Panama: Chiriqui Highlands Jan 29—Feb 04, 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
This year’s Chiriquí Highlands tour produced a lengthier species list than ever before (215 species), and also a strong dose of top-quality birds, including a dramatic finish with our main target species?the Resplendent Quetzal. Our best chance for this magnificent, long-trained trogon of the highland cloud forest is on our first full day when we visit the famed Los Quetzales cabañas. This year we had a great morning there, as usual, enjoying Black-cheeked Warblers, Spot-crowned Woodcreepers, Ruddy Treerunners, Buffy Tuftedcheeks, Tufted Flycatchers, Yellow-thighed Finches, Collared Redstarts, Flame-throated Warblers, and myriad hummingbirds while we waited for a quetzal to appear, or at least start singing. After biding our time long enough, we hiked uphill through prime quetzal habitat, picking up nightingale-thrushes, Black-faced Solitaire, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-winged and Brown-capped vireos, and several other species on our way, but no quetzals. Arriving at the top of the hill, some of us elected to hike all the way back down. Black-capped Flycatcher, Yellowish Flycatcher, and a number of other great cloud forest birds fell in line, but the quetzal did not.
We elected to go up to Respingo?another quetzal site?in the afternoon. Respingo produced wonderfully. A Golden-browed Chlorophonia came down to eye level to check us out. Volcano Hummingbirds stood sentry above the flowers in the open area. Orange-bellied Trogons teased us for a long time, but finally came into view. Other canopy flocks produced a number of specialties. But we neither saw nor heard quetzals.
Our next few days were spent away from quetzal habitat. Finca Hartmann, a very green shade coffee plantation, is always among the birding highlights. This year we spent much of our time around the houses down below. It was certainly worth it, as we netted several species of parrots, Blue-crowned Motmot, Turquoise Cotinga, Tropical Parula, and a wealth of other birds in a couple of active hours. One of the better birds got away from us. No tiger-heron is on the Finca checklist, but we flushed one from the small river below the houses. It flew off before we could nail the ID, but it was almost certainly a Fasciated.
The following morning we birded Baja Frio, an open-country area with lots of specialties. Tanager and honeycreeper flocks were a highlight that kept us alert and entertained. A laughing Laughing Falcon taunted us and then gave us distant views before finally giving the point-blank views we always crave. Scarlet-thighed Dacnises flirted with us and eventually we enjoyed looks at the distinctive females, if not the stunning males, which were only seen briefly. One of the highlights was a hyper-responsive White-winged Becard that responded down to eye level. On our return we kicked back in the lounge chairs at Cielito Sur, where nine species of hummingbirds buzzed around us and a Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch hopped about on the grounds.
Our final afternoon of birding would return us to a familiar quest?the quetzals! Our local guide, Ito, had a hot tip on an afternoon feeding area for quetzals, so we packed our binoculars and our optimism and headed out for another afternoon of searching. We stopped just short of the arduous track to Respingo and turned off the road to a small farm called Finca Luis Quintero. When we pulled up the activity was low and the birds mostly quiet, but we entertained ourselves with Acorn Woodpeckers and puzzling female Scintillant Hummingbirds. Suddenly a familiar call broke the silence. QUETZAL! Ito and I sprinted for our scopes and soon were looking at a sparkling female. But she didn’t stay long, and not everyone got her, so we settled in for more waiting. Finally, as dusk first threatened and as we were packing up to leave, another female appeared. And shortly afterwards, a magnificent, long-trained male appeared behind her. We patiently stalked them and obtained crippling scope views of both members of the pair. The next morning we put the icing on the cake, with three more quetzals feeding in a tree right overhead?appropriately?at the Sendero Los Quetzales (Trail of the Quetzals).
There were many other memorable birds on this trip?Emerald Toucanets, Fiery-billed Aracaris, Purple Gallinules, Collared Trogons, Violet Sabrewings, and Torrent Tyrranulets (my favorite, perhaps)?but our remarkable 11th hour quetzals were unbeatable. A truly resplendent bird and a magnificent finale!