[SueO]

Hi,
I will be in Panama in a few weeks and need a guide book or two. I have a big book that has a lot of details regarding the birds of Panama--'A Guide to the Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Niaragua, and Honduras' by Robert S. Ridgely and John A, Gwynne, Jr.; but I would like a few smaller books with detailed illustrations. Maybe a few that cover a limited area and are able to show more detail per bird.
Thanks, Sue

[Motmot]

The only similar I can think of are some plastified one-two pages guides covering different areas, pretty basic and with many missing species but not too bad for the commoner ones. I know some for Panama have been published. 'Rainforest Publications Costa Rica' published the crican ones (available in most touristic areas) and most probably also the panamanian ones.

[SueO]

Thanks, Motmot. We are going to Colon and Panama City so I will look in those places.
Sue

[gvca1]

There are a couple of 'Bird Finding' type guidebooks, but they're more like travel guides. The Ridgely&Gwynne book was the only one I saw in use in the field in Panama. It's pretty good, although it's a little dated, and some name and taxonomy changes trip me once in a while.

What our professional guides had in the van was the color plates out of Ridgely, cut out of the book and laminated. It would be worth sacrificing a second copy of the book for that.

Jim

[Motmot]

Originally Posted by SueO

Thanks, Motmot. We are going to Colon and Panama City so I will look in those places.
Sue

Try in Panama City. I would sincerely recommend not to look for them (or any other thing...) in Colon, a truly depressive and dangerous place.

[SueO]

Originally Posted by gvca1

There are a couple of 'Bird Finding' type guidebooks, but they're more like travel guides. The Ridgely&Gwynne book was the only one I saw in use in the field in Panama. It's pretty good, although it's a little dated, and some name and taxonomy changes trip me once in a while.

What our professional guides had in the van was the color plates out of Ridgely, cut out of the book and laminated. It would be worth sacrificing a second copy of the book for that.

Jim

Hi Jim,
Not a bad idea. I really would like more detailed illustrations if possible. I've never been to this part of the world and although I have tried to learn a bit before arriving, I find that many times I am unable to ID. Well, I'll just get there and go from there. I'm really looking forward to birding Central America; it's one of the main reasons I haven't quit this never-ending circumnavigation.
Sue

[SueO]

Originally Posted by Motmot

Try in Panama City. I would sincerely recommend not to look for them (or any other thing...) in Colon, a truly depressive and dangerous place.

My mistake. I was sure that the marina we have reservations for advertised a van that takes you to Colon for shopping. I double checked and it was the ‘outskirts’ of Colon to new shopping areas. My husband says he has been warned by several cruisers about Colon. Nearly every place has a spot like that I guess.
Sue

[Motmot]

The 'shopping areas' are tax free shopping malls where you'll find all sorts of watches, cologne, spirits etc. Not sure if the guides can be found there but give it a try. They look a bit like bunkers so will surely be well guarded. They were created as an attempt to improve the economy of the most depauperate area in Panama, the opening of the canal had a terrible effect on Colón's economy and perspectives.

[njlarsen]

When I visited Panama, there was a visitor center in the Parque Metropolitano (Panama City) that had some bird-related items such as the where to watch birds in Panama book that was not yet available in Amazon. That would be my best guess of a place to buy something like what you want, if it even exists.

Don't forget to bird the area if you visit!

Niels

[ririhugs]

There are this book too:

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Birds-Pa.../dp/0691025126

The only true book about birds of Panama and southern Central America. I skimed through it when I was in Costa Rica, it was rather good, even if it's lil bit old (1989).

[SueO]

Thanks All. Niels, I defininitely plan on hitting the tourist shops and visitors centers where I can. I have found small bird books in places like those throughout the world. For example, I found the small, but very helpful, "Birds of Egypt And the Middle East" by Richard Porter and David Cottridge in Luxor. It's hardly an in depth book, but I would have been totally lost without it. I used to be sure I'd find something when I arrived at a place until I got to Turkey and couldn't find a Guide to the Birds of Europe anywhere in Marmaris which is quite a large tourist center. I couldn't even find one in Istanbul! At that time, I was afraid to order over the internet and was also unsure about mail delivery in some areas. Now I worry that I won't find books upon arrival at a place so when I'm home for a visit I order from Amazon for the areas I am coming up on. The trouble with getting books that way is you can't see them. I have been disappointed on more than one occasion.
Well, when I have access to the internet, I can always post to BF for ID help. The problem with that is that apparently it's not kosher to add a bird to your life list if it is identified by someone on the forum. (I learned that after I had put quite a few up while I was in Turkey without a field quide)
Thanks again for all the feedback.
Sue

