Coiba Island

Welcome to Coiba Island!!! I hope you enjoy today's trip to one of the wilder places on this planet.  So get your mud boots on and let's trudge our way around the island.  Keep an eye out for crocs!

Lance-tailed Manakin-my Spark bird

As I write this post, I am planning for my Guatemala trip. I'll be leaving in several days for a month and look forward to the many new discoveries! Today's post is about birder safety in Panama and how it changed the course of our trip.....which led us to Coiba Island National Park!  If you've missed the past two posts on birding in Panama City or Gamboa, just click on their names to catch up.

Non-breeding Lance-tailed Manakin

Panama is truly a remarkable country in that a birder can go almost anywhere without too many safety concerns.  But I am one for a little adventure and wanted to try out the Darien Gap along the Colombian and Panama border.  It is here that you will find the Panamerican Highway abruptly stops.

Bare-throated Tiger Heron

It is also in the Darien Gap that you will find the incredible Harpy Eagle!  The Gap is 100 square miles of unexplored rain forest protected by swampy lands. Now add that with the drug traffic, Indian tribes fighting against military troops, and several other things like tropical diseases(malaria, etc) and you'll understand why this area is off limits in many parts. It is highly recommended that if you are interested in birding several areas towards the northern part of the Gap that you go with a group to the science outposts within patrolled ranger areas.  DO NOT go alone. Many adventurous people have been kidnapped or killed because they refused to listen to the government's warnings.  But it's also for that reason, this area has remained largely intact for wildlife. In this particular case, the wildlife benefits from humanity's thirst for violence keeping this zone safe....for now.  I believe for this reason alone, the Harpy Eagle has not gone extinct entirely from the Central American region.   Although as many of us know, the threat of poaching is ever present. However, with the fear of getting shot or killed, the Darien Gap has been largely left alone.  There are actually several sites that are safe to visit in the northern areas, but because of the rainy season, we would be trapped for most of it in a cabin. There are costs with these kinds of trips and as a team, we felt that it was too expensive for this confined area. So we had to make an alternative plan that would get us the most "bang for our buck"......which lead us to the incredible island of Coiba! Surprisingly, this once dangerous island had a similar history not so long ago.

Juvenile Yellow-headed Caracara

We searched other National Parks around Panama.  Coiba Island sounded like a tropical paradise! In fact it was man who indirectly kept the wildlife and forest safe.  A penal colony was placed on the island for many years in the early 20th century.  Only the worst prisoners were sent here on a tiny patch of land watched over by the Panamanian guard. Of course, the island wasn't exclusive to just the worst criminals.  If one disagreed with the government during this time period, he found himself on Coiba as well. Around the early part of 2006, the last of the prisoners were moved elsewhere and the prison shut down.  Consider it to be America's version of Alcatraz.  Unfortunately many prisoners "disappeared" on the island.  We were told stories by one former prisoner(who still remains- don't worry, he's safe:) that guards would make prisoners climb up the palm trees and shoot them.

American Oystercatcher

And occasionally people with yachts or sailboats would find themselves dead if they navigated too close to the island. Prisoners tried to escape all the time. Most never succeeded. If they escaped the small jail area into the forest, the critters would eat them alive. With Coiba island's reputation, people stayed away.  As a result, the island has maintained its primary rain forest with all of its endemic species intact!  This includes one of Panama's last wild flocks of Scarlet Macaws.  It also has the beautiful Coiba Spinetail!  A bird found nowhere else in the world! 18 sub-species of birds live on this island alone!

Black Vulture

We had a fantastic guide by the name of Javier who really got us into the birding fun. Coiba Island is not a place of comfort.  It is humid and muddy during the summer months.  Javier would tell us stories about several birders who had a terrible experience because they weren't physically prepared for the trip.  Most of them came to see the last colony of Scarlet Macaws that fly here. One particular birder, an older gentleman, had a hard time getting in and out of the boat.  While trying to get out, he dropped his expensive camera into the water!!!  And then he went in!!!  Javier pulled him up out of the water, but the camera.....well that was another story.  If you go, protect your gear with a waterproof bag.  The boat ride alone is bumpy and full of splashes. Keep your eyes open for migrating whales and the always present dolphins.  Once you arrive at the island, you'll need to be able to get out of the boat and walk/swim to shore.  Wear swim trunks and water shoes.  Once I arrived on shore, I was astounded by all the crazy birds flying around. Kingfishers, Vultures, Gulls, Tanagers, Herons..........

