Westernand a LeastSandpiper were observed in May (BM, MT). One female Common andat nearbyILL 14May (BM, MT) werelate. ILL.15 May (BM, MT), while18least Sandpipers Yellowthroat was at S.Emangroves 9 May (BM), werereported for Celestfin30 Apr (AD). Two whilea first-yearmale was in ILL 14 May (BM, Contributors (area compiler in boldface): White-rumpedSandpipers were seen 30 May in MT). Alejandrode Alba, Joanne Andrews, David Bacab, Cdestfin(DB), and a StiltSandpiper was there 9 William Beatty,Chris Benesh,lsmad Caamal, Apr(DB). Two Stilt Sandpipers were in a saltpond TANAGERSTHROUGH ORIOLES AlexanderDzib, SandraFlores, Dutton & Caroline inILL 1May (BM), while a Wilson's Phalarope was A femaleRose-throated Tanager was one of 25 Foster,H6ctor G6mez de Silva,Rich Hoyer, observed8 Apr in Celestfin(DB). A singleLeast speciesin IslaPobre 19 Apr (BM).Of specialnote BarbaraMacKinnon (BM), StaufferMiller, Uriel Ternshowed up in Celestfn,where known to nest, for the samelocation and datewas one juv. male Ortiz Chay,Maria TeresaPuig, Melgar Tabasco 10Apr, perhaps aweek earlier than usual (DB). One Red-leggedHoneycreeper being fed by an ad., with (MT), Margarito Tuz (MTuz), Paul Wood. Ring-billedand an imm. HerringGull werein 4 othersnearby. Inland from E1 Cuyo in a forested Uncredited observationsare by Barbara Celestfn9 Apr (DB).Three Herring Gulls were at area,3 maleand a femaleRed-legged Honeycreeper MacKinnon. Celestfn30 May (DB). Single Eurasian Collared- werefeeding on annona fruit 19 May (JA & MTP). Doveswere reported from Cancfn, Q. Rooin Jan Another new record for the S.K.B.IL was a White- Literature cited (PW) and6-8 km s. of SanMiguel, Cozumel 10 crownedSparrow netted at Sac.21 Apr. Of interest Forcey,J.E, in press.Notes on the birds of central Mar (CB).Four Spot-tailed Nightjars were heard were 2 male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at Xcalak Oaxaca,Part III.' Columbidaeto Vireonidae.See and seenin Tab.from the 2nd bridgen. of La feedingon seeds of the dune plant Trema micrantha the on-line journal Huitzil Libertad,Chis. 13 & 18 Mar (RH, D&CF,SM). 4 May.This locality is important as a refudingand (http://www.huitzil.net). reststop for northboundmigrants that crossthe G6mez de Silva,H., E Gonzglez-Garcia& M.P. FLYCATCHERSTHROUGH WARBLERS Bayof Honduras.Two male Bobolinks in transi- Casillas-Trejo.1999. Birds of theupper cloud A GreatCrested Flycatcher was in Celestfin9 Apr tionalplumage were at Sac.21 Apr (BM).A Brown- forest of E1 Triunfo, Chiapas,Mexico. (DB). Sevenexhausted Eastern Kingbirds were headed Cowbird was observed at Celest•n in the OrnitologiaNeotropica110: 1-26. observed two km inland from the coasdine at samearea as during fall 2001, but this one was on Howell,S.N.G. and S. Webb. 1995. A guideto the Xcalak4 May,probably having just completed their 27 Feb,earlier than expected for a transient(BM). birdsof Mexico and northern Central America. northboundcrossing of theBay of Honduras.Two Singlemale Orchard Orioles at S.E8 May (MT) vocalMangrove Vireos were in Tab.rr of La OxfordUniversityPress, Oxford. z• Libertad,Chis. 19 Apr (HGdS).Spring Purple Martinmigration is ratherthin over the Y.R com- paredto the fall, and a few observationswere reportedfor this period. One was recorded 9Apr in Central America Celest6n,moving along with Barn Swallows. A total of 20was reported 21 Apr in Celestfin(AD), while 2-3 maleswere feeding and moving amidst hun- dredsof BarnSwallows over ILL 1 & 13 May. Amongthe swallows flowing through Celestfin 21 Aprwere 2 Bankand 5 CliffSwallows (AD). A few HONDURAS BarnSwallows were seen as earlyas 27 Febin GUATEMA•[•'.BELIZE Celest6n,and a few werein S.E8-9 May (BM). Anothernew