Day 3 - Pipeline Road
Today we spend the day at the world famous Pipeline Road, the best place in Central Panama to find many sought after forest birds and there are plenty of them. The road stretches for 17 kilometers through prime forest where there is a network of side trails and several creeks and rivers. We will first search the entrance area where target species will include Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Golden-collared Manakin, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Black-tailed and Black-throated Trogon, Plain-brown and Cocoa Woodcreeper, Fasciated and Western Slaty-Antshrike, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Black-chested Jay, Blue Dacnis, and Slate-colored Grosbeak. We will then walk or drive Pipeline Road and, depending on recent information or news on ant swarms, we will search particular areas or trails. There are many possibilities along this famous birding road and we can hope to connect with several of the forests prized birds. The Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo occurs here and we absolutely must find an ant swarm if we have any chance of this “mega”. Both Red-capped and Blue-crowned Manakins can be found here as well as sought after species like Black-breasted Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Speckled Mourner, Streak-chested Antpitta, the very skulking Pheasant Cuckoo, White-tailed Trogon, Rufous Motmot, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Moustached Antwren, Forest and Gray Elaenia, Checker-throated Antwren, Bicolored, Spotted and Ocellated Antbirds, Brownish Twistwing, Thrush-like Schiffornis, Song Wren, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Tiny and Plumbeous Hawks, Black Hawk-Eagle, and Crane Hawk.  All three Forest-Falcons can readily be heard although seeing them is always tricky. This area also offers our best chance to see the elusive Western Night Monkey, hopefully during daylight. With all of these possibilities, our day here at Pipeline Road should be a birding day to be remembered!

Day 4 - Achiote Road and San Lorenzo
Today we head north from Canopy Tower to Achiote Road and San Lorenzo. This is the site of the famous Christmas Bird Count held by the Panama Audubon Society every year. The number of species recorded during this event consistently exceeds 340 in a 24-hour period!  Habitats here are a bit more open and the birding can be wonderful. White Hawk, Mealy Parrot, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Black-throated and Black-tailed Trogon, Black-breasted and Pied Puffbirds, Spot-crowned Barbet, Montezuma Oropendola, Fasciated Antshrike, Bare-crowned and Bicolored Antbirds, White-headed Wren, Red-breasted Blackbird, Flame-rumped Tanager and Black-headed Saltator are all regularly seen here.  On our 2010 tour, we had a fantastic close sighting of this Green-and-rufous Kingfisher!

Today also holds the added attraction of visiting the old Spanish fortress of San Lorenzo, a World Heritage Site, built on a promontory at the entrance of the Chagres River. Fort San Lorenzo was the last bastion of the Spanish Empire in the mainland of the American Continent. To get to this area, we cross through the Panama Canal (yes, through it!) which gives us a unique view of the locks. The area can hold several excellent birds and one that we will hope to find is the fabulous Blue Cotinga. We will then return to Panama City by train alongside the Panama Canal. This is a historic journey as the Panama Railroad was the first transcontinental railroad in the Western Hemisphere when it opened in 1855. Our two-hour journey will pass through some of the most spectacular scenery in Panama and on our arrival back we will be met by our driver for the short drive back to the Canopy Tower.

Day 5 - Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe
Today we head into the foothills of Cerro Azul in the Chagres National Park northeast of Panama City. This area can often be shrouded in cloud but that won’t stop us looking for a selection of species that are not readily found in the Canal corridor. Here, it is possible for us to see the Yellow-eared Toucanet, considered by many to be the most colorful of the local toucans, plus Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Black-striped and Olivaceous Woodcreepers, Emerald, Speckled, Bay-headed, Hepatic, and Rufous-winged Tanagers, and good chances for the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker.

