PANAMA: BIODIVERSITY WORKSHOP in the Green Season
With Expert Nature, Birding and Butterfly Guide, Bob Behrstock
July 18-27, 2012
Keen naturalists won’t want to miss our July 18-27 “Green Season” PANAMA Journey, a fabulous opportunity to travel with a real Neotropical master naturalist, Bob Behrstock. Bob has travelled throughout the New World tropics for over thirty years. He’s mastered the birds, and is eager to contribute knowledge to the region’s invertebrate inventory, particularly butterflies and dragonflies. He’s also intrigued by the chance to see some of the rare and declining species of frogs, as a facility near the Canopy Lodge hosts a cooperative venture to assess and protect habitat for many of the area’s species.
Our July Panama trip features the same two lovely lodges we use in March, at reduced rates due to the advent of heavier rains in the Green Season. These rains however, like the monsoons of Arizona, induce a a burst of biological activity. This trip is designed for keen naturalists who want to take advantage of whatever the day brings - be it birds, 
butterflies, dragonflies, endangered frogs, or reptiles.
Historically, nearly all naturalists’ tours to Panama have been bird-focused events during the northern winter and spring - Panama’s dry season. Birds are usually easier to see during this time of the year, often singing at the approach of their nesting season. Unfortunately, a serious drawback to dry season tours is they generally produce few insects and almost no amphibians. Indeed, your leader, Bob Behrstock, has led winter events in Panama, seeing only a handful of butterflies, almost no dragonflies, and no frogs.
In order to make the tropical experience a richer one--with opportunities for a greater diversity of life forms--we have scheduled this tour during Panama’s rainy (Green) season. Daily rains occur and these will impact our activities. However, they usually occur at predictable times and we can plan accordingly. Birders can be assured that the Panamanian specialties will still be present--some actually easier to see as they gather food for nestlings or troop about with noisy, begging offspring. By visiting habitats that will include Pacific beaches, Tropical Dry Forest, Rainforest and moist foothill woodlands, augmented by ornamental gardens and feeder arrays, we will maximize our opportunities of seeing what the tropics have to offer
Despite periods of rain and the need to protect camera equipment with plastic bags, Green season tours present a wealth of photographic opportunities. Although this is not a photographic tour per se, the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge supply a local guide for each of our outings; thus, we often have the luxury of some participants looking at birds with one leader while others are admiring a beetle or photographing an owl butterfly with another. Of course, some people find that their photographic success increases when they step away from the group and that’s OK, as well, as long as we can all keep in touch and the group’s activities aren’t hindered.
Species lists (all works in progress) are available for a number of groups of plants and animals at the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge. For example, a list of butterflies from the sites and some nearby areas (in Excel format with a sheet for each family) may be seen at:
http://www.canopytower.com/canopy-tower-trip-sightings-butterflies
ITINERARY
Wed., July 18 Arrival in Panama City / Orientation to the Canopy Tower / Birding from the Observation Deck / Welcome Dinner
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by a driver (who works with Canopy Tower and Lodge) who will transfer you to the Canopy Tower, a former U.S. communications installation located at the top of Semaphore Hill in the rainforest of Soberanía National Park. As your luggage is being ferried to your room, visit the dining/bar area and enjoy a refreshing drink. Settle in to your accommodations and staff from the Tower will answer any questions you may have.
We highly recommend that you spend some time observing life on the flowering trees and shrubs that surround the tower--winged creatures both large and small--as the Green Season brings a peak of invertebrate diversity. We also recommend taking time to observe from an aerial perspective, atop the Observation Deck just above the restaurant. The view from the broad platform surrounding the tower is incredible! 
Here, you get a unique, eye-level perspective of the rainforest canopy. Many birds, including toucans, parrots, tanagers of various types, and hawks, as well as two species of sloths, monkeys and other mammals are commonly seen.
From the Canopy Tower’s roof and lower decks, butterfly enthusiasts are afforded the privileged opportunity of searching for rainforest canopy species including certain metalmarks, some fancy sunstreaks, and greatstreaks that are rarely seen from the ground. From this vantage point you can also see ships transiting the Panama Canal, the majestic Centennial Bridge and miles of protected rainforest.
Station yourself at the hummingbird feeders at the base of the Tower and watch for Long-billed Hermits, White-necked Jacobins, Violet-bellied and Blue-chested hummingbirds, and White-vented Plumeleteers. Occasionally, a Snowy-bellied Hummingbird or another less common species is spotted.