species for the S.K.B.ILwas a Gray- checkedThrush netted and photographed 22Apr ---'% NICARAGUA (BM).Only one Gray Catbird was observed 9 Apr in Cdestdn. ELSA Singlemale Golden-wingedWarblers were reportedin Celestfin8-10 Apr (DB, BM). A female NorthernParula was seen in S.Emangroves 6 May, whenmost migrant warblers had left. The latest YellowWarblers were one ad. and one first-year COSTARICA malein ILL 14-15May (BM, MT). A PalmWarbler wasnetted at S.IL22 Apr. Another new record for theS.K.B.IL was a maleBlackpollWarbler in alter- nateplumage 20 Aprat Sac.A femaleAmerican H. Lee Jones winter season;nevertheless, the number of first Redstartwas in S.E 6 May (BM). A male P. O. Box 158 and second country records continuesto ProthonotaryWarbler was in Celestfin10 Apr. A Punta Gorda,Belize increaseunabated. Two long overduedocu- NorthernWaterthrush at Sac.21 Apr (BM) was the U.S. address: mentedcountry firsts were Upland Sandpiper onlymigrant found during aweek that should have 6108 Wildwood Road in E1Salvador and Orange-crowned Warbler in beenthe middleof the springmigration. The LakeIsabella, California 93240 Belize. Other not-so-surprisingfirsts were winds,however, were east-northeast, which would ([email protected]) Ring-neckedDuck in E1Salvador and Rufous- not have favoredbirds crossingthe Bay of necked Wood-Rail in Guatemala. Six addition- Honduras.Only one Northern Waterthrush was henumber ofobservers submitting records al specieswere recorded for only the second detectedin ILL 5 May,and another was in S.E14 thisspring was down substantially from the time in either Belize, E1 Salvador, or

VOLUME 56 (2OO2), NUMBER 3 369 Guatemala. Costa Rica and Panama, with their Quetzaltenango (Guatemala) National CUCKOOS THROUGH VIREOS more completeornithological record, had no Hospital16 Apr (lB). Noteworthy,also, was a TwoBlack-billed Cuckoos were on LimeCaye, first or secondrecords to report;however, two CrestedEagle at Tikal 29 Apr (lB). This rare Belize2 May (LJ,CW). Althoughconsiderably storm-petrels,thought to be Leach's,on the forestspecies is seldomseen in n. C.A.. Equally more plentifulthan Black-billed,20+ Yellow- Caribbeancoast of CostaRica may have been noteworthywas an ad. Harpy Eagleobserved billedCuckoos on tiny LimeCaye, with several the mostexciting fmds of the season. feedingon a Tamandua(Tamandua mexicana) moreon other,nearby cayes 29 Apr (LJ,CW) 15 Apr (MA, SY) in what little wasleft of the wasan impressiveconcentration. A Mangrove Abbreviations: Cockscomb Basin Hurricane Iris-ravagedforest near Golden Cuckoowas seen near David, Chiriqui 19 Mar (CockscombBasin Wildlife Sanctuary,Stann Stream, Toledo. This is the latest in a series of (JR,JC, Field Guides tour). This species is rare Creek District, Belize); Tikal (Tikal National reportsof this spedesin s. Belizein the past in Panama, and its status as a rare resident or Park, Pet•n District, Guatemala). Hunting, fouryears. A lateMerlin wasobserved migrat- migrantremains unresolved. Lime,and NicholasCayes are in the Sapodilla ingpast Hunting Caye, Belize 1 May (LJ). A Vermiculated Screech-Owl at Finca CayesMarine Reserveoff s.Belize. Patrocinio,Retalhuleu 14 Mar (lB) was unex- RAILS THROUGH TERNS pected,as this species had not been previously •ADuckswere the big news in E1 A Rufous-necked Wood-Rail observed near reportedfrom the Pacificslope of Guatemala. ß,•ff"•Salvador this spring• •thanks-to the Tilapa,San Marcos 10 Apr (lB) maybethe first TheBrown Violet-ear is seldom reported in the •onfinuin•efforts of RIP andWR, whose ever documented in Guatemala. The status of lowlands of Belize, so one at lower elevations ,cOunt13mddeDucks Unlimited waterfowl this elusivespecies