Our picnic lunch today will be taken in a private residence overlooking the virgin forests of Chagres National Park. The gardens and feeders can play host to a variety of species and we can hope for Snowy-bellied and Violet-headed Hummingbirds, Red-capped Manakin, Yellow-crowned, Thick-billed and Fulvous-vented Euphonias, Ruddy-tailed and Yellow-margined Flycatchers, Lesser Greenlet, and Russet Antshrike. We may get the chance to visit another private residence if the owners are home, and here we can hope for close views of White-necked Jacobin, Green Hermit, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, and with luck the rare Violet-capped Hummingbird or even the second smallest hummingbird in the world, the stunning Rufous-crested Coquette, or the bizarre looking White-tipped Sicklebill. If timing allows we may stop by the exposed mudflats close to Panama City and check for shorebirds. There should be good opportunities for Willet, Short-billed Dowitcher, Western, Spotted and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson’s and Collared Plovers, Black-necked Stilt, and over the sea we should find Brown Pelican, Blue- footed Booby and Magnificent Frigatebirds.

Day 6 - Metro Park, Summit Ponds, Old Gamboa Road, Canopy Lodge
Located right next to Panama City, and only 25 minutes from the Canopy Tower, the forests of the Metropolitan Natural Park are much drier than those around Pipeline and Plantation Roads. In the morning, we will bird the park and expect to see some species of birds that are rare if not absent in the wetter areas. The beautiful Rosy Thrush-Tanager is common, although never easy to see, as is the striking Lance-tailed Manakin. It's also a good place to look for Sepia-capped Flycatcher, White-bellied Antbird and we have a good shot at seeing the endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulet.

In the afternoon we will bird and Summit Ponds and Old Gamboa Road. We'll explore two patches of forest before getting to the broadening of Culebra Cut. At Summit Ponds, we'll look for Boat-billed Herons and with luck may even find a Capped Heron. Both Kiskadees and both Green and Striated Herons are seen regularly, as well as the more common egrets. Going straight through the two ponds we'll be on Old Gamboa Road South, one of the birdiest spots around. This road passes through a variety of habitats, and has plenty of exciting and special birds including Blue Ground-Dove, Great Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Black-tailed and Northern Royal Flycatchers, Lance-tailed and Golden-collared Manakins and another chance for Rosy Thrush-Tanager. Later in the day, we will travel two hours to the Canopy Lodge and El Valle de Antón in Panama's Western foothills arriving in time for dinner. We will spend five nights in this lovely lodge close to a small village, nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. The scenery is quite unique - a steep valley surrounded by jagged peaks and filled with flowers, streams and verdant forests. No wonder it is one of Panama's most popular vacation spots.

Day 7 - Canopy Lodge, Cariguana Trail
Our home for the rest of the tour is Canopy Lodge, sister lodge of the Canopy Tower, a charming small hotel built next to a bubbling mountain stream and adjacent to the protected area of Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. In the gardens surrounding the lodge we should easily see Crimson-backed, Blue-gray, Dusky-faced, and Plain-colored Tanagers, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Social Flycatcher, Ruddy-ground Dove, Barred Antshrike, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Rufous-tailed and Violet-capped Hummingbirds, White-vented Plumeleteer, Rufous Motmot, White-tipped Dove, Clay-colored Robin, Green Honeycreeper and plenty of Thick-billed Euphonias. If the Vervain is in flower, we have a good chance of seeing the tiny Rufous-crested Coquette.

After some early birding around the lodge, we will explore the nearby foothills to search for some of the specialties of this rich avian region. We'll visit the Cariguana Trail which can produce the much sought after Tody Motmot, plus Long-billed Starthroat, Rufous-and-White Wren, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Chestnut-headed Oropendola, and perhaps Lance-tailed Manakin. In another area, we'll walk a road surrounded by forest to look for Black-striped Sparrow, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, White-breasted Wood Wren, Spotted Woodcreeper and perhaps White-throated Spadebill and even the elusive yet spectacular Black-crowned Antpitta. Further up the hill, there is the possibility of Orange-bellied Trogon, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Thick-billed Seed Finch, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Eastern Meadowlark and possibly the skulking Wedge-tailed Grass Finch.

