Bay of Panama Islands & Iguana Island
After a very calm night at anchor just off of Otoque Island, we woke up early for our first outing of the day. Three small islands on the west side of the Panama Bay called Otoque, Bona and Estiva turned out to be a hidden treasure. As the northeasterly trade winds create what is called an upwelling, where cold waters from the bottom rise to the surface bringing nutrients with them, large numbers of seabirds can be supported by an otherwise barren habitat. Frigatebirds, brown and blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans and even a couple of yellow crowned night herons roamed the tall ledges of the rocky terrain going about their daily activities.
All birds must keep their plumage in good condition if they are to survive and breed. Most seabirds change or molt their feathers each year or so before they become too ragged. Between molts, birds spend much time preening their feathers, straightening them out and keeping them oiled and waterproof. Visitors to the islands, like you and I, are able to retire to the shade during the heat of the middle of the day. Seabirds trying to raise their young must often spend hours, days, and even weeks, staying in the same spot as they incubate their egg(s) or brood their young. Nestlings must spend months in the same place with no shade. Some bird chicks are often found sitting in the meager shade of shrubs; boobies, pelicans, cormorants, and frigatebirds all use a form of panting, called "gular fluttering," to expel heat. The loose flaps of skin between the bill and neck are moved and the air currents generated evaporate moisture and cause evaporative cooling. Seabirds must also overcome the problem of salt accumulation, as sea water contains about three percent salt and is about three times as salty as a bird's body fluids. Most terrestrial vertebrates eliminate salts via their kidneys, but when faced with sea water they would have to excrete two liters of urine for every liter of sea water drunk. As birds conserve water by not excreting water but a paste composed of uric acid, seabirds have a special problem. In seabirds, as in some terrestrial species, there are special glands located above the eyes which can secrete a 5 per cent salt solution. Whatever activity these birds were involved in today, there is no “life is easy in the tropics” for them.
After our fantastic Zodiac outings this morning we weighed anchor and started moving westward to our afternoon’s destination. Today we have the chance to explore for a few hours an island known as “Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge”. It is an important reserve, not only for the iguanas the 53-hectare island is named for, but also for its coral reefs, forests and bird life. The reef covers 15 hectares, contains 13 of the 20 eastern Pacific coral species and hosts over 200 species of fish. But the highlight of the afternoon were the nesting frigatebirds that were barely 10 feet away from us, oblivious to our presence, allowing us the privilege of a few once in a lifetime moments. Tomorrow will find us in warmer waters, but we must always seize the day.
After a very calm night at anchor just off of Otoque Island, we woke up early for our first outing of the day. Three small islands on the west side of the Panama Bay called Otoque, Bona and Estiva turned out to be a hidden treasure. As the northeasterly trade winds create what is called an upwelling, where cold waters from the bottom rise to the surface bringing nutrients with them, large numbers of seabirds can be supported by an otherwise barren habitat. Frigatebirds, brown and blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans and even a couple of yellow crowned night herons roamed the tall ledges of the rocky terrain going about their daily activities.
All birds must keep their plumage in good condition if they are to survive and breed. Most seabirds change or molt their feathers each year or so before they become too ragged. Between molts, birds spend much time preening their feathers, straightening them out and keeping them oiled and waterproof. Visitors to the islands, like you and I, are able to retire to the shade during the heat of the middle of the day. Seabirds trying to raise their young must often spend hours, days, and even weeks, staying in the same spot as they incubate their egg(s) or brood their young. Nestlings must spend months in the same place with no shade. Some bird chicks are often found sitting in the meager shade of shrubs; boobies, pelicans, cormorants, and frigatebirds all use a form of panting, called "gular fluttering," to expel heat. The loose flaps of skin between the bill and neck are moved and the air currents generated evaporate moisture and cause evaporative cooling. Seabirds must also overcome the problem of salt accumulation, as sea water contains about three percent salt and is about three times as salty as a bird's body fluids. Most terrestrial vertebrates eliminate salts via their kidneys, but when faced with sea water they would have to excrete two liters of urine for every liter of sea water drunk. As birds conserve water by not excreting water but a paste composed of uric acid, seabirds have a special problem. In seabirds, as in some terrestrial species, there are special glands located above the eyes which can secrete a 5 per cent salt solution. Whatever activity these birds were involved in today, there is no “life is easy in the tropics” for them.
After our fantastic Zodiac outings this morning we weighed anchor and started moving westward to our afternoon’s destination. Today we have the chance to explore for a few hours an island known as “Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge”. It is an important reserve, not only for the iguanas the 53-hectare island is named for, but also for its coral reefs, forests and bird life. The reef covers 15 hectares, contains 13 of the 20 eastern Pacific coral species and hosts over 200 species of fish. But the highlight of the afternoon were the nesting frigatebirds that were barely 10 feet away from us, oblivious to our presence, allowing us the privilege of a few once in a lifetime moments. Tomorrow will find us in warmer waters, but we must always seize the day.
