Pipeline Road

Hola,

Yesterday, we hired Hector to be our bird guide along the Pipeline Road (Camino del Oleoducto)--purported to be one of the world’s best birding areas.

Internet photo

This pipeline was built in the 40’s - from the Pacific to the Atlantic - to transport oil in case the Panama Canal was damaged by war. Never had to be used!

We left the Resort at 7 a.m. and walked slowly up and back for perhaps 4 kms.  When birding, you don’t always see a lot of new birds - or birds at all, for that matter.  It’s the way things go. 

Hector promised us a list of the birds we saw, which we don’t have yet, and most of those birds were way up in the trees too far for any photos - esp. with Rob’s sick camera,  But, when it mattered most, that camera did the right thing, and voilà! - Collared Trogon. 

Collared Trogon

Editor's note: Rob corrected this sighting to actually be a Slaty-tailed Trogon. See note in April 4th and 5th blog.

Or the other side -

Another interesting find was a Vine Snake that Rob spotted shooting across the road and it was into the bush before we could react and snap a photo. So, here’s a challenge.  Where’s Waldo???

I will help you.  Below is one Rob took. This guy was over a metre long but pencil thin.

Vine Snake with its mouth agape

And next, there was the Crested Oropendola, who looks like a grackle until you see all the yellow, and these birds have an amazing call . . . like blowing into a water whistle. 

They build hanging nests into which they fly as soon as they land - making picture-taking a challenge.

Oropendola Nests

I will leave you with this great Fig tree, which puts out sturdy extending buttress roots, to stabilize it and to gather as many nutrients as possible from the poor soil. (According to Hector).

Or this -

Or this -

Adios,

Hansi Mon, Apr 3 at 10:12 AM