Nuevo Progreso Darién

Our final afternoon at Canopy Camp had come and it was a sad time for me.

Above and below:  I should probably save this for my insect post.  As I was leaving our tent to go to the van for our final afternoon of birding in Darién, this large grasshopper flew in front of me.  In flight it had red wings.

We used the bush truck to bird - I think it was called the Pijao area.  It was a quiet afternoon.  A few butterflies and dragonflies distracted me. We did see female Spot-crowned Barbet (Capito maculicoronatus) pretty well, but briefly, as it flitted in the tree canopy.  We saw Golden-collared Manakins again as well as some others we had already seen.

Above and below:  This young Gray-lined Hawk (Buteo nitrides), formerly Gray Hawk, was calling from it's perch.

By all means, our best bird here, and one of our best for the trip, well seen by all but only Matt and Lisa got photos.  The very shy and difficult to find Capped Heron (Pilherodius pileatus) flushed from a tiny patch of water protected by tall weeds when the bush truck drove very close to his perching spot.  I don't think it was quite as colorful as the linked Surfbird photos, but it was pretty spectacular and unlike any heron I've every seen before.

Before heading back to Canopy Camp we stopped at the edge of a little neighborhood on the Panamerican Highway to look for Spectacled Parrotlet (Forpus conspicilatus).

Our Spectacled Parrotlet search was unsuccessful, but we did attract the attention of at least one resident.

And then it was over - there would be another day of birding, but this was our final evening and final dinner at Canopy Camp.  We learned of the Brits success with the Harpy Eagle and saw their photos too.