Panama Birding at Canopy Tower and Lodge March 16 to March 24, 2017 With Bill Gette
Optional extension: Birding the Darién Region March 24 – April 1, 2017
Canopy Tower and Soberanía National Park, photo courtesy of Canopy Tower
This very special trip begins at the Canopy Tower, located deep in the forest of Soberanía National Park, Panama's premier national park. Here we will wake up to a tropical chorus of motmots, toucans, and fruitcrows. In the cool Panamanian dawn, we can feel the great rainforest awakening around us since our bedrooms are at treetop level, no more than 40 feet from the birds. Blue Cotingas and Green Shrike- Vireos perch right outside our windows. From here we will explore the area, including the famous Achiote Road, where over 340 species are regularly counted during the Christmas Bird Count.
We will then spend a few days in the charming village of El Valle (a mecca of local crafts), where we will explore the foothills of Panama, using the Canopy Lodge as our base. For those interested in the bird-dense Darien region, an optional extension runs from March 24 to April 1.
Panama Birding 2017
Day-to-Day Itinerary – Main Tour
Day 1: Thursday, March 16 ~ Arrive in Panama
Please plan to arrive at Tocumen International Airport near Panama City in the early afternoon. We will be met by hotel staff and driven to the Canopy Tower. The one-hour drive passes by a portion of the Panama Canal where we may see shipping vessels transiting the Canal and Magnificent Frigatebirds overhead.
As soon as we check in, we’ll gather on the roof of the tower to marvel at the beauty of the surrounding forest and see a wonderful variety of birds, including Red-lored Parrot, Keel-billed Toucan, Lesser Greenlet, Green Shrike-Vireo, Golden-hooded Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis, and Scarlet-rumped Cacique. We should also hear and see Mantled Howler Monkeys.
Overnight: Canopy Tower (D) http://www.canopytower.com/canopy-tower
Day 2: Friday, March 17 ~ Canopy Tower, Soberania National Park The pre-dawn light and chorus of birds here is just beautiful, well worth an early wake-up to head to the rooftop to enjoy. After breakfast, we will explore the surrounding area with a walk down Semaphore Hill Road. During this comfortable walk on a paved road, we can expect to see an incredible variety of forest and edge birds including Olivaceous Flatbill, Lesser Greenlet, Black-breasted and White-whiskered Geoffroy's Tamarin, photo by Mark Faherty Puffbirds, antshrikes, Slate-colored Grosbeak, Bay- headed and White-shouldered Tanagers, Black-throated Trogon, and more.
We’ll have lunch at the Tower, and then visit the famous Ammo Dump Ponds. Here, we will look for a variety of waterbirds including the commonly seen Least Grebe and Purple Gallinule, as well as the resident Rufescent Tiger-Heron and American Pygmy-Kingfisher. This is the best place to see the elusive White-throated Crake. Birding here is excellent! After dinner, we will have a night outing, using flashlights to spot the eyeshine of Common Potoo, Olingo, and other nocturnal creatures.
Overnight: Canopy Tower (B, L, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 3: Saturday, March 18 ~ Plantation Trail and Chagres River
Thick-billed Euphonia, photo by Donna Hollinger
After breakfast, we’ll take a short ride to Plantation Trail, one of Panama’s premier birding areas. This easy trail passes through mature rainforest and follows a small creek (Rio Chico Masambi) where we’ll look for Golden-crowned Spadebills; Chestnut-backed and White-bellied Antbirds; Broad-billed and Whooping (Blue-crowned) Motmots; White-whiskered Puffbird; Dot-winged, Checker-throated, and White-flanked Antwrens; Purple-throated Fruitcrow; Bright-rumped Attila; Gray-headed Tanager; Black-crowned and Fasciated Antshrikes; Red-capped and Blue-crowned Manakins; Yellow-rumped Cacique; and Scaly-throated Leaftosser.
After lunch, our first stop will be in the picturesque village of Gamboa to look at the bird feeders in the backyard of the Canopy B&B. At the fruit feeders, we are likely to see Red-legged, Shining, and Green Honeycreepers; Lemon-rumped, Crimson-backed, and Blue-gray Tanagers; Thick- billed Euphonia; Yellow-bellied and Variable Seedeaters; and Gray-headed Chachalaca, with Central American Agoutis lurking about under the feeders.
