River of raptors in Panama

[Frogdoondey]

I just wanted to take a chance to give thanks to all of you up there in the north who figth against habitat destruction and bird poisoning.
Thanks to your efforts we have seen more than 2 million raptors since october 5 till today; and the migration haven´t end yet.
I saw my first Merlins, Northern Harriers, and dark phase of the broad wing hawk this season.
I am counting birds for Panama Audubond Society in the top of the mitycal Gold Hill rigth at the crossroads of the Panama Canal and the Continental divide. Again thanks and I hope these words incentivate more and more of you to keep protecting our planet, the only one. :clap: :eat:

[KCFoggin]

Wow Frogdoondey! I cannot even fathom seeing that many raptors in less than a month's time. I think though, that you are not giving yourself a pat on the back which seems richly deserved for your passion about the environment so this is for you.:clap: :clap:

[W.coast Raptor]

Wow Frogdoondey! I cannot even fathom seeing that many raptors in less than a month's time. I think though, that you are not giving yourself a pat on the back which seems richly deserved for your passion about the environment so this is for you.:clap: :clap:



Frogdoondey!! thats great.!!!!

we see some of the birds you see as they fly by our migration points. I am set up on hawkhill, in the california bay area. alot of merlins have come through in the last couple weeks.

also coopers hawks, peregrines, sharp-shinned hawks, a few broad wings came thre earlier in the year.

[Rhion]

Panama has just been added to my list of "must visit soon" destinations!

[infopt2000]

Panama is a must see. If you go, then stay at the Acapulco hotel in Panama City - this has an all night restaurant, so pre-dawn breakfast is not only possible, but excellent!

[Bachie]

Hi Frogdoondey,

My wife and I are planning a trip to Panama in 2005. Dates not set yet, but will likely be in the last 1/2 of 2005.
I understand the chances would be good to see a Quetzal in the northern part of Panama. If so, do you have any recommendations where to stay in the area where Quetzals are likely to be?

Neil Bachman

[Frogdoondey]

Frogdoondey!! thats great.!!!!

we see some of the birds you see as they fly by our migration points. I am set up on hawkhill, in the california bay area. alot of merlins have come through in the last couple weeks.

also coopers hawks, peregrines, sharp-shinned hawks, a few broad wings came thre earlier in the year.

I have a friend who was volunteering in a bird banding progam near San Francisco area, and he took some time to visist Hawkhill and he was amezed more with the diversity than with the numbers. I think the best sitting was a rainy morning (october and november are the rainiest months in Panama) and the raptors couldnt fly to high so they came rigth over Gold Hill only 3 to 7 feets above the top of the hill: extasis.

Thanks evreybody for your beautifull words.

[Frogdoondey]

Hi Frogdoondey,

My wife and I are planning a trip to Panama in 2005. Dates not set yet, but will likely be in the last 1/2 of 2005.
I understand the chances would be good to see a Quetzal in the northern part of Panama. If so, do you have any recommendations where to stay in the area where Quetzals are likely to be?

Neil Bachman

Dear Neil:

The best place to see quetzal will be the towns of Guadalupe and Bajo Mono in the area of Cerro Punta wich a valley in betwen Volcan Baru National Park and La Amistad International Park (shared with Costa Rica)

There is an 8 miles trail called Los Quetzales: very steep but the best place in the Talamanca Mountains to see the quetzal, black guan, tree wattled bellbird and other endemics of southern central america.

Los Quetzales lodge and spa is an excellent place to stay. They have a hotel at 5800 feets above sea level and 3 rustic but comfortable cabins at 6300 feets. There are very good chances to see quetzals arround the cabins and good hummingbirds. You will be surprised of how cool it is (40 farenhite in the morning)

There are also hotels down in the valley wich is only 20 minutes from the area where quetzal lives.
Hotel Cerro Punta is good and have excellent breakfast and trouth (real ones) for dinner.
Hotel Bambito is in a narrow canyon that drain the valley to the foothills of the volcano and have excellent gardens for birding. Is only 30 minutes from quetzal home.

The other place will be Boquete, in the other side of the volcano wich is very turistic, more scenic and is also coffe land. There, my favorite hotel is Panamonte Hotel with superb fresh organic vegetables salads and meals.
You could hire Santiago, a local guide that could show you quetzal nest and very good birding sites.

