Latest tour news: Panama April 2009 (full details will be posted on http://www.toucanbirdingtours.com/ in due course).
PANAMA - Canal Zone & Chiriqui Highlands with Darien Pre-tour Extension.
Dates: 17 – 26 April 2009 (Darien Extension 12 - 17 April 2009).
Tour Leader: Colin Bushell.
Flights for this tour: KLM have departures from Amsterdam (with connections from UK regional airports) appropriate for this tour. See http://www.klm.com/
PANAMA - Canal Zone & Chiriqui Highlands with Darien Pre-tour Extension.
Dates: 17 – 26 April 2009 (Darien Extension 12 - 17 April 2009).
Tour Leader: Colin Bushell.
Flights for this tour: KLM have departures from Amsterdam (with connections from UK regional airports) appropriate for this tour. See http://www.klm.com/
Group size: Limited to 8 participants.
Price: £2310.00 (Panama City / Panama City).
Single room supplement: £410.00.
ITINERARY.
Day 1. Arrival at Tocumen Airport near Panama City and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2. Pipeline Road for Blue Cotinga, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Green Shrike-Vireo, Black-breasted Puffbird, Pheasant Cuckoo, Great Jacamar, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Streak-chested Antpitta, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Spotted Antbird, etc, etc.
Afternoon in the Gamboa area for White-bellied Antbird and Rosy Thrush-Tanager and the Ammo Dump ponds for White-throated Crake, Panama Flycatcher and Yellow-tailed Oriole can be seen.
Night birds in this area include Common Potoo, Great Potoo, Mottled Owl, Spectacled Owl and Choco Screech-Owl.
Day 3. The Summit Ponds for Boat-billed Herons, Lance-tailed Manakin, Golden-collared Manakin, Rufous-breasted Wren, Golden-fronted Greenlet and Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant. Afternoon at thePlantation Trail for Checker-throated Antwrens, Blue-crowned Manakin, White-whiskered Puffbird and Black-chested Jay.
Day 4. Achiote Road for Spot-crowned Barbet, Pied Puffbird, White-headed Wren, etc, etc.
Day 5. Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe in search of the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Tarcacuna Bush-Tanager, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteers, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Violet-headed Hummingbird and Violet-capped Hummingbird.
Day 6. Transfer to the airport for the flight to David in Chiriqui. On arrival we’ll make the journey to the Volcan Baru foothills at Finca Lerida for Three-wattled Bellbird. Later we’ll ascend to our lodge and after check-in we’ll watch some of the hummingbirds nearby that may include White-throated Mountain-Gem, Magnificent Hummingbird, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing.
Day 7. Today we’ll set out to find Resplendent Quetzal and we’ll undoubtedly find many other quality birds like Yellow-thighed Finch, Large-footed Finch, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Spotted Barbtail, Spectacled Foliage-Gleaner and Ruddy Treerunner. Black Guan, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Prong-billed Barbet and Zeledonia are all possibilities here too. We may well find Dusky Nightjar after dark here too.
Day 8. This morning we’ll visit Finca Hartman near Santa Clara for Turquoise Cotinga, Fiery-billed Aracari, White-crested Coquette and White-tailed Emerald.
Day 9. Return to David via Cerro Punta where Blue-throated Toucanet, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatcher and Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher can all be seen. We’ll look for Veraguan Mango as we descend to the western lowlands reaching David in time for our late afternoon flight to Panama City. Overnight Panama City.
Day 10. Morning birding at the Metropolitan Nature Park before our transfer to the airport for flights home.
Darien Pre-Tour.
Dates: 12 – 17 April 2009.
Tour Leader: Colin Bushell with assistance from local guides.
Group size: Limited to 8 participants.
Price: £1095.00 (Panama City / Panama City).
Single room supplement: £165.00.
Includes: Accommodation, meals, transfer on arrival in Panama with group, travel to Darien returning on day 6 to join main tour, services of Toucan Birding Tours leader and local guides, gratuities to local guides, drivers.
Not included: International flights to Panama, airport departure taxes, beverages with meals, drinks, gratuities to hotel staff, phone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature.
Day 1. Arrival at Tocumen Airport near Panama City and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2. This morning we’ll take our flight (approx. 1 hour) to Cana in the Darien lowlands. Dusky-backed Jacamar, Viridian Dacnis, Dusky-faced Tanagers, White-fronted Nunbird, Grey-cheeked Nunlet, Great Green Macaw, Black-tipped Cotinga, etc, etc. Overnight in the rustic (but comfortable) Cana Field Station.
Day 3. With a light daypack we’ll make our way up the slope of Mount Pirre, taking the 5 – 6 hour hike (including birding stops) to the cloud forest camp. Tody Motmot, Yellow-eared Toucanet, White-ruffed Manakin or even Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo may be seen. Our camp will consist of two-man tents beneath a thatch-covered structure and is readily prepared by camp staff.
Day 4. After breakfast we’ll begin our exploration of Pirre in search of its endemics. Rufous-cheeked Hummingbirds, Pirre Bush-Tanager, Pirre Warbler, Great Curassow, Tooth-billed Hummingbird, Varied Solitaire, Beautiful Treerunner, etc, etc. Overnight in cloud forest camp.