along much of the Pacific in the e. CockscombBasin 18 Mar (J&DB) was surveyshave alteadY 0dded a new chapter coast of s. Mexico and n. C.A. is unclear. In unexpected. A Black-crested Coquette, to ,our understanding,of !Ns largely contrast,its presenceon the Caribbeanside is uncommonon the Pacificslope of Guatemala, ignored' 'family in C,A.On 1'5 •Apr, on well documented.For example,J & DB rou- was at Finca Patrocinio, Retalhuleu 14 Mar Lagdna'E1Jocotal, SanMiguel they didCow tinelysee as many as a dozenin sightat one (lB) . A groupfrom Quebecwas surprised to ered El Salvador',s sixth cinnamon Teal timeseasonally in theiryard on CayeCaulker, find an ad. femaleYellow-bellied Sapsucker in and the first recorded in springi An Belize(they live on the edgeof a mangrove MetropolitanNature Park, Pfinama City on 14 impressive546 LesserScaup were on Lake swamp).In Mar,they had up to 13daily, but by Mar (DM, LRo). Guija,Santa Aria 13 M ar' and 200 were on May their numbershad dwindled,and the last TheVermilion Flycatcher is a casualmigrant Lagunade Olomega,San Miguel 26 Mar. one wasrecorded 31 May. This speciesis not in Panama, so a male and 2 females at Finca But the real surprisecame late in the sea- seenon the cayebetween Jun and mid-Sep, Batipa,Chiriqui 31 Mar werea treat for LR, JJ, sonwhen RIP found a pairof Ring-necked suggestingit either dispersesoff the cayeor and LS. Two Western Kingbirds were at Duckson Lake Gnija 22 May.'Thiswas not movesto the uninhabitedand largely inacces- Duplooy'sJungle Lodge near San Ignacio, Cayo onlya firstcountry record but an excep- siblen. half of the cayeduring the breeding 27 Feb(TW), andanother was at the Qnirigua tionally late date as well. A flock of 43 season.Two Sorasat LagunaEl Jocotal,San Ruins,Izaba124 Apr (lB) in theCaribbean low- Ruddy Ducks, first 'observed3 Mar at Miguel24 Apr (RIP,WR) werelate migrants. A landsof Guatemalajust s. of Belize.This species LagunaOlomega, were still present15 SnowyPlover at CorozalTown 3 Mar (TS) was was first documentedin Belizeonly last fall; May,suggesting that there may be a breed- onlythe 3rd confirmedrecord for Belize;how- however,it maybe overlookedto someextent ing populationat this site.Received late, ever,this speciesis likely to occurmore fre- becauseof its similarity to the abundant but equallysignificant, is a report of a quentlythan thesefew recordssuggest--if Tropicaland Couch'sKingbirds. The Yellow- remarkaNe21 MuscovyDucks, an endan- onlymore people paid attentionto the wealth greenVireo is strictlya migranton the Belize geredspecies in El Salvador,on LagunaE1 of shorebirdsin the country!An impressive cayes.Thus, one on NicholasCaye 1 May (LJ, locotal5 F•b (RIP,WR). flockof 87American Oystercatchers was at Isla CW) was either an exceedinglylate spring Martin P&ez in the Gulf of Fonseca23 Apr migrant or a wanderingindividual, as this (ph. NH). The previoushigh count for E1 speciesis well into its breedingseason on the EGRETSTHROUGH HAWKS Salvadorwas 22 in Bahiade Jiquilisco,where mainland by May. Two Black-whiskered A ReddishEgret was present at GatunSpillway, theynest. Long overdue were E1 Salvador's first Vireos, a rare visitor anywherein C.A., were Panama Canal Dec--9 Mar (WA). There are confirmedUpland Sandpipers. Two were seen reportedthis spring.One seen11 Apr along fewer than 10 recordsfor this speciesin near Comalapa,La Paz 14 Apr (TJ). Three SemaphoreHill Roadnear Panama City (IT, LP, Panama.An ad. GlossyIbis at Laguna de Dunlin near Tilapa, San Marcos7 Apr (lB) ECo) was an unexpectedtreat, but one on s. Olomega,San Miguel 15 May (RIP,WR) was may representonly the 2nd documented AmbergrisCaye 13-18 May (SLet al.) wasonly only the 