The Isthmian Bird Route
The Panama Canal Rainforest / Caribbean Slope / Cerro Azul Foothills
Day 1
Arrival to the Tocumen Airport (PTY)
You are met at the airport and driven to the hotel, located at the Old Canal Zone. The Hotel is located in a nice area, surrounded by nature and with easy access to the main bird spots of the Panama Canal Rainforest.
Night: Albrook Inn
Day 2
Metropolitan Nature Park
With a list of 267 species, the Metropolitan Park is the largest tropical forest park within the limits of a Latin American city, this a good place to find birds of the Pacific forest of the Panama Canal. Some of the key birds are: the Panama endemic: Yellow-green Tyrannulet (rare), Lance-tailed Manakin, Pheasant Cuckoo and the elusive Rosy-thrush Tanager. After lunch in a local restaurant, we’ll go to the Smithsonian Nature Center at Culebra Island to look for the Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler and the Northern Scrub-Flycatcher.
Night: Albrook Inn (BLD)
Day 3
Pipeline Road & Discovery Center Tower
Day of Birding at the famous Pipeline Road and the surrounding areas of the Soberania National Park. From a new observation tower, 100 feet’s high, enjoy fantastic views of the tropical forest and several Canopy Dwellers, such as the Blue Cotinga and flocks of Keel-billed Toucans. Visit to the Rainforest Discovery Center gardens where some of the easy to photograph birds include: Slaty-tailed Trogon, Black-breasted Puffbird and Broad-billed Motmot. Admire hummingbird feeders teeming with acrobatic fliers who are in a battled dominated by the White-necked Jacobin. Visit to the ammo-dumps near Gamboa, to look for water birds, such as the Rufescent Tiger-Heron.
Night: Albrook Inn (BLD)
Day 4
Old Gamboa Road & Plantation Road
Explore another hot spot at the Canal corridor, looking for Spectacled Owls and Blue-crowned Motmot. Scan the Summit Ponds for Amazon, Green, Ringed Kingfishers and nesting Boat-billed Herons. Bird walk under the evergreen forest of Plantation Road, there are possibilities to find army ant-swarms and many of the birds that follow these ants, such as Spotted Antbird, and Ocellated Antbird. Some other specialties of the Plantation Road include: Golden-crowned Spadebill, Olivaceous Flatbill, White-whiskered Puffbird and more. The rainforest of the Panama Canal are highly diverse, we go over the list every day! Afternoon transfer to the Caribbean Slope, we’ll spend two nights there.
Night: Sierra Llorona Lodge (BLD)
Day 5
Achiote Road – Atlantic side of the Panama Canal
We'll spend the day on the Western Caribbean bank of the Panama Canal. Along the Achiote Road, on the edge of the San Lorenzo National Park, we’ll search for Spot-crowned Barbet, Pied Puffbird, and White-headed Wren. At mid-morning we'll go to the Trogon Trail, a short loop under ever-wet forest to look for forest-interior birds, such as Chestnut-backed, Spotted, Bicolored and Ocellated Antbird. Several species of trogons could be found, like White-tailed Trogon, and Black-throated Trogon. Achiote is an important site for diurnal raptors. Skies should be watched for King Vulture, Gray-headed Kite and Hook-billed Kite. Lunch we’ll be at a community owned restaurant at Achiote.
Night:Sierra Llorona Lodge (BLD)
Day 6
Sierra Llorona – Caribbean Slope
Morning birding on the slopes of Sierra Llorona, the place is located 300m above sea level on the Caribbean slope, conditions are good to find some foothill tanagers such as Sulphur-rumped Tanager and Rufous-winged Tanager. The private trails of the reserve are good to find Syristes, Olive-striped Flycatcher, Olivaceous Flatbill and more. Sierra Llorona is an excellent place to find Owls such as: Crested Owl, Mottled Owl, and Black and White Owl. Common and Great Potoo sometimes call right out from your window. Afternoon transfer to Cerro Azul, we’ll stop on the way to look for shorebirds at the Panama City mudflats.
Night: Ginger House - Cerro Azul (BLD)
Day 7
Cerro Azul Foothills & The Chagres National Park
Visit to the Chagres National Park. The 129,000 hectares of forest, protects the headwaters of the Chagres River, the main provider of water of the Panama Canal. From the gated community of Cerro Azul there is easy access to several trails and roads that leads into the Park. Visit to a lookout with hummingbird feeders and trails where we'll go in search of the national endemic Striped-cheeked Woodpecker, Rufous-crested Coquette, Violet-capped Hummingbird, and Scaled Pigeons. The forest of Cerro Jefe lure a colorful mixture of tanagers such as Emerald, Bay-headed, Speckled and Rufous-wing Tanagers. Soaring Black-and-white-Hawk Eagle is often seen at Cerro Azul.
Night: Ginger House - Cerro Azul (BLD)
Day 8
Departure to the International Airport
Morning birding around the hotel grounds, look for Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Swallow-tailed Kite and a nearby colony of Chestnut-headed Oropendolas. Transfer to Tocumen Airport (PTY) or continue with a different extension.
(B)
TOUR RATE: US$1490.00 per person.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: US$260.00
TOUR DATES: January 24 - 31, 2012
TOUR CUSTOMIZABLE OR EXTENTIONS: Yes
TOUR SIZE: 4-10 persons
INCLUDED:bird guide, transportation, lodging, airport/hotel transfers, meals as specified and entrance fees to parks.
NOT INCLUDED: International Airfares, alcoholic beverages, extras in hotels, gratuities etc.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Albrook Inn – 3 nights: located in the Old Canal Zone is comfortable with private rooms, AC and hot water, the place is next to forest and only 30 minutes from Pipeline Road and 5 minutes from the Metropolitan Nature Park. Sierra LLorona Ecolodge – 2 nights: Has all the amenities. Ginger House (Cerro Azul) – 2 nights: beautiful lodge with nice views and located on the edge of the Chagres National Park.
WALKING CONDITIONS:The path and trails are wide and flat around the Canal Area, none of the bird walks will be strenuous.
EQUIPMENT: The tour leader will have a professional spotting scope; but if you have one, its ok to bring it. The most important things to bring for the Panama birding tour are a pair of binoculars, a field guide and a camera with extra batteries. You should also bring sunglasses and sunscreen, a small flashlight or headlamp, small alarm clock, water bottle, camera, film and spare batteries and a small daypack.
CLIMATE:The annual average temperature on the Canal Area is 29°C (84°F), and it ranges from 22° to 26°C at Cerro Azul and Sierra Llorona . The period of lightest rainfall is from mid December to mid April.
CLOTHING: Light field clothing with neutral colors. Bring several pairs of long pants and comfortable shirts. Long-sleeved shirts are useful for protection from the sun, a light hat or cap, plus rain gear and/or an umbrella are essential. Be sure to have a pair of comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots, plus a second pair of footwear, such as tennis shoes or sandals.
HOW TO BOOK: The complete registration form and payment terms will be sent once we start the planning process. A deposit of US$200 per person will be due to register for a trip. The payment can be done through: PayPal, bank transfer or check. The balance of the trip price is payable 60 days before your trip start.