With Jamaica and Costa Rica now behind us, Panama was our next port-of-call, and the one I was most anticipating. We went to the Panama Canal a few years ago, which is pretty incredible and worth a visit, but knew we wanted to focus on birding and nature this time around. With no organized birding tours provided by the cruise line, our travel agent reached out to the local experts and created a birding excursion just for the two of us.
Meet Igua, a.k.a. Henry, a local nature and birding guide with more than 20 years experience. He met us at the port, and I knew right away he was our guide! Who else meets passengers from the ship with a pair of Zeiss binoculars around their neck?
Igua works primarily for the Canopy Family, a group of ecolodges in Panama specializing in birding and natural history experiences. Fortunately for us, he had a couple of available days between groups. The Canopy Family has several guides on staff, but you know that old saying, “it’s a small world”? That was certainly true in our case as Igua turned out to be one of the very same guides who led other SIB members last year! We all loved him!
He was a wealth of knowledge, and took us to a rainforest trail not far from the Gatun Locks of the Panama Canal. And what a trail it turned out to be! Immediately we started spotting birds in the trees, with Igua quickly pointing them out and giving me the names so I could keep an eBird list. And did I mention we were the only people there? No other hikers or birders, just us and the rainforest.
Judy Morr, one of the SIB birders who traveled to Panama last year, had said something that didn’t quite sink in with me until I was there myself. She said by the end of the day they all had sore necks from looking into the trees for hours at a time. She was so right! Most of the birds were up high in the tree canopy, so we were always looking up through our binoculars, Igau’s scope, or my camera lens. And thank goodness he was with us, we would have missed so much! His wealth of knowledge of the area, the birds, the wildlife, and his keen ear for identifying all the birds by sound, made it the most incredible day.
Sloths hanging from tree limbs and the ever-present sound of Howler Monkeys in the trees around us were a nice bonus, adding to the 35 species of birds we identified in just one morning. I would definitely go back!
Sailing overnight, we woke up in Cartegena, a bustling city with the contrast of modern buildings next to the walled Old Town, colorful colonial buildings dating back to the 16th century. There we chose to visit the National Aviary. The Aviary is not a zoo, but more of a sanctuary, including birds that are critically endangered. While there’s a small area of these birds that are contained in a very large natural environment, most of the acreage is open to all local and migrating birds, giving them complete freedom to come and go as they please. With abundant food sources and bird-friendly habitats, we soon discovered an amazing array of local species, as well as many warblers and ducks wintering in the warm climate .
Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao were the last three ports on our itinerary. Having traveled to these destinations previously and being familiar with all the local sights, we were able to take a more relaxed approach and headed straight for the areas we most wanted to see again. In Bonaire, that was the beach! And to get to the beach, you travel along some very bumpy dirt roads, through an area of protected land that just happens to be home to many of Bonaire’s flamingos and wild donkeys. You’re not allowed to get out of your vehicle while traveling through this area, but we were in an open air bus and our driver stopped often, giving us plenty of chances to see the flamingos without disturbing them.
Bonaire is a small island, roughly 111 square miles, and the least developed of the “ABC” trio. With a population of approx. 25,000 people, it avoids the hustle and bustle of nearby Aruba and Curacao. It’s known for salt production, marine life and wildlife, and of course, the local culture and history that made the island what it is today. Add Bonaire to your travel list if you enjoy tranquil, blue water, and a slower pace.
We stopped off for a little local shopping, then worked our way back across the island, enjoying the sights of Bonaire before boarding our ship for the last time.
And just like that, the sun was setting over the ocean and we were back at sea, sailing toward the Port of Miami. But we had achieved our goals – Jeff read four books and I added 67 birds to my life list! We made new friends and had a great time! But most of all, we renewed our appreciation for the opportunity to travel and experience a little more of this corner of the world, and all the beauty it contains.
Article and photos by Gina Sanders
For more information on the Canopy Family and birding in Panama, click here.
To read about the National Aviary of Colombia, click here.