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Gavin Bieber on his recently completed tour, Panama: Bocas del Toro and the Western Highlands



December 14: Gavin Bieber on his recently completed tour, Panama: Bocas del Toro and the Western Highlands

It’s testament to the diversity of habitats and birds that exist in this relatively small geographic area that over the course of eight birding days we detected 330 species between the Caribbean lowlands and Pacific-slope Highlands.  We started out in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, where the semi-aquatic town of Bocas served as our access point to the idyllic Tranquillo Bay Ecolodge. 

Traveling largely by boat (we ventured out to other islands and the adjacent forested lowlands where we were introduced to a wealth of birds and other animals (like this handsome Strawberry Dart Frog) amid the picturesque archipelago and humid Caribbean foothills. 

Perhaps the highlight birds of the first few days this year were the ethereal Red-billed Tropicbirds that we witnessed doing display flights at a small offshore colony. 

The second half of the trip visited the cool and heavily forested highlands around the impressive 11,400 foot Baru Volcano where new birds like Resplendent Quetzal, Volcano Hummingbird and the impressive Violet Sabrewing awaited. 

Our last day was down in the pacific lowlands where we eventually caught a return flight to Panama City from the town of David, but not before finding a flock of Fiery-billed Aracaris!

I very much look forward to returning to this dynamic and bird-rich region.

Posted: December 14, 2018