7 Dolphins, 21 Lucky Boaters and 2 Peregrine Falcons

Seven dolphins! How could we be so lucky? My neighbor John Hahn arranged the trip out to Isla Gomez in the Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriqui. Twenty-one of us from La Barqueta left Boca Chica via a slow-moving catamaran on January 12 (now don’t be humming the Gilligan’s Island theme song). The weather was absolutely stunning, especially when compared with the day before when I led 3 friends up the Pipeline Trail in Boquete in a constant downpour (it’s the dry season, for God’s sake). Our first stop was Isla Bolena. We didn’t go ashore. Instead we hopped into the warm Pacific Ocean and snorkeled around a small reef. After 20 minutes, we got back onto the boat and headed for Isla Gomez (very close to Isla Parida). Even though this was my fifth time to Isla Gomez, I’ve never grown tired of this lovely island. It’s the perfect island paradise… white sand beaches, palm trees, warm tropical water, calm-clear snorkeling. The last time I was here (with Leslie and her sisters) I saw a huge spotted eagle ray. This time I saw a jewel moray eel hunting in the shallow rocky reef. Tony and Roy saw an octopus… very cool! On the return trip back to Boca Brava and Boca Chica, were thoroughly entertained by 7 bottlenose dolphins that leaped and played in front of the boat for 15 minutes. John took a great video with his camera (I forgot mine). If I get a copy of his video, I’ll add it to this blog.

Today (January 14, 2011) I went on my last (at least for the time being) birding adventure with the Boquete Birders. I’ve never seen such variety. At the first set of ponds, we saw the usual suspects (anhingas, egrets, woodstorks, northern jacanas, purple gallinules) and several very UNUSUAL birds. The most unusual (for me) was the peregrine falcon. I didn’t even know we had peregrines in Panama! In fact we saw 2 different peregrines in 2 different locations. As Ridgely says, they are “uncommon, transient winter residents in coastal areas”. Shari nearly had a heart attack when she spotted a pair of scarlet macaws! Scarlet macaws “now found only on Coiba Island and remote parts of southwestern Azuero Penninsula” (Ridgely) aren’t suppose to be here. It turns out I was the only one who knew there is a group of 15 or so scarlet macaws that were hand-raised nearby and are often seen at a nearby house in the early morning. Hummm. Legally, you can’t put a bird on your “life-list” if the bird is domesticated… which these were. Oh well! We also saw 3 boat-billed herons, 2 roseate spoonbills, black-necked stilts, large groups of flying black-bellied whistling-ducks, huge groups of flying wood storks, Amazon kingfishers and orange-chinned parakeets!

I'm looking forward to Sunday night when I pick up Allan (from Hawaii) and begin the adventure of showing him around Panama.

Feliz Navidad and Mele Kalikimaka

On the eve of Christmas, 2010, Feliz Navidad from Panama (where I am now) and Mele Kalikimaka from Hawaii (where I'll be next year). It is the beginning of the dry season (December through April), and I've been very busy with activities. Nina and Richard have returned from Alaska (that's Nina & I bicycling in the Alaska shirts). My friends Sandy Itzkowitz and Merill Creaghz (pictured hiking the Pipeline trail near Boquete) just arrived from Oregon for 10 days. Sandy is a total inspiration as she was in a bicycle accident 4 years ago and suffered a spinal cord surgery that made her quadriplegic. With some major tenacity on her part, she is nearly totally recovered (& you wouldn't know it looking at these pictures). If you Google Sandy, you can read her great story of recovery.

We are keeping very busy watching the Solstice Lunar Eclipse (Sandy recorded it with her camera for 2 hours the first night she was here!), kayaking in the mangrove (8 miles) bicycling on the beach at low tide (8 miles), moonlight hiking on the beach (3 miles), shopping at the Frontera (border of Panama & Costa Rica), driving to Volcan and Cerra Punta, and hiking with Chester-dog (today he was driven crazy by an iguana hiding in a log). We have seen loads of wildlife including a Northern Tamandua Anteater, 3 Crab-eating Raccoons, 2 Spectacled Caimans, Howler Monkeys (heard only) and Agouti. This is a lovely location for celebrating Solstice, Christmas and New Year's. Stay tuned! I'll soon be adding a blog about my adventures in Hawaii.

