San Andres Island's Big Pond

As mentioned earlier, the Cubilla-Archbold family made an escape to San Andres Island (Colombia) for the weekend.  After leaving the keys of our room at the deck of our resort, we headed to the hilly center of the island, to a natural lagoon known as Big Pond.

We first crossed the urban center and passed through La Loma neighborhood.  You can have breathtaking views of the beaches at this part of the island (and where the First Baptist Church is located as well).  After a while, you reach the pond, surrounded by scrubs and secondary growths.

One of the main attractions there are the Spectacled Caimans (known as "Babillas") that come out the water to inspect the visitors.  Most of them are small, but there are some reports of 2 meters-long individuals.

Spectacled Caiman

We were more interested in the birds... and the site turned out to be quite good.  Immediately, we noticed a nice collection of herons and shorebirds taking advantage of the calm waters: Great and Snowy Egrets, Green, Tricolored and Little Blue Herons plus Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers and two Lesser Yellowlegs.  Even a male Blue-winged Teal was resting at the shore!

Snowy Egret and immature Little Blue Heron 

Tricolored Heron (immature)

Blue-winged Teal (male)

We walked around the pond following our taxi driver Emerson who accompanied us.  This is a short and easy walk, full with migrant species.  We saw Yellow, Tennessee, Protonothary, Magnolia and Yellow-rumped Warblers in quick succession.

Some resident species were present too, like Smooth-billed Anis, Brown-throated Parakeets, herds of Bananaquits and Black-faced Grassquits, San Andres Vireo and a lonely Mangrove Cuckoo that allowed some shots.

Mangrove Cuckoo

However, one resident caught my attention.  While enjoying some cold drinks at a nearby bar, we saw some Tropical Mockingbirds in the surroundings.  The subspecies magnirostris is endemic to San Andres Island... and some authorities considered it a full species.

Tropical "San Andres" Mockingbird

Tropical "San Andres" Mockingbird

These birds were comparatively pale-faced and with an obvious larger bill with curved culmen.  In fact, that is exactly what magnirostris means: large bill.  Compare it with the Tropical Mockingbirds present in Panama.

Tropical Mockingbird (photo from Panama Viejo)

We had enough time to reach our transfer to the airport.  This was an intense weekend, with tons of interesting sites visited, lots of sun, sand and cays and, of course, many special birds (39 species in total).  Surely this will not be our last time on San Andres Island!

San Andres Island hotspots. Part II

In the second day of our trip to San Andres Island (Colombia), we decided to travel around the island, visiting its touristic attractions.  I already showed you some of these hotspots.  After stopping for a while in Cove Bay (and watching our life San Andres Vireo), we continue southward along the island's  western rocky shore.  After passing several natural pools, we reached the southern tip of the island.  There, a tiny hole in the rocky beach brings a nice show to the tourists... it is known as the "Blowing Hole".

This hole is the only exit tract to a cave systems that reach the beach.  When the waves push the water inside the caves, the air is expelled through this hole... but beware, depending on the tide, the air can be followed by the water as well (just watch this video).  This rocky shore is coralline in origin... perfect for the Ruddy Turnstones.  They were the most common shorebird in the island.

Ruddy Turnstone

After turning at the southern tip, we drove north along the east coast, where most of the white-sand beaches are located.  These beaches are coralline too, and protected by a coral reef where most of the cays surrounding the island can be found.  Al these cays are major attractions, but we decided to spent the afternoon relaxing at Rocky Cay (the entrance road was property of the Archbold-Suarez family)... its warm and crystalline waters were perfect!

Two thirds of the Cubilla-Archbold family

Rocky Cay

The next day, we hired a boat in order to visit the other cays.  They are close to shore, so you can visit them in one morning.  Our first destination were Haynes and Rose Cays.  The later is known also as the aquarium due to its coral reef filled with multicolored fishes.  In the way to the cays, we crossed a replica of an ancient Pirate Ship.

Rose Cay as seen from Haynes Cay (San Andres urban center in the background)

At Rose Cay we took a tour through the reef aboard a boat with glass floor... simply amazing.  At Haynes Cay we had little time to walk around the tiny cay, finding two other waders (Willet and two Spotted Sandpipers) and a Contopus pewee that didn't vocalize.

