Of all my birding anecdotes, the tale of the
Lanceolín del Monte is my favorite one. And now, thanks to my friend
Christian Gernez of
Isthmian Adventures, I can told you about it with a happy ending! You may be wondering what is a Lanceolín del Monte? Well, it is a VERY rare bird in Panama (and everywhere along its wide distribution), member of the Puffbirds and Nunbirds family: the
Lanceolated Monklet. Is so rare that it used to be known for the country by a single specimen collected back in 1926. Then, it was "rediscovered" in the 90s at the humid foothills of Bocas del Toro province (now Comarca Ngöbe-Bugle) in western Panamá by an intrepid group of birders including, among others, George Angehr, Loyda Sánchez and the late Wilberto Martínez (who eventually bought the exact place and turned into an eco-lodge, the area is now known as "Willy Mazú").
 |
| Foothill of the Ngöbe-Bugle comarca (as seen from the Continental Divide) |
For many years, that was the only reliable site for finding that species in Panama and the only site with recent records (except for an isolated and unique report from Cana, in eastern Darien province). Many years after the closure of the eco-lodge, I went with Gloriela looking for the monklet. The humble keeper of the land and his wife immediately recognized us as birders and invited us to enter the property. Even before I explain them what we were looking for, he told me (in Spanish): "I bet you are looking for the
Lanceolín del Monte". It took me a second to know that he was talking about the Lanceolated Monklet. I guess that was the closest Spanish name he could elucidate after hearing dozens of birders looking for the enigmatic Lanceolated Monklet! We did not see it that time, but the name was engraved deep in my memory.
Years later, in year 2000, during a Panama Audubon Society's field trip to the foothills above the town of
Santa Fe (Veraguas province, central Panama), a Lanceolated Monklet was discovered along the route to the Continental Divide. It was found by the Mulabá river for the delightedness of all the trip participants (notice the Xenornis report above). Since then, the road improved a lot, and the Lanceolated Monklet have been reported with certain regularity. My friend Christian (and others) saw it several times in the very exact place and in new sites but, somehow, that bird eluded me so far. Some months ago, Christian took me along the road visiting nice birding spots and recording good species, specially mixed flocks including Emerald, Dusky-faced, White-shouldered,
Tawny-crested,
Black-and-Yellow Tanagers and
Yellow-throated Chlorospingus.
 |
| Yellow-throated Chlorospingus |
 |
| Black-and-Yellow Tanager |
 |
| Tawny-crested Tanager |
However, by the time we reached the monklet spot, it was quite late and hot, and I was running out of time so I decided that I would leave it for another occasion. And that occasion came few months after that. In my search of new year birds for my Big Year quest, I visited several sites along the central provinces of the country. Again, I contacted Christian who was willing to show me the exact place were he usually sees the monklet. This time the monklet was not the only target, since I was also looking for some other goodies at those elevations above Santa Fe. I got to the site before the first light, the area between the two first bridges over the Mulaba river. The dawn chorus started with loud Bay Wrens and Buff-rumped Warblers, while the first Tawny-crested Tanagers started to show up along the tangled banks of the river. As soon as Christian arrived, he took me to the "usual" spot. He looked confident and relaxed... and just told me to be alert for movement since he was about to play a recorded call just once, in order to not disturb the bird, and wait for it. After few moments, a little silhouette approached to a nearby tree and stayed still. Streaked underparts, white-spotted undertail, white front and lores... a
LANCEOLÍN DEL MONTE!!!
 |
| Lanceolated Monklet a.k.a Lanceolín del Monte |
After all these years I finally was in front of one of the most enigmatic birds of the Neotropics! I can't describe the feeling... but I'm sure that, if you are a birder, you have felt that same sensation... when finally a nemesis bites the dust! The monklet quietly stayed for a while at the same perch, occasionally doing sally flights to the foliage probably catching some insects. Reluctantly decided to left it in peace to continue our targets quest... but I was so happy that was sure that the day would not get any better.
 |
| Crimson-collared Tanager |
Well, as you can see, I was wrong. My second target for the morning, the awesome
Crimson-collared Tanager, took us only 10 more minutes to show up, thanks to Christian experience birding his "area". Considering the great success looking for great bird species in the foothills of Santa Fe, I decided to move to another area (200 km apart) looking for more specialties and then, drive back to Panama City, some 300 km away. All the way, the image of that Lanceolín del Monte draw me a smile. What a great lifer and addition to my Big Year. Thanks Christian for show me it!
 |
| Christian and Jan Axel |
As you can see, these Dusky-faced Tanagers were quite showy, allowing nice sightings and photos. They were lifer for some of the group. It was evident that the action was about to start. A huge mixed flock was about to pass very close to us. Mostly tanagers, including Plain-colored, Flame-rumped, Common Bush and Silver-throated Tanagers.
I only managed to got silhouettes shots of the Tawny-crested Tanagers accompanying the mixed flock. At least the tawny crest is the main attraction in an otherwise all-black bird. They liked to stay in the dark.
Among the non-tanagers species accompanying the flock were White-ruffed Manakin, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Scarlet-thighed and Blue Dacnis and a pair of Tawny-capped Euphonias.
After seeing a distant pair of Blue-throated (Emerald) Toucanets, we left the place in order to have lunch in El Valle, but first, we saw some White-lined Tanagers right in Mata Ahogado, along with more common species like Blue-gray and Flame-rumped Tanagers.
Only the tanager-like bill distinguishes this bird, since the white is not evident when perched. By the end of the day, in El Valle, we saw more White-lined Tanagers, including this male feeding a young bird in a huge garden in The Millionaires Street.
Can't wait to visit this area again.
Nop, I'm not going to write about the Greater Antilles because I'm not referring to those todies. I refer to the Tody Motmots, the smallest member of its mainly Central American family. There is something about these birds... they are rare and little known in Panama, but also very attractive and smart. Last saturday I went with Osvaldo Quintero and Rafael Luck to El Valle de Anton in search of this little friend. We explored a side road close to the little town of Los Llanitos on the way to El Valle. We already had experience with todies on this road last May, seeing at least three different individuals along a little creek at the far end of the road. This time, our plan was to bird from the road itself and quickly we heard the call of one of them. Using a recording, we attracted THREE different todies that soon lost any interest in us. Further ahead on the road we saw and photographed others THREE different individuals. 
They are not easy to photograph. We always found them in shaded places with lots of tangles, usually always behind a leaf or a branch. In addition, they seem to be unsociable enough, moving away rapidly after a quick inspection of the intruders. Then, from a safe perch, they remain still (usually too far for my lens), moving its tail from one side to another, just like others motmots. I'm surprised of finding such a big population in a disturbed area like that one. In fact, not any of the others species recorded in the area are associated with forest (we saw many common species, and heard a Sepia-capped Flycatcher). I have seen todies before, but usually in large tracks of forest (where they are more entrusted with the observer, for example, in Chucanti). Not enough with this, there are many others reports of todies in El Valle itself, specially around the Canopy Lodge area. Of course we birded the El Valle and La Mesa areas, without finding any other tody (we have never been lucky in that place anyway), but seeing a nice mixed flock in the entrance of the Gaital Natural Monument (Tawny-crested and Silver-throated Tanagers, Bananaquits, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Slate-colored Grosbeak and so on...) and a White-tipped Sicklebill perched on Heliconias along the road to La Mesa. So, if you still needs the Tody for your life list, go to Todies' land and have fun.
Posts
