Big Changes Coming

I have made the decision (finally, after talking about it for at least a year.) to collapse my 2 blogs.  Basically nothing will change here other than the name (in the short-term), but the old Murmuring Trees will go away (as soon as I can make a hard copy of the entire thing.)  As you [...]

Bird Photography Weekly

We climbed onto the open-air truck with more than a few nervous glances at the dark threatening sky. The day before it had clabbered up and even rained a few drops, but then cleared. We were hoping for a repeat of that. Just as we crossed the Chagres River (where I saw a Gray-necked Woodrail [...]

International Vulture Awareness Day 09

From the top of the Canopy Tower, I was in the sky realm of the Vultures. They drifted over the valley, played in the drafts and chased each other. Black Vultures have a lot of personality, much more than Turkey Vultures. Sorry. But you really need to spend some quality time in the clouds to [...]

Birding from the top of the Canopy Tower

With a view of the Panama Canal and the surrounding  forest canopy, the Canopy Tower is an incredible place to stand in the early morning light.  I climbed the narrow steps to pop my head above the hatch to see the vista open before me.  As I walked in wonder around the roof, a flicker of movement caught my [...]

Hanging with Monkeys in Panama

I drifted out of a dream to the unearthly sound of Howler Monkeys brawing in the new dawn.  It sounded like they were right outside of my room.  I tossed on some clothes and dashed up 3 flights of stairs to peer into the darkness.  I waited, alone in the common room,  expecting all of [...]

Feeling Lazy in Panama

I had just been saying I wanted to see a sloth, (I really wasn’t whining, really) when the guide pointed up and said, “There’s one.” Now, of course, I find out that they are pretty common. There are both 2 and 3-toed Sloths here. The larger 2-toed sloth eats the tender young leaves

while the 3-toed eats [...]

Bird Photography Weekly

Sitting sliently in a tree overhead, a Broad-billed Motmot nearly blended in with the environment around it. But for the quick eyes of Domi, my guide, I would never have seen it. This is smaller than the Rufous Motmot with more extensive green on the underparts. I had only heard one on [...]

Birding in Panama – part 1

I arrived at the Canopy Tower at 2:15 to find out my first bird tour was at 3.  I quick, quick, changed clothes and met Domi, one of the guides,  in the parking lot.  We headed out to the Pipeline Road. We were no sooner out of the car before we saw a mixed flock picking through the trees.  [...]

They are called Turnstones for a Reason

I was disappointed that the American Golden Plover that had been reported was no where to be found, but consoled myself with watching Turnstones do their thing.  Flip, flip, flip.  They eyeballed each stone for its potential then careful flipped it before moving on.  Flip, flip, flip.  Over and over as they marched down the [...]

Food Chain Game

My sister and I sat on the porch swing sipping cold white wine.  One or the other of us would reach out a foot to push against the floor to keep the swing in motion. The view from the wrap-around porch at the Glacier Park Inn B&B was spectacular.  Vaux’s Swifts darted overhead, a Pileated [...]