Magnificent Frigatebird

And yet.....the birds!!!  I sat on the island and counted birds while my friends went scuba diving.  There were hermit crabs everywhere!  They crawled all over the beaches.  So I carefully watched where I stepped and filmed sea birds.

Some of my shots used in this post will be published in a book this summer on UNESCO sites from around the world.  Coiba island just happens to be one of these places.  It's quickly becoming a popular tourist stop.

There is an endemic howler monkey that lives here and an algae that grows around the island that may be a cure to cancer!  The Smithsonian has a research station on Coibita island(a smaller island nearby).  Scientists from all over the world come here to study birds, plants, marine life and many other things.

Agouti

For once in my life, I discovered monkey footprints on the beach instead of human ones.  It was refreshing!  The island is known for its gnarly vine coverage  over the canopy top.  It's a good sign that you're in primary rain forest.  Pristine.  There's nothing quite like hiking through this foliage.

The animals are not frightened of man.  Javier used his magic bird talk and called them onto branches. It was amazing.

Brown Iguana

I apologize for a post with so many pics, but the place dazzles the mind.  And on difficult days, I need only transport myself here to calm the mind.

The twisty vines of the Coiba jungle

We sweat.  And sweat some more!  I brought my water pack with me and would quickly empty it on the way back down the trails.  Oh and I slipped so many times!!!  The mud was terrible!  Good camera, lots of birds, and super tricky trails led to some frustration on my part:)  I wouldn't mind falling down if it were not for the expensive camera in my hands.  As a result, many of our clothes would be cleaned in the ocean water and let to "dry". There was mud EVERYWHERE!  Many times our clothes wouldn't dry by the time the monsoon rains hit.

While chasing after a Tanager, I almost stepped onto this croc.  Not cool.  Not Tucson.  Not the desert where I live now.   I was so wrapped up in the bird that I forgot to look behind me.  A member from my party called my name and I turned around quickly.  Some choice words came out of my mouth.  Tip to people who encounter an attacking croc on land.  Run zig zag and never in a straight line.  It has to do with the crocs line of sight.  I don't know which is worse....stepping on a rattlesnake or a Saltwater Croc by the name of Tito?

"Tito"-the Saltwater Croc

This birding trek isn't for everyone, but it's the reason why I got into birding.  This is going to be my life now. It's not everyday I get to say that while looking for a Crimson-backed Tanager, I almost stepped on a croc. Or it's not everyday I'm woken up by a Capuchin monkey throwing mangoes at our roof.

As birders, we can all truly appreciate these magical places on our planet.  It's why birding is so much fun.  It's why we do the things we do. We don't know if one day will take us to a garbage dump, a random person's bird feeder, or national park.  It's rather exciting.  Of course it's all for the birds, but I have to admit, it's also about the human experiences that come with the birds.   Many people believe in holidays like Christmas or Easter.  They are often saddened when it all comes to an end.  But what if everyday were like Christmas or Easter?  That's what my life is like now.  The best part is that I don't have to wait for these holidays to arrive because each day is special to me.

Sandwich Terns

Did you know that Sandwich Terns dip their beaks in mustard?  A little bird told me that one;)

All that remains of the Penal Colony today are the cement posts that held up a pier.

I hate humidity.  I don't think I slept one night comfortably on this island.  They had an a/c generator that would turn on at around 9 PM.  It would last until 2 in the morning and then shut off.  Guess who woke up when the humidity returned?:)  And while there were showers, I found the ocean a good way to cool off:)  Afterwards, I'd sit and watch the Bare-throated Tiger Heron dance around on the beach.  It was AWESOME!!!

The now defunct Coiba Penal Colony and the last of her remains

The island is too rough for most of human kind but perfect for all other life. Look at the vast array of blues and greens below. No Starbucks.  No McDonalds.  No cars!  Perfection.

My friends went scuba diving (above) around the gorgeous coral reefs in the area.  What does a birder do?  Why he stayed on the island to count birds of course!!!  They came back to pick me up from a smaller island near the main one.

Have you been to a truly wild place like this?  What was it like? And what was your favorite memory?

Here's another video below.  Over the next several months, I'll be taking Birding is Fun! to the Boquete and Bocas del Toro regions in Panama. If you want to see more from around the state of Arizