For pics from this trip, check my Costa Rica birding blog
(including Panama trips and info.): http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/
Introduction
In May, 2008, I travelled to Panama from Costa Rica to bird the Achiote road and Metropolitan Park. I crossed the border at Sixaola, all of my travel was by pubic transportation and I stayed at hostels for the most part. Although it is possible to get to some birding sites by public transportation, it appears that private transportation is more or less necessary for well known places such as: the pipeline road, Cerro Colorado, and Cerro Azul. Birding was overall good although a bit rainy at Metro Park (where the mosquitos were a force to be reckoned with!). Compared with Costa Rica, Panama has better roads, has less crime and is cheaper. I think the quality of birding is about equal between both countries:
1. Although easier to get to more sites in Costa Rica with public transportation it might be easier to access more intact lowland forest with private transportation in Panama. The lower population density in Panama is apparent with more intact habitat overall.
2. Outside of a costly trip to the Darien, Costa Rica offers a better chance at a few species susceptible to hunting such as Great Curassow, Crested Guan and Wood Quails.
3. Harpy Eagle is far more likely in Panama while Scarlet Macaw is easier in Costa Rica.
Target species:
Since I live in and have extensively birded Costa Rica as well as other places in the neotropics, I had few target species, some of which are understandably difficult to get. With few days to work with, my targets were especially challenging.
My targets and strategies to get them were:
Spot-crowned Barbet: mixed flocks along Achiote road.
Black-breasted Puffbird: Achiote Road.
Pheasant Cuckoo: get lucky with this in Metro Park.
Plumbeous Hawk: get lucky with this rare species along the Achiote Road.
Pearl kite: hopefully see one perched on a wire during rides between David and Panama City.
Veraguan Mango: outside chance of seeing one in Santiago.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird: Achiote Road or Metro Park.
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird: second growth anywhere.
Rufous-crested Coquette: hopefully find one at a flowering Inga.
Yellow-green Tyrannulet: maybe Metro Park.
Black-tailed Flycatcher: maybe Metro Park.
Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant: Santiago?
Southern Bentbill: Achiote road or Metro Park.
Blue Cotinga: Scan canopy of hillsides with scope Achiote road.
Golden-collared Manakin: Achiote road.
Lance-tailed Manakin: Metro Park.
Jet Antbird: maybe Achiote road?
White-bellied Antbird: Metro Park.
Wing-banded Antbird: maybe Achiote road?
Black-chested Jay: Achiote road.
White-headed Wren: Achiote road.
Crimson-backed Tanager: anywhere.
Sulphur-rumped Tanager: Achiote road.
Rosy-Thrush Tanager: Metro park.
Yellow-backed Oriole: Achiote road.
Some useful information:
Panama uses the American dollar as its currency although dollars are called “balboas”.
A variety of lodging is available from cheap backpacker hostels geared towards a younger clientel ($10) to mid-range hotels ($25) to high end luxury hotels (over $100).
Food is OK, available in 24 hour cafeterias in Panama City and cheap ($3 per meal on average).
Water is drinkable many places but not everywhere. Some English is spoken. Panama is one hour ahead of Costa Rica.
Many buses in Panama are amazingly decorated with murals and popular culture icons. They all have names too, my favorites being, “Megatron” and “Bart Simpson”. The most memorable murals were a bus that showed Arnold fighting “The Predator” and another that showed a “Terminator” robot standing over an apocolyptic scene of a devastated city.
It can be very frightening (or thrilling for the adrenaline seeker) to ride rural buses because the driver might barrel and take curves at very high speeds with one hand on the wheel, the other lazily hanging out the window. This and tinted windows makes birding from buses a disappointment (see below).
Daily log:
May 19, 2008
Took the 6:00 A.M. bus from San Jose to Sixaola, arriving around noon instead of 11 due to slow traffic through Braulio Carrillo National Park. Always interesting to note the change in common pigeon and dove species from the highlands to the lowlands. In Costa Rica, Redbilled Pigeons and Inca Doves of the Central Valley are replaced by Pale-vented Pigeons and Ruddy Ground Doves. Aside from the national park, the road passes through depressing pasture and banana plantations, then gets closer to good forest before and after Limon. The forests of the Fila Carbon look especially promising. Best species from the bus was Pink-billed Seed Finches in their typical habitat of tall, seeding, marshy grass somewhere after Guapiles. Crossed the border around 11:30 A.M.
