at the Rana Trail, Omar Torrijos N.P., Code 29 
Mar (ph. EC, KA) was the first recorded from 
this site since 1984. The species is very rare in 
Panama. A Belted Flycatcher banded at a Sal- 
vaNATURA monitoring station in pine-oak 
forest at Montecristo N.E, Santa Ana TJ Mar 
(ph., vt. RJ, CZ, DQ) v/as only the 4th to be 
recorded in El Salvador. In Guatemala, an un- 
usually high concentration of at least 5 Alder 
Flycatchers was found along 300 m of trail in 
the Laguna Lodge Eco-Resort and Nature Re- 
serve, Santa Cruz La Laguna, Solold 22 May 
(ph., v.r. KnE, CA). An uncommon transient 
in El Salvador, 2 Eastern Kingbirds were ob- 
served at the visitor’s center in El Imposible 
N.E, Ahuachapdn 21 Apr (OK), and 13 were 
observed near San Martin, San Salvador 27 
Apr (RI). Providing the first record for Cocos 
I. was a Fork-tailed Flycatcher 28-30 Apr (ph. 
KE, ph. JH et al), believed to be more likely 
an austral migrant from South America than a 
bird from the essentially resident mainland 
Costa Rica population. 
VIREOS THROUGH WARBLERS 
A Red-eyed Vireo was observed at Ecolodge El 
Imposible, San Francisco Menendez, 
Ahuachapdn 6 Apr (OK). Singles mist-netted 
at El Imposible N.E 5 May (ph. LA, RJ, RV) 
and at Finca San Marcos, Nahuizalco, Son- 
sonate 13 May (ph. IV, LS) were the first to be 
captured at these SalvaNATURA banding sta- 
tions. Another first for Cocos I. this spring was 
a Tree Swallow 28 Apr (ph. KE, ph. JH et al). 
A Cave Swallow seen from the Madre Cacao 
overlook at El Imposible N.E 5 Apr (OK) pro- 
vided the latest spring date on record for this 
uncommon winter visitor in El Salvador. A 
Blue-winged Warbler, an uncommon winter 
visitor on the Guatemalan Pacific slope, was 
seen in Finca El Pilar, Sacatepequez 6 Mar 
(KnE, CA). In e. Costa Rica, one was at 1100 
m in the Wilson Botanical Gardens at Las 
Cruces (near San Vito), Puntarenas 13 Mar 
(]Z). Providing the 2nd record of Northern 
Parula in Costa Rica this winter was a male at 
El Zota Biological Field Station, Limon (just 
nw. of Tortuguero N.E) 5 Mar (tCH); the oth- 
er was of a female in Feb at La Selva, only 50 
km sw. of El Zota. A male Golden-cheeked 
Warbler, only the 3rd recorded in the Atitlan 
Reserve, was at Panajachel, Solold 12 Mar 
(CA, DA, BH, TKL). Rarely seen in w. 
Nicaragua were single male Blackburnian 
Warblers at Laguna de Apoyo, Masaya 19 (LL, 
JT) & 27 Apr (LL, JM). Rare anywhere in Cos- 
ta Rica, a late Palm Warbler was seen near the 
Wafer Bay ranger station on Cocos I. 27 Apr 
(ph. KE, ph. JH et al.). An ad. male Cerulean 
Warbler seen at 2200 m in the cloud forest of 
the Chelemha Reserve, Alta Verapaz 11 Apr 
CENTRAL AMERICA] 
This Red-eyed Vireo, captured at a banding station in El Imposible National Park 
5 May 2009, was one of three found in Ei Salvador this spring. Photograph by 
LetyAndino. 
First records for remote and seldom-visited Cocos Island are easier to come by than 
they are for more frequently visited island locations in the Central America region. 
This Tree Swallow found on the late date of 28 April 2009 was one of two island 
firsts observed on a visit from 27 April through 1 May. Photograph by Jason Horn. 
SEEDEATERS THROUGH 
MUNIAS 
Yellow-bellied Seedeater is ap- 
parently nomadic in the dry 
season; however, an ad. male 
seen in a scrubby field next to 
a banana plantation in Zapote 
de Sarapiqui, about 5 km e. of 
Puerto Viejo, Heredia 23 Apr 
QZ) was farther afield than ex- 
pected. Previous records on 
the Caribbean side of Costa 
Rica have been from the Cen- 
tral Valley around Turrialba 
and in the vicinity of V Arenal. 
The Sarapiqui bird may repre- 
sent the first record for this 
species in Costa Rica’s 
Caribbean lowlands. Several 
Wedge-tailed Grass-Finches 
seen on the slopes of Cerro 
Tute, above Santa Fe, Veraguas 
16 May (BAd, CAd, FH) were 
the first to be reported from this area of Pana- 
ma. The species is rare and local in Panama. 
Providing the first record for Laguna de 
Apoyo, Masaya was a male Scarlet Tanager 
seen 23-24 Apr (ph. JT, LL). Northern Cardi- 
nal is rarely reported in Peten at the s. edge of 
its range, so 6 in Tikal 2 Mar (LO) was con- 
sidered to be an unusually high number. 
Two male and 2 female Bobolinks seen to- 
gether in a grassy clearing on a hilltop above 
the Chatham Bay Ranger Station on Cocos 1. 
28 Apr (ph. KE, ph. JH et al.) provided the 
2nd spring record from Cocos 1. in three years. 
Shiny Cowbird continues to colonize the 
(AV, KnE, DD) was the first 
recorded in the Yalijux Impor- 
tant Bird Area. Also providing a 
first record for the Chelemha 
Reserve was a Worm-eating 
Warbler seen at 2200 m on 12 
Apr (AV KnE, DD). On the Pa- 
cific slope of Guatemala, a 
male Hooded Warbler was seen 
in Los Tarrales Reserve 19 Mar 
(KnE, SS, JAJ). A Canada War- 
bler was seen on Caye Caulker 
10 Apr (]B), an exceptionally 
early date for this rare transient 
in Belize. A second-year Gold- 
en-crowned Warbler banded in 
pine-oak forest at Montecristo 
N.P. 26 Apr (ph. RJ, CZ) was 
the first recorded for the park 
and was in an unusual habitat 
for this generally highland 
moist-forest species. A Yellow- 
breasted Chat with an orange 
breast seen at Hacienda La Chi- 
na, Sabalito, in the upper Goto 
Brus valley, Puntarenas 13 Mar 
QZ) was present for the 3rd 
year in a row. When it was first 
seen two winters ago, it had a 
half orange, half yellow breast. 
One of two firsts for Cocos Island in spring 2009 was this Fork-tailed Flycatcher, 
present 28 (here) through 30 April. Although this species is a common resident on 
the mainland, at nearly 500 kilometers from the mainland, this individual was 
more likely an austral migrant from South America. Photograph by Jason Horn. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
517 
