I am writing my column from Panama this week! This is my first trip to Panama and so far it has been simply fantastic. I am the host for a Holbrook Travel bird watching trip titled “Birding Central Panama and the Darien Lowlands” and we have an absolutely amazing local guide.
Our adventure started in Panama City and I have to tell you, I was so surprised by what I saw there. It is a very modern skyline with an impressive number of tall skyscrapers—I did not anticipate that at all.
Our first day of birding included a full morning of hiking in the Metropolitan Natural Park, right in Panama City. Perhaps it could be compared to Central Park in New York City. It is a very large park, right in Panama City and it boasts a rich variety of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. I had a lovely morning seeing bird species I had never seen before which is always thrilling. We also saw two species of sloths along with Geoffroy’s tamarin monkeys and howler monkeys.
Later in the day we visited the Biomuseo, a museum focused on the natural history of Panama before heading over to the Bahía de Panamá, a Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. This area is designated as a site of Hemispheric Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. We arrived somewhere between high tide and low tide and there was a large expanse of exposed mudflats, covered with shorebirds, gulls, terns, herons, egrets and more. I don’t think I have ever seen that many shorebirds in one place in my entire life. It was one of those experiences that is almost overwhelming to witness.
As evening approached we moved away from the coastline to a river where thousands of neo-tropical cormorants roost each evening. The sight, and the smell, was overpowering. As we walked under the canopy of trees I got pooped on several times, which landed on my spotting scope, binoculars, and clothes! We saw 98 species on the first day of our tour! We were off to a strong start.
The next day we traveled to the Cerro Azul mountains. This change in habitat resulted in seeing a completely different mix of wild bird species. The signature plant species in this habitat was the Caribbean pine. At this elevation, the weather was cool and misty. The highlight of the day was visiting a private residence that had a combination of both nectar and fruit feeders.
There were many times when the birds were so close I couldn’t focus on them! We saw motmots, hummingbirds, tanagers, trogons, manakins, euphonias, oropendolas, honeycreepers, and dacnis—all in their backyard. It was such an incredible experience. When our guide said it was time to leave all of us wanted to stay longer!
Later in the day we got onto the Pan-American Highway and started making our way south towards the Darien region. Later that evening, as we tallied our checklist, we documented seeing 97 species. Another very good day.
The next day our birding took us to the Reserva San Francisco, which encompasses over 700 acres. Our morning bird walk resulted in observing over 70 species and I continued to add new species to my life list. We returned early afternoon to grab lunch at the hotel, and no sooner had we gotten back when it started raining. And I don’t just mean a casual sprinkle or two. Finally, after a more than two-hour downpour, it let up enough that we could get back out and continue birding.
Next week, part two and until then, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark department, wild bird products, and Swarovski and Vortex optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 60 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com
