VENTURE TO The
Panama Canopy
Tower
Superb Rainforest Birding
Reservations and prepayment are required on all Ventures. Your place on this Venture will be reserved when your deposit of $300 has been received. Please make your check payable to VENTURES, Inc. and send it to this address or call the office with your VISA or MasterCard #. This Venture is limited to 10 participants.
Imagine watching the dawn rise above the tropical rainforests from above the canopy? Grab a cup of coffee and awaken to the sound of birdsong coming from the trees below. This is the morning ritual at Panama's Canopy Tower and one of the reasons that it is so popular. From our single base at this very comfortable spot, we will take day trips into many areas of Panama's very bird rich Canal Zone.
Panama is the geographical crossroads of North and South America, where the flora and fauna of the Americas meet, intermingle and produce an overwhelming variety of both plants and animals. Panama covers an area of 75,648 square kilometers, somewhat smaller than the state of South Carolina, but with over 880 species of birds recorded from within its borders. This 7day stay at the Panama Tower will give you a perfect introduction into the avifauna of the Panamanian rainforests.
Leader: Simon Thompson
Cost of Panama Tower Venture $2350 per person, from Panama City, based on double occupancy ($375 single supplement)
Cost of Panama Lodge Extension $975 per person, based on double occupancy ($275 single supplement)
Total for both portions is $3325 plus single supplement of $650
Price includes: Ground transportation in Panama, all meals, taxes, gratuities (except driver & guides), entrance fees, trip information packet, bird list, and guide/leader service throughout
Not included: Flight to Panama City, alcoholic beverages, laundry, airport departure tax and items of a personal nature
Sunbittern, Wattled Jacana, Spectacled and Black-and-white Owls, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Rufous & Broad-billed Motmots, Great Jacamar, Chestnut-mandibled & Keel-billed Toucans, Lineated & Crimson-crested Woodpeckers, Streak-chested Antpitta, Ocellated, Bicolored, Spotted and White-bellied Antbirds, White-necked, Pied and Black-breasted Puffbirds, Royal Flycatcher, Blue-crowned, Golden-collared & Red-capped Manakins, Green Shrike-Vireo & many more.
Day 1: Thursday, September 4
We will plan to arrive in Panama City around lunchtime or early
afternoon. We will then travel 45 minutes to the Panama Canopy Tower within
Soberania National Park, our base for the next 6 nights. Once we have settled
in, we should have time to explore the tower and the nearby forest. Before
dinner we will have an orientation about our week here in this great birding
spot.
Day 2: Friday, September 5
This morning we will take some time to explore the Canopy Tower. This is
the perfect location from which to observe the birds and other wildlife of the
forest canopy. Since they are right at eye level it is usual to get fantastic
views of birds you would hardly see otherwise. Some of the bird species that
could see from the observation deck are: Green and Red legged Honeycreepers,
Green-shrike Vireo, Blue Cotinga, Scaled Pigeon, Mealy and Red lored-Parrots,
Keel-billed and Chestnut-mandibled Toucans. We'll then walk down Semaphore Hill
Road. This paved road is little more than a mile long and passes through the
forest of Soberanía National Park. Here we will get a chance to see birds that
spend their lives closer to the forest floor, like antbirds. Olivaceous Flatbill
and White-whiskered Puffbird are common, and Slate-colored Grosbeak and Great
Jacamar are possible. This road is also great for raptors: White, Tiny and
Short-tailed Hawks have been seen, and during migration it's easy to see more
than 10 species of warblers in one morning. The Ammunition Dump Pond is located
just north of Gamboa, on the way to Pipeline Road and is the best place to see
the elusive White-throated Crake, as well as a host of other water birds. Least
Grebes, Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules are common, and Rufescent
Tiger-Heron and American Pygmy-Kingfishers are around, but are not as easy to
find. Sometimes you get a Limpkin and maybe even a Least Bittern and lately a
few Snail Kites have been reported.
Day 3: Saturday, September 6
Pipeline Road is the best place in Central Panama to find forest birds,
and plenty of them. Eight species of wrens, five trogons, four puffbirds, three
motmots, many antbirds and even more flycatchers have been reported from the
road. And if its 17 Km are not enough, there's plenty of side trails plus eleven
creeks and rivers that can be followed into the forest. Army antswarms are found
frequently, attended sometimes by Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, and there are
many Manakin leks right beside the road. Pipeline Road is also a great place for
raptors: all three Forest-Falcons are heard if not seen with ease, and Tiny and
Plumbeous Hawks and Ornate Hawk-Eagles have been reported a few times. A Harpy
Eagle was seen one time right beside the road! In the afternoon we will take a
trip to nearby Summit Gardens. The botanical gardens are great for migratory
warblers and other forest-edge species, and Blue Cotingas, Tiny Hawk,
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Shining Honeycreeper are all possible here. The
Harpy Eagle is Panama's national bird and this park is the site of the Harpy
Eagle exhibit. There are also 2 live birds that are used in the Raptor Breeding
Program of the Peregrine Fund which was recently moved to Panama from Boise,
Idaho. Tonight we will take a night excursion and see the forest change into a
completely different world. More than eight species of Owls and Potoos have been
seen on the roads around the Canopy Tower and many interesting mammals, which
are active mainly at night, could also be seen. For example: Two-toed Sloth,
Kinkajous and Rothschild's Porcupine. If we are really lucky we could see one of
the wildcats that inhabit this forest, a Jaguarundi or even an Ocelot.
