Panama Birding Trip

If you've ever talked to Nancy Schorsch, you've probably heard about Panama and the Canopy Tower. She grew up in Panama, and is a one woman ambassador for the country in general and the Canopy Tower in particular. In May, 2004, Marianne Slaughter, Dee Press, Jan Lewison, Heather Medvitz, Karen Morris and I made a trip to Panama based on Nancy's recommendations and advice. And I can report, everything she said was true.

We began in Panama City, staying two nights at the Country Inn right on the Canal at the Pacific entrance and near the beautiful Bridge of the Americas. From our balcony, we had a glorious view of the Canal, the palm tree lined Promenade, and giant ships passing. Our first morning, a nearby Cecropia tree had an Orange-chinned Parakeet, a Crimson-backed Tanager, and Yellow Warbler. Lots of what I call Kiskadee/Flycatcher types abounded. Blue Tanagers were also numerous. Magnificent Frigatebirds flew high over the Canal and one morning two White Ibis flew directly over our hotel. On the grounds we found the Yellow-headed Caracaras we heard about and had nice views of a Yellow-fronted Oriole. Green Iguanas populated the Palm Trees and on the lawn surrounding the swimming pools, tiny Variable Seedeaters, Yellow-bellied Seedeaters, and Blue-black Grassquits could be seen. The noisy Grackles were everywhere.

We enjoyed a city tour that showed us the modern skyline of Panama City and also the old city, the Casco Viejo which is very picturesque and full of Spanish and French influence in the architecture. The history of Panama is a colorful one, beginning with Columbus touching down on his fourth voyage. The Spanish Conquistadors quickly vanquished the Indians with their weapons and disease. The Spanish in turn became victims of pirates like Henry Morgan who sacked and burned the old city taking a purported 200,000 pieces of eight.

Visiting Miraflores Locks was impressive. There, you can watch while interesting little locomotives position containerized cargo ships the size of three football fields into position to slip down into the locks. It is an amazing sight. You cannot help but feel they aren't making engineering wonders like that anymore.

We spent 7 nights at the Canopy Tower. One might wonder about the attraction of an old corrugated metal radar tower, but for us it was a birder's dream. A birder's lot in life is always to be looking up, craning our necks to see birds. At the Canopy Tower, fully 5 stories high, from the observation deck, you are above the forest canopy and the birds. You look down at Turkey vultures and Black vultures soaring past. Our first morning we met Carlos Bethancourt, our fantastic guide, topside at 6. We saw Palm Tanagers which nest near or on the Tower itself. A Squirrel Cuckoo worked its way through nearby trees, a pair of beautiful Blue Dacnis appeared, the male, a brilliant blue, the female, gorgeous green with a blue head. Soon a Collared Aracari was seen perched on one of the Cecropia trees. Chartreuse colored, Red-Lored Parrots flew by in the distance, against the background of the deeper green forest canopy. Chestnut-mandibled Toucans also came to feed in the Cecropia. A white-shouldered Tanager gave us a nice view. I got a glance at the Green Shrike-Vireo with it's distinctive 3 note call. Scaled Pigeons were viewed through the scope. We got a glimpse of Howler monkeys we had been hearing for a while. And all that happened before breakfast! Into the week saw: Keel-billed Toucan, Blue Cotinga, Green Honeycreeper and Violaceous Trogon.

The staff at the Canopy Tower did everything to make our stay comfortable. Coffee was available on the observation deck at 6 in the morning. There was fresh orange juice at the buffet breakfast, ready for us according to our schedule. Our rooms were comfortable with overhead fan, mosquito netting, clothesline in the shower, hair dryer, and Kleenex in the bathrooms. All of the meals were well prepared and presented. Lunch was at about 12:30, and there was fresh orange juice and guayabana juice there when you returned from your morning of birding. Following lunch there was time for siesta. You could nap on the sofas or hammocks, read from their library or work on your journal or bird book. An honor bar was set out with appetizers at 6. Dinner with wine was served at 7. The vegetarians among us received nice meals as well.

For the true rainforest experience, we went out in open trucks with bench seats in the back; subject to wind, rain, and low hanging branches on the trail. Carlos, our guide was the best. He was very quick with his scope, knew all manner of calls, songs, chirps, claps to draw out reluctant birds. His enthusiasm was infectious. Raúl Arias de Para is responsible for converting the former U.S. military radar station into a well functioning eco-lodge. He was in touch with Carlos daily about how we were doing and what birds we had seen. He came to have lunch with us one day.

My trip travelogue was 9 pages long, so I will give a sample of the places we birded and what we saw: Pipeline Road is a deeply rutted, muddy road where your organs get a real pounding on the ride. But you can see interesting and spectacular birds such as the Plain Xenops, Spectacled Antpitta, White-whiskered, White-necked, Black-breasted and Barred Puffbirds, Collared Forest Falcon, Great Jacana, Blue-crowned and Golden-collared Manikins, Purple Fruit Crow, Cocoa and Streak-headed Woodcreepers, Blue Cotinga, Thick-billed Euphonia, and Cinnamon Woodpecker. At one point three different Trogons were above us in the trees: the White-tailed, Black-throated, and Black-tailed Trogon. We also saw a male Geoffrey's Tamarind with a baby on its back who broke a branch to threaten us.

Semaphore Hill is the trail leading down from the Canopy Tower. It is lush with beautiful tropical plants and trees. We saw: Dot-winged Antwren, Fasciated Antshrike, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Broad-billed and Rufous Motmot, and Slaty-tailed Trogon.

Plantation Road adjoins Semaphore Hill, and is second growth forest, but appears much older with very tall trees. Two and Three-toed Sloths made appearances for us, one even posing well for photos. We also saw Red-capped Manikin, Masked Tityra, Blue-chested Jay, and Scarlet-rumped Caciques.

Old Gamboa Road was my favorite for its beauty with giant stands of bamboo. The best bird there was the Spectacled Owl, but we also saw the Jet Antbird, Ocellated Antbird, Spotted Antbird, Blue-crowned Motmot, and Black-crowned Tityra.

Gamboa Marina was great for Anhingas, Wattled Jacanas, Purple Gallinule, Ringed Kingfisher, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and Little Blue Herons. Golden-hooded Tanager, and Red-legged Honeycreepers and Blue Dacnis fed in the shrubs.

Summit Road and Ponds was where we saw the Lineated Woodpecker, the very interesting, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, Boat-billed Heron, Capped Heron, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and Yellow-rumped Cacique.

It was steaming hot. But I've come to believe birding in the Tropics is a bit like childbirth, the pain of it is soon forgotten, but the thrill remains with you. Oppressive heat and all, I can picture us walking on Old Gamboa Road, beneath 100 foot tall stands of bamboo, Blue Morpho butterflies flitting past, leafcutter ants marching below, surrounded by the waxing and waning vibration of crickets and cicadas, the buzzing and clicking of other insects, cries of birds, and distant roar of Howler monkeys. Suddenly we see the Spectacled Owl or the Ocellated Antbird, and then, oblivious of the heat and humidity, we cannot believe our good fortune.