Panama 220224 to 080324

Nige Lound,Neil Pike ,Kev Wilson and myself spent 16.5 days birding from west to east in Panama
we booked with Birding Panama and had an amazing guide ( Moyo) his skills of hearing seeing and calling in birds were
almost Superhuman
Our tour began based in Volcan in the Chiquiri highlands, 4200 ft to 10300 ft visiting Volcán Baru extinct volcano ,  La Amistad national park and various local bird rich locations . 4 nights , 4.5 days birding great hotel c 600 m from town with large grounds 
We then moved c 300 km to Valle de Anton , a lovely town in a vale at 1200 ft surrounded by mountains forests and streams up to 3500 ft for 
2 nights 2.5 days birding, another lodge surrounded by woodlands 
From here we located near the canal for 4 nights in the swish eco Summit  hotel with large golf course and 150 acres of natural forest and trails
and birdied in the famous pipeline track forest and the ammo pond , and a long morning in Chagres forest.
Our  final 5 nights   6 days birding were in the west mostly in Darien visiting various forests, ranch lands , rivers and marsh and driving to the end of the pan American highway at Yavitsa.
The weather for the first 6 days was chilly at 9000 ft + and comfortable in Anton at c 2500 ft
the remaining trip was hot at 33 to 35 oc by mid to late  morning and c 28 oc at dawn ( 0620)
the total trip list seen was 440 with 7 heard 
several mammals were seen well and most surprising a giant anteater in a Darién forest which was a lifer for all including Moyo 
who has been leading bird tours for 19 years and seen 1005 bird species in Panama.
a few of the new birds seen for all 4 of us were Harpy Eagle (well grown chick,), sunbittern, snow cap, rufescient tiger heron 
starthroat hummingbird, ornate hawk eagle, plumbeous kite , grey lined hawk, blue and yellow macaw, also  5 species of trogon, 5 species of Mannikins
various wrens, antpittas  parrots and mot mots .

regards John