Frijoles islets
As
explained before we went to this group of rocky islets on the first day
but we returned to get more pictures of the same birds since the first
time light was bad due to the rainstorm that was approaching.
On both occasions we were able to photograph two species of boobies, medium-large sized
coastal seabirds. These birds are spectacular divers, plunging into the
ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small fish or squid
which gather in groups near the surface and may catch leaping fish
while skimming the surface. Although they are powerful and agile fliers,
they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; therefore they
use strong
winds and high perches (e.g. high on the islets) to assist their
takeoffs.
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) breeds on islands and coasts in tropical areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The juvenile form is gray-brown
with darkening on the head, wings and tail. Adults are covered in dark
brown or black on the head and upper body, with the belly being a white.
Traditionally have been the most common booby in Panama and breeds locally on islands on both coasts.
Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is easily recognizable by its distinctive
bright blue feet (duller
on non-breeders and immatures). Males display their feet in an
elaborate mating ritual by lifting their feet up and down while
strutting before the female. The natural breeding habitats of the
blue-footed booby are the tropical and subtropical
islands of the
Pacific Ocean.
It can be found from the Gulf of California down along the western
coasts of Central and South America down to Peru, with approximately one
half of all breeding pairs nesting on the
Galápagos Islands. In Panama it's
common around nesting islands in Bahía de Panamá, near Archipiélago de las Perlas, less common near Coiba.
Bridled Tern
(Onychoprion anaethetus) is a medium-sized tern with
long wings and
long forked tail. It has
dark grey upperparts and
white underparts. The
forehead and
eyebrows are white, as is a striking collar on the hindneck. It has black legs and bill. This bird is
migratory and dispersive, wintering more widely through the tropical oceans. It has markedly
marine habits compared
to most terns. Different subspecies occur in Mexico, the Caribbean,
west Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia and Australasia. This
species breeds in colonies on rocky islands. In Panama it is
mainly pelagic and rare, found
far offshore in Golfo de Panamá and Golfo de Chiriquí, and breeds on
small islets off south coast of Los Santos.
The second day in Coiba starts
I
started the second day photographing the endemic agouti, and after
that making some macro shots around the camp while I waited for
breakfast. I also was able to photograph both famous individuals: Tito the Crocodile and the Bare-necked Tiger Heron that hangs around the camp.
Coiban Agouti (Dasyprocta coibae) is a species of rodent
endemic to the island of Coiba, it resembles the more widespread and mainland inhabitant Central American Agouti. It is listed as
vulnerable conservation status due to its
restricted habitat.
The famous Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) hangs
around the beach in front of the biological station, the following day I
discovered it is not only one. Two were in the same place at the same
time.
Fence to protect Tito from tourists
Tito and a fellow vulture
Tito the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)
Eventually
we left aboard the boat to enter the San Juan river in search of one of
our main targets of the trip: the Scarlet Macaw.
To be continued...
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