There is a lot more to do in that area: horsebackride, whitewater rafting, coffe tours, hikking or a 4x4 tour to the top of Baru Volcano.

http://www.turistmo.com/index_en.html http://www.panamainfo.com and http://www.visitpanama.com are very good source of info and suggestions. You could also tigth your trip with a couple days to Bocas del Toro. www.natturpanama.com is the best tour operator arround and with excellent birding guides.

You could fly from Panama city to David, main city in the Chiriqui province, and rent a car. Road system is very good and so is sign system.

Tow other details: that area is actually western Panama and not northern Panama. The country runs west to east.
The other thing is that quetzal are more easy to see from december to may when the bambito trees are fruiting.

If you have any othr question I will be more than happy to help you.
I am also a naturalist tour guide so if you need a sugested trip for all of Panama or will like to hire a guide contact me trouth my webpage: http://www.advantagepanama.com

[Bachie]

Dear Frogdoondey,

You provided much more information than I ever expected. Thank you so much!! B (:

I will definately visit your website. When we make the decision when to visit Panama, we will be in contact with you. Indeed, we would very much like to meet you.

Thank you again for the information and geography lesson. |=)|

Neil and Jill Bachman

[Frogdoondey]

TODAY WE SAW AT GOLD HILL:
128 Turkey vultures
1 broad-winged hawk
22 swainson´s hawk

Far beyond the count of 2 weeks ago when hundreds of thousends were crossing the sky.



I just wanted to take a chance to give thanks to all of you up there in the north who figth against habitat destruction and bird poisoning.
Thanks to your efforts we have seen more than 2 million raptors since october 5 till today; and the migration haven´t end yet.
I saw my first Merlins, Northern Harriers, and dark phase of the broad wing hawk this season.
I am counting birds for Panama Audubond Society in the top of the mitycal Gold Hill rigth at the crossroads of the Panama Canal and the Continental divide. Again thanks and I hope these words incentivate more and more of you to keep protecting our planet, the only one. :clap: :eat:

[david kelly]

Frogdooney,

I will be visiting Panama in December.

Will the raptort migration be over then?

I am visiting Gamboa Resort, El Valle, Panama City and the San Blas archipelago.

What should I look out for in El Valle and the San Blas islands?

David

[Frogdoondey]

Frogdooney,

I will be visiting Panama in December.

Will the raptort migration be over then?

I am visiting Gamboa Resort, El Valle, Panama City and the San Blas archipelago.

What should I look out for in El Valle and the San Blas islands?

David

David:
unfortunatley the raptor migration will end pritty soon. The counting will finish by november 14.

El Valle de Anton is the ancient crater of a volcano at 1800 foots above sea level. There is a good chance for the foothills tanagers (common bush-tanager, hepatic, emerald, silver-troathed, rofous-winged, bay-headed)

The best place for birding will be arround the road to El Valle. The last 3 km. are good for tanagers. If you have a 4x4 go to la Mesa wich is beyon el valle.

In san blas the best birds will be white-crowned pigeon, brown boobies and roseate sponbill. This will vary a lot depending on wich of the 365 island you will stay

[Frogdoondey]

Today we had a wonderfull surprise: at 12:30 a big cloud of raptors (Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson´s Hawk and Turkey Vultures) Flew over Panama City and the national parks to the north of the city.
They still colecting data but the number was arround 70,000 birds.
You could check the video in this web page (only in spanish but good shots of the migrating birds) www.albatrosmedia.com
Once you are in click on "Reportaje de la semana" select your bandwith and enjoy it. It requier Quick Time player.

[Frogdoondey]

Today we had a wonderfull surprise: at 12:30 a big cloud of raptors (Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson´s Hawk and Turkey Vultures) Flew over Panama City and the national parks to the north of the city.
They still colecting data but the number was arround 70,000 birds.
You could check the video in this web page (only in spanish but good shots of the migrating birds) www.albatrosmedia.com
Once you are in click on "Reportaje de la semana" select your bandwith and enjoy it. It requier Quick Time player.

Yesterday wath the final day of the counting. But surprise came with birds flying over Panama City for about 5 hours. About 200,000 thousands raptors came late yesterday in wath it was the best day for the raptors.
Why do they came to late? One could only guess but I hope have nothing to do with global warming.

[Frogdoondey]

This evening I went for a walk in the sea side of the City and for my surprise there where about a thousand Turkey Vulture with hundreds of Swainson´s Hawks.
Next year we my recruet more volunteers so we could keep the count for a longer time.