It’s not a race. Panama Day 1: Metropolitan Nature Park

Right on the edge of Panama City is the Metropolitan Nature Park, which is just over 600 hectares. We didn’t need to be at Canopy Lodge until late afternoon so we decided to do some exploring of the park with our guide, Domiciano “Domi” Alveo, before we headed out of the city to El Valle. 

We didn’t need to go far before we found over 60 species of birds. Not a bad morning, especially when right out of the gates (or rather our car) we see the Common Potoo. We didn’t lock up a bunch of lifers (we have been to Panama before), but we did observe some great bird behavior, some of which I caught on camera. To be honest, that’s the fun part of birding. We’re not “tickers” or “listers” who see a bird, check our list, and move on quickly. No, we like to sit and watch interesting bird behavior. I learned a lot more about birds just in this one morning. It’s not a race, but the joy of observing and learning.

Not a great photo of the Common Potoo, I know. BUT IT’S A POTOO, GUYS!

Orange-chinned Parakeets actually have their nest inside the termite nest. No kidding.

Black-crowned Tityra (female) looking all pretty for us this morning.

Red-crowned Woodpecker (female) visiting a flower

This Black Hawk (juvenile) gives me a puzzled look.

We did most of our birding within sight distance of our car. I love mixed flocks for that reason–you don’t have to travel very far to see a lot.

This flower has turned out to be popular, attracting also this Scarlet-rumped Cacique.

You don’t want to hug this tree.

Really, guys. You don’t want to hug this thing.

Blue Dacnis. When birds are lazy.

Streaked Flycatcher with caterpillar, but there’s just one problem–it’s got spiny things.

So what’s a Streaked Flycatcher to do? Well, beat the hell out of it. That’s what.

The list

Here’s our bird list/count for the day. Like I said, we’re not listers, per se, except just to be organized in life and because I know people like to read about what species we saw.  Lifers are in bold.

1. Brown Pelican
2. Magnificent Frigate Bird
3. Common Black Hawk
4. Short-tailed Hawk
5. Broad-winged Hawk
6. Turkey Vulture
7. Black Vulture
8. Crested Caracara
9. Yellow-headed Caracara
10. White-tipped Dove
11. Orange-chinned Parakeet
12. Squirrel Cuckoo
13. Common Potoo
14. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
15. White-vented Plumeteer
16. Keel-billed Toucan
17. Red-crowned Woodpecker
18. Crimson-crested Woodpecker
19. Pain Xenops
20. Cocoa Woodcreeper
21. Fasciated Ant Shrike
22. White-bellied Antbird
23. Yellow-crowned Tyranulet
24. Greenish Elania
25. Yellow-olive Flycatcher
26. Easter Wood Peewee
27. Dusky-caped Flycatcher
28. Streaked Flycatcher
29. Topical Kingbird
30. Black-crowned Tityra
31. Lance-tailed Manikin (female)
32. Red-capped Manikin (female)
33. Golden-fronted Greenlit
34. Gray-breasted Martin
35. Lesser Greenlit
36. Plain Wren
37. House Wren
38. Roufous-breasted Wren
39. Rufous and White Wren (heard)
40. Long-billed Gnatwren
41. Golden-winged Warbler
42. Tennessee Warbler
43. Chestnut-sided Warbler
44. Bay-breasted Warbler
45. Northern Water Thrush (heard)
46. White-shouldered Tanager
47. Rosy-thrush Tanager
48. Crimson-backed Tanager
49. Blue-Gray Tanager
50. Plain-colored Tanager
51. Blue Dacnis
52. Red-legged Honeycreeper
53. Variable Seedeater
54. Orange-billed Sparrow
55. Black-striped Sparrow
56. Sumer Tanager
57. Red-throated Ant Tanager
58. G. T. Grackle
59. Yellow-backed Oriole
60. Scarlet-rumped Cacique
61. Yellow-crowned Euphonia
62. Fulvous-vented Euphonia
63. Grooved-billed Ani
64. Orange Nectar Bat (at Canopy Lodge)

 Mammals

1. Tamarin Monkeys (Red naped)
2. Variegated Squirrel