[njlarsen]

Originally Posted by SueO

Thanks All. Niels, I defininitely plan on hitting the tourist shops and visitors centers where I can. I have found small bird books in places like those throughout the world. For example, I found the small, but very helpful, "Birds of Egypt And the Middle East" by Richard Porter and David Cottridge in Luxor. It's hardly an in depth book, but I would have been totally lost without it. I used to be sure I'd find something when I arrived at a place until I got to Turkey and couldn't find a Guide to the Birds of Europe anywhere in Marmaris which is quite a large tourist center. I couldn't even find one in Istanbul! At that time, I was afraid to order over the internet and was also unsure about mail delivery in some areas. Now I worry that I won't find books upon arrival at a place so when I'm home for a visit I order from Amazon for the areas I am coming up on. The trouble with getting books that way is you can't see them. I have been disappointed on more than one occasion.
Well, when I have access to the internet, I can always post to BF for ID help. The problem with that is that apparently it's not kosher to add a bird to your life list if it is identified by someone on the forum. (I learned that after I had put quite a few up while I was in Turkey without a field quide)
Thanks again for all the feedback.
Sue

What you do with your life list is your decision (only if you compare to somebody else's list should the two of you agree on some rules). If you have struggled with a bird photo, get an id, and feel that after this you know why this is one and not another bird, then I would put it on the list. Everybody has a different opinion on this topic.

Niels

[ririhugs]

Originally Posted by ririhugs

There are this book too:

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Birds-Pa.../dp/0691025126

The only true book about birds of Panama and southern Central America. I skimed through it when I was in Costa Rica, it was rather good, even if it's lil bit old (1989).

Oh I'm sorry I din't read all the message!

+++

[Swissboy]

I just learned about this website about an area in Panama: http://birdinginaltosdelmaria.com:80/
Maybe there is some useful information there? I have not checked it yet, but there is a part dealing with books.

[SueO]

Originally Posted by njlarsen

What you do with your life list is your decision (only if you compare to somebody else's list should the two of you agree on some rules). If you have struggled with a bird photo, get an id, and feel that after this you know why this is one and not another bird, then I would put it on the list. Everybody has a different opinion on this topic.

Niels

Thanks for that Niels, and thanks for all the help you have given me through the Caribbean. Sorry this response is so long in coming, been a bit busy getting Peregrine ready for our next leg and I wanted to take time to write out this longwinded post regarding my life list.
I did get comments and a very nice pm telling me pretty much the same thing as you at the time of the thread. I did keep the birds that were identified for me on BF on my list. I credited ID to BF when applicable. Some birds I found again (and again) and I took BF credit off those because I finally did ID myself. However, the few I left represented quite a few hours of walking and exploring and hunting to find and I felt I deserved to keep them. But…after that thread I only once again asked for help on a lifer ID and that was a Scaly-breasted Thrasher. That ID was confirmed by Mark Sutton on Surfbirds. I was really confused by the illustration in my bird guide. The bird I found did not appear to be as fully ‘scaly’ as the drawing and it was a small book so I thought maybe some species were not in the book. After many frustrating hours identifying such creatures as Lewin’s, Yellow-spotted, and Graceful Honeyeater’s (or some warblers or some raptors in confusing plumage, or terns), I am aware that it is easy to jump the gun and I was unsure enough to want confirmation.
I can see the point about not listing a bird if you have not identified it. If you’re serious enough to keep a list, you should be serious enough to learn to ID yourself. Almost all the 696 birds on my list have been found by me and identified by me. My husband and daughter have been with me at times and pointed out birds and I have had fellow birders tell me they saw a so-and-so down the way, but I am ok with that. In the end I am fine with listing a bird even if I am unable to ID it and putting an *on my list giving credit to those that helped me, but I do like to try and solve the ID myself. As you point out though, sometimes there is a lot to learn by posting a photo and discussing it. I’m certain I’m going to need help and won’t be shy about posting. I’m fairly certain that we will not have access to the internet while we sail though the Kuna Yala/San Blas Islands so I will probably have a lot of stuff saved up for when we get to “civilization”.
Well, in the true manner of a cruiser, I have been meandering.

ririhugs--I understood what happened, having done similar things myself a few times .

Thanks for the link Swissboy, I’ll check it out. I have already been browsing some others. A whole lot of birds! Maybe I won’t be in such a hurry to get home after all.

If the weather stays as predicted, we will leave Saturday. I'm really excited about this leg of our journey. The 600 miles to our first island will not be fun, but it will be worth it.
Sue