Day 4: Sunday, September 7
The Old Gamboa Road is our destination this morning. At the beginning of
this bird-rich area, you'll find Summit Ponds, where Boat-billed Herons nest and
Capped Herons are seen regularly. Both Great and Lesser Kiskadees, and
Rusty-margined Flycatchers are seen often here. The Old Gamboa Road passes
through a variety of habitats, where we could see: Blue Ground-Dove, Great
Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Black-tailed and Royal Flycatchers, Lance-tailed and
Golden-collared Manakins and Rosy Thrush-Tanager. Going north of the pond we
could see White-bellied Antbird, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Yellow-backed Oriole,
Boat-billed and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Yellow-headed Caracara, and many more.
The afternoon will be spent exploring nearby Gamboa Resort for additional
species, such as both Green and Striated Herons, Southern Lapwing and other
water birds. The Chagres River is located at the east side of Gatun Lake, and
we'll be walking along the banks of the river to see other water birds, for
example, Amazon, Green, and American Pygmy-Kingfishers, as well as Blue-Crowned
Motmot and Cinnamon Woodpecker.
Day 5: Monday, September 8
Today we will head further afield to the Achiote Road. This is the site
of the famous Atlantic Christmas Bird Count held by the Panama Audubon Society
every year. The number of species in this area consistently exceeds 340 in a
24-hour period, the No. 1 or No. 2 spot worldwide. Habitats are a bit more open
but the birding nonetheless can be wonderful. White Hawk, Lesser Swallow-tailed
Swift, Black-throated Trogon, Black-breasted and Pied Puffbirds, Spot-crowned
Barbet, Montezuma Oropendola, Fasciated Antshrike, Bare-crowned and Bicolored
Antbirds, White-headed Wren, Red-breasted Blackbird, Sulphur-rumped Tanager and
Black-headed Saltator are all regularly seen here. If time permits, we will head
across towards San Lorenzo National Park to explore the forests. To get to this
area we have to cross the Panama Canal which gives us a unique view of the locks
from below.
Day 6: Tuesday, September 9
Today will be another full day back again to the Pipeline Rd., one of
the premier birding sites of the Americas. The second half of Pipeline Rd.
offers the possibility of new species because of its overlap with the Atlantic
Area. We will be on the lookout for ant swarms, White-necked and Black-breasted
Puffbirds, Antpittas, Great Jacamar, Black-tailed Trogon, Crane Hawk, Black
Hawk-Eagle, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper and even a Pheasant
Cuckoo. We'll have a picnic lunch somewhere in the forest.
Day 7: Wednesday, September 10
Alas, today we will have to head home and leave the warmth and beauty of
the rainforest behind - until we return on a future visit. For folks that are
heading directly back home, they will be transferred to the Panama City Airport.
Those wishing to take the extension to the Canopy Lodge will take the transfer
to the lodge today.
**Itinerary may change depending on weather conditions and the local guide
Extension to the Canopy Lodge: September 10-15, 2008
Day 8: Thursday, September 11 El Valle de Antón, Cerro Gaital
Trail
Today we will wake up early and go birding around the mountain trails
surrounding the crater where it is possible to find one of the most sought after
species in neo-tropical birding: the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo. This area also
offers frequent sightings of Gray-headed Kite, White-tailed Emerald,
Green-crowned Brilliant, Emerald Toucanet, Orange-bellied Trogon, Spotted
Barbtail, Rufous-capped Warbler, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Common Bush-Tanager,
Black-faced Grosbeak, and if we are lucky we might see a Black Guan,
Purplish-backed Quail-Dove, Scaled Antpitta, or Black-headed Antthrush. The
Canopy Adventure is located in a private refuge in the foothills above El Valle.