Before the evening meal, we host an open cocktail hour in which you sign for drinks on an honor system. We are always offered a variety of snacks, some that highlight local produce, and it’s a nice time to visit with other guests, ahead of a delicious dinner.
Accommodations at the CANOPY TOWER (D)
Thurs., July 19 Canopy Tower / Semaphore Hill Road / Nearby Ponds & Environs
Those who wish can meet your guide on the Observation Deck for early morning 
birding, or simply to absorb the beauty and sounds of sunrise over the rainforest. While you look for birds, monkeys, and other creatures of the canopy (including dragonflies and butterflies that have not yet warmed up and are more easily photographed), you can enjoy pre-breakfast hot coffee, tea and orange juice. Some of the bird species that we may see from the observation deck are Green and Red-legged honeycreepers, a noisy but elusive Green Shrike-Vireo, Slate-colored Grosbeaks, Scaled Pigeons, Mealy Parrots, Keel-billed Toucans, and perhaps a King Vulture or an Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
After breakfast, you’ll start exploring Soberanía National Park by taking a pleasant walk down Semaphore Hill Road just outside the Canopy Tower’s gate. This winding, shady paved road, festooned on the shoulders by wildflowers of many types, is a little more than a mile long with a bridge that crosses a large creek about half-way down. There are life forms of every taxa to observe, close up and personal! Termites (often sharing their huge arboreal nests with trogons or puffbirds), leafcutter ants, beetles, dragonflies, damselflies, and butterflies abound, and photographic opportunities are generally excellent. Fallen fruits dropped by parrots may attract satyrs, skippers, or a foraging agouti (a forest rodent).
The bird list for this site alone is extensive, and includes species from the forest interior as well as edge-dwellers. Olivaceous Flatbills, Plain Xenops, Black-breasted Puffbirds, Fasciated Antshrikes, Black-throated Trogons, 
Broad-billed and Rufous motmots and Great Jacamars may be found. Great Tinamous are often heard, and, with luck, may be spotted. Depending on the weather, this road can be very productive for raptors. White, Tiny, and Great Black hawks all occur. Before the air has warmed and the thermals develop, we may see these species roosting in the forest.
Our morning list of species, plants, invertebrates, birds, and mammals, should be impressive. As time permits and opportunities present themselves, our guides will discuss various pertinent topics such as strategies for pollination, or other parts of the intricate web that connects the many life forms of the forest. Once we reach the base of the hill, we’ll get a much-welcomed ride back up, just in time to enjoy a delicious lunch at the Canopy Tower.
We’ll spend the afternoon visiting the Ammo Dump Ponds, located just past the village of Gamboa on the way to Pipeline Road. The wetland area is one of the best we visit for spotting typical pond dragonflies and damselflies, and will serve as a good introduction to some of the more common species. Bob Behrstock unveils the dynamic past of these invertebrates, living fossils still highly successful among us.
The ponds are also great for birding. Here is the best place on our tour to see the elusive White-throated Crake, as well as a host of other waterbirds including Purple Gallinules, the stately Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, and perhaps an American Pygmy-Kingfisher. Here, we often find Olivaceous 
Piculet-Panama’s tiniest woodpecker, Yellow-tailed Orioles, Southern Lapwings, the tiny Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Scrub Greenlets and a variety of flycatchers.in the surrounding trees and marshy fields. Hook-billed and Snail kites, Collared Forest-Falcons, Yellow-headed Caracaras, and both Zone-tailed and Short-tailed Hawks may be seen here as well.
The open (and possibly sunny) roadsides attract a variety of pierids (whites and sulphurs), as well as common edge butterflies such as Banded Peacocks, Tropical Buckeyes, and perhaps a Tulcis Crescent.
Accommodations at the Canopy Tower. (B,L,D)
Fri., July 20 World Famous Pipeline Road
After breakfast you board the Birdmobile or the Rainfomobile, both open-air vehicles that take you to Pipeline Road, the best place in Central Panama to find forest birds, and a training ground for tropical naturalists for over 100 years. A dead end forested road with little traffic, Pipeline is a perfect place to experience the ambience of the tropical rainforest. Eight species of wrens, five trogons, four puffbirds, three motmots, Great Jacamars, Common Potoos, Pheasant Cuckoos, Greater Anis, Gray-necked Wood-Rails and Gray-headed Chachalacas may be seen, as well as dozens of other species.
Butterfliers will find Pipeline’s roadsides, Discovery Tower, and forest trails home to a variety of clearwings, leafwings, heliconians, owl butterflies, morphos, and satyrs, and it is along Pipeline that we have our best chance to see helicopter damselflies including Megaloprepus, the world’s largest damselfly. We’ll also watch the ground for amphibians that frequent wet-soil areas and streams.
Leaf-cutter ants are common on the road and trails; some will carry flowers. We will be listening for the distinctive calls of birds associating with Army ant swarms. These 
rivers of understory life are found frequently along Pipeline Road, and are attended by a host of birds that prey upon the crickets, katydids, centipedes, roaches, and other invertebrates disturbed by the ants. Such flocks usually include Bicolored, Ocellated, and Spotted antbirds, Northern Barred and Plain Brown woodcreepers, and with luck, the elusive Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo. Fruiting shrubs attract Golden-collared, Red-capped, and Blue-crowned manakins; with luck, we may see them dancing at their leks.
Pipeline Road is also a great place for mammals, such as Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths, Tamanduas and Coatimundis. It is also a good place for the more secretive raptors. Three forest-falcons are resident, Tiny and Semiplumbeous hawks hunt the mid-elevations, while Ornate and Black Hawk-Eagles soar overhead. As we walk, we’ll listen for the plop of seeds on the ground, signaling the presence of large fruit-eating birds such as Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Black-crowned Tityra, Brown-hooded Parrot, or Chestnut-mandibled Toucan.
And if its main 17 km. are not enough, there are plenty of side trails, plus 11 creeks and rivers that can be followed into the forest.
We will enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest, a delicious dinner at the lodge, and some may wish to venture out for a night drive, to try for Spectacled Owl, or one of the several small mammals we may find at night, such as the Olingo.
Accommodations at Canopy Tower (B,L,D)
Sat., July 21 AM: Metropolitan Natural Park / Free Time in Panama City / Summit Ponds & Old Gamboa Road
Metro Park, encompassing 265 hectares, has the distinction of being the only large forested park within a metropolitan capital in Latin America. More importantly, it protects 192 hectares of Dry Lowland Pacific Forest, yielding bird species that are difficult to find elsewhere. The beautiful Rosy Thrush-Tanager is here, as is the striking Lance-tailed Manakin.
Panama hosts about 220 species of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) including four families that don’t occur in the U.S. and another that only reaches southern Arizona. 
Not only at pond and stream edges, these insects may also be encountered along forest trails, weedy woodland margins, or in the forest canopy. Harmless, numerous and often colorful, with a little patience, they make fine photographic subjects. Among the forest species we are likely to see is Megaloprepus, a member of the Forest Giant or Helicopter Damselfly family and the world’s largest damselfly.”
Metro Park provides nice walking, great vistas of the city skyline, and excellent birding. It is a good place to find Southern Bentbills, Rufous-and-white, Plain & Rufous-breasted wrens, Dusky Antbirds, Crimson-crested, Lineated & Red-crowned 
woodpeckers. Plain-colored, Palm, Blue-gray & Golden-hooded tanagers are common; Red-legged & Green honeycreepers, Whooping Motmots (recent split from Blue-crowned), Keel-billed Toucans, Collared Araçaris and the endemic Yellow-green Tyrannulets are resident along with Forest & Greenish Elaenias.
After a great morning at the park, we offer you time to explore the waterfront area of Panama City, where you’ll find great restaurants for lunch at your leisure, vendors with handicrafts, historic churches and the very fine Panama Canal Museum.
Mid-afternoon we wind our way back towards the Canopy Tower, stopping at Old Gamboa Road and the associated ponds at Summit which are great places to find Canal Zone birds of many types. At Summit Ponds we will scan for Green, Striated, Capped & Boat-billed herons as well as Green, Ringed, Amazon, & American Pygmy kingfishers, which are all resident here. We also seek out Broad-billed Motmots, Rusty-margined & Streaked flycatchers and Lesser & Great kiskadees, and we observe the large insects that they are feeding on. A very different set of damselflies and dragonflies are found here near water, an excellent contrast to species found this morning. We continue to search for creatures large and small, from leaf-cutter ants, to a host of butterflies and among the birds, a chance to see Mangrove Swallows, Bat Falcons, Cocoa Woodcreepers and Lineated Woodpeckers.
