While the headline 'Seven Wonders' has been coined throughout this gig, we did in fact step into 7 countries including Mexico, with ALL having one thing in common - no shortage of Bird Guides either proffessional or chancers, mostly young males and mightily well versed in their craft! Our final full day in Panama, and for the trip, turned out to be no exception with this 14 years old schoolboy, who's dream was to become a 'pro' one day, having all the required skills and knew each of Panama's 1002 identified species off by heart. Just as well we mused as about to embark into one of the most Famous Birding Sites in the World
where, within 'seconds' we logged
PALM TANAGER
SAPPHIRE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
CINNAMON WOODPECKER
and
GOLDEN-COLLARED MANAKIN
before negociating the old Railway Track into the heart of the Jungle and adding
WHITE-NOSED COATI
PLAIN XENOPS
and
Canopy Watch Point
from the rim of the canyon.
GREY-HEADED CHACHALACA
with dozens and dozens more, far to numerous to add in full to the Post and where does TIME go on such occassions?
We had caught the local bus out to the main entrance but realised we had walked to far to get back to town if there was not a return service. Employing the old tactic from my Royal Navy days, when in uniform there was never an occassion when we failed to get from A to B, but with little traffic things already looked dodgy. One car, about the size of a Mini did stop but already overburdened with 4 rather large ladies and 2 babies there was little chance our guide could get in let alone the 2 'rotuned kids'! But fear not stout yeoman, 30 minutes later from around a bend appeared one of those huge American 4 x 4's, surely enough space to accommodate us all. The tall, lean black driver, with dreadlocks down to his coccyx, jumped out of the vehicle and asked where we were trying to get and replying just the coolest place in Panama city where we might get a couple of beers and a snack, with a reply of get in and lets go! With load reggae music issuing from the dashboard he told Billy and the lad to sit in the back while he directed me to the front passanger seat and sped off along the well tarmaced road. En-route we asked who that was playing on the jukebox as it was very good music, with his unexpected reply being, "hey man dats me Charlie Anderson bass player with de SELECTER and the coolest place you'll find in town for a beer and a bite is our house and dat's Judith my wife with sons who's names have paled with the passage of time.
Turning into a crescent of well appointed and colonial looking houses,
which were formally accommodation for US Army Offices, we were made very welcome into the one
Charlie and Family had recently purchased, made roundly welcome with a
Far More Relaxed Introduction
the promised Beer, a couple more new birds
ROSY THRUSH-TANAGER
a longish dalliance with his favoured
Jamaican Rum
BLUE-CROWNED MANAKIN
and chance to undertake some real recording in his well appointed
STUDIO
"you simply couldn't make it up"
but it was by no means over. Locking onto our interest in Birds and other Wildlife he introduced us to one of his neighbours who had in his back garden a
HARPY EAGLE
Recovery Sanctuary
just look at the size of that magnificent beast, half the height of a full grown man!!
With the destiny of the recovered Birds being reintroduced, in turn, to all the countries of
CENTRAL AMERICA
The Selecter
Charlie and Pauline left.
"On My Radio - On My Radio"