After observing these bright and beautiful birds, we’ll head off to the Chagres River, the main tributary for the Panama Canal. The birding along the river banks and the forest edges of Gamboa Resort can be spectacular! Here, we’ll search for Amazon, Green, and American Pygmy- Kingfishers as well as Whooping Motmot and Cinnamon Woodpecker. We could also see Gray- necked Wood-Rail; Cocoi; Green and Striated Herons; Wattled Jacana; Pied-billed Grebe; Anhinga; Royal and Sandwich Terns; Mangrove Swallow; Black-chested Jay; Lesser Kiskadee; Rusty-margined Flycatcher; Yellow-billed Cacique; Black-bellied and Buff-breasted Wrens; White-bellied Antbird; and perhaps Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon and Blue Cotinga.
Overnight: Canopy Tower (B, L, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 4: Sunday, March 19 ~ World Famous Pipeline Road (full day)
Gartered Trogon, photo by Mark Faherty
Today, we will search for the area’s super-rare specialties, the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo and Harpy Eagle, both recorded here. Eight species of wrens, 5 trogons, 4 puffbirds, 3 motmots, many tanagers and flycatchers (including the unusual Brownish Twistwing), Great Jacamar, and Common Potoo, among others, are often found. We’ll listen for the calls of Streak-chested Antpitta and Black-faced Antthrush. Army ant swarms are found occasionally, attended by a host of birds including, Bicolored, Ocellated, and Spotted Antbirds. Plus, we will search for Golden-collared, Red-capped, and Blue-crowned Manakins, always high on a birder's list of favorites!
Crossing several rivers, we’ll search for Sunbittern and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher. To maximize our time in the field, we enjoy a delicious picnic lunch along Pipeline Road—but with scope and binoculars at the ready!
Raptors we may see include 3 forest-falcons; Tiny and Semiplumbeous Hawks; Ornate and Black Hawk-eagles as well as Carmiol's and Sulphur-rumped Tanagers; Purple-throated Fruitcrow; Black-crowned and Masked Tityras; Cinnamon and Crimson-crested Woodpeckers; Scarlet- rumped Cacique; Red-lored and Brown-hooded Parrots; Collared Araçari; Pheasant Cuckoo; Speckled Mourner; Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaner; Black-mandibled and Keel-billed Toucans; Black-striped, Northern Barred-Woodcreeper, and Plain-brown Woodcreeper!
After lunch, the search is on for more species, including Wing-banded Antbird, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Moustached Antwren, Ruddy Quail-Dove, and Marbled Wood-Quail!
Overnight: Canopy Tower (B, PL, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 5: Monday, March 20 ~ Summit Ponds/Old Gamboa Road and the Panama Canal
Rusty-margined Flycatchers, photo by Donna Hollinger
Join us for an early coffee on the Observation Deck. After breakfast, we will head 10 minutes away to the Summit Ponds and Old Gamboa Road. These are great places to find Canal Zone birds of many types.
At Summit Ponds we will scan for Green, Striated, Capped, and Boat-billed Herons as well as Green, Ringed, Amazon, (rare) Green-and-rufous and American Pygmy-Kingfishers, which are all resident here. We’ll also seek out Rusty-margined and Streaked Flycatchers, Mangrove Swallow, Bat Falcon, Cocoa Woodcreeper, and Lineated and Crimson-crested Woodpeckers.
We’ll bird straight through to Old Gamboa Road, a fantastic bird-dense area. This road passes through a variety of habitats and has plenty of specialties, including Blue Ground-Dove, Great Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Black-tailed and Royal Flycatchers, Lance-tailed and Golden-collared Manakins, and the delightful Rosy Thrush-Tanager. Other likely species include White-bellied Antbird, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Yellow-backed Oriole, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Yellow-headed Caracara, and more. We’ll return to the Tower for lunch.
In the afternoon you have the option to relax on your own or you may visit the Miraflores Locks and Visitor Center to watch ships pass through the Panama Canal. In addition to seeing firsthand the operation of the Canal, you may also explore the world-class museum there. As we did on our first day, be sure to look for Magnificent Frigatebirds soaring overhead.
We'll meet up at the Canopy Tower for dinner and evening birding from the rooftop.
Overnight: Canopy Tower (B, L, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 6: Tuesday, March 21 ~ Bus trip to El Valle de Antón, also known as Crater Valley
No need to wake up early today. After a leisurely breakfast and a last look from the Observation Deck, we will board a comfortable, air-conditioned bus for the 2½-hour ride to El Valle de Antón, also known as Crater Valley. We will spend three nights in this lovely village, nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. The scenery is magnificent―a steep valley surrounded by jagged peaks and filled with flowers, streams, and verdant forests. Our home will be the Canopy Lodge, a charming hotel with views of the foothills. Birding around the lodge and along mountain trails, we will search for one of the most sought-after species in Neotropical birding—the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo.
At nearly 2,000 feet, the climate is cooler here and less humid than in the lowlands. The higher elevations at El Valle offer opportunities to see a wonderful variety of tanagers, as well as exciting species such as the Emerald Toucanet, Orange-bellied Trogon, Spotted Barbtail, Black- faced Grosbeak, Rufous-capped Warbler, Gray-headed Kite, Tawny-capped Euphonia, White- tailed Emerald, and Violet-headed Hummingbird. If we are very lucky, we could find a Scaled Antpitta or Black-headed Antthrush.
Overnight: Canopy Lodge (L, D) http://www.canopytower.com/canopy-lodge
Day 7: Wednesday, March 22 ~ Las Minas Trail and Cara Iguana Trail
Whooping Motmot, photo by Mark Faherty
The patio overlooking the lodge’s feeding stations and a small mountain stream is the place to be for early morning birding while you enjoy your coffee. The feeding trays often attract Red- legged Honeycreepers, Thick-billed Euphonias, and even a Rufous Motmot. The abundance of tanagers is always a favorite show.
After breakfast we head to Las Minas, an excellent place to get a wide variety of birds. The road follows the ridge line, with sweeping vistas of forested mountains, speckled with grasslands and small farms. The views from the road are fantastic. If we have a clear day, we’ll be able to view both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from the summit.
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Specialties of the region include Black-and-yellow, Bay-headed, and Emerald Tanagers; Tawny- capped Euphonia; Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant; Spot-crowned Antvireo; Gray-headed Kite; Barred Hawk; Bat Falcon; Ornate Hawk-Eagle; Swallow-tailed Kite; Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer; White- tipped Sicklebill; Green Thorntail; Orange-bellied and Black-throated Trogons; Wedge-tailed Grass- Finch; Tawny-faced Gnatwren; Plain Antvireo; the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker; Spotted Woodcreeper; Red-capped and White-ruffed Manakins; Band-rumped Swift; and Black Guan have all been recorded here! A forested slope here is also our best chance for Black-headed Antthrush. Lunch will be back at the Lodge.
Following lunch and a brief rest, we’ll head to Cara Iguana Trail to take advantage of outstanding foothill birding in some of the last high-quality areas of Pacific dry forest. Specialties we’ll look for in this bird-rich habitat are Lesser Elaenia; Yellow-olive and Panama Flycatchers; Pale-eyed Pygmy- Tyrant; Yellow-bellied Elaenia; Lance-tailed Manakin; Rufous-breasted and Rufous-and-white Wrens; Rosy Thrush-Tanager; Tody and Whooping Motmots; and Long-billed Gnatwren. Also resident are Striped Cuckoo; Little Tinamou; Common Potoo; Dusky and White-bellied Antbirds; Barred Antshrike; White-winged Becard; Tropical Screech-Owl; and Bat Falcon. Hummers to watch for are Garden Emerald, Long-billed Starthroat, and White-vented Plumeleteer. We’ll also look for Neotropical migrants such as Bay-breasted, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green, and Worm-eating Warbler.
Overnight: Canopy Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 8: Thursday, March 23 ~ Cerro Gaital and Valle Chiquito
Today after breakfast, we’ll head to Cerro Gaital, the mist-shrouded mountain visible from the Lodge. Cerro Gaital is the namesake of Cerro Gaital Natural Monument, which protects more than 825 acres of mature cloud forest. This area offers sightings of Black Guan, Blue- throated Toucanet, Orange-bellied Trogon, Spotted Barbtail, Silver-throated Tanager, Black-headed Antthrush, Slaty Antwren, Spot- crowned and Plain Antvireos, Black-faced Grosbeak, Blue Seedeater, Rufous-capped Warbler, Gray-headed Kite, White Hawk, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Pale-vented Thrush, Northern Schiffornis, White-tailed Emerald, Green-crowned Brilliant, Violet-headed Hummingbird, and Crowned Woodnymph. Scaled Antpitta and Rufous-vented Ground- Cuckoo have been recorded here!
White Hawk, photo by Donna Hollinger
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
After lunch at the Lodge, we’ll head to Valle Chiquito. Newly accessible by a paved road, we’ll pass through beautiful woodlands and over two rivers. At Rio de Jesus we’ll search for Green Kingfisher and listen for Sepia-capped Flycatcher. We also try for Tody Motmot, Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-backed Oriole, White-bellied Antbird, Gray-chested Dove, Yellow-billed Cacique, Zone- tailed and Gray-lined Hawks, Black Hawk-Eagle, and so much more. Wrens are abundant here, with Black-bellied, Rufous-and-white, Bay, and Rufous-breasted Wrens all lurking about in the thickets. We’ll return to the Lodge for our farewell dinner.