Spotted Sandpiper

Then, our boat took us to Johnny Cay, to the north.  This cay is a popular destination due to its white beaches and Caribbean-style... you can have a Coco-loco (a local drink) while hearing Bob Marley or any other reggae or calypso rhythm.  However, the surf was pretty strong for Gabrielle... so we decided better to enjoy the music.  Only Bananaquits and Magnificent Frigatebirds in this cay for the record.

Bananaquit

Magnificent Frigatebird (male)

That was our last day in San Andres Island, and we hurried to make the check-out at our resort.  We still had some time on the island and decided to spend it well, but that's another story.

Bird of the Month: San Andres Vireo

The San Andres Vireo (Vireo caribaeus) is endemic to the tiny Columbian island of San Andres, in the Caribbean sea.  This species is common in a great variety of habitats within San Andres; however, due to its tiny range (restricted to 17 km2 within the island), it is considered Vulnerable by BirdLife International.

Within its island, the San Andres Vireo is quite distinctive (locally known as "Chincherry")... with no similar species.  A small to medium-sized vireo, with conspicuous yellow lores and two white wing bars.  However, it is very similar to other vireos species.. like Mangrove and Thick-billed Vireos... some of them sharing the same insular habitat.

During my last (and only) visit to San Andres Island, I found this endemic in the south part of the island.  By voice, it was quite common.  For these, and many other reasons is why we chose the San Andres Vireo as our Bird of the Month!

Literature consulted:

1. BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Vireo caribaeus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org

San Andres Island hotspots. Part I

The day after our arrival to San Andres Island, our only full day, started with a tasty breakfast at our resort.  We planned a full day visiting touristic attractions along the island coast and the hilly interior, an easy trip considering that this island is only 13 kilometers long.  Before departing, I took some minutes to see (and photograph) some birds walking among the tourists looking for leftovers... they were pretty familiar to us.

Ruddy Turnstone

White-winged Dove

I have to accept that it was a bit weird to see Ruddy Turnstones acting as ground-doves picking each piece of bread or anything else they can eat of the ground... and the White-winged Doves acting like our grackles, taking advantage of any neglect to steal food from the dishes on the tables.  After breakfast, we hired a taxi that showed us some of the most popular touristic attractions of the island... the hotspots.  After crossing the urban center at the north end of the island, we took the coastal road that runs along the island's rocky west coast.  Our first stop was at a museum known as the Island House (Casa Museo Isleña), an old colonial style home, property of the Archbold-Garnica family.

Casa Museo Isleña

Friendly guides explain you the details of living in such a house in the colonial times and give you dance lessons (reggae or calipso).  You can ask them to take the family pictures as well.

Cubilla-Archbold family (and a pirate)

Then, our taxi driver took us to the Morgan's Cave, the entrance to a cave system where supposedly Sir Henry Morgan (we Panamanians know him well) hid a treasure hundreds of years ago.  The cave is right in the entrance of the property..., but this is a touristic island, so they first took you in a guided tour through some little museums showing pirates stuff, coconuts stuff, a traditional dance show and the opportunity to take some photos aboard a pirate ship.  Then, you enter to the cave.

Gloriela at Morgan's cave

However, I was more interested in the property itself.  It had many trees... and birds.  I was already familiarized with the common species... like Bananaquits, Caribbean Elaenia and Yellow Warblers.  Then, I detected my second and third life birds for the trip.  First, a colorful Jamaican Oriole.  It remained me several species of yellow Orioles back in Panama, but this had large white panels in the wings.

Jamaican Oriole

In quick succession,  and more close to the ground, a little group of Black-faced Grassquits were working in some low bushes.  This is mainly a Caribbean species (although also found in northern South America), and one I was expecting.

Black-faced Grassquit (male)

Close to them, a Common Ground-Dove also said present.  I was not expecting this one... probably it simply went unnoticed in the bird lists I read before the trip.  In Panama, this species is restricted to the Dry Arc in the Pacific slope.

Common Ground-Dove (male)

In the way to the next site, we passed through Cove Bay.  In a wooded road, bordered by Bougainvilleas, I detected a movement in one of this flower.  I shouted "STOP" to the taxi driver and we left the taxi.  In a nearby fence, a group of three San Andres Vireos were chasing each other!

