Visiting Birder (1 Viewer)

Hello Everyone. I will be in Panama in a couple weeks. I plan to spend about a month-month and a half in this splendid country. I will be travelling on a small budget, ~$25/day so I will be taking public transport and camping as much as possible. This will be my second time in Panama, last year I spent 10 days in Bocas, Boquete and the Canal Zone. I have a few questions, mostly pertaining to the canal zone.
1. Is it safe/possible to camp along the Pipeline Rd. and Achiote Rd. and if so, would it be ok to drink the stream water(if purified)?
2. Is it possible to get to Achiote Rd, Plantation Rd. and other(?) canal hotspots via Bus. If not, then to a nearby community from where I could catch a Taxi?
3. Is the only way to get to El Real(Darien) by Airplane?

If it is inadvisable to camp at these places, would there be any locals in the area who would permit me to pitch my tent in there yard for a small price?

Also,(I dont know if this sort of thing is normal down there) are there any local birders (or visiting birders w/a car) in the canal zone who would be interested in showing me around, I would gladly pay some gas money and would be extremely grateful!

Thanks,
Avery

Just returned from Panama, and all of pipeline rd and part of Achiote rd are national parks where camping is at least in theory prohibited. The distant parts of Achiote Rd are between rural communities, where some farmer probably could be talked into letting you camp there if you talk spanish well enough (and he/she would know spanish well enough ...).

The plantation rd and old gamboa rd are close to the new gamboa rd and can therefore be reached by the public busses btw Panama and Gamboa. There are also busses running the length of the Achiote rd (I dont know their destinations, as I rented a vehicle).

Do yourself a favor of getting your hands on a copy of the new "Where to find birds in Panama". The easiest way to do that at the moment is a visit to Parque Natural Metropolitano in PC when you arrive, or if you can find your way there, the Panama Audubon office.

There are alternatives for visiting Darien compared to the flying in, browse around on http://www.advantagepanama.com/. However, the alternatives don't come that cheaply either!

Guido Berguido is a member of Birdforum, and he was kind enough to answer some questions I sent by Email before I went . Browse around in the Panama section here for more info and his Email address.

Niels

Hi Niels,
Thanks for the info. I'll definitely go to Metropolitan NP and pick up a copy of the birdfinding guide!
cheers

Saludos Avery,
You should be home by now, and with great memories from your trip to Panama.
Let me know your comments.

For Pre - Post Birding Tours check http://www.birdingbyboattour.com

Gonzalo Horna

info 'at' panamabirdguide.com
http://www.panamabirdguide.com/
http://www.birdingbyboattour.com

Hello Gonzalo,
I had an excellent time in Panama, absolutely first-rate birding. I spent 8 days in the Canal Zone where I checked out Pipeline rd. 3 days, Old Gamboa Rd. twice, plantation rd. and metropolitan NP twice.
Then I headed to El Valle for a couple days before a couple days in Achiote.
Then it was off to the Darien where I spent 3 days at the Pirre station(not nearly long enough) before backtracking to Panama City.
One afternoon in Chitre, next morning at Las Macanas.
And finally, 3 days in Cerro Punta.

All my travel was by bus or, occasionally, taxi. The only place I used a guide was the Pirre station as it was required.

Highlights:
Pipeline Rd: Blue Cotinga, Brownish twistwing, Great Jacamar, Pied Puffbird, Forest Elaenia.
Old Gamboa Rd.: Pale-eyed Pygmy-tyrant, Black-chested Jay
Plantation Rd.: Dark phase Hook-billed Kite
PN metropolitano: white-bellied Antbird, Rosy Thrush-tanager

El Valle: Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo(Las Zamias trail), Spot-crowned Barbet, imm. Barred Forest-falcon, Barred Hawk.


Achiote: American Pygmy Kingfisher, Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher, migrating Plumbeous Kites overhead, Limpkin, Semiplumbeous Hawk, white-headed Wren.

Pirre Station: Spectacled Parrotlet, Black-capped Pygmy-tyrant, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher(Near El Real), Scarlet-browed Tanager, Slate-colored Gnatcatcher, Purple Honeycreeper, Central American Pygmy-Owl, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Cinereous Becard, Syrestes, Grey Elaenia, red-throated caracara(on way back to El Real), HARPY EAGLE!!! Only about 2 km. from El Real. Absolutely amazing!

El Real: Grey Kingbird

Las Macanas: Great Black-hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, L.Yellow-headed Vulture.

Cerro Punta(los Quetzales): Silvery-fronted tapaculo, Wrenthrush.

I'd love to return to panama this coming winter. I am hoping to become a guide in either Costa Rica or Panama in the near future.

Cheers,

Avery Bartels,
Canada

Saludos Avery,
Good to hear it was great birding Panama. :t:
Contact me (gonzalohorna (AT) hotmail.com ) in relation to the idea of becoming a guide in Panama. We may be able to work something good.

Gonzalo Horna

info (AT) panamabirdguide.com
http://www.panamabirdguide.com/
http://www.birdingbyboattour.com