The border crossing at Sixaola is a rusty bridge with some wooden planks over a brown tropical river. Extensive rain forest is visible on distant hills in both countries; forest likely harboring Great Green Macaws and Harpy Eagle. The Hitoy Cerere Reserve provides access to this forest block. Although off the regular birding cicuit, the birding can be much better here than at La Selva as Nunbirds, Fruitcrows, Wood Quails and Great Jacamar are still present as well as healthy populations of understory birds.
After getting my exit stamp and crossing the bridge into Panama (also driveable), I sweated in the lowland heat with other travellers (mostly backpackers headed to the nearby gorgeous Bocas del Toro islands) waiting for immigration to open (they close for lunch from noon to one). Once open, things went quickly; passport stamped, $5 tourist visa bought next door then stamped at first window and I was free to continue on towards Panama City.
Upon entrance into Panama, I was accosted by touts for transport to Bocas and David who outright scam most backpackers by charging them $5 or more to get to Changuinola. If you cross here, don’t listen to anything they say; walk down the steps to the grocery store where you can take a bus to Changuinola for .25c or cooperative taxi in a nice air conditioned pick-up for $1.50.
I opted for the taxi and arrived at the Changuinola bus station around 1:30 (there are two bus stations- one for local buses and other for long distance). From there I bussed it for a curvy 5 hours to David for about $8. The bus ride from Changuinola to David passes through a lot of good habitat and would be excellent to explore by car. I was amazed to see extensive tracts of lowland primary forest near the road; especially between Changuinola and Almirante. There was good forest along the Changuinola river as well (which is unfortunately threatened with a dam!). After Almirante, the road goes uphill into nice foothill and cloud forest around Fortuna. Saw several Keel-billed Toucans from the bus, best birds probably being Black-bellied Whistling Duck and Grey-headed Chachalaca.
Although I haven’t checked it out (yet!), there is apparently budget lodging in cloud forest somewhere between Fortuna and Chiriqui Grande at a place called Lost and Found.
Upon arrival in David, I phoned the Hostal Veraguas in Santiago to advise them that I would be arriving around 11:30 PM. After yet another bus ride (3 hours, $7), I arrived in Santiago where I crashed for the night. The Hostal Veraguas was clean, friendly and cheap ($9 including small breakfast).
May 20, 2008
Took a short walk in the morning hoping to get lucky with a Veraguan Mango or flyover Brown-throated Parakeet. No such luck with those although many large trees in the neighborhood had common second growth birds such as Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Orange-chinned Parakeet and others. I unfortunately didn’t have time to explore promising areas near Santiago, nor the nearby Azuero peninsula.
At 9 A.M., I caught a bus to Panama City (about 3-4 hours, $7). Tinted bus windows made bird ID tough and although I saw Caracaras and Black-shouldered Kite, I failed to connect with hoped for Pearl Kite.
I arrived in Panama City around 12:30 P.M. at the huge, very nice Albrook bus terminal. After a phone call to my wife and lunch of fried rice, caught the next bus to Colon on my way to Achiote. Despite Colon only ks from Panama City, slow traffic turns it into a 2 hour bus ride. Colon looked like it merited its bad reputation. The city was run-down and before I got off the bus, the few passengers that remained looked genuinly concerned about my safety warning me to be careful, etc.. Luckily, I didn’t have to spend any time at the outdoor terminal, catching the next “Costa Abajo” bus right away (buses Colon to Costa Abajo from 5 A.M. to 9 P.M.). After that, it was a short 30 minutes to my destination where I could begin birding in earnest.
Although I asked to be dropped at the hostel, “El Tucan”, the driver left me at the HQ and restaurant of CEASPA, the organization that runs the center. After a coke and friendly chat with one of the cooks, I walked up to the hawk watch platform on a hill behind the restaurant.
I flushed a few White-tipped Doves and a Pauraque from the second growth along the trail. The platform is witness to clouds of Broudwinged and Swainsons Hawks as well as Turkey Vultures during migration. It’s probably pretty good for other migrants too. It also allows looks into trees in pasture and the forest on nearby hills could also be scoped for raptors, Toucans and Blue Cotinga. I spent about twenty minutes on the platform, seeing several common second growth species, then walked to El Tucan (half mile or about 1 k), stopping for groceries at the only store in town.
Like the restaurant, there are obvious signs for El Tucan on the road. El Tucan provides dormitory style lodging (separate sexes) with fans, use of a kitchen and also has an overlook underneath a huge fig tree. Located within older second growth and across the street from some marshy pasture, the birding is good. Darinel, the caretaker was very helpful and friendly. He even lent me a bicycle which turned out to be a life saver in getting to the restaurant and birding the Achiote road. After settling in, I birded, seeing mostly second growth species and a nice Rufescent Tiger Heron in the marshy pasture. As night approached I discovered that I had lost my flashlight; a shame as the center looked good for owling.