Overnight: Canopy Lodge (B, L, D)
Day 9: Friday. March 24 ~ Return to Panama City and flights home (or optional extension)
After a leisurely breakfast and some birding in the gardens surrounding the Lodge, we will drive back to Panama City and catch our return flights home (please: no earlier than 1 pm).
The extension at Canopy Camp will begin on March 24 with an overnight at Riande Aeropuerto Hotel in Panama City and then March 25 to April 1 at Canopy Camp.
Birding action shot by Carol Decker
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
About Your Accommodations
Canopy Tower is a birding lodge located on top of Semaphore Hill, 900 feet above sea level. It overlooks Soberanía National Park, a magnificent 54,000-acre, tropical lowland rainforest with an impressive diversity of wildlife. The observation deck provides 360-degree visibility, and the large windows in the dining room provide additional views into the forest. We will see many species of exciting birds and some mammals from our dining tables. The floors just below the dining area house comfortable bedrooms with private baths with hot running water. The Tower does not have air conditioning; however, each room is equipped with a fan and a large window to enhance natural ventilation
Canopy Lodge is a full-service lodge specializing in nature tourism, particularly birds. It is about 60 miles west of Panama City in the picturesque village of El Valle de Antón, right in the center of a gigantic volcano crater. It is surrounded by the Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. The Canopy Lodge’s guestrooms offer large comfortable beds and private baths. The grounds are a birder’s paradise. The gardens and walkways are often loaded with birds. In fact, it is not uncommon to record 60 species from the property alone in a single visit. Feeding stations attract hordes of birds every morning and afternoon. A beautiful clear stream tumbles past the open-air dining room and the guestrooms.
About the Tour
Focus: Birds. Our days will be filled with birding, without neglecting opportunities to observe other fauna, flora, and cultural highlights. Pace and comfort: Full days of birding: transportation in vans or open trucks; walks and birding are on easy-to-moderate trails (distances up to 3 miles). Weather: Generally warm (80-90F), sometimes humid, occasional rainfall.
About Your Mass Audubon Naturalist
Bill Gette is a skilled teacher and field naturalist and former Sanctuary Director at the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport. Bill has been leading domestic and international natural history expeditions for Mass Audubon since 1986. He has led very successful programs throughout the United States and to Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Iceland, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands. Bill has taken a leadership role in bird research and public education concerning birds and bird conservation. Bill developed his passion for natural history education as a teen while working at the National Audubon Society’s Audubon Camp of Maine on Hog Island, Maine, and while studying loggerhead turtles on Little Cumberland Island, Georgia.
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day-to-Day Itinerary – Optional Extension to the Darién Region
Birding the Darién Region: March 24 – April 1, 2017 Darién is perhaps the most diverse and species-rich region of Central America. This region, formerly challenging to access, is coveted by avid birders as a haven for rare species. A new highway extends along the spine of Panama right into the heart of this bird-rich land—greatly enhancing the birding opportunities. During this exciting, seven-night adventure, we’ll visit the Bayano Reservoir to look for such specialties as the starkly beautiful Black Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antwren, and stunning Orange- crowned Oriole. We’ll also visit the swampy meadows along the Pan-American Highway, home to the magnificent Spot-breasted Woodpecker. We will enjoy great birding through a range of habitats—mature secondary forests, tranquil lagoons, scrubby open fields, roadsides and riversides—where we hope to get excellent views of Stripe-throated Wren, Black-collared Hawk, Black-capped Donacobius, Yellow-hooded Blackbird, Large-billed Seed-Finch and others.
Savanna Hawk, photo by Dave Larson Transition Day: Friday, March 24 ~ Riande Aeropuerto Hotel
After driving back from the Canopy Lodge, you will be transferred to the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel in Panama City for an overnight stay. Dinner and activities will be on your own.