A New Lake At The Playa

We weren't really that close to Hurricane Tomas, but we definitely got our fill of rain for the past 3 plus days. The glorious sun made an appearance today. At the Playa, we are left with a 3 to 12 inch lake that covers the road and nearby pastures. That's Ken enjoying the lake in front of John's house. Care to go on a kayak adventure, anyone?

Three Hours in No Man's Land

It seemed like a good idea at the time. My neighbor Frank invited me to join him and his two surfer friends (Scott & Paul) on a day trip to Playa Pavones, Costa Rica. Playa Pavones is billed as one of the most scenic beaches in Costa Rica and famous for having one of the longest waves in the world. We were to drive Frank's car to the border and pick up a rental car for the rest of the drive. We didn't want to drive Frank's car into Costa Rica because of the paperwork, fees and time involved. We left Playa Barqueta at 6:15 a.m. and arrived at 7:15 a.m. Panama time (6:15 a.m. Costa Rica time). Frank thought it was 8:15 a.m. Costa Rica time and worried that we wouldn't be through the long immigration line in time to pick up the rental car at the agreed upon time of 8:30 a.m. Costa Rica time. We made it through the line in 45 minutes (by 7:00 a.m. Costa Rica time). Then we waited... and waited... and waited. Thinking that we missed the pickup (the car was paid for and being driven from Golfito), we called the rental car company. We couldn't get through via phone or email (even with the latest phone gadgetry). During this process, I noticed a man I recognized named Gil (who I hadn't seen in over a year). What a chance encounter! Gil was the caretaker of my Playa Barqueta house when I moved there July 2009. He had recently contacted me via email asking me for a reference to be a caretaker in Costa Rica near Santa Cruz. Because of my glowing recommendation he got the 1 year caretaker job. He had just flown down from the US and was passing through the border today (of all days).

Finally we realized that it was really 7:30 a.m. in Costa Rica, not 9:30 a.m. So we settled down in a restaurant to have breakfast and wait until 8:30 a.m. You guessed it. When 9:00 a.m. rolled around, there was still no rental car. We waited in the immigration area until an expeditor (someone who helps you get through the border) asked why we were stuck in "No Man's Land". Lucky for us, we found the car rental office that we should have found hours earlier. As it turns out, the credit card number used to charge the car was not valid (at least, that was the excuse). We could have another car brought from Golfito, but it would not be to Paso Canoas until noon. After a 2 hour drive to Playa Pavones, we would be left with only 1 hour to enjoy the beach. Needless to day, we turned around and reversed the process for getting through the border. First we went in the Salida (exit) Costa Rica line, then we went into the Entrar (enter) Panama line. Frank & I made it through OK, but Scott and Paul (from Austin, TX) were nearly thrown in Migration Jail because anyone who is not a resident of Panama (with a Visa) has to stay out of Panama for 72 hours once they cross the border (drug trafficking, you know). After mucho talking, Scott and Paul were set free and we returned to Playa Barqueta... Home Sweet Home!

Dancing Merengue Dog

The 100th Blog

Welcome to the 100th blog! I've just spent the last 4 days in total bird-bliss... 3 days with 11 other Boquete Birders exploring the wilds of Santa Fe National Park and Las Macanas Refuge, and today on a lovely mangrove system near the town of Santo Tomas. I've been looking for the access point to this particular mangrove system for the past year. Jim (with the fishing pole) stumbled upon the "dock" and boat owner (Oscar pictured with Jim) quite by accident when he was wondering back roads near Alanje. One picture shows the ocean breakers from the mangrove system. The surfing is suppose to be pretty good here. Another picture shows a large male howler monkey, his harem hidden in the leaves.

While hiking the jungle in Santa Fe National Park, we didn't find the elusive Bare-necked Umbrellabird, but we were most definitely in his territory. I'm glad I didn't crash into any large Golden Orb Spiders.... or their webs. The night before our hike (as we socialized in our $8/per person hotel), our guide (his hand in a picture holding a glass-winged butterfly) showed slides on his computer of a Jaguar Study currently underway in the park. Several cameras mounded in strategic locations flash/take a picture when an animal trips the camera. Besides pictures of many beautiful jaguars, there were pictures of margay, ocelot, cougar, jaguarundi, Baird's tapirs, paca, agouti, nine-banded armadillo, anteaters, river otter, and raccoons. Even though they had pictures as evidence, none of the guides/scientists have ever seen any of the cats that use the park.

In Las Macanas Refuge, we saw at least 15 Snail Kites. Ridgely's 1989 Birds of Panama book states that the Snail Kite is "Apparently rare, uncertain and perhaps erratic". One can only wonder if the Snail Kites have always been here (undiscovered until recently) or did someone introduce some snails (from a French restaurant) to the area? We also witnessed a Savanna Hawk capture a mouse and swallow it in under 30 seconds. The view from the observation tower was enchanting as I watched one of my favorite birds, the anhinga.

Long Live Panama Wildlife!!

Panama Generosity!

I think I’ve said it before, but living in Panama is much like living in a small, rural town in the US in the 1950’s. Last week, I hired some workers to build a wall to hide the huge, rusting air conditioner fans in the front of the house. Those workers brought me 4 beautiful coconuts as a gift. Today, the gardener dropped by with 10 lovely plants (including Mother-in-law’s tongues...one of my favorites) that fit beautifully in front of the new stone wall. The gardener travels with a machete (as do all Panamanian workers), so he offered to cut into my 4 (soon to be tasty) coconuts. The juice (and it’s unbelievably sweet) filled a 2 quart pitcher. I offered my funky, plastic table/chairs set (basically an eyesore on the back porch) to the gardener. He gladly accepted, so I put them in my pickup and drove them to his house. At his house, his family warmly greeted me and gave me 2 luscious hass-type avocados (you know… the rich, fatty ones that happen to be very rare in Panama).

And then there’s the story of my truck being serviced (60,000 KM) last Saturday. Normally, I drive my Nissan truck to David where I leave it in my lawyer’s driveway (all arranged by my wonderful lawyer, Cesar), and the mechanic Jorje (who has Saturday’s off from Nissan) drives over to service it. Mind you, if I took the truck to the Nissan dealer, it would cost twice as much and I’d have to leave the truck there for 8 hours (it takes Jorje 1 hour in Cesar’s driveway). When I called Cesar last week, he said that Jorje was now working Saturdays at Nissan. Oh no…what to do?? Saturday morning Cesar called to say that he would pick Jorje up in Alanje (a 15 minute drive from David) and drive him to my house (another 15 minute drive) so he could service my truck. And that is exactly what happened. I fetched ice water for everyone, and the service was completed in the shade of my house. It was like a big party with Cesar, Jorje, Chin (owner of the concrete business erecting my rock wall). The only damper to the party was the colony of killer bees who decided to land in the almond tree next to my driveway. I noticed them when I hit a few of them with my body as I entered the driveway on my bicycle. Luckily, I didn’t smell bad or make too much noise (that sets them off) so I didn’t get stung. Killer bees are fairly common here, so I called my very generous, experienced (with killer bees) neighbor, John for his advice. He came to my house after 8:00 p.m. when the bees were huddled together, surrounding their queen. He sprayed a simple solution of detergent and water onto the huge colony, and they dropped off in clumps without a fight. I’ve included a picture of their dead bodies. The ants are having a feast.

The two butterfly pictures were taken by me on the August 13 Boquete Birders walk at Volcan Lakes (the only natural lakes in Panama). The black and blue butterfly is a Grandis Eyemark and the one you can see through is (appropriately named) a glasswing called Pink-tipped Satyr. We saw several Blue Morphos as well, but they rarely land for a photo. Stay tuned! Tomorrow I'll travel with several of the Boquete Birders for a 3-day adventure birding around Santa Fe and Santiago in hopes of seeing a Crimson-collared Tanager (not to be outdone by the Bay Headed Tanager we saw near Volcan Lakes).