As volunteer groups occasionally lodge at El Tucan, its best to contact them in advance. I made reservations with Carlos Harbar: padi_admon@ceaspa.org.pa
May 21, 2008
After a pre-dawn breakfast, I birded my way to the forests of San Lorenzo National Park (1 mile from El Tucan) along the Achiote road. The mile of pastures and second growth before the park held predictable non-forest species; better to focus on the forested areas of the park. The first mile of the park, coming from Achiote, passes through older second growth connected to good forest. The birding was pretty good and offered great looks at Pied Puffbird, Western White-tailed Trogon, lots of Keel-billed Toucans and one of my target species; Black-breasted Puffbird.
A mile from the limits of the park (2 miles from El Tucan) is the Trogon trail. Run by CEASPA, the entrance is well-signed and has parking for 2 vehicles. There are two loops of well-maintained trails through mostly primary forest, one of which goes uphill. I had fair birding along the trails; no big mixed flocks nor antswarms but good looks at Trogons, Northern Barred Woodcreeper, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Antwrens, Gray-headed Tanager and another of my targets; Black-chested Jay. Trogon trail has many biting flies and mosquitos; be prepared!
Around 11 AM, I started to walk back to El Tucan. Those two miles were a trial for me; trudging beneath the tropical midday sun in lowland humidity and heat, I tried to keep to what little shade I could find. Although my water ran out on the hottest section of the road, I was fortunately less than half a mile from El Tucan.
After a rest and cold shower, I lunched at the restaurant, another hot walk spared by the bicycle that Darinel graciously lent me. An afternoon siesta was followed by birding around El Tucan. The platform was a great way to spend the afternoon and resulted in another lifer (Yellow-backed Oriole) and pics of Orange-chinned Parakeets that were feeding on a balsa tree. Despite further scanning of distant forested hills and treetops, I went to bed Cotingaless once more.
May 22, 2008
Managing to hold my folded tripod on the front handlebars, I biked towards Trogon trail around 5 A.M. I got there just in time to hear a Spectacled Owl and Great Potoo calling from across the street. The Potoo responded once to my imitation and I had an idea of where it was roosting but couldn’t find it later on in the day.
Nothing like dawn in tropical rain forest! Achiote Road was no exception; Howler Monkeys were calling from all over the place along with some of the first birds to sing; Great and Little Tinamous, Rufous Motmots, and Buff-throated and Northern Barred Woodcreepers and Red-throated Ant Tanagers. Once it became light I slowly made my way down the road, heading towards Colon. The forest along this section (between Trogon Trail and Gatun Lake) was older and in better condition than the section between the trail and Achiote village. I continued scanning all hillsides for a blue bird standing out against the green of the canopy but ended up getting lucky with a gorgeous male Blue Cotinga right next to the road.
Bird activity in this section of the road was very good, in particular for larger species such as Toucans and Purple-throated Fruitcrows (since it was too overcast for photos, of course the looks were close with males displaying their burgundy gorgets). I got more looks at Black-chested Jays and saw at least 4 pairs of Spot-crowned Barbets! After walking the Trogon trail one last time in the hopes of finding an antswarm, I biked back to El Tucan sometime mid-morning.
