes (gulls, terns and skuas) were well-represented as well.  Some true pelagic species started to appear, like Sabine's Gull, Bridled and Sooty Terns and Brown Noddy.

Sooty Tern. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Brown Noddy and Sabine's Gull. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

The tactic of Gustavo was simple... he kept an eye to the tuna schools and the dolphins out there.  They were always followed by flocks of birds.  One of those feeding groups included Short-beaked Common Dolphins, the first time ever I see that species in Panama!  Then, while checking the flock with dozens of Black and Common Terns, I focused on an elegant-flying tern with long streamers.  It is not easy to separate some similar-looking species, so good photographs are needed.  This particular bird was difficult to photograph, and I got only some blurry photos until the bird flew directly over us.  I already had an idea of what was seeing... but the photographs confirmed the identification.  Arctic Tern!

Arctic Tern. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

Short-beak Common Dolphin. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

This bird was in alternate plumage, showing the characteristic gray body (more extensive than in Common Tern), steep forehead, all-red bill (without black tip as in Common Tern) and longer streamers than in Common Tern, but more important, the thin and well-delimited black trailing edge to the primaries, very different to the broader line exhibit by Common Terns.  This is just the fifth report for Panama of Arctic Tern., with the first one being in those very same waters in 1995.  Check the field marks listed above with this photo of Common Tern taken just seconds apart of the Arctic Tern:

Common Tern. Off Piñas, May 5th, 2018

I have to admit that it was strenuous... a little more than eight hours at sea, under a bright sun (yes, Gustavo managed to avoid the rainstorm all day long), little time to rest due to bird activity, carrying my heavy camera and trying to point it to small, flying birds... but it was fun after all.  But my job was not done.  We arrived at the lodge short after 3:00 pm, with time and light enough to watch birds for the GBD in the gardens.  To my surprise, I managed to relocate the Viridian Dacnis in the same general area; except that, this time, it was an adult male.

Viridian Dacnis. Tropic Star Lodge, May 5th, 2018

I just managed some bad photos as you can see.  It turned out that this particular guy was also the only individual reported Worldwide of this species during the GBD!  Two unique species worldwide for the Global Big Day!  In fact, by the end of the day, I managed to find ten (10) species unique for Panama's Global Big Day... more than any other team or individual. Back in my room, taking advantage of the wi fi, I followed closely the results of the count, and started to submit my lists.  That night I barely sleep... and only made a pause for dinner.  After all, the managers had organized a 5 de Mayo party, with Mexican food and allegories, and even a piñata with a Cubera Snapper motive.

Working at my room

Cubera Snapper Piñata

Due to the flight schedule, I spent one and a half day more at the lodge... and to be honest, I spent most of that time reviewing my checklists and the reports send by all the other birders from all over Panama, work that I continued in Panama City with other members of the coordinating committee.  After all, this was my most memorable Global Big Day!  I saw 57 different species of birds that day (less than previous years), but contributed with ten unique species for Panamá and two for the WORLD!!!  And you?  How was your GBD?

And the birding continues! Pelagic off western Azuero

And after exciting 16+ hours of pure birding, we ended at the town of Malena, western Azuero, with our friends Kees and Lowes of Heliconia Inn.  We scheduled a pelagic trip for the next day, and the rest of the participants were already there: Mario Ocaña, George Angehr (yes, the author of "The Birds of Panama" field guide), visiting birder Enos Diestre and Kees Groenedijk as our guide.

That's me, George, Mario, Kees, our captain and Enos

As usual, very early the next day (May 14th) we took a quick breakfast and headed to the dock at Rio Negro, close to the town of Mariato.  With the first lights we started to navigate along the western coast of the Azuero Peninsula, in a route now familiar to some of us who were recurrent in this kind of trips.  It soon became clear that this would be a spectacular journey... since hordes of Black Terns, Brown Noddies and Galapagos Shearwaters started to appear... even close to shore!

We found several of these flocks feeding over schools of Bonitos... the show was simply amazing!  Frenzy feeding action both under and above the waves... it was hard to focus in just one bird.  In fact, among the dozens of goodies and Black Terns, there were other terns species, like Common and Sooty Terns for example.