The main attraction of this refuge is a beautiful 150 foot high waterfall called
Chorro Macho; the birdlife and the flora are especially rich and diverse because
the area has been a wildlife refuge for several years. The principle purpose of
this refuge, apart from the obvious task of keeping the area free from poachers
and loggers, has been to provide sustainable, nature-based employment to ten
young men who would otherwise be practicing traditional slash and burn
agriculture to support themselves and their families. The refuge is a way to
keep the forest ecosystem whole while providing much needed employment. Those
who prefer not to do the Canopy Adventure can explore the trail around the
waterfall where it is possible to see Green and Little Hermit, motmots, Slaty-tailed
Trogon, Dull-mantled Antbird, and Tawny-crested and Dusky-faced tanagers.
Day 9: Friday, September 12 El Valle de Antón, Chorro Macho
Trails and bird feeders Another day of birding in the foothills will
take us early in the morning to the northern rim of the crater to explore the
trails of the Chorro Macho private reserve. Some very special birds have been
sighted here: the majestic White Hawk, the tiny Tody Motmot, the bizarre
White-tipped Sicklebill, and the elegant Sunbittern will be high in our list of
target species as well as some colorful tanagers and honeycreepers like the
Silver-throated, Golden-hooded and Bay-headed Tanagers, Blue Dacnis and Scarlet-thighed
Dacnis. This trail will also offer good possibilities of seeing Brown-hooded and
Blue-headed Parrots, Squirrel Cuckoo, Fasciated Antshrike, Black-faced Antthrush,
and Black-chested Jay. In the afternoon we will visit the private gardens of a
local birder who maintains well-attended feeders attracting certain foothill
specialties difficult to see otherwise; like the striking Flame-rumped Tanager
and the rare White-lined Tanager. Other foothill species coming to the feeders
are: Buff-throated Saltator, Black-striped Sparrow, Blue-crowned Motmot, and
Red-crowned Woodpecker. Perhaps the biggest highlight of this amazing birding
spot is the huge colony of Chestnut-headed Oropendolas located in a group of
Eucalyptus trees right next to the feeders. These magnificent birds come down to
the feeders and dwarf the other participants of the feast. This is a great
opportunity to take close-up pictures of a bird normally seen high in the trees.
It is also fascinating to see the parasitic Giant Cowbirds sneaking in the long
nests of the oropendolas to lay their eggs.
Day 10: Saturday, September 13 Valle de Antón, El Chiru forest and La
Zamia Trail
Today we will have an early breakfast and travel outside El Valle to
visit a patch of dry forest just one hour away near the small village of El
Chiru. The contrast with the lush and wet foothills of El Valle is dramatic.
This habitat consists of relatively permanent growth of low and often straggly
bushes and small trees with grass interspersed. It is a distinctive habitat of
the Pacific lowlands and there is little of it left because most of the
population in Panama has settled in the Pacific Coast. We will search for Pearl
and White-tailed Kites, Crested Bobwhite, Brown-throated Parakeet, Blue and
Plain-breasted Ground-Doves, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Pale-eyed
Pygmy-Tyrant, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Lance-tailed Manakin, and Rufous-browed
Peppershrike among other feathered residents of this scarce scrubby area. Bird
activity is high during the first few hours then it gets hot and it will be time
to return to the much cooler foothills. We will have lunch back in the Canopy
Lodge and afterwards we will bird the La Zamia Trail at the base of the Cerro
Gaital Natural Monument. This is an easy, level trail in which the rare Rufous-vented
Ground Cuckoo has been seen occasionally. We will also look for the Little
Tinamou, Gray-headed Chachalaca, Blue-crowned Motmot, Common Potoo, and
Sepia-capped Flycatcher. For those interested in Botany, it is worth noting that
La Zamia trail is named after the rare and primitive genus of palm-like plants
called Zamia of the order Cycadales. Some of these unusual and ancient fern-like
dioecious plants with aerial or subterranean stems are found in this trail.
Day 11: Sunday, September 14 Altos del Maria (eastern ridge)
Set in the mountains on the continental divide east of El Valle, the
Altos del Maria provide a spectacular addition to the Canopy Lodge birding
package. Departing early in the morning from El Valle in comfortable 4x4 sport's
utility vehicles, we will drive back along the Pan-American Highway and then up
into the mountains. As the sun rises over the highlands ahead of us, spectacular
mountains, vast valleys, and towering cliffs will be revealed. Ascending an
excellent paved road, we will climb a ridge to our destination for the morning,
an expansive area of cloud forest at 1100 meters above sea level. Early morning
birding will take us along some of the wide, gravel roads in the area. Around
mid-morning, we will stop at a nature center for a rest, bathrooms, and a check
of the hummingbird feeders. Afterwards, we will search some trails through the
woods for additional forest birds, before returning for a picnic lunch at the
nature center.
Day 12: Monday, September 15
After a leisurely breakfast and some last-minute-birding in the gardens
surrounding the lodge, we will drive back to Panama City and catch our return
flights home.
**Itinerary may change depending on weather conditions and the local guide