Overnight: Riande Aeropuerto Hotel http://riandehoteles.com/aeropuerto/?lang=en
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 1: Saturday, March 25 ~ Nusagandi Forest Reserve and arrival at Canopy Camp We’ll have an early breakfast in the hotel. Our guide will arrive at 6:15 am and we’ll head out to eastern Panama soon after. Birding today will be exciting! As we drive east along the Pan-American Highway, we’ll scan for roadside birds and open-field raptors including Savanna Hawk and Crested Caracara. Our first scheduled stop will be in the province of Guna Yala. Here, we will explore the trails Nusagandi Forest Reserve in search of rarities, including Sapayoa; Speckled Antshrike; Slate- throated Gnatcatcher; Sulphur-rumped, Rufous-winged, and Black-and-yellow Tanagers; Yellow-eared Toucanet; the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker; Swallow-tailed Kite; Black Hawk-Eagle; Blue-fronted Parrotlet; Streak-chested Antpitta; Tawny-capped Euphonia; and more. During lunch, we’ll be entertained by the myriad of hummingbirds at the feeders: Long-billed Starthroat, Sapphire-throated Hummingbird, Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, and Black-throated Mango come by; great hummingbird photo opportunities here! After a delicious lunch, we will head to Canopy Camp Darién, arriving before sunset. After a delicious dinner of fresh American and Panamanian fare, we’ll talk about our plan for the week before settling into our tents for the night. Overnight: Canopy Camp (D) http://www.canopytower.com/canopy-camp
Day 2: Sunday, March 26, 2017 ~ Canopy Camp Trails and the Pan-American Highway
Gray-cheeked Nunlet, photo courtesy of Canopy Camp We’ll meet before sunrise for a hot drink, serenaded by bird song. Black-mandibled and Keel- billed Toucans call from the towering Cuipo trees; Red-lored and Mealy Amazons fly overhead; White-bellied Antbird, Bright-rumped Attila, White-headed Wren and Golden-headed Manakin sing from the surrounding forests; while Pale-bellied Hermit and Sapphire-throated Hummingbird visit the flowers around camp. Rufous-tailed Jacamar and Barred Puffbird are also seen frequently around the campsite.
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
At 7:30 am, we’ll fuel up with a hearty breakfast, then work our way into the forest on “Nando’s Trail.” Our target birds include Tiny Hawk, Black Antshrike, Great Antshrike, Olive-backed Quail-Dove, Cinnamon Becard, Black-tailed Trogon, Double-banded Graytail, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Royal Flycatcher, and Russet-winged Schiffornis. In the clearings, overhead, we’ll look for groups of Red-throated Caracara, King Vulture, and Short- tailed Hawk. Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Plumbeous and Zone-tailed hawks are also possible. After lunch we can enjoy the hummingbirds and other species around the camp, dip our feet in the rocky stream, or have a siesta. After this short respite, we’ll bird the forests and swampy meadows along the road toward Yaviza where the Pan-American Highway meets the Darién Gap. Our target birds include Black-billed Flycatcher, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Jet Antbird, Black Oropendola, Pied Water-Tyrant, Bicolored Hawk, Black-collared Hawk, Pearl Kite, White-tailed Kite, Limpkin, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, Yellow- hooded Blackbird, Black-capped Donacobius, and Red-breasted Blackbird. We will return to the Camp for dinner: after which, we’ll listen and look for owls, including Striped, Crested, Barn, Black-and-white and Mottled Owls, as well as Common and Great Potoos and likely some nocturnal mammals. Overnight: Canopy Camp (B, L, D)
Day 3: Monday, March 27 ~ El Salto Road, Las Lagunas Road, and Aruza Lagoons
An early breakfast, then off to El Salto Road for the morning. This open road and surrounding dry forest is a great place to search for regional specialties including Golden-green Woodpecker; Double- banded Graytail; Blue-and-gold and Chestnut- fronted Macaws; Black and Crested Oropendolas; Blue Cotinga; White-eared Conebill; Black-breasted Puffbird; Orange-crowned Oriole; and the majestic King Vulture. At the end of the road, we’ll follow a trail through a low-canopy forest, where we’ll search for Bare- crowned Antbird, Pale-bellied Hermit, Olivaceous Piculet, Streak-headed Woodcreeper and Forest Elaenia. We’ll then head back to the Camp for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll bird the road to Las Lagunas, passing through open farmland, dry scrub, roadside and wetlands habitat. Along the road, we’ll look for Red-breasted Blackbird, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, White-headed Wren, Smooth-billed and Greater Ani, Muscovy Duck, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Southern Lapwing, Blue- headed Parrot, Striped Cuckoo, Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers, South Lapwing, photo by Bill Gette
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Buff-breasted Wren, Bananaquit, Giant and Shiny Cowbirds, Crested Oropendola, and Laughing and Aplomado Falcon. At the lagoons, we’ll scan for Pied Water-Tyrant, Capped Heron, the beautiful Yellow-hooded Blackbird, and the extraordinary Black-capped Donacobius.
Overnight: Canopy Camp (B, L, D)
Day 4: Tuesday, March 28 ~ Serranía Filo del Tallo Hydrological Reserve and Tierra Nueva Foundation
Early breakfast at the Camp, and then off to the Serranía Filo del Tallo Reserve, a 74000-acre hydrological reserve which borders Canopy Camp. We’ll follow a trail that crosses a small creek and passes through part of the reserve, then climbs upward to a plateau where there is a teak plantation. Here we’ll hope to have great looks at Olivaceous Piculet, Golden-headed Manakin, Royal Flycatcher, Dull-mantled Antbird, Buff-rumped Warbler, Great Curassow, White-bellied Antbird, Red-throated Caracara and Black-tailed Trogon, to name a few.