Day 8 - Altos del Maria
Set in the mountains on the continental divide east of El Valle, the Altos del Maria provide a spectacular location for this full day trip. Departing early in the morning from El Valle in comfortable 4x4 utility vehicles, we will drive along the Pan-American Highway and 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, an expansive area of cloud forest at 1,100 meters above sea level. We'll bird the wide, gravel roads and around mid-morning, we will stop at a nature center for a rest, bathrooms and a check of the hummingbird feeders. Afterward, we will search some trails through the woods for additional forest birds. This area harbors an exciting variety of highland forest birds including White Hawk, Barred Forest-Falcon, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Orange-bellied Trogon, Spotted Woodcreeper, Brown-billed Scythebill, Black-crowned Antpitta, Red-faced Spinetail, Spotted Barbtail, Russet and Great Antshrikes, Tufted Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, White-ruffed Manakin, Ochraceous Wren, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, Pale-vented Thrush, Black-and yellow Tanager, Dusky-faced Tanager, Tawny-crested Tanager, Yellow-billed Cacique, Black-headed Saltator and Slate-colored Grosbeak. Among the dazzling hummingbirds we will look for the exquisite Snowcap, as well as Band-tailed Barbthroat, Garden and White-tailed Emeralds, Purple-throated Mountain-Gem, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer and the remarkable White-tipped Sicklebill. Later in the afternoon we will head back into El Valle for a little relaxation or some time to check the gardens, or look at the myriads of dragonflies on the pond, prior to dinner.

Day 9 - El Chiru, Santa Clara, Juan Hombron
Today we will have an early breakfast and travel outside El Valle to visit a patch of dry forest just an hour away near the small village of El Chiru. The contrast with the lush, wet foothills of El Valle is dramatic. This habitat consists of relatively permanent growth of low bushes and small trees with interspersed grassland. It is a distinctive habitat of the Pacific lowlands and there is little of it left because of the ever-increasing numbers of people wanting to settle on the beautiful Pacific Coast. We will search this area for Savanna Hawk, Yellow-headed Caracara, Roadside, Gray and Short-tailed Hawks, White-tailed and Pearl Kite, Crested Bobwhite, Red-breasted Blackbird, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Scrub Greenlet, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Brown-throated Parakeet, Blue Ground Dove, and Fork-tailed Flycatcher. We can enjoy our picnic lunch beside a popular beach at Santa Clara where sea-watching may produce Blue-footed and Brown Boobies, Royal, Elegant and Sandwich Terns. Laughing and Franklin’s Gulls may fly past and we have even seen a rare Peruvian Booby here.

Nearby, there is good in coastal scrub habitat that could produce Sapphire-throated Hummingbird, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Common Black Hawk and possibly Straight-billed Woodcreeper. At the Juan Hombron rice fields, we hope to find the endemic, metallic green Veraguan Mango, a hummingbird that prefers low trees around pastures and stream edges. Other birds here include Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Crested Caracara, Gray-headed Wood-Rail, Southern Lapwing, Great Blue, Tri-colored and Black-crowned Night-Herons, Glossy Ibis, Wood Storks, Plain-breasted Ground-Dove, Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher and Garden Emerald.

