I recently went to Achiote, Panama for a few days. Achiote, on the caribbean side of the canal zone, is a village with access to the San Lorenzo National Park. It was pretty hot and humid, the birding and mammal viewing was great and I would love to go back especially during hawk watching season. Here is a link to a trip report I posted on Surfbirds: http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=1452
And here are some photos from the trip:
View from the overlook at Centro El Tucan in Achiote; community owned and run educational center and hostel. It was pretty good for birding too.
Centro El Tucan
Here are some pictures from the Centro overlook
Can you find the Orange-chinned Parakeets? There was a flock of 30 feeding on a Balsa tree in front of the overlook.
Female Flame-rumped Tanager
The most common Tanager in the area was Plain-colored Tanager. The blue on the wing coverts is usually hidden.
Pied Puffbirds were pretty common in the area at least by call; I had them at El Tucan, along the Achiote Road and at the restaurant in town.
I only saw Black-breasted Puffbird, however, along the Achiote Road in San Lorenzo National Park.
The Trogon Trail along the Achiote Road lived up to its name with..
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Black-throated Trogon
Western White-tailed Trogons were common along the road.
Not a bird but so what; cool flowers along Trogon Trail.
I got up close and personal with White-whiskered Puffbird.
The most common raptor was Yellow-headed Caracara.
Achiote Road was good for mammals too. This is a Geoffreys Tamarin.
And here is a Northern Tamandua.