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Panama in January (1 Viewer)

Arbu

Well-known member
I'm thinking of making a trip to Panama in January. The main focus will be on the Darien, engaging a local guide for a few days to hike up Cerro Pirre, but also doing a bit of birding around Panama City. The dates will probably be something like 29th Dec to 18th Jan.

If anyone is interested in joining me then get in touch.
 
If you are using a guide, then I suggest Euclides Campos - did a superb trip with him this summer including Darien (Harpy and Crested Eagles).

Thanks. Have you got an email address for him? I have messaged him on facebook but people often miss facebook messages.

Or, if he's not free, do you think it's possible just to pitch up in Yaviza and find a guide to go up Cerro Pirre with (who hopefully knows a bit about birds)?
 
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Thanks. How's his English? I've noted his email, but it might be worth you deleting it now in case he gets swamped with spam.
 
He says he's busy for the whole of January. But I'm thinking of going in the second half of January now, when there's another guide who might be available.
 
Euclides says he's free from 26th March so that's probably when any trip to the Darien would be.
 
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I'd be interested to see if you get Beautiful Treerunner (rare, has been photographed though), Green-naped Tanager (never photographed) or Viridian Dacnis (never photographed) on the Pirre ridge or on the way up We saw none of these species despite much effort. They were easy when Cana was open.

Have a great trip.

cheers, alan
 
Viridian Dacnis has been photographed multiple times now in northern Colombia and there is a reliable site. Check https://www.facebook.com/Urabá-Nature-Tours-231643467281162/ run by Carlos and Mario Bran, two brothers and all around awesome guys. I should think that Green-naped Tanager must have been photographed by now but don't know. Or were you referring to just on Pirre? Personally I am skeptical of many Viridian Dacnis records from the Darien as the local guide/fixer that you will have to use, Isaac, wildly misidentified birds left and right and mis-called Viridian Dacnis multiple times when I was there.

Back to the guiding issue, if your Spanish is up for it, it's certainly possible to contact Isaac directly - on Facebook as "Isaac N Pizarro T" with a picture of a Harpy and a location of El Real, Darien, Panama. This is how we did it, Isaac can do all the logistics and knows the eagle nests and locations for some of the specialties but is a far cry from Euclides as a guide, doesn't speak English, and is kind of a pain to deal with.
 
I've got Euclides booked for the eight days from 24th March. If anyone wants to join me I'm sure that would be possible, just get in touch.
 
Viridian Dacnis has been photographed multiple times now in northern Colombia and there is a reliable site. Check https://www.facebook.com/Urabá-Nature-Tours-231643467281162/ run by Carlos and Mario Bran, two brothers and all around awesome guys. I should think that Green-naped Tanager must have been photographed by now but don't know. Or were you referring to just on Pirre? Personally I am skeptical of many Viridian Dacnis records from the Darien as the local guide/fixer that you will have to use, Isaac, wildly misidentified birds left and right and mis-called Viridian Dacnis multiple times when I was there.

Yes, exactly - I was referring to the Panama side; yes I know the Dacnis is (now) well known on the Columbia side, but as you say is widely strung on the Panama side! Still no images as far as I know - apart from Cana.

cheers, alan
 
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