Lunched at the restaurant and caught a 3 PM bus back to Colon, then on to Panama City. Most interesting thing seen from the bus was a Three-toed Sloth descending a lone tree right next to the highway. Stayed the night at Zuly’s backpackers hostel located in the prosperous Cangreja district. Zuly’s was clean, cheap ($9), free internet on two computers (always busy) and the usual Hostel amenities such as interesting folk from all over the world. Ezra entertained me with stories of his ongoing bike trip from Texas to Argentina; read about it here: http://bicycleexpatriator.blogspot.com/
May 23, 2008
A 10 minute taxi ride brought me to Parque Metropolitano; probably one of the best parks for birding in a major city anywhere. Connected to the forest corredor of the canal, many species are possible in Metro Park. It also has a visitor center and good trail system. I arrived just before opening time at 6 A.M. and was charged a $2 entrance fee. More deciduous in nature than Achiote Road, the forests of Metro park have a bamboo understory and a different suite of birds. Although I had originally hoped to bird the park until the afternoon, I only had until 10 A.M. because of the 11 A.M. checkout time at Zulys. I also needed to catch a bus to Santiago at 1 P.M. to pick up my flashlight at the Hostal Veraguas. An overcast sky threatening rain, I started in the clearing at the visitor center. Greenish Elaenias sang their dawn songs along with other species of forest edge. I heard my first White-bellied Antbirds but it was still too dark in the forest understory to see them. From the clearing, I walked a trail that passed by a small pond seeing few birds but lots of mosquitoes (those blood-sucking fiends continued to plague my entire time at Metro Park making birding fairly unpleasant and challenging). At the second clearing (start of the Mono Trail), I had nice looks at Blue-crowned Motmots and other common birds including Crimson-backed Tanagers and Ochre-bellied Flycatcher. Walked up the Mono Titi trail; an old road that goes uphill, follows the top of a ridge and culminates in an overlook. Although this trail looked very good for birding (nice looks into the understory and canopy), I was somewhat foiled by a double whammy of light rain and a healthy, hungry mosquito population. I would love to walk in more pleasant times; notably sunny mornings in the dry season. Nevertheless, I still managed to see a few good birds, Collared Forest Falcon being the best. Using a scope at the overlook might produce canopy species like Blue Cotinga, Green Shrike Vireo and White-necked Puffbird.
From the Mono Titi trail, I walked downhill along a trail through the forest, finally hooked up with two main target birds; Lance-tailed Manakin and Rosy Thrush-Tanager. The Manakins weren’t too difficult to find with some patience. The Thrush-Tanager was tough. I luckily heard a pair singing from dense bamboo understory and after some tense stalking and fleeting glimpses, got good lucks (albeit brief) of a male. With little time left and intermittant rain, I lucked out in finding two more targets: Golden-fronted Greenlet and Sapphire-throated Hummingbird- both at forest edge near the visitor center.
Caught a taxi just in time to make it back to Zulys before check-out. Then it was off to the Albrook terminal for my bus to Santiago where I picked up my flashlight at Hostal Veraguas. I then waited at one for the bus terminals located along the Panamerican highway for the 11 PM to Changuinola. Luckily there was a seat available and after a tiresome 5 hours of curvy road, we arrived in Changuinola around 5 A.M. I ate some breakfast there and hung out until about 7:30 to catch a cooperativo taxi to the border. Had to wait a bit for the border to open for my Panamanian exit stamp, then crossed into Costa Rica, catching the 8:30 bus back to San Jose.
Targets missed
Pheasant Cuckoo: Not a peep despite frequently whistling like one in Metro Park.
Plumbeous Hawk: May have flushed one along Achiote Road from a perch at medium height but didn’t get a good enough look.
Pearl kite: Probably need to actively bird open habitat for this one.
Veraguan Mango: Didn’t have enough time to bird proper habitat in Veraguas.
Rufous-crested Coquette: Couldn’t find any flowering Inga species trees.
Yellow-green Tyrannulet: Maybe Metro Park on a better day or at more reliable sites along Pipeline road and Middle Chagres.
Black-tailed Flycatcher: Maybe need to bird second growth along Pipeline road or in open habitat of Veraguas?
Pale-eyed Pygmy Tyrant: Didn’t bird in proper habitat- second growth in drier habitat.
Jet Antbird: Probably along start of Pipeline road?
White-bellied Antbird: Heard a few at Metro park but just could not see them!
Wing-banded Antbird: Seems like Pipeline Road is main site for this one.
White-headed Wren: No luck along Achiote road-main site for this species in canal zone.
Sulphur-rumped Tanager: No luck along Achiote road-also main site for this species in canal zone.
Species list with sites
A= Achiote Road forest including Trogon trail.
C= Centro El Tucan and habitats around Achiote village.
M= Metro Park (Parque Metropolitano) and Panama City.
S= brief morning in Santiago.
Birds in bold = especially common of maybe be one of the better sites for these species.
Great Tinamou A=2 heard
Little Tinamou A=few heard
Gray-headed Chachalaca 1 seen from bus near Changuinola
Black-bellied Whistling Duck Small flock seen from bus canal zone.
Black-cheeked Woodpecker A=few seen more forested sections of A. Red-crowned Woodpecker All sites very common. Cinnamon Woodpecker A=several heard, one seen.
Lineated Woodpecker C=1-2 seen.
Crimson-crested Woodpecker M=1heard. Spot-crowned Barbet A=4 pairs seen one day.
Collared Aracari A,C,M=several heard and seen. Keel-billed Toucan A,C,M=very common A.
