Panama: Raptors, Passerines and Canal Tour

October 13 to October 24, 2007
 

Scenic photos by Pete Bacinski; Bird photos by Crane Miller

(To download the species list from this trip in PDF format, click here)

Saturday, October 13
Arrival day.  Participants arrived in Panama City and we checked into our hotel.  Group meeting to discuss trip schedule and expectations of each participant. 

Sunday, October 14
A great beginning for the tour was our visit to Metropolitan National Park in Panama City. The location literally featured birds dripping from the trees, plus great numbers of vultures as well as Broad-winged Hawks overhead. Highlight birds from the park included our first Squirrel Cuckoo as well as Oscillated Antbird, Blue Dacnis, Crimson-backed Tanager, Plain Xenops, Lance-tailed Manakin and Gray-tailed Trogon. We followed that marvelous spot with a visit to the Smithsonian research park where we discovered our first interesting mammal a Two-toed Sloth as well as several interesting avian friends including: Tropical Mockingbird and “Mangrove” Yellow Warbler. We watched a family of Crab-eating Raccoons walk at Kareen’s feet hoping for a generous donation of food which was unfortunately not forthcoming. An afternoon trip through the old city was enlightening as well as a stop at a police station, but only the latter had any birds for us to view. We tallied Gray-headed Wood-rail, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Ringed Kingfisher and Yellow-crowned Night-herons there, while our shorebird spot produced Western Sandpiper, “Western” Willet and Short-billed Dowitcher as well as an albino Great-tailed Grackle. We ended the day at a local craft market that also contributed a few birds to the list including: two Amazon Parrots, Black-capped Tityra, and Palm Tanager.

Monday, October 15
Madden Forest began our day and we were quickly rewarded with a Sunbittern along side the road followed by a Laughing Falcon, a Gray Hawk and a Green Shrike-vireo. A walk into the forest produced an amazing Red-capped Manakin recently featured in an episode of Nature on PBS doing a “duck-walk” across a branch. We were also tantalized by the call of the Rosy-breasted Thrush-tanager, but were not rewarded with a look. Our next location was the Summit Botanical Garden featuring a live Harpy Eagle exhibit and film. The garden outside was home to a magical fig tree containing Green Honeycreeper and Rufous-vented Euphonia with Streaked Flycatcher and Keel-billed Toucan found nearby. Our final destination was to experience the magnificent Panama Canal in action. We witnessed two large vessels traverse the locks and wandered through the excellent museum.

Tuesday, October 16
Benny and Kilo were our guides as we ventured into the mountains at Cerro Azul on a day filled with fog and rain. The highlight was a stop at the house of Rosabel Miro, president of Panama Audubon. The house is situated on top of a mountain and surrounded by gardens, truly a sight to behold. Several hummingbird feeders also contributed to the experience with their visiting Green Hermits, Violet-capped Hummingbird, and Plain-vented Plummeteers. The location also produced Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Broad-billed Motmot and a distant look at a Black-and-white Hawk-eagle. Pete was stunned when a bird rocketed over his shoulder into a window and fell at his feet. The bird was a Spot-crowned Barbet that was unbelievably resuscitated by Kilo. Shortly after departing that splendid location we visited a lovely waterfall where we observed a Speckled Tanager. Toucomen Marsh featured Pete’s least favorite “friends Muck and Mire “ and some welcome guests Cocoi Heron, Striated Heron, Boat-billed Heron, Crested Caracara, Savanna Hawk and Pied Water-Tyrant.

Wednesday, October 17
We depart the Country Inn and Suites for the Gamoa Rainforest by way of the Pipeline Road. The road was a bit slow until we encountered the Army Ant colony which attracted its own group of avian admirers including: Plain-brown and Barred Woodcreepers, Bicolored Antbird, Aracari, White-whiskered and Black-breasted Puffbirds, Roadside Hawk, and Blue-crowned Manakin. We arrive at our luxurious and sumptuous accommodations, the Gamoa Rainforest Inn overlooking the Chagres River. Other birds around the Inn were a few Short-tailed Swifts overhead and several calling White-throated Crakes in the marshes. Lunch during the day at Guido’s house aka the research station produced Green, Red-legged and Shiny Honeycreepers, Blue Dacnis, Crimson-backed Tanager and several very sedentary Agoutis.

Thursday, October 18
We visit Soberania National Park and its famed Canopy Tower. On the way in we found White-tailed and Black-throated Trogons as well as Chestnut-backed Antbird which was a challenge. A White-necked Puffbird was a bonus, but the Howler Monkeys were the attraction The walk up the tower was not as daunting as expected and the view and lunch provided were excellent. One could view the widening process on the canal in the distance from here. Before leaving, Guido rescued a White-vented Plummeteer that was trapped in the building. Back at the Gamboa Inn we had large masses of Turkey Vultures overhead mixed with many of Swainson’s Hawks. We were all well behaved that day, so Guido rewarded us with a two-hour siesta in the afternoon. Heavy rains curtailed our late afternoon walk so Guido took us to the Gamboa Inn Marina which offered shelter from the rain and a good view. Non- avian highlights included an American Crocodile and a Camen. Ethel located an Amazon Kingfisher while we were watching the Wattled Jacanas working on top of the aquatic vegetation. A Blue-headed Motmot at Guido’s house ended our birding day.