Brown Noddies

Alternate Black Tern

Common Tern

Sooty Tern

But most important, the first tubenoses were also attending the party.  First a few... then, flocks with up to 50 Galapagos Shearwaters resting on the water or swiftly moving around each good spot.  The Galapagos Shearwaters are always present in these pelagic trips; however, it was the first time I saw so many... reminding me those photos of one of my favorite field guides on pelagic birds.  They allowed some close shots by the way!

Galapagos Shearwater

When we reached the Continental Shelf break, some other tubenoses started to appear... up to three Wedge-tailed Shearwaters started to feed among the Galapagos Shearwaters, while some Black and Wedge-rumped  Storm-Petrels also did some quick appearances... but they were quite shy for photos. Trust me, it is not easy to aim and shoot those little guys from a buoying boat in the middle of the ocean!

Wedge-tailed Shearwater

Wedge-tailed and Galapagos Shearwaters

Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel

We recorded some other species, including Brown and Nazca Boobies, Bridled Terns and Laughing Gulls out there.  We also had some nice non-avian highlights... like several Hammerhead sharks (unknown species... if you have an idea let me know) and at least two different species of sea turtles, including the one pictured here:

Hammerhead Shark sp.

Sea Turtle sp.

As you can see, a successful trip.  Each one of these trips in Panama help us to understand a little bit more our pelagic avifauna... still a lot to do in this aspect of course.  

2016's Last Pelagic Trip Off Western Azuero Peninsula

Pelagic trips are always exciting off Panama coasts.  The pelagic avifauna is so poorly known that effectively no one knows what to expect.  That's why I try to attend every pelagic trip I can... and this trip was not the exception!  My friend Kees Groenendijk, of Heliconia Inn B&B, organized everything, as he has did in the last trips.  He and his wife, Loes Roos, have become real experts in the logistics of these special trips, and I highly recommend them if you plan a visit to that area.

Alfred, Howard, Rolando, Kees, Mikko and Jan Axel

This time, the companions willing to brave the waves, endure the weather conditions, withstand the odor of fish viscera that we use as bait and to ignore the seasickness were Alfred Raab, Howard Laidlaw, Rolando Jordan and Mikko Oivukka.  Kees, as usual, was our guide and in charge of the chumming process (thanks God).  We left Reina beach, close to the town of Mariato, just before dawn.  Watching the sunrise from the deck of the boat was magical.

We did the same route we followed in previous pelagic trips (you can read about them here and here) and the sea was relatively calm in spite of the dark clouds in the horizon.  After reaching Punta Naranjo (Azuero's southwestern corner), we headed directly to the south, to the Continental Shelf break and into deep waters.  At this point, we had only seen common inshore species, except for a jaeger that passed swiftly that we were unable to ID to species.  At the Continental Shelf break, we started to use the chum to attract our first tubenose... a Galapagos Shearwater.

Galapagos Shearwater

This species is regular in Panamanian offshore waters, although the numbers seem to fluctuate each season, we only saw a few of them this time.  The only other tubenose seen in this trip was a Wedge-tailed Shearwater that we were unable to photograph, but was easily ID'd since we had some experience with that species in Panama from the pelagic trips from eastern Azuero.  More interesting was the completely lack of storm-petrels in these waters... they certainly were not there!  We also saw another pelagic species... not a tubenose, but a pair of elegant Sabine's Gulls.

Sabine's Gulls

What a good sight!  The bird with the black terminal band in the tail and brown upperparts is a juvenile; while the other bird is an adult in basic plumage. The conspicuous wing pattern was unmistakable even at long distances.  We recorded at least five individuals of these graceful gulls.  After several hours, we started to head towards mainland.  In the way, we crossed some non-avian highlights.  First, a pod of 20 or may be 30 Short-finned Pilot Whales that stayed with us for more than 30 minutes.

Short-tailed Pilot Whales

spyhopping Short-finned Pilot Whale

Then, an Indo-Pacific Sailfish decided to feed at the surface very close to our boat... it was a lifer for me!  In fact, my first billfish ever!  Amazing!  Curiously, No one on board showed even the slightest interest in catching the fish... such a magnificent beast is better enjoyed free at the sea.