Day 5. A leisurely descent from Pirre to Cana searching for birds as we go. The rest of the day will be spent around Cana and today we’ll hope to see Barred Puffbird, Golden-headed Manakin, Yellow-green Tyrannulet and Black-crowned Antpitta.
Day 6. Early morning near Cana (depending on the time of our flight) before our flight back to Panama City. We’ll meet with the rest of the group starting the main tour in our hotel tonight.
Price: £2310.00 (Panama City / Panama City).
Single room supplement: £410.00.
ITINERARY.
Day 1. Arrival at Tocumen Airport near Panama City and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2. Pipeline Road for Blue Cotinga, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Green Shrike-Vireo, Black-breasted Puffbird, Pheasant Cuckoo, Great Jacamar, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Streak-chested Antpitta, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Spotted Antbird, etc, etc.
Afternoon in the Gamboa area for White-bellied Antbird and Rosy Thrush-Tanager and the Ammo Dump ponds for White-throated Crake, Panama Flycatcher and Yellow-tailed Oriole can be seen.
Night birds in this area include Common Potoo, Great Potoo, Mottled Owl, Spectacled Owl and Choco Screech-Owl.
Day 3. The Summit Ponds for Boat-billed Herons, Lance-tailed Manakin, Golden-collared Manakin, Rufous-breasted Wren, Golden-fronted Greenlet and Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant. Afternoon at thePlantation Trail for Checker-throated Antwrens, Blue-crowned Manakin, White-whiskered Puffbird and Black-chested Jay.
Day 4. Achiote Road for Spot-crowned Barbet, Pied Puffbird, White-headed Wren, etc, etc.
Day 5. Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe in search of the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Tarcacuna Bush-Tanager, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteers, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Violet-headed Hummingbird and Violet-capped Hummingbird.
Day 6. Transfer to the airport for the flight to David in Chiriqui. On arrival we’ll make the journey to the Volcan Baru foothills at Finca Lerida for Three-wattled Bellbird. Later we’ll ascend to our lodge and after check-in we’ll watch some of the hummingbirds nearby that may include White-throated Mountain-Gem, Magnificent Hummingbird, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing.
Day 7. Today we’ll set out to find Resplendent Quetzal and we’ll undoubtedly find many other quality birds like Yellow-thighed Finch, Large-footed Finch, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Spotted Barbtail, Spectacled Foliage-Gleaner and Ruddy Treerunner. Black Guan, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Prong-billed Barbet and Zeledonia are all possibilities here too. We may well find Dusky Nightjar after dark here too.
Day 8. This morning we’ll visit Finca Hartman near Santa Clara for Turquoise Cotinga, Fiery-billed Aracari, White-crested Coquette and White-tailed Emerald.
Day 9. Return to David via Cerro Punta where Blue-throated Toucanet, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatcher and Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher can all be seen. We’ll look for Veraguan Mango as we descend to the western lowlands reaching David in time for our late afternoon flight to Panama City. Overnight Panama City.
Day 10. Morning birding at the Metropolitan Nature Park before our transfer to the airport for flights home.
Darien Pre-Tour.
Dates: 12 – 17 April 2009.
Tour Leader: Colin Bushell with assistance from local guides.
Group size: Limited to 8 participants.
Price: £1095.00 (Panama City / Panama City).
Single room supplement: £165.00.
Includes: Accommodation, meals, transfer on arrival in Panama with group, travel to Darien returning on day 6 to join main tour, services of Toucan Birding Tours leader and local guides, gratuities to local guides, drivers.
Not included: International flights to Panama, airport departure taxes, beverages with meals, drinks, gratuities to hotel staff, phone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature.
Day 1. Arrival at Tocumen Airport near Panama City and transfer to our hotel.
Day 2. This morning we’ll take our flight (approx. 1 hour) to Cana in the Darien lowlands. Dusky-backed Jacamar, Viridian Dacnis, Dusky-faced Tanagers, White-fronted Nunbird, Grey-cheeked Nunlet, Great Green Macaw, Black-tipped Cotinga, etc, etc. Overnight in the rustic (but comfortable) Cana Field Station.
Day 3. With a light daypack we’ll make our way up the slope of Mount Pirre, taking the 5 – 6 hour hike (including birding stops) to the cloud forest camp. Tody Motmot, Yellow-eared Toucanet, White-ruffed Manakin or even Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo may be seen. Our camp will consist of two-man tents beneath a thatch-covered structure and is readily prepared by camp staff.
Day 4. After breakfast we’ll begin our exploration of Pirre in search of its endemics. Rufous-cheeked Hummingbirds, Pirre Bush-Tanager, Pirre Warbler, Great Curassow, Tooth-billed Hummingbird, Varied Solitaire, Beautiful Treerunner, etc, etc. Overnight in cloud forest camp.
Day 5. A leisurely descent from Pirre to Cana searching for birds as we go. The rest of the day will be spent around Cana and today we’ll hope to see Barred Puffbird, Golden-headed Manakin, Yellow-green Tyrannulet and Black-crowned Antpitta.
Day 6. Early morning near Cana (depending on the time of our flight) before our flight back to Panama City. We’ll meet with the rest of the group starting the main tour in our hotel tonight.