Going straight past the two ponds we'll be on Old Gamboa Road, one of the most interesting spots around. This road passes through a variety of habitats and has plenty of species, including Golden Orb Spiders. Bird specialties include Blue Ground-Doves, Great Antshrikes, Jet Antbirds, Black-tailed, Bran-colored & Royal flycatchers, and Lance-tailed & Golden-collared manakins. Color is certainly on display here, from Yellow-backed Orioles, to Black-chested Jays and a wide array of katydids, praying mantis and more.
Some of you may wish to learn more about invertebrate structure and taxonomy and Bob is happy to spend some time with you in the evenings, working to identify species from the day, and to answer questions in general.
Accommodations at the Canopy Tower (B,L,D)
Sun., July 22 Jungle Boat Ride / Chagres River / Gamboa Feeders
This morning we have great fun, zipping around massive cargo ships as we venture out by small boat on Gatun Lake, part of the Panama Canal. You’ll see the famous Titan Crane in the distance, at the dredge station in Gamboa.
This trip is an excellent one to learn more about Apple Snails, and their predator, the agile Snail Kite. We should see them feeding, and perhaps witness some interactions between individuals. One of Bob’s favorite damselflies, the Caribbean Yellowface, is fairly common in quiet water of some of the sheltered islands we visit. White-faced Capuchins and Howler Monkeys are often encountered as well. Enjoy a special lunch upon our return.
After lunch, we take a drive to Carmen Martino's house, in the picturesque village of 
Gamboa, to look at her bird feeders! Carmen is a great friend of the Canopy Tower. In fact, she used to do some guiding for us. At Carmen’s feeders, we are likely to see Red-legged, Shining & Green honeycreepers, Lemon-rumped, Crimson-backed & Blue-gray tanagers, Thick-billed Euphonias, Yellow-bellied & Variable Seedeaters, Whooping Motmots and Gray-headed Chachalacas.
Next, as birds get active in the late afternoon, we're off to Chagres River, the main tributary for the Panama Canal. The birding along the river banks and the forest edges of 
Gamboa Resort can be spectacular! Here, we search for Purple Gallinules, Amazon, Green & American Pygmy kingfishers, and Cinnamon Woodpeckers. We could also see Cocoi, Green & Striated Herons, Wattled Jacanas, Anhingas, Brown Pelicans, Neotropic Cormorants, Rusty-margined Flycatchers, Yellow-billed Caciques, Fasciated & Barred Antshrikes, Cinnamon Becards, and Slaty-tailed Trogons.
Accommodations at Canopy Tower (B,L,D)
Mon., July 23 Departures to Canopy Lodge / Canopy Lodge Grounds & Feeders
After a leisurely breakfast and a last look at the birds from the Observation Deck, we'll 
board a comfortable air-conditioned van for the 2-hour ride to El Valle de Antón, also known as Crater Valley. We will spend our next days centered in this lovely village that’s nestled in the crater of a long dormant volcano that last erupted 5 million years ago. The resultant scenery is stunning and very different from the Canopy Tower’s: a steep valley surrounded by jagged peaks and filled with flowers, streams and verdant forests. The Canopy Lodge, sister lodge of the Canopy Tower, is a charming eco-lodge built next to a bubbling mountain stream and adjacent to the protected area of Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. At 2,400-feet in elevation, you will immediately appreciate the noticeably cooler temperatures.
On arrival we have time to settle in, and we plan to get there in time for lunch—which always seems to translate to feeder watching and lunch, as a rainbow of birds and butterflies, such as Rayed Sister, surround the open air dining room. Bob photographed a fabulous katydid last year in between bites…
Feeders just off the porch attract boisterous Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, and many tanagers including Crimson-backed, Lemon-rumped, Dusky-faced, and Plain-colored, as well as Red-crowned Ant-Tanagers and Thick-billed Euphonias. Vegetation along the stream is home to Streaked Saltators, Yellow-faced Grassquits, and many other species. Hummingbirds include Rufous-tailed, Snowy-bellied, and Violet-headed as well as Garden Emeralds.
Ornamental plantings in the yard attract numerous butterflies that we hope to catalog over our several days here. On our last trip we recorded Red-spotted and Togarna 
hairstreaks, Zebra cross-streak, a Nymphidium metalmark, Complanula and Trailside skippers, and several species of sulphurs.
Late afternoon, we usually take a stroll through the garden and along the road right outside the lodge, or an interior trail that follows the creek.
Accommodations at Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Tues. July 24 Morning: La Mesa Road – Exploring Montane Habitats near Canopy Lodge
After breakfast, we head into the field, visiting the nearby La Mesa Road. This area, which is a visually pleasing blend of secondary forest, scrubby pastures, overgrown fincas (small farms) and grassy borders, is home to many special birds and butterflies, including several species of clearwings.