Friday, October 19
Guido has us out early at 5:30 a.m. as we want an early start at the Achiote Road which did not fail to produce with Yellow-tailed Oriole, Zone-tailed Hawk, Black-headed Saltator, Long-tailed Tyrant, Black-breasted Puffbird as well as a Green Kingfisher below a small bridge. Future entomologist Alyta joins us for ride to the Transcontinental Railroad. Our driver Santos skillfully negotiated many crowded city street to get us to the train on time without any comments of “Quero” from Pete. Excellent looks at Snail Kites and the habitat along the canal provided for a nice ride from coast to coast.


Saturday, October 20
We bid a fond farewell to the Gamboa Rainforest Inn and drive to the airport for a flight on a two engine prop Panama Air flight to David in Chiriqui Provence. Our new driver Jonathan squires us up to the continental divide at Palosecco Nature Preserve where we are rewarded with Passerini’s and Spangled Tanagers, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tyrant and Tawny-capped Euphonia, and a major bonus Brown-billed Scythebill. Guido finally produces the elusive Scarlet-rumped Cacique and Pete must fork up the wager of five bucks. We spend the evening at the Dos Rios Hotel in David.



Sunday, October 21
The hotel parking lot produced excellent early morning birding with Streak-headed Woodcreeper and Cherrie’s Tanager, both of which we shared with the Partners in Flight group being led by Benny. We bird a coffee plantation near Volcan Lakes where we find Orange-billed Nightingale-thrush, Rufous-capped and Golden-crowned Warblers, Pale-breasted and Slaty Spine-tails and a Purple-crowned Fairy seen by part of the group. The heavens opened up upon us during the afternoon, with many of us enjoying coffee and conversation back at the hotel overlooking the garden.

Monday, October 22
Baru Volcano National Park in the mountains is our morning destination and our first bird upon arrival at the site was the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal. Our driver Jonathan earns the nickname “chairman of the board” by carrying chairs for all of us up the steep hill where we find Emerald Toucanet, Yellow-winged and Brown-capped Vireos, Black-faced Solitaire, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush, and many Mountain Robins. Guido would later point out that the Flame-throated Warbler and Collared Redstart were “not too shabby.” A great lunch of pizza and salad gave us a boost as we enjoyed Green Violet-ears, Snow-bellied Hummingbird and a Slaty Flowerpiercer on the grounds of the restaurant. A Rufous-browed Peppershrike was a surprise near the Los Quetzales Dracula Orchid Farm where we had several tanagers and hummers. This was farm country and viewing the farm fields and farm workers on the sides of steep hills was quite interesting. The Cielito Sur B & B was hummingbird heaven with their feeders full of Violet Saberwings, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain-gem and Green Violet-ears. The grounds of the Bambito Hotel provide marvelous looks at Flame-colored Tanager, Yellow-faced Grassquit and Rufous-collared Sparrow. Guido and company interrupted our evening rest for a look at a Tropical Screech Owl in the parking lot of the hotel.

Tuesday, October 23
La Amistad Biosphere Preserve gave us American Dipper and Torrent Tyrannulet and another Peppershrike. We hiked up a hill and discovered Black-billed Nightingale Thrush and a Black-thighed Grosbeak seen by a few. On the way down we discovered Ruddy Treerunner, Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush and Buffy Tuftedcheek. At lunch in the Women’s Society in the park Jane gave a gift to the ladies on staff there. For a grand finale we added a Scintillant Hummingbird. That afternoon we flew back from David to Panama City.


Wednesday, October 24
Homeward bound to the airport Pete’s group got to see a Mangrove Black-Hawk and Pete finally sees a Fork-tailed Flycatcher on a fence after missing every previous one.

Itinerary:

Saturday, October 13: Panama City. Night: Country Inn and Suites

Sunday, October 14: Panama City: Metropolitan National Park, Smithsonian Tropical Exhibit, Old Panama City, Costa Del Estay Police Station. Night: Country Inn and Suites

Monday, October 15: Chagres National Park in Madden Forest, the Botanical Summit Garden and Nature Park, and the Panama Canal. Night: Country Inn and Suites

Tuesday, October 16: Chagres National Park, Cerro Azul, Home of Rosabel Miro, Tocumen Marsh and Tocumen Airport. Night: Country Inn and Suites.

Wednesday, October 17: Soberania National Park’s Pipeline Road, Soberania Research Station (Guido’s House), Gamboa Rainforest Inn grounds and ammo dump. Night: Gamboa Rainforest Inn

Thursday, October 18: Soberania National Park’s the Canopy Tower, Gamboa Rainforest Inn’s marina and the Soberania Research Station. Night: Gamboa Rainforest Inn.

Friday, October 19: Achiote Road, San Lorenzo National Park, Fort San Lorenzo and the Panama Canal Transcontinental Railroad from Balboa to Panama City. Night: Gamboa Rainforest Inn.

Saturday, October 20: Flight from Panama City to David in Chiriqui Provence, Continental Divide at border of Chiriqui and Boca del Toro Provinces and the Polosecco Nature Preserve. Night: Dos Rios Hotel

Sunday, October 21: Dos Rios Hotel parking lot, Coffee Plantation near Vulcan Lakes, Night: Dos Rios Hotel.

Monday, October 22: Baru Volcano National Park’s Los Quetzales Trail, Dracula Orchid Farm, Cielito Sur B&B and the Bambito Hotel parking lot. Night: Dos Rios Hotel.

Tuesday, October 23: La Amistad Park Biosphere Reserve and fly back to Panama City from David. Night: Country Inn and Suites

Wednesday, October 24: Guido shuttles folks to airport and home.

--PETE BACINSKI

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