Indo-Pacific Sailfish

In the way to port, we decided to check a seamount known by local fishermen as a good spot for fishing.  As soon as we got there, a flock of Common and Black Terns welcomed us feeding over a school of Bonitos... it was a feeding frenzy.

Black and Common Terns

However, we noticed a different bird with them... in fact, someone mentioned that a "black" bird was feeding close to the surface.  We immediately identified it as a  noddy... certainly a Brown Noddy, the expected and common species in the area... it was a little bit dark to feel comfortable, but what else could it be?  I took several photos, most of them blurry shots...

Black Noddy

Black Noddy

The photos show a dark bird with uniform upper and under wing patterns, a contrasting white crown and forehead and slightly grayer tail; but most important, it has a thin, long bill... a Black Noddy!!!  We saw this bird several time feeding with the terns... you can compare it relative size in the next photo.

Black Noddy with Common and Black Terns

Then, we found a Brown Noddy in a different flock... the bird was evidently "brown" in the field, not black, and the photos show the shorter and stouter bill, the pale bar in the upper wing with contrasting dark flight feathers and the paler underwing.

Brown Noddy

Brown Noddy

The Black Noddy was considered hypothetical for Panama due to a sight record from Islas Frailes many years ago.  These photos confirm the species for Panamanian waters.  The species is not totally unexpected since it is regularly found in waters around Cocos and Malpelo Islands off the coasts of Costa Rica and Colombia respectively.  It was a life bird for me of course, and a great way to end a nice pelagic trip off western Azuero Peninsula!

Off shore western Azuero: birds and mammals

It was 5:00 am last October 1st, 2016.  In spite of a not-so-favorable weather forecast, a group of intrepid birders, including George Angehr, Howard Laidlaw, Joris Deruwe, Miguel Siu and your blogger host were standing in the dark while Kees Groennedijk was taking care of the last details for our first pelagic trip of the year.  We were at the dock in Reina beach close to the town of Mariato in western Azuero Peninsula (Veraguas province).  A little "panga" took us along the Negro river and, eventually, to the fishing boat anchored off shore due to tide issues.

Part of the group at the dock in Negro river

Our pelagic trip started in the dark.  It was not after passing the 6:00 am mark that we started to watch some birds... the first one was the silhouette of a Magnificent Frigatebird.  We took the same route we did last year, navigating parallel to the western coast of the Azuero Peninsula to Punta Naranjo (the southwest corner of the peninsula), then off few miles to deep waters along the Continental Shelf break, moving to the west while chumming and then going back to Reina beach more or less in an straight line.

Punta Naranjo

Still within the Continental Shelf, our first highlight was an immature Red-billed Tropicbird that decided to swim quite close to the boat, allowing some shoots before taking off again.  The species seems to be regular in those waters according to Kees, but it was the first time I see it in the Pacific Ocean.  Eventually, we saw three to four different individuals, all of them immatures and within the Continental Shelf.

Immature Red-billed Tropicbird

Immature Red-billed Tropicbird

At Punta Naranjo we only saw two (instead of dozens) Brown Noddies flying close to the rocks.  By that time, it was evident that the most common species present was the Black Tern... loose flocks of up to 50 birds were seen each hour, specially within the Continental Shelf, plus other terns species like Royal and Common Terns inshore and many Bridled Terns well offshore... but also some resting on floating debris close to shore.

Brown Noddy 

Black Tern (basic)

Common Tern (alternate)

Bridled Tern (basic)

This time, our time at deep waters was not very productive.  At the chumming sites we only saw few Galapagos Shearwaters... the only tubenose recorded in the whole trip.  That's right... no other shearwater, petrel nor storm-petrel species that day.  At least, we were expecting two or three different species of storm-petrels... none was seen.  Were they not there?  The chum was not smelly enough?  We were not lucky enough?  Certainly, we still need to know a lot about our pelagic avifauna.

Galapagos Shearwater

Besides the birds (and lack of them), the other highlight was the number of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins that we managed to see.  Several dozens of these intelligent animals accompanied us for a while, they gave us a marvelous show!

And that my friends was our day at the sea.  No new birds for Panama and no life birds, plus a little bit of seasickness for the first time (weird, since the sea was quite calm)... but hey! that's pelagic birding!!!  Can't wait for the next one!