2nd recordfor El Salvadorand the record for Guatemala. the 2nd ever recorded in Belize. Pacificslope of n. C.A. This speciescontinues Jaegersare not oftenreported in Caribbean to expandits rangethroughout much of the C.A., and the seasonalityand relativeabun- JAYS THROUGH PIPITS New World. danceof thetwo species in thisRegion are still The Black-chestedJay was first recorded on the Althoughthe Short-tailedHawk is resident poorlyknown. For thisreason, all jaeger sight- Pacificslope of CostaRica in Dec 2000.This in E1Salvador, the first nest was not discovered ingsshould be reported,along with the date, spring,2 seennear Gutierrez-Braun30 Mar until late Feb,when TJ found a pair (light- locality,plumage, and (with appropriatecau- (JRZ) at l100 m elevationin the upperCoto morphfemale, dark-morph male) building a tion) species.In Belize,a PomafineJaeger was BrusValley (at the sameelevation and about 15 nestin pine forestnear Perquin, Morazfin. On seene. of CayeCaulker 20 Mar (J&DB & m. km fromthe previously reported site) represent 7 Apr,the femalewas incubating a singleegg. ob.), and a very worn jaegersp. still in juv. only the 2nd Pacificslope record. Like the An impressive flock of 2000 migrating plumagewas seen in flightat Barranco,Toledo Yellow-greenVireo, the Gray-breasted Martin is Swainson's Hawks was seen over the 11 May (LJ). strictlya migranton the Belizecayes. On the

370 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS Central America

mainland, it arrives in Jan and is well into its no doubtin responseto the ever-expanding sumedOrange-crowned Warblers in the past breedingseason by Apn The earliestsouth- acreageof availablehabitat. On 22 May, BY have variously proven to be imm. female boundmigrants do not startmassing along the and JRZ founda Red-wingedBlackbird nest Mangrove Warblers,Tennessee Warblers, or coastuntil the endof Jun,so a groupof 5 seen with 2 youngand many singing males in a wet inconclusive. migratingn. overand past Hunting Caye 35 km pastureabout 3 kmse. of Puerto ViejolLa offshore30 Apr defiesexplanation. The Tree Selva. This record marks a 40-kin eastward Literature cited Swallowis an "irregtfiarlyrare to locallycom- extensionof the species'sknown breeding Stiles, F. G., and A. F. Skutch. 1989. A Guide to monmigrant" in CostaRica (Stiles and Skutch rangeon the Caribbeanside. On the Pacific theBirds of CostaRica. Cornell University Press, 1989).In mostyears, it is certainlythe former, side, JRZ observedseveral males and females New York. with few reportsat all in the pastdecade or aroundPlaya Hermosa on 6 Mar., s.of known more.JRZ's first encounterwith the speciesin breedingsites in Guanacaste.Expanding in the Citedobservers (country coordinators in bold- CostaRica came 12 Apr, when he observeda opposite direction is the Red-breasted face): Marcilio Ack, William Adsett, George compactflock of 15-20migrating above the La Blackbird.On 21Apr, JRZ and EC encountered Angehr (Panama), Jason Berry, Jim and Selvaentrance road. Mid-Apr is alsoa bit latefor this speciesin severallocations between La Dorothy Beveridge, Eric Castro, Emilio this species,which is the first Neotropical Selvaand the Nicaraguanborder, as far as70 Contreras(ECo), JohnCoons, Omar Figueroa, migrant to vacateC.A. for its n. breeding km n. of known breedinglocalities on the N•stor Herrera, Tom Jenner,Lee Jones(Belize), groundsin spring. Caribbeanside. This species was unrecorded in JaniceJorgensen, Oliver Komar (El Salvador), An AmericanRobin, only the 2nd everreli- CostaRica until 1974,having expanded west- Darien Montafiez, SusanLala, Luis Paz,Ricardo ablyrecorded in Belize,was with Clay-colored ward from Panama.These recentsightings Ibarra Portillo,Luis Rios, Wilfredo Rodriguez, Robinsin CrookedTree Village on 23 Mar (SS). suggestthat it may have already reached John L. Rowlett,Luis Rios, Laval Roy (LRo), Fiveor moreAmerican Pipits near Tilapa, San Nicaragua.In the 25 monthssince the Crested LoydaSanchez, Tom Schall,Sherrard Smith, Marcos 7 Apr (JB) were unexpected.This Oropendolawas first recorded in CostaRica, it Jos• Tejada,Tom Wheeker,Carten Williams, spedesis still considered avagrant in Guatemala has become an established resident in the se. Samuel Yatz, Bruce Young, JamesR. Zook andthe rest of n. C.A.,but better coverage of the cornerof the country.A numberof breeding (Costa Rica). areaby peoplefamiliar with the specieswill colonies were found in this area of the Pacific undoubtedlyprove it to be morefrequent. lowlandson 2 Apr (JRZ). The westernmost colonywas 6.5 km e. of Rio Claro,and the WARBLERS THROUGH SPARROWS largestcolony, containing 10 nests,was in an Two or 3 Northern Parulasat Tilapa, San oil palmplantation near Caiman. There is even Marcos7 May,and a Chestnut-sidedWarbler an unconfirmed report now from the at Finca Patrocinio, Retalhuleu 15 Mar were Caribbean lowlands. noteworthy(both JB).These species are con- sideredto be vagrantson the Pacificslope of UNDOCUMENTED RARITIES Guatemala,but with morecoverage they may The washedup remainsof a bird identifiedas well prove to be more frequent.Two male Leach'sStorm-Petrel (white rump, notched tail, BlackpollWarblers were in the sametree on wingchord of 155mm) wasfound on thebeach NortheastSapodilla Caye, Belize 28 Apr (LJ, at Tortuguero10 May (MG). A similarstorm- CW). This speciesis provingto be a regular, petrelwas found alive earlier, on 3 May, in the but rare, springmigrant on the cayes,with gardensof one of the Tortuguerolodges and protectanti recordsnow almostevery spring. A migrant supposedlyphotographed. Neither of these restoreour heritaBe -- Western Palm Warbler was seen in the birdshas been independently verified, and the Sarapiquiarea of CostaRica 21 Apr (JRZ).A possibilityof one or both beingsome other lingeringKentucky Warbler at Tikal 29 Apr species,perhaps Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, (JB) was a bit later than normal. A male hasnot beenruled out. Regardlessof species CanadaWarbler on HuntingCaye 2 May (LJ) identification,the records are extraordinary. establishedonly the 2nd documentedspring record for Belize. The rare Ashy-throated ADDENDA Bush-Tanagerwas first recorded in Panamain Twointeresting records were received too late 1982 in cen. Bocasdel Toro, and there are still for inclusion in the appropriate seasonal fewer than a dozen records,all from that area. reports.An ad.Sooty Tern was found and pho- Thus, 3-4 seenalong Fortuna Road 20 Mar tographedat closerange on LagunaOlomega, (JR, JC) were noteworthy.Several male and SanMiguel approximately 10 km inlandfrom Call us at 415.403.3850 femaleSlaty Finchesseen near Cerro Punta, the Pacificcoast 10 Oct 2001 (ph. RIP, WR). or visit us at www. alcnet.or 9 Chiriqui20-22 Mar (GA et at.) werealso note- Thisrepresents the 2nd recordfor E1Salvador AMElkICAN LAND worthy,as this spedesis a rare and poorly and the first inland. Belize's first documented known resident in Panama. Orange-crownedWarbler, a female,was mist- CONSElkVANCY nettedalong the SibunR. 7.5 km w. of Gracie ^ n0n-pr0f•t0•anizati0n. BLACKBIRDS Bank 16 Dec2001 (OF). This speciesis report- 456Montgomery Street, Suite 1450 Three open-countryblackbird speciesare ed in Belizealmost annually but withoutsup- SanFrancisco, CA 94104 expandingtheir breedingrange in CostaRica, porting details.Several photographs of pre-

VOLUME 56 (2OO2), NUMBER 3 371