On a walk, we look for species such as Blue-throated Toucanets, Bran-colored Flycatchers, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrants, and the very local Orange-bellied Trogon. 
Spot-crowned Barbet, Cinnamon Becard, and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis. These elevations are home to nice mixed tanager flocks; hopefully, we can locate a fruiting melastome shrub that’s hosting Silver-throated, Golden-hooded, Tawny-crested, and Bay-headed tanagers. Hummingbirds along the trail include the deformed-looking White-tipped Sicklebill, Rufous-crested Coquette, Violet-crowned Woodnymph and Black-throated Mango.
Butterflies here can be numerous. Our last trip here produced our only Rayed Sister, plus more widespread species such as Veined White-Skipper.
Afternoon: El Valle Amphibian Rescue Center / A Walk at Cara Iguana
With a full stomach and perhaps a short rest, we head to the nearby zoo which hosts a facility for studying and rearing some of Panama’s rarest toads and frogs, plus some of its colorful snakes. There are live specimens of many of Panama’s rarest vertebrates, including Golden Toads.
We make a leisurely visit the Cara Iguana Trail, which represents one of the area’s last remaining examples of quality Dry Pacific Forest. Specialties we hope to find include Lesser Elaenia, Panama Flycatcher, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Lance-tailed Manakin, Rufous-breasted Wren, both Tody & Whooping Motmots, and the incomparable Rosy Thrush-
Tanager which looks as good as it sings. Barred Antshrikes are more common, but always an eye-catcher. With a bit of luck, the guides may know the whereabouts of a roosting Common Potoo, Tropical Screech-Owl, or Bat Falcon. Hummers to watch for are Garden Emerald, Long-billed Starthroat and White-vented Plumeleteer.
We return to Canopy Lodge to watch the day come to an end, often finding fascinating creatures just outside our door, like the beautiful Golden Orb spider. Continuing on our amphibian theme on this, or another night, we offer a night amphibian walk with a local expert.
Accommodations at Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Wed., July 25 Pacific Shores: beaches, mangroves, and Habitats of Arid Affinity at El Chiru / Juan Hombron Beach / Lunch Playa Santa Clara
After breakfast we are off for a full day of exploring more Dry Pacific Forest and its wonderful suite of butterflies, large insects, lizards and birds! Among the birds we will 
be seeking out today include Roadside, Gray & Short-tailed hawks, White-tailed Kites and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls. We will also search for Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrants, Golden-fronted Greenlets, noisy Rufous-browed Peppershrikes, Brown-throated Parakeets that often feed in agricultural areas on cashew trees, Blue Ground-Doves, Crested Bobwhites, Red-breasted Blackbirds, Fork-tailed Flycatchers and Crested Oropendolas.
Hummers to be on the watch for in this unique scrubby area are Veraguan Mangos (endemic!) and Garden Emeralds.
Grasshoppers abound here and we have a good chance of finding some reptiles, particularly lizards. Some may want to take time to photograph these species. After a great morning of field time, we enjoy a picnic lunch at a popular beach with an offshore island at Santa Clara. You may want to bring your bathing suits to take a dip in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean (80F/27C). On the beach or flying by we look for Least, Western & Spotted sandpipers, sanderling, and Blue-footed & Brown boobies.
At the nearby Juan Hombron rice fields we hope to find Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, Yellow-headed and Crested Caracaras, Squirrel Cuckoos, Pale-eyed-Pygmy-Tyrants, Southern Lapwing, an array of herons and Glossy Ibis, Straight-billed Woodcreepers, Pale-breasted Spinetails, Plain-breasted Ground-Doves, Mouse-colored Tyrannulets, Savanna & Common Black hawks and Pearl Kites. This agricultural area is also a magnet for dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and beetles.
Evening sounds from the porch of Canopy Lodge are a wonder, with a chorus of toads and frogs, crickets, and other creatures. This evening relax in comfort with yet another delicious dinner.
Accommodations at Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Thurs., July 26 Altos del Maria
Departing early in the morning after breakfast, we drive from El Valle in 4x4 SUVs back along the Pan-American Highway and then up into the mountains. As the sun rises over the highlands ahead of us, spectacular mountains, vast valleys and towering cliffs come into view!
