Birding Bocas del Torro

We have moved on to Panama and just had a week diving the wrecks and reefs here. But we also took a day out to go birding visiting three key locations by boat – Changuinola Canal, Boca del Rio Changuinola and Isla Pajaros (Bird Island). We had arranged a boat captain (Enrique) and guide (Stacey) with Bocas Biodiversity. Being out of season this had to be a private trip and we were going long distances on the boat which cost more fuel so all together this was quite expensive but we were keen to see some special birds in this part of Panama.

Changuinola Canal

We set off from Bocas at 6.30am and had lovely views to the mainland including the highest point in Panama from where you can see the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans on a clear day. We saw many Magnificent Frigate Birds and Brown Boobies flying away from their roost on Bird Island with some resting on marker buoys offering a quick photo. Entering the mouth of the canal we saw numerous egrets and a close Black-Cheeked Woodpecker. Once in the canal the usual cast of kingfishers and herons offered close views. But a highlight for me was hearing (a lot) and seeing briefly the Golden-Collared Manakin. On the way out we dipped on the regional endemic Nicaraguan Seed-Finch but we were pleased to hear and then see it on the way back. This was our last chance to see this bird on our move south and east.

In addition to the seen birds we did hear several species including wrens (Bay, Canebrake and Black-throated), White-throated Crake and White-browed Gnatcatcher.

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Boca del Rio Changuinola

We moved from the canal into the river proper and immediately saw a different mix of birds. Great-Blue and Little-Blue Herons, all three egrets (Great, Snowy and Cattle). But a hovering bird offered an early highlight a White-Tailed Kite. We also saw a migrating Osprey. At one point we left the boat to find Red-Breasted Meadowlark which my wife had seen and I had dipped on in Costa Rica (from a moving bus in my defence).

Taking lunch at the river mouth we added several old and new birds. Familiar from home we added Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone. From elsewhere on our trip we added Spotted Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover and we were delighted to add the new lifer Collared Plover. Close views offered cementing of the ID differences.

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Isla Pajaros (Bird Island)

Our trip to bird island was contingent on the winds not being too high but we were pleased the conditions allowed. These relatively small islands are the only place in Panama that the Red-billed Tropicbird breeds. This is a fantastically distinctive bird with red bill, white plumage and long streaming tail. It is rarely seen in sight of land. In addition to this star species we also saw numerous Brown Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds along with American Black Vultures and a few Grey Breasted Martins

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Altogether we added 7 lifers (plus a slightly frustrating 5 lifers heard only) and 2 new birds for our trip which we knew well from home. This took our trip total to exactly 600 birds which is fantastic. Next up we move to Panama City and have a couple of mornings birding there. I wonder if we can get to 650 before we leave Panama?