After lunch and some relaxation time during the hottest part of the day, it’s off to the Fundación Tierra Nueva, a non-profit organization whose main mission is “working towards the sustainable development of the people of the Darién Rainforest.”
We’ll explore the trails of this large property in search of Streak-headed Woodcreeper; Yellow- breasted and Black-billed Flycatchers; Red-rumped Woodpecker; Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon; Cinnamon, Cinereous and One-colored Becards; White-eared Conebill; White-headed Wren; and the magnificent Great Curassow. We will also search for the eastern race of the Chestnut-backed Antbird, which shows white spots on the wings.
Overnight: Canopy Camp (B, L, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 5: Wednesday, March 29 ~ Nuevo Vigia
Spot-breasted Woodpecker, photo by Doug Lee Today we head to Nuevo Vigia, an Embera village surrounded by second-growth dry forest and two small lakes, all of which attract an enticing variety of birds. The village is accessible by "piragua," locally-made dugout canoes. As we coast along the Chucunaque and Tuquesa Rivers, we will keep our eyes and ears open for Chestnut-backed, Crested and Black Oropendolas; Spot-breasted Woodpecker; Common Black Hawk; Yellow-tailed Oriole; Red-billed Scythebill; Capped and Cocoi Herons; White Ibis; Greater Ani; Solitary Sandpiper; and other waterbirds. We’ll spend the majority of the morning birding at the lakes—a great place to see Black-collared Hawk, Bare-crowned and White-bellied Antbirds, Green Ibis, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Spectacled Parrotlet, Black-tailed Trogon, Striped Cuckoo, Black-bellied Wren, Little Tinamou, Golden- green Woodpecker, and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher! In the village of Nuevo Vigia, local artisans weave colorful decorative masks and plates out of palm fronds and carve cocobolo wood and tagua nuts into animals and plants. We’ll spend time with some of the community members and admire (and purchase) some of their beautiful work. A picnic lunch in the village, then we’ll bird the riversides and scrubby habitat surrounding Nuevo Vigia before heading back to the Canopy Camp.
Overnight: Canopy Camp (B, PL, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 6: Thursday, March 30 ~ Tupisa Road, Marranganti, and Rio Tuquesa
Our adventure will take us back toward Nuevo Vigia to continue exploring the matrix of roads and trails that wind through mature second-growth forest dotted by ponds, where we’ll search for macaws, large forest eagles, and other regional specialties. Along Tupisa Road, we will stop at a small pond, where Capped Heron, Wood Stork and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher are often found. We’ll then continue on in search of Double-banded Graytail, Moustached Antwren, Rufous-winged Antwren, One-colored Becard, Orange- crowned Oriole, Great Jacamar, Yellow-backed Tanager, Golden-green Double-toothed Kite, photo by Carol Decker Woodpecker, Stripe-throated Wren, Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaner, and Ornate Hawk-Eagle. After a relaxing picnic lunch, we will continue birding along this fantastic road where Spot- breasted Woodpecker, Black Antshrike, Bare-crowned Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antbird (eastern race), and Red-throated Caracara are all possibilities. We’ll head to the village of Marraganti, where a colony of Black Oropendola can be found, along with Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Blue Cotinga, Black Hawk-eagle, Double-toothed Kite and a mix of forest and open area birds. If we have time and conditions are favorable, we’ll stop at Rio Tuquesa in search of water birds, shorebirds, raptors, puffbirds, flycatchers and other open area species. We’ll bird our way back to the Canopy Camp taking advantage of the last light of the day. We’ll dine and unwind together, serenaded by owls and fellow night birds. Overnight: Canopy Camp (B, PL, D)
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Day 7: Friday. March 31 ~ San Francisco Nature Reserve and return to Panama City
White-fronted Nunbird by Rafael Lau We’ll breakfast before dawn start our journey back to Panama City. Along the way, we’ll stop at San Francisco Nature Reserve, a private forest reserve owned and managed by the St. Francis Foundation, covering 1,300 acres in eastern Panama Province, and spend the morning birding at this fantastic site. During our morning here, we will explore the some of the different habitats along the short road that enters the reserve looking for Great Jacamar, Broad-billed Motmot, Collared Aracari, Russet-winged Schiffornis, Royal Flycatcher, White-fronted Nunbird, Brownish Twistwing, Yellow-green Tyrannulet, Central American Pygmy-Owl, Blue and Plain-breasted Ground- doves, and, if we’re very lucky, a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle soaring overhead or a Wing- banded Antbird along the trails! After lunch, we’ll stop at the bridge at Lake Bayano, Panama’s second largest lake. This reservoir supports great amounts of water birds, including a large colony of Neotropic Cormorants, as well as Anhinga, Cocoi Heron, and the rare Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. We will scan the water’s edge for Purple Gallinule, Pied Water-Tyrant, Smooth-billed Ani and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater. A short trail leading from the water’s edge is a great place to search for Black Antshrike, Bare-crowned Antbird, Rufous-winged Antwren and Golden-collared Manakin. At another great place stop along the way, Río Mono Bridge, the surrounding forest is home to One-colored Becard, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Blue Cotinga, Pied Puffbird,
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Orange-crowned Oriole, Blue Ground-Dove and more. We will also scan the river below for Green-and-rufous Kingfisher and the elusive Fasciated Tiger-Heron. We will end our tour at the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel where most of the group will stay and then depart for home the next day.