Set in the mountains on the continental divide east of El Valle, Altos del Maria provides a spectacular addition to our days at Canopy Lodge. Ascending an excellent paved road, we will climb a ridge to our destination, an expansive area of cloud forest at 3,600 ft. This area harbors beautiful forests and an exciting variety of highland forest birds, bromeliads, orchids, and invertebrates – it’s hard to take it all in.
Some of the characteristic bird species of this cloud forest include Black-crowned Antpitta, Black-headed Saltator, White Hawk, Barred Forest-Falcon, Orange-bellied Trogon, Spotted Woodcreeper, Spotted Barbtail, Russet & Great Antshrikes, Tufted & Sulphur-rumped Flycatchers, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, White-ruffed Manakin, Yellow-billed Cacique and a rainbow of tanagers: Black-and-yellow, Bay-headed, Blue-gray, Dusky-faced and Tawny-crested. Yellow-eared Toucanets are posible, as is even the bizarre Brown-billed Scythebill is seen here regularly.
Pollination ecology is a topic of fascination and today we have plenty of subjects to study, with a new array of flowers at higher elevations. We should tally a number of new butterflies, such as Mountain Longwing, and we will spend time to identify and photograph them. We will also find new hummingbirds. With luck we should spot Band-tailed Barbthroats, the exquisite Snowcap, Garden & White-tailed Emeralds, Purple-throated Mountain-Gems, White-tipped Sicklebills and Bronze-tailed Plumeleteers. After a picnic lunch in the field, we will drop down into a valley and drive to the ridge on the opposite side. Reaching some large swaths of mature humid forest along this ridge, we will explore some trails and roadside spots in search of even more species before returning to El Valle for some relaxation time prior to a lovely farewell dinner.
Accommodations at Canopy Lodge (B,L,D)
Fri., July 27 Departure to Airport (about 3 hrs. from Canopy Lodge)
After a leisurely breakfast and some last minute checking of winged wonders in the gardens surrounding the lodge, we will drive back to Panamá City and catch our return flights home.
PLAN AHEAD!
Protect yourself with Allianz Travel Insurance (formerly Access America).
Offset your Carbon Footprint. Show us the receipt and we'll take 50% - up to $50.00 - of your carbon offset fee off your final payment!
COST
OF THE JOURNEY
The cost of this journey is $2890.00 from Panama City, for this 9N/10 day journey. Enjoy some Green Season savings – this is one night longer than our March journey, and $500.00 less in cost.
The cost is based on double occupancy and includes all accommodations; all meals as specified in the itinerary, airport transfers, professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses. The cost is based on a minimum number of 6 participants, with fewer a small group surcharge (typically $100-$300) may apply. The cost does not include transportation to or from your home to Panama City, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone charges, porterage, maid gratuities or beverages from the bar. Single supplement (as available) is $TBD*. *There are several options for singles, depending on level of accommodation, so please request details.
TRAVEL
INFORMATION
Please plan to arrive by 3PM to Panama City, though if you cannot do this, they will meet later flights. Those arriving by 3PM can do a bit of birding en route and reach the Tower in time to enjoy dinner and the evening. If you must arrive later, an individual transfer can be arranged. Plan to depart after NOON. If you wish to transit the Canal the first date after the tour would be July 28th. There is plenty to do in Panama City, and we will help with your hotel and transit arrangements and a guided city tour if you wish.
Naturalist Journeys, LLC is an equal opportunity service provider and committed to the goal of ensuring equal opportunity for all in employment and program delivery.
Photo
Credits
Red-eye Frog, Dragonfly, Green Frog, Golden Orb Spider, Eye-lash Viper, Looking Toad and Glass Frog, Daniel Arias Baraket; Group digiscoping, White-necked Jacobin, Hanging fruit, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Rainfomobile, Leaf-cutter Ants, Pipeline Road, Red-crowned Woodpecker, Handicraft Market, Panama Canal dredge, Apple Snail, Caribbean Yellowface (damselfly), Purple Gallinule, White-faced Capuchin, Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Canopy Lodge porch, La Mesa Scenic, Blue-throated Toucanet, Rayed Sister, Barred Antshrike, Brown-throated Parakeet feeding on Cashew, Beach scenic, Squirrel Cuckoo, Blue-gray Tanager and Mountain Longwing, Peg Abbott; Mountain Forest, Derek Ransley; Passionflower, Broad-billed Motmot, Three-toed Sloth and Red-legged Honeycreeper, Karen LeMay; Spectacled Owl and Orange-bellied Trogon, Lyn Diana; all other photos by Bob Behrstock - www.naturewideimages.com. |
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