Portraits in the savanna

In spite of not finding the Maguari Stork reported for Juan Hombron (Cocle province, central Panama) after several visits, the good thing is that I had the opportunity to take some close-ups of common inhabitants of these typical arid savannas.  Advantages like clear light and unobstructed views are the ingredients to great portraits... even for an amateur photographer like me.

Variable Seedeater

For example, the male Variable Seedeater pictured above was quite curious and came to inspect me for a while.  Several males were engaged in courtship displays and singing the heart out.  They were very common in those fields.  Another common species was the Straight-billed Woodcreeper.

Straight-billed Woodcreeper

Not only common, but beautiful as well too.  For a woodcreeper, it is quite distinctive, with that straight, pink bill and bold head marks.  It is restricted to mangroves and adjacent shrubs and secondary growths.  In the other hand, the Groove-billed Ani is simply an all-black bird.  In fact, it is easier to ID it by voice than by sight (due to confusion issues with the Smooth-billed Ani present in smaller number in this same area).

Groove-billed Ani

However, with looks like this you can actually see the grooves in the bill of this individual!  It easy to ID the birds if you actually see the field mark by which they were named; for example, can you name the next species?

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

Jejejeje, just kidding.  However, they would be more difficult to identify if flying away.  The Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures are commoner than Turkey Vultures in this habitat, specially this time of the year.   Also common, and a nice representative of this savanna, is the Savanna Hawk.

Savanna Hawk

This long-legged hawk is huge and colorful, making it recognizable from long distances.  Due to the lack of tall trees in the savanna, this raptor (like many other as well) take advantage of any high site (like this telephone pole) to observe its domains.  Well, that is all for now... but certainly is not my last time in Juan Hombron looking for my Maguari!

Backyard birding at the finca

We like to go to Penonomé (central Panamá) for several reason... to escape of the noisy city, to breath fresh air, to share with friends and relatives and to relax.  However, I also take advantage to bird.  We spend last weekend in town, and I did a quick visit to the Aguadulce Salinas... but also did some birding in Gloriela's family finca in the outskirts of town.  Some years ago, this was pasture land... now is alive with trees and, of course, birds!

A short walk around the cabin produced several common species for this dry, secondary habitat.  The first I saw was a Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant.  The "pygmy" part of its name is well deserved; however, the pale iris is not that evident in the field.  So far, I have always encountered this species close to the creek, the most humid part of the property.

I followed the creek for a while.  It is fresher under the burning sun, both for humans and birds!  Besides, many species are only found in that area... like our resident lek of Lance-tailed Manakins.  I saw several males... but they were shy.  Only this female stayed enough for a photo.  Notice the long and pointy central rectrices.

Others species along the creek were Rufous-capped Warbler, Yellow-olive and Sepia-capped Flycatchers... but they were shier, so I went to the more open areas hoping to find more photogenic subjects.  In fact, the open savanna with scattered trees is ideal for photographing... this Lineated Woodpecker proved me right.

I also saw Tropical Kingbirds, Streaked, Great Crested and Panama Flycatchers, Yellow-bellied and Lesser Elaenias and Groove-billed Anis.  In opposition to what happens around Panamá City, in Penonomé, the Groove-billeds are the most common anis.

 

Well, just a typical day in the savannas.