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan C=one seen perched distant hillside.
White- necked Puffbird M=one heard ridge of Mono Titi trail. Black-breasted Puffbird A=4 pairs seen or heard. Pied Puffbird A,C= seen well A, birds also heard around El Tucan and restaurant.
White-whiskered Puffbird A=one seen at close range Trogon trail.
Slaty-tailed Trogon A,C,M=seen well Trogon trail, heard elsewhere. Western White-tailed Trogon A=several seen roadside.
Black-throated Trogon A=pair seen well Trogon Trail.
Broad-billed Motmot A=1 heard Trogon Trail.
Rufous Motmot A=few heard.
Blue-crowned Motmot C,M=few heard and seen.
Squirrel Cuckoo a few each site.
Groove-billed Ani C=a few family groups.
Orange-chinned Parakeet All sites, most common Psittacid, less so in Achiote road forests. Brown-hooded Parrot A=nice looks at flocks of a dozen or so in flight and feeding.
Blue-headed Parrot All sites, several roosted at El Tucan.
Red-lored Parrot All sites.
Mealy Parrot A= very few.
White-collared Swift All sites.
Band-rumped Swift All sites, several seen.
Short-tailed Swift A few here and there around Panama City. Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift A= several seen.
Rufous-breasted Hermit A= one seen, probably more common; many unidentified Hermit flybys along Achiote road.
Band-tailed Barbthroat A= one seen.
Western Long-tailed Hermit A=one seen.
Little Hermit C=one seen.
Fork-tailed Emerald S= one female with nest material.
Green-crowned Woodnymph M= one female seen.
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer A= one seen.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird A= a few seen.
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird M= one female seen in clearing fo visitor center.
Blue-chested Hummingbird A= several seen.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird All sites pretty common.
Spectacled Owl A= one calling across street from Trogon trail pre-dawn.
Central-American Pygmy Owl A=1 heard dawn near Trogon Trail.
Great Potoo A=1 heard across street from Trogon Trail pre-dawn.
Common Pauraque C=one flushed Mirador Trail.
Rock Pigeon Most sites.
Pale-vented Pigeon All sites, common lowland Pigeon of edge habitats.
Short-billed Pigeon A= 1-2 heard.
Ruddy Ground Dove Common non-forest areas.
White-tipped Dove C, M=several.
White-throated Crake C=one heard pasture.
Gray-necked Wood Rail A,M= seen along trail in forest both sites.
Laughing Gull A few in Panama City and near canal.
Wattled Jacana C=a few pasture.
Swallow-tailed Kite A= one seen flying along forested ridge early morning.
Black-shouldered Kite A few seen deforested areas Panamerican highway.
Plumbeous Kite A,C=Several seen soaring high up.
Roadside Hawk Few seen from bus in deforested areas.
Black Hawk Eagle A= one calling in flight 11 AM.
Crested Caracara Few seen from bus deforested areas.
Yellow Headed Caracara All sites, very common Achiote area.
Collared Forest Falcon M= one adult light phase seen well near mirador.
American Kestrel C= female or immature bird in flying towards coast- possibly late migrant?
Cattle Egret All sites common.
Rufescent Tiger Heron C=one seen pasture.
Black Vulture All sites common.
Turkey Vulture All sites common.
Magnificent Frigatebird Few in flight canal.
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher M=2 seen.
Common Tody Flycatcher All sites common.
Paltry Tyrannulet A=few heard.
Brown-capped Tyrannulet A= one seen old second growth.
Southern Beardless Tyrannulet All sites; a few heard each site.
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet A,C,M= few heard each site.
Forest Elaenia A,M= few heard.
Greenish Elaenia M= several.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia S,C= a few heard. Southern Bentbill A,C,M= several heard and a few seen well.
Zimmer’s Flycatcher A=a few seen.
Tropical Peewee A=1 seen.
Long-tailed Tyrant C=1 seen.
Bright-rumped Attila A,M= a few heard.
Dusky-capped Flycatcher A,C=several seen and heard.
Tropical Kingbird Common non-forest.
Boat-billed Flycatcher A few all sites.
Social Flycatcher A few all sites.
Gray-capped Flycatcher C= a few.
Great Kiskadee Common non-forest.
Piratic Flycatcher Common all sites.
Streaked Flycatcher C,M=several seen.
Cinnamon Becard A= one seen old second growth.
White-winged Becard A,C= a few.
Masked Tityra A few birds all sites.
