Upcoming Opportunities & Events |
Birding in Panamá in March
- Join Altacal Audubon member and Golden Gate Audubon Society past president Steve Margolin in March, 2004, for a birding trip to Panamá. At the tropical junction between two continents, we can find a broad range of species in a number of habitats during our eight-day trip.The first part of the trip will focus on the central lowland forest around the Panama Canal. We will spend three nights at the Canopy Tower, a spectacular ecotourism lodge in Soberanía National Park, overlooking the Canal. Canopy Tower offers tree-top views of tropical birds (and mammals -- both two-toed and three-toed sloths were seen just yards away on our last visit), easy access to the Canal Area birding hotspots and fine accommodations and meals. Some of the noted birding areas we will explore are the famous Pipeline Road, Radar Hill Road and Parque Natural Metropolitano in Panama City.
The second part of the trip will take us to the mountainous western region of Chiriquí in search of the Resplendent Quetzal, Three-wattled Bellbird and the many other interesting species of the region. Our base there will be Villa Marita in Boquete, ideally located for exploring the highland cloud forests.
Our guide in Panamá will be Rosabel Kaufmann, a skilled birding trip leader and a director of Panama Audubon Society. Steve will escort the group from San Francisco. This will be his fourth birding trip to Panama. The group will be limited to eleven participants, plus escort and guides. We plan to enjoy the birds we encounter in diverse tropical habitats rather than targeting particular species, but birders of all levels of experience and interest are welcome.
Our departure date is March 15, 2004, returning on March 22. The estimated price is $2,525 per person (land and air), double occupancy. Your participation will benefit the conservation and education programs of the Golden Gate Audubon Latin America Committee. For more information, please contact Steve Margolin at 530-342-6476. For more information about GGAS projects in Panamá, visit the Latin America Committee page of the GGAS website at www.goldengateaudubon.org.
The Central Valley Bird Club will be hosting the Seventh Annual Central Valley Birding Symposium Nov. 20-23, 2003 at the Radisson Hotel in Stockton, CA. There will be field trips, workshops, a Birding Nature Fair and Art Show with over 25 vendors selling nature related items, etc.
Jon Dunn will be giving a Sparrow ID workshop, Steve Howell a Hummingbird ID Workshop, and Kimball Garrett will tell us "Why Birders Should Care About Subspecies".
The Keynote Speakers are: Ed Harper- A Passion for Birds", Keith Hansen- "The Farallons", and John Hendrickson- "California Raptors".
The schedule, registration form, etc. are on the website: http://cvbs.org. The non-computer inclined can contact Frances Oliver at (209) 369-2010.