Overnight: Rianda Aeropuerto Hotel
April 1, 2017 – Saturday – You may make your flights to depart anytime this morning.
Please note that this itinerary may change slightly in order or locations visited due to weather, changes in habitat or other conditions.
Three-toed Sloth, photo by Mark Faherty
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
About Your Accommodations
Accommodations at Canopy Camp: The Canopy Camp Darien has comfortable, large, safari-style tent accommodations, each with full-size beds, private bathrooms, and fans. The protected forests of the Filo del Tallo Hydrological Reserve surround the camp. In the vicinity of the camp itself we will enjoy such regional specialties as Gray-cheeked Nunlet, White-headed Wren, Rufous-tailed Jacamar and Pale- bellied Hermit right in the gardens! This tour offers other surprises, such as Spectacled Parrotlet, Golden-green Woodpecker, Double-banded Graytail, King Vulture and the spectacular Great Curassow.
About the Tour
Focus: Birding intensive! With a few stops in the more remote and interesting villages in the region. Pace and comfort: Full days of birding: transportation in vans or open trucks; walks and birding are on easy-to-moderate trails (distances up to 3 miles). Weather: Generally very warm! (90’sF), sometimes humid, occasional rainfall.
About Your Mass Audubon Naturalist
Bill Gette is a skilled teacher and field naturalist and former Sanctuary Director at the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport. Bill has been leading domestic and international natural history expeditions for Mass Audubon since 1986. He has led very successful programs throughout the United States and to Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Iceland, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands. Bill has taken a leadership role in bird research and public education concerning birds and bird conservation.
Price
Main Trip (Canopy Tower and Lodge)Price: 3990 $person/double occupancy; Single rooms are very limited. Travelers who choose a single room should be aware that the single rooms at Canopy Tower are considerably smaller than the regular rooms and share a bathroom. Single Supplement is $400 Price Includes: Price Does Not Include: · All accommodations · Personal items, bar beverages, optional · All meals activities · Local guides and naturalists · Passport fees, laundry, phone calls · All tips and gratuities · International airfare or airport departure tax · All excursions, entrance fees . Visit to the Miraflores locks on Panama Canal · Extensive trip preparation notes · Global Rescue Service · Transportation within Panama
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Extension to Canopy Camp Price: $ 3500 person/double occupancy; Single Supplement for a single tent = $750 Price Includes: Price Does Not Include: · All accommodations · Personal items, bar beverages, optional · All meals as indicated on itinerary activities · Local guides and naturalists · Passport fees, laundry, phone calls · All tips and gratuities · International airfare or airport departure tax · All excursions, entrance fees . Visit to the Miraflores locks on Panama Canal · Extensive trip preparation notes · Global Rescue Service · Transportation within Panama
Terms and Conditions
HOW TO BOOK: Please fill out the reservation form attached and send (via email or mail) to Mass Audubon – Travel, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 with your deposit
RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS: Early applications are strongly encouraged. Trip rosters usually must be finalized 4 months before departure! All applications must be accompanied by a completed reservation form and a $500-per-person deposit. Deposits can be by check or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We reserve the right to decline your application. In the case of questionable health, we reserve the right to require a physician’s certification to affirm you are capable of the activities.
Final payment is due 95 days before the departure date. You will receive a final invoice. Final payment must be by check or money order, ONLY. RATES: All tour prices are based on double occupancy. If you would like us to find you a roommate, we will do our best, but cannot guarantee a share. If we cannot find a share, you will need to pay the single supplement. Rates are based on the minimum number of travelers listed. All forms and fares are accurate at the time of publication (July 2016) but are subject to change at any time prior to departure. It is our policy to only pass on the actual amount of any increases in airfares or land costs such as those increases due to the devaluation of the dollar. Rarely, a price increase may be called for if the group falls below the minimum, as listed in the itinerary.
