Gamboa 2007

There is surprising pleasure in journeying to an exotic locale and not getting a single lifebird.

Don´t get me wrong: the extensive grounds of Panama´s beautiful Gamboa Rainforest Resort no doubt harbor dozens, maybe hundreds, of species I´ve never seen before. But on my pre-breakfast walk, an hour and half to cover the quarter mile from my room to the river, every single one of the 40 birds I enjoyed was one I had seen before on trips to the American tropics, filling me with the satisfaction of identifying old friends on my own.

But that doesn´t mean there weren´t some outstanding birds. The blossoming mimosas off my porch were full of Crimson-backed, Palm, and Blue-gray Tanagers, and unspeakably cute little Yellow-crowned Tyrannulets were joined by unspeakably gawky huge Gray-headed Chachalacas. The scrubby river edge harbored a fine adult Rufescent Tiger-Heron and numbers of Wattled Jacanas.

There was novelty, though. Mammals included absurdly confiding agoutis (guess they don´t eat them here) and a nervous herd of capybaras, including little babies, splashing around in the river edge.

What a day! I do like Panama.