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           PARQUE NACIONAL SAN LORENZO
  

     Continue  the experience at the Atlantic side , area north-east of the canal in the Province of Colon.  After visiting Achiote Road, go to Parque Nacional San Lorenzo (9,653 hectares/23,853 acres).  a vast territory that will demand a complete day and look for the species that where elusive the day before. The road end at the mouth of the Chagres River “the river that has seen more gold than all the other rivers of the world combined”.

 LOCATION 
     On the Caribbean side of Panama, in the Province of Colon, at approximately 11 km from the Gatun Dam (Panama Canal), and at the west side of the San Lorenzo National Park is also call San Lorenzo Protected Area.
     At 2.5 hours from Panama City, you have to cross the Panama Canal Gatun Locks, with an average waiting time of 30 minutes ( at the lock).

TOUR DIFFICULTY

     ■ Easy... to  Moderate... to Hard

FITNESS 
     Easy to moderate walking is required.
     ■ Easy... to  ■ Moderate... to Hard

WHAT TO EXPECT
     With an early morning start expect to see by noon 60 to 80 species. And by the end of the day a final count of 90+ is common. 

AREA DESCRIPTION 
     Birding is done primarily along the San Lorenzo road either on foot along the road or by slowly driving on the way during the first hours.   Also there are many trails and bridges along the way that can be very productive. There is traffic along the road. Awareness is advised all the time.
     On the way to San Lorenzo you will pass Fort Sherman (FS).  A US military base since the construction of the canal and later on during WWII used as a Jungle Warfare Military Center until 1999.  Most of the moist forest is ´secondary growth´ and also mangrove swamps along part of the road to FS.  Trails like Pavon Hill, Gatun Drop Zone, Skunk Hollow, Black Tank are worth a try. 

WEATHER
     The climate in Central Panama /Canal Zone is usually warm, with mornings in the 70s and afternoons in the 80s. Conditions at midday can be humid and very warm, with temperatures reaching into the lower 90s. Rainstorms may occur at any time of year, but are more likely during the rainy season, which runs from the summer months into early December. Generally, the weather in Central Panama is mild and pleasant, with our activities corresponding to the cooler parts of the day and heightened bird activity.

ACCOMODATIONS
     Easily done as a day trip from Achiote Road or from Colon City.   Achiote village  offers comfortable rustic down to basics clean quarters gender divided - barrack type with bunk beds - with private showers and bathrooms.     Food service (“restaurante”) is close to installations and is attended by the ecotourism group Los Rapaces. For reservations click here, will be glad to help you at no extra cost.
    
EATING FACILITIES
     There is no restaurant in the area. 

CLOTHING
     Light clothing is recommended: cotton shirts or t-shirts - earth colors preferable- long and short pants, poncho, hiking shoes, hat, insect repellent and sun block. Dress for tropical hot humid weather and be ready for rain. 

GEAR
     Binoculars, scope (optional), field guide, notebook and camera (optional ). 

GUIDE BOOK RECOMMENDED
     These two books are an example of hard work put into, and for the benefit, of conserving Panama’s birds: 
     “A Guide to the Birds of Panama” by Robert S. Ridgely and John A. Gwynne, Jr. Can be described as the “bible” for Panama birds and some Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. The latest edition (1989).This excellent field guide is highly recommended as your primary reference book on the birds. 
     “An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Panama” by Ernesto Ponce and Giselle Muschett, 2006, 1st Edition. It can be described as “a descriptive fieldwork tool” for fast information .

BIRDS TO LOOK FOR
     This is a list of birds - by memory - seen along the Achiote Road and surrounding areas on different tours, and some additions from friends, guess and people who have collaborated sharing with us their sightings. The list is continuously on the move. Feel free to send your findings and comments to gonzalohorna@hotmail.com  Check here for the complete list of Central Panama Birds.

Great Tinamu                                                                                                                                                Little Tinamu                                                                                                                                            Black-tailed Trogon                                                                                                                               Straight-billed Woodcreeper                                                                                                                Agami Heron
Hook-billed Kite
Black-crowned Antpitta                                                                                                                         Black-crowned Night-Heron                                                                                                                White-throated Crake
Magnificent Frigatebird                                                                                                                      Wattled Spot-crowned Barbet
Bare-crowned Antbird
Moustached Antwren
Stripe-breasted Wren
White Hawk
Plumbeous Hawk
American Kestrel
Aplomado Falcon
Rosy Thrush-Tanager                                                                                                                               Gray Hawk
Double-toothed Kite
Pale-vented Pigeon
Ruddy Gground-Dove
Barn Owl                                                                                                                                                     Smoth-billed Ani                                                                                                                                         Palm Tanager                                                                                                                                      Common-tody Flycatcher                                                                                                                         Blue Ground- Dove
Yellow-crowned Night- Heron                                                                                                            Striped Cuckoo
Squirrel Cuckoo
Spectacled Owl
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Violaceous Trogon
Black-tailed Trogon                                                                                                                           American Pigmy-Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher
Spot-crowned Barbet
Keel-billed Toucan
Collared Aracari
Chestnut-mandible Toucan                                                                                                                 Yellow-eared Toucanet                                                                                                                         Black-chested Jay
Cinnamon Woodpecker
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper
Cocoa Woodcreeper
Barred Antshrike
Great Antshrike
Chestnut-backed Antbird
White-necked Puffbird
Black-breasted Puffbird
Pied Puffbird
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Piratic Flycatcher
Greenish Elaenia
Black-headed Tody Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tyrant
Brownish Twistwing
Paltry Tyrannulet
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
White-winged Becard
Cinereous Becard
Cinnamon Becard
Masked Tityra
Blue Cotinga
Purple-throated Fruitcrow
Golden-collared Manakin
Bay Wren
Black-bellied Wren
Stripe-breasted Wren
White-headed Wren
Scrub Greenlet
Northern Waterthrush
Blue Dacnis                                                                                                                                         Orchard Oriole
Buff-rumped Warbler
Thick-billed Euphonia
Flame-rumped Tanager
Gray-headed Tanager
Dusky-faced Tanager
White-lined Tanager                                                                                                                           Streaked Saltator
Buff-throated Saltator
Lesser Seed-Finch
Yellow-bellied Seedeater
Slate-colored Seedfinch
Yellow-faced Grassquit
Yellow-tailed Oriole
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Crested Oropendola
Montezuma Oropendola
Red-breasted Blackbird