FLIGHTS: You, the traveler, are responsible for booking and paying for your own international flights. Once you reserve your space, we will provide you with suggested flights and tell you which flights our leaders will take. You may book flights directly with the airline or with a travel agent. Please be aware that most tickets are non-refundable, therefore you should not book your flight arrangements until you have checked with us to be sure the tour has the minimum number of participants for the trip to go. We ask that you provide us with your flight details so we can be sure to meet you at the airport upon your arrival.
PHOTOS: Mass Audubon reserves the right to make use of any photograph taken on the tour. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us.
TRIP INSURANCE: We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance within 2 weeks of your deposit. A brochure and application for optional trip cancellation, illness, and baggage insurance will be sent to you you’re your confirmation letter, but you can purchase insurance from any company.
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
We suggest you review and compare policies on www.insuremytrip.com to find one that best suits your needs. Please check with your own health insurance to see if you will be covered for medical expenses overseas. (Note: Medicare will not cover you outside the U.S., nor will most Medicare supplements.) Mass Audubon does provide Global Rescue services as part of international tour prices, but coverage is limited.
CANCELLATION Policy: If you need to change your booking, you must inform us immediately in writing. All cancellations must be done in writing and are effective upon receipt in the Massachusetts Audubon Travel office: Cancellations received up to 121 days will be refunded deposit less a $300- per-person fee. Cancellations received between 120 and 91 days prior to departure will forfeit all deposits. There are no refunds for cancellations after 90 days or less from departure.
We must adhere to these policies but know that sometimes emergencies can happen and travelers have to cancel their trip. Therefore we strongly urge all travelers to purchase trip cancellation insurance. You will be sent information from Mass Audubon Tours upon receipt of your deposit or you can review policies here: www.insuremytrip.com.
Your Responsibility: Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, group travel trips by their nature involve a certain amount of risk. Trip participants should understand that the domestic and international trips sponsored/operated by Massachusetts Audubon Society (Mass Audubon Tours) - hereafter collectively “M.A.S.” - involve known and unknown risks. M.A.S. assumes no responsibility for injuries, death, financial losses or damage to clients’ property caused by or occurring during participation in any of the travel trips sponsored/operated by M.A.S. Trip participants must assume responsibility for having sufficient skill and fitness to participate in the trips and activities offered or sponsored by M.A.S. Trip participants must also certify that they have no medical, mental or physical conditions which could interfere with their abilities to participate in the activities and/or trips they are participating in and they must assume and bear the cost of all risks that may be created, directly or indirectly, by any such condition. It is the responsibility of trip participants to have in place adequate insurance to cover any injury, damage or emergency transportation costs related to their travel and/or participation in trip activities and/or to bear the costs of such injury, damage or emergency transportation costs. Because of the risks associated with the travel trips sponsored by M.A.S. we urge all trip participants to supplement their own insurance with travel or vacation or emergency response types of insurance. M.A.S. requires that all trip participants acknowledge and assume these risks by reading and signing an M.A.S. Release and Waiver and Assumption of Risk contract prior to departure.
CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL: Travelers will be provided with an itinerary and trip preparation information. It is expected that travelers will read this information prior to trip departure. Travelers will be responsible for completing an application reservation form, including the personal information and a release of liability. Travelers will be expected to abide by the terms set for in the invoice. During the tour, travelers are asked to respect and follow the directions of their guide and leader.
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504 Panama Birding 2017
Application form
Passenger 1 Name as shown on passport:
Nickname for Name tag: ______Date of Birth: ______
Passenger 2 Name as shown on passport:
Nickname for Name tag: ______Date of Birth: ______
Address:______
City: ______State:______Zip:______
Phone # Preferred:______
Email address:______
Room Preferences: _____I request single accommodations where available and will pay the single supplement. _____I would like to be assigned a roommate. If one is not available, I will pay the single supplement. Personal Information: ___I/We are non-smokers. (If you are a smoker(s), please check here___ and note that smoking is limited to outdoors in non-group spaces)
___Is there anything Mass Audubon should know about your health that might impact your ability to participate comfortably on this trips? Please describe: ______
Extension: ____ Yes, I will/ we will also join the Darien Extension (March 24 – April 1, 2017)
Deposit: ____ Please find my enclosed check deposit of $500 per person for the Canopy tower and lodge program.
____ Please find my enclosed check deposit of $500 per person for the Darien Region extension Checks should be made payable to “Massachusetts Audubon Society” OR ____ Please charge my credit card: VISA___MC___ Card #______Exp.______
______Signature
Travel with Mass Audubon ▲ 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 ▲ 800-289-9504