Blue Cotinga A= one male perched top of leafless tree at roadside! Purple-throated Fruitcrow A= Great looks at several.
Lance-tailed Manakin M= a few males seen and heard. Golden-collared Manakin A,C,M= several heard, few seen.
Fasciated Antshrike A,C,M= a few heard.
Great Antshrike A,C= several heard.
Barred Antshrike C= one heard giving its distinctive song. Western Slaty Antshrike A,C,M= several heard and seen. Spot-crowned Antvireo A= a few seen Trogon trail.
Pygmy (Short-billed) Antwren A= a few heard with mixed flocks forest edge.
Checker-throated Antwren A= a few seen Trogon trail.
White-flanked Antwren A= a few seen Trogon trail.
Dot-winged Antwren A= a few seen. Dusky Antbird A,C,M= several heard and seen; very common.
White-bellied Antbird M= a few heard.
Chestnut-backed Antbird A,C= several heard, a few seen Trogon Trail.
Dull-mantled Antbird A= one heard singing near a stream.
Spotted Antbird A,M= a few heard and seen. Plain Xenops A,C,M= several seen and heard.
Northern Barred Woodcreeper A,M= a few heard and seen.
Cocoa Woodcreeper A,C,M= several heard and seen; most common Woodcreeper. Black-striped Woodcreeper A= several heard and seen.
Northern Black-faced Antthrush A,M= a few heard.
Rufous-browed Peppershrike S= a few heard.
Green Shrike Vireo A,M= a few heard.
Golden-fronted Greenlet M= at least one positively identified.
Scrub Greenlet C,M= several heard.
Lesser Greenlet A,C,M= several heard and seen. Black-chested Jay A= several pairs seen.
Clay-colored Robin Common all non-forest sites.
Black-bellied Wren A,C,M= several seen and heard. Rufous and White Wren C,M= few recorded C, most common Wren M.
Bay Wren A,C= a few heard.
Rufous-breasted Wren M= several heard and seen.
House Wren Present all non-forest sites.
White-breasted Wood-Wren A= a few heard. Song Wren A= several heard and seen.
Long-billed Gnatwren A,M= several heard and few seen.
Tropical Gnatcatcher A,C,M= several seen.
Gray-breasted Martin Seen frequently urbanized areas.
Orange-billed Sparrow A,M= a few seen.
Black-striped Sparrow C= a few few heard and seen.
Bananaquit C= a few seen. Rosy Thrush-Tanager M= one-two pairs duetting, one male seen.
Gray-headed Tanager A= groups seen Trogon trail
White-shouldered Tanager A,C,M= several seen.
Red-throated Ant Tanager A,M= several seen.
Crimson-backed Tanager A,C,M= common edge habitats.
Flame-rumped Tanager A,C= common edge habitats.
Blue-gray Tanager Several non-forest.
Palm Tanager A few non-forest. Fulvous-vented Euphonia A= several seen.
Thick-billed Euphonia A,C= several seen.
Yellow-crowned Euphonia M= a few seen. Plain-colored Tanager A,C,M= very common.
Golden-hooded Tanager A,C= several seen.
Scarlet-thighed Dacnis A= one male seen old second growth.
Blue Dacnis A,C,M= several.
Green Honeycreeper M= one male seen.
Red-legged Honeycreeper A,C,M= several seen.
Blue-black Grasquit Common non-forest.
Variable Seedeater Common non-forest.
Lesser Seed Finch Common non-forest.
Slate-colored Grosbeak M= one heard.
Buff-throated Saltator Several all sites.
Streaked Saltator C= several seen.
Blue-black Grosbeak A= a few heard.
Crested Oropendola A= a few seen.
Montezuma Oropendola A= several seen.
Chestnut-headed Oropendola A= one group of a dozen seen.
Yellow-rumped Cacique A= a few seen.
Scarlet-rumped Cacique A,M= several seen.
Yellow-backed Oriole C,M= several seen.
Red-breasted Blackbird C= a few in pasture.
Great-tailed Grackle Common non-forest.
Giant Cowbird A= two in flight.
Small Cowbird species M= One small Cowbird seen at visitors center looked more like Shiny to me but ID inconclusive.
Mammals
Three-toed Sloth 3 seen along Achiote road, one in metro park and one along highway from bus.
Northern Tamandua One seen Achiote road.
Agouti sp. Trogon trail and Metro park.
Mantled Howler Monkey Several groups Achiote area.
White-faced Capuchin A few Achiote road.
Geoffreys Tamarin A few Achiote road.
