Archive for May, 2007
Yellow Flower of the Mountain Canyons
Posted by: | CommentsThis stunning flower and its congeners have gathered a variety of evocative names over history. Its scientific name Aquilegia means “water diviner,” for the plant’s evident fondness for soggy sites (the word has nothing to do with eagles, the desperate etymologies in many dictionaries notwithstanding).
The English common names tend to refer to the flower’s shape rather than to its habitat. Virgin’s shoe, for example, obviously refers to the slipper-like shape of the curled petals. The most interesting name, though, is the most widespread: Columbine.
The name is an old one in English, and is said to have been suggested by the resemblance (a fanciful one to modern eyes) of the five paired petals and sepals to five doves. More scurrilously, the “horns” on the sepals are said to have suggested an association with the traditional costume of the husband deceived (as in porter les cornes), giving this sweet and gentle plant the name “cuckold flower.” Seems hardly fair, especially since it’s even harder to see cuckoos in the flower than doves.
“Columbine” is also, it turns out, the nonce name of a bird, said by Fryer in the seventeenth century to make a noise like a bittern. I listened hard when I took this photo last week in Madera Canyon, but all I heard was the breeze and a Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
Panama: Chiriqui
Posted by: | CommentsI can’t possibly exaggerate how much I enjoyed our time at Los Quetzales Lodge; but another fine breakfast and we were already on our way again. It took us the entire day to make the trip back to David and the airport: the birding was that good!
A Yellow-headed Caracara started us off, flapping low over our heads as we watched Yellow-faced Grassquits and Green Violet-ears in the parking lot. Then it was on to a river crossing known to be frequented by a Torrent Tyrannulet; that bird made us wait a little while, ‘forcing’ us to enjoy White-throated Thrush and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis before it appeared to glean insects from the roof of a roadside vegetable stand.
But the highest of a day filled with lights was on a wire on our way down to Volcan. Gray-breasted Martin, Tropical Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher… Pearl Kite!! This dainty little raptor sat stolid on the wire as the martins dive-bombed it, finally seeming to have had enough harrassment and dropping into the sugar cane. I walked down the road to photograph the martins, only to have the kite fly out of the field and land above my head, a bright green lizard dangling from its elegant feet. Incredible! And even more incredible: we saw two more before the afternoon was out. 
The Wages of Birding
Posted by: | CommentsIt was long overdue, I suppose, but my first speeding ticket in over 25 years of driving still hit me hard. Not that I didn’t deserve it: I was blabbing away on my way home from a successful Gray Vireo and Common Black-Hawk trip, and before I knew it, there were pretty lights in the rear-view.
If there is a tin-foil lining to this cloud, it is the address for remittance of my $35 fine.
 ”Oracle Justice Court,” like something out of a Superman movie!
Panama: Los Quetzales
Posted by: | CommentsAll right, I admit it: I love to be spoiled, even when (maybe especially when!) I’m birding. And this luxurious and comfortable lodge in the western Chiriqui does it, with great food, beautiful rooms and suites, and birding that just can’t be beat. The eponymous residents of the local cloud forest behaved beautifully for us today, as did another 100 or so species of the high, cool mountains. A favorite? Well, hard to say, as usual; but to the Large-footed Finches goes the prize. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but here is another bird that Ridgely and Gwynne just don’t do justice to. It’s beautiful beyond belief, with a subtle gray-on-black head pattern. Photos to come!
Panama: Parque Natural Metropolitano
Posted by: | CommentsAstounding and overwhelming! We got out just before 6 this morning to bird the rich grounds of the Albrook Hotel, where White-shouldered Tanagers and Piratic Flycatchers competed for our attention with Fork-tailed Flycatchers and Orange-chinned Parakeets. It was unbelievably birdy, but our excellent guide, Luis Paz, was waiting, so it was off to the Metropolitan Park for more.
The location is a scant 45 minutes from the airport, and travelers with layovers can arrange with the Panama La Verde birding circuit to be picked up by a guide and returned, or better yet, to bird the park and then stay the night at the Albrook before continuing. I can’t imagine anything better to remove the stress of an international trip!
It’s late and I’m tired, so just one highlight from today: Ruddy-tailed Flycatchers, incredibly cute little rusty birds with red tails and the endearing habit of lifting and shaking their wings on alighting. We’ll see more of them later in the week, but tomorrow and the next day we spend in the Chiriqui highlands, and I can’t wait!
