Mexico City airport, Panama City, and Canopy Tower

19 June 2012 – Mexico City airport, Panamá City, Canopy Tower

During a long morning layover in Mexico City we wandered out of the airport and were quite surprised to find some really good birds in some not so great habitat. We came across Inca Dove, Curve-billed Thrasher, Canyon Towhee and Loggerhead Shrike (!) in the traffic circle and surrounding medians / edges immediately outside the airport. Notably, the shrikes appeared to be tending a nest in this inhospitable urban environment!

Keel-billed Toucan

Arriving in Panamá City our first bird was Magnificent Frigatebird from the plane window on approach, and we saw Red-breasted Blackbird out the window while taxiing! We arrived at the Canopy Tower mid-afternoon and had some beers while watching Geoffrey’s Tamarins and about 25 of the more common species from the observation deck. It was pretty amazing to have just arrived and have Gartered Trogon, Blue Dacnis, Keel-billed Toucan and more greeting us. Particularly exciting were a pair of Black-breasted Puffbird that flew in and perched a few meters from us, and we had the trio of Band-rumped Swift, Short-tailed Swift and Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift whirling overhead.