Day 10 - Jordanal, Rio Indio
Today, we will explore a new, recently accessible area near El Valle on the Caribbean slope at the very western edge of Panama Province. These fine, forested, new areas are not well-birded by anyone – so who knows what we could turn up! We will navigate the newly built road with 4-wheel drive vehicles forging several streams into the interior foothills. Our first stop could find us several specialties such as Sulphur-rumped Tanager, Barred Puffbird, and Spot-crowned Barbet. We can also expect to see raptors such as White Hawk, Barred Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle and possibly King Vulture, and many other species including Crested Oropendola, White-collared and Band-rumped Swifts, White-vented Euphonia, Buff-rumped Warbler, Long-tailed Tyrant, Lineated and Red-crowned Woodpeckers, Jet and Dusky Antbirds, Tropical Pewee, Dusky-capped, Piratic and Gray-capped Flycatchers, Lesser and Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Cinnamon and White-winged Becards, Black-chested Jay, Bay Wren, Tawny-capped Euphonia, Shining Honeycreeper, and Black-striped Sparrow. Our adventure should be well worth it as a huge number of species are possible. If the list above is not enough then may add Emerald Toucanet, Spotted Barbtail, Common Bush Tanager, Black-faced Grosbeak, Rufous-capped Warbler, Gray-headed Kite, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Green Thorntail, Slate-colored Seedeater, the tiny Rufous-crested Coquette, and if we are very lucky Scaled Antpitta and Black-headed Antthrush. With each visit more and more species are being discovered, so today not only offers opportunities for many spectacular birds, it also gives us the chance to make a name for ourselves by finding rare, unusual and seldom recorded species.

Day 11 - Canopy Lodge, Panama City, Departures
Sadly, today we must depart Canopy Lodge.  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.

Leader(s): Carlos Bethancourt and Diego Calderon (with 6 or more clients)

This tour can be combined with
The Definitive Darien Pre-trip Extension - August 30 - Sept 4, 2012>>

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Panama's Canopy Tower & Canopy Lodge September 4 - 14, 2012 TOUR PRICE: $2995.00 per person based on double occupancy from Panama City, Panama (PTY) Deposit:  $500 per person        Single Supplement:  $0 (subject to availability) There are a limited number of single rooms available at both Canopy Tower and Lodge.  Please inquire!    **Canopy Tower has 5 small, single rooms with a shared bath.    **Canopy Lodge has 4 single rooms each with a private bath. These are located in a separate building on the grounds approximately 500 meters from the main area.  Note: In both lodges, the single rooms are smaller and less fancy than the doubles. Singles can opt to pay a supplement to occupy double rooms in Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge. Please inquire. Included in cost:  Cost is based on double occupancy and includes: group airport transfers, private transportation in Panama, all accommodations, meals beginning on Day 2 of the tour and ending with breakfast on the last day of the tour, professional guide services, local guides, local park and reserve entrance fees.  Not included:  It does not include roundtrip airfare to or from Panama City (PTY); airport transfers other than scheduled group transfers, passport/visa fees, insurance, departure taxes (currently $20.00 per person, subject to change),  items of a personal nature such as: laundry, telephone, beverages, or gratuities for porterage or personal services. RESERVATIONS: To reserve your place on this tour, complete the Registration/Release Form and mail it with a deposit of $500 per person to Sunrise Birding, LLC.  Instructions are on the form.   >Download and print the Registration Form.  Final payment is due by May 4, 2012 and must be paid by check.  Cancellations and Refunds:  All cancellations must be made in writing.  In the event that you must cancel your booking at any stage, all payments you have made to Sunrise Birding, LLC will be retained by us, except at our discretion. Please ensure that you take out adequate insurance to cover this and any other eventuality as early as possible. You may have the opportunity to transfer your booking to another tour or another person, provided you are unavoidably prevented from coming on the tour. In this case, you will bear any extra costs that such changes may incur. There are no refunds once the trip is confirmed to go ahead and no refunds will be made for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features.  Insurance:  The purchase of trip cancellation insurance to cover any eventuality is strongly recommended.  Sunrise Birding, LLC can not accept liability for airline cancellations or delays or penalties incurred by the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for this tour.  Go to Travelex insurance>> Questions? Contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com  Phone: 203.453.6724 For photo information and credits, mouse over each photo. More photos of Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge.  Click each photo to see a larger version.   Back to top>> Canopy Tower Canopy Lodge garden View from the deck of Canopy Tower Canopy Lodge room

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PO Box 274, Cos Cob, CT 06807 Phone 203.453.6724
Contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com

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