Pacheca, Pachequilla & Bartolome, Pearl Islands
We had a very full morning exploring the Pearl Islands in Panama Bay. The trade winds of this area push away the surface water causing deeper nutrient filled water to come to the surface or ‘upwell’. These nutrients are the basis of productivity that ultimately supports large numbers of fish and therefore the large density of birds we witnessed on this morning’s Zodiac tours. Brown pelicans, known for their ability to hunt fish by diving into the water and resurfacing with more in their beaks than their stomachs can hold, were easy to spot. In contrast to the buoyant pelican were the magnificent frigate birds soaring just above the cliffs. With their wide wing span and light weight these birds seem to glide effortlessly in the air. They cannot however, dive into the water like the pelicans and instead are known for stealing their food from other birds.
Cacti are well suited to this low soil, low rainfall environment and are the favorite roosting habitat for the brown-footed boobies which breed here in large numbers. Blue-footed booties were also spotted, but because they generally prefer to mate in other regions such as the Galápagos, their blue feet are not as vibrant when they are here in Panama. We also saw some bare-throated tiger herons and yellow crown night herons. Elegant white great egrets were also seen. Like over 200 other species of migratory birds, they winter here but return to North America to breed.
After a brief repositioning of the ship, we had an opportunity to enjoy swimming and sunbathing on the little island of Bartolome. The water was refreshing and we felt like we had found our own private paradise to relax in. Once back on board the viewing of a video about the history of the Panama Canal was interrupted by two Bryde’s whales passing right in front of the ship’s bow!
Pan-tropical spotted dolphins were the highlight of the afternoon. There seemed to be hundreds of them approaching the ship from every direction. A few guests were rewarded for their time scoping the waters from the bow with sightings of sea turtles and rays splashing their wings on the surface and leaping out of the water. The day was full of peaceful moments and fantastic wildlife sightings.