San Andres Vireo

I feared that I could not find this endemic, because, as I mentioned earlier, this was a family trip... and was not willing to leave my family to go look for it.  So it was simply GREAT to have this group right by the road!  The San Andres Vireo is completely restricted to this tiny island... and was my main target of course.  Notice the yellow lores, the lack of eyering and the two wing bars.  What a great experience!  We were in the middle of our tour along the island's hotspots... I'll write about other hotspot in my next post.

Escape to San Andres Island

San Andres Island certainly is a paradise tucked away in a corner of the Caribbean.  Politically belongs to Colombia, but Panama is closer (only a 50 minutes flight) and even closer to Nicaragua. This is a popular touristic destination, and we decided to spent a relaxing weekend enjoying its sandy beaches and Caribbean culture.  This was a familiar trip, I went with Gloriela and Gabrielle... NOT a birding trip... but I birded anyway!

Rose and Hayne Cays, San Andres Island

And we chose well!  Look that sea (and I'm not a beach lover)! We stayed at an all-inclusive resort builded over the waves, our room had a balcony facing the sea and nothing is more relaxing that the sound of the breaking waves in the morning.

The first day we walked along the beach front and enjoyed the swimming pools of our resort (and of a nearby one of the same chain).  I carried my bins and my camera... just in case.  Soon I started to see some common residents... and the most common of them all were the Bananaquits.  They were everywhere... they reminded me our ubiquitous Blue-gray Tanagers.

Bananaquit

While watching the Bananaquits, a hummer appeared feeding in some red flowers.  It was easy to ID, since the only regularly occurring hummingbird in the island is the Green-breasted Mango.

Green-breasted Mango

This was a male.  Notice its chestnut tail and slightly downcurved bill.  Gabrielle was more interested in another resident of the gardens, a big crab (I'll need some help to ID this one).

Can you see the crab?

And right at the gardens, I got my first lifer.  It puzzled me at first... a dull olive flycatcher with two faint wing bars.  However, the bright orange lower mandible and, specially, the lack of eyering gave me some clues.

Caribbean Elaenia

My first Caribbean Elaenia!  Later, I saw many more... but the first is always special.  I got three more lifers the next day... do you want to know which ones?  Stay tuned for the next part of this post!

Random day at the Metro Park

In spite of the long free weekend, I have not had time to go out to birdwatch... that's why I'm posting some old photos of residents birds at the Metropolitan Natural Park, right in the middle of Panama City.  By this time of year, the park is filled with migrants going back home, so I hope I can show pictures of them soon... for now, what about this common voice inside these forests?

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Yes, it is a male Slaty-tailed Trogon.  Its call sounds like a dog barking, seriously!  Sometimes it is hard to believe that such beauties live so close to the skycrapers... the same can be said about this Slate-colored Grosbeak.

Slate-colored Grosbeak

Actually not a grosbeak, but a saltator, a fact that sounds logical if you compare it with some other forest-dwelling saltators in South America.  Did you notice that both birds bear names that have nothing to do with their amazing coloration!  Just look the deep coral-red bill!  In the other hand, the next resident bird is named after its bill:

The Double-toothed Kite is a forest raptor quite common in the city.  Although not really "toothed", the name refers to the pair of identations at the cutting edge of the upper mandible.  This mark is not very conspicuous in the field, nor in my photo.  I found this immature bird a little bit after finding a pack of White-nosed Coatis.

White-nosed Coatis

I mention this because the Double-toothed Kite is known to follow troops of monkeys and other mammals, taking advantage of the insects flushed by these animals.  Perhaps this bird was doing just that!  Well, that's all for now... but soon I'll be back with those migrants photos!

Route Anton - El Valle de Anton

During our last visit to Penonome our friends and neighbors, the Rojas family (Edwin, Lurkys, Saisly and the little Mariangeles), invited me and Gabrielle to a short trip to the touristic town of El Valle de Anton, in the foothills of the Cocle province.  El Valle is well-known by its comfortable weather, its sunday market and many other attractions, like restaurants, lodges, forest trails, waterfalls, a zoo, and many more.  This time, we took a new and recently habilitated route starting at the town of Anton (10 minutes from Penonome) in the PanAmerican Highway.

Cerro La Cruz

This windy road takes you gradually along pastureland and low hills to the town of Caballero.  From there, it climbs abruptly until reaching its highest point at La Cruz hill.  From there, there is a magnificent view of El Valle... the charming town at the bottom of an ancient volcanic caldera.

El Valle de Anton

You can see the lava domes that usually are called the "rim" of the crater.  Actually, this is not a crater, but the caldera that left when most of the volcano collapsed after a huge eruption some 200,000 years ago.  Of course, this is a nice place to take photos.  As you will see, this hill is named after this solid cross.  There is another, smaller cross a little bit higher... but we decided to use this as background.

Gabrielle and me at the cross!  Cerro Gaital in the background.

From there, the roads descends VERY abruptly to El Valle, joining then the road to El Macho waterfalls.  Along this road, in the way to the town center, we found a big colony of nesting Chestnut-headed Oropendolas.  This is a famous colony because I have seen photos of this very same colony in the social media.

Oropendolas' colony

Chestnut-headed Oropendolas

We stopped to appreciate this spectacle, and witnessed an interesting aspect of the life within these colonies.  We noticed that the oropendolas were quite agitated.  After some seconds, we noticed the reason.  Several Giant Cowbirds were trying to lay their eggs into the oropendolas' hanging nests!

Giant Cowbird

Yes, the Giant Cowbirds are obligate parasites of the oropendolas, and they know this!  After laying their eggs at the oropendola's nest, they leave the entire task of raising their chicks to the oropendolas.  Curiously, and unlike other brood parasites, their chicks do not destroy the eggs or kill the nestlings of their adoptive parents.  Perhaps the cowbirds' chicks help somehow the oropendolas' nestlings... but tell that to this oropendola!

Get the heck out!!!

In the other hand, almost every oropendola colony have a breeding pair of Piratic Flycatchers... and this was not the exception!

Piratic Flycatcher on stolen nest

I don't know how the comparatively large oropendolas tolerate these birds.  They drive away the owners of the nest, dispose of the eggs and lay their own without building its own nest.  Probably that's why they have that bandit mask!

Piratic Flycatcher

We left the colony and drove to the town.  In the way, we were able to see the famous "India Dormida".  Literally, this means the sleeping indian... surely you can recognize her lying on her back with the head to the right of the picture.  This is one of the most recognized El Valle icons!

India Dormida

After having lunch in a little restaurant, we visited the zoo.  The girls were amazed with the animals, while Saisly and Lurkys appreciated the scenery from a comfortable bench.

Saisly and Lurkys... and not, they are not twins

I took photos of some common birds in the gardens and open habitats of the zoo, like the abundant White-tipped Dove... well known by the name "Rabiblanca".  Its hollow whooo-OOO-oo call is a common sound in our towns.

White-tipped Dove

What a nice day, enjoying with our friends, knowing new roads and enjoying picturesque towns along the way.  Thanks for this great day!

Lurkys, Mariangeles and Edwin Rojas.  Thank you guys!

Blood Moon

I know you have seen tons of photos of yesterday's Blood Moon in the social media... and this photo has the intention to show you some more!  Yes... I also set the alarm clock at 2:15 am to witness this wonder of nature.  By that time, the moon was already of a reddish tone due to its passage through the Earth's amber shadow.  It is red because of the same reason why our sunsets are orange: tiny particles in the atmosphere that scatter the light  (the Tyndall effect).

This is the first lunar eclipse of a series of four that will occur in 2014 and 2015 (a tetrad) at approximately six months interval.  My image is not that sharp because of the low shooting speed needed to capture the image in the middle of the darkness.  I was holding the camera, so every tiny movement (as produced by breathing or heartbeat) can blur the picture.  I sharpened both pictures using a commercial software... and I'm quite satisfied.  I decided to close the eyes for some minutes... I woke up 90 minutes later and the eclipse was almost done!

At least I manage this last photo.  Well, it is time to get a tripod for the next eclipse, that will occur in october 8th, 2014... point it in your diary!