Islas Boná & Otoque, Gulf of Panama
It was very interesting to see the nests and the courtship of frigatebirds. Some males of this species were in full display, showing their incredible gular pouches. Also we got to see the juvenile brown boobies that were in a completely different situation, with very basic nests located on the rocks and guarded by clusters of cactus.
While we did the Zodiac cruise, some of us enjoyed the olivaceous cormorants leaving the Island towards mainland, as well as some other birds that were flying inside the forest.
These islands are crowned with good number of species of trees that easily cover 90 percent of the island. These islands have almost no soil, but yet have pretty good sized tree trunks as well as a decent number of species. The quality of the soil does not limit the growth of the forest, but rather the abundance of water. That’s why most of the species of plants that colonize these islands are typically found in the tropical dry forest. The guano produced by the seabirds is the main fertilizer that allows the process of colonization and establishment in these islands.
In the afternoon, and after enjoying more lovely weather, the National Geographic Sea Lion once again raised anchor and departed towards Isla Coiba. Along the way we had the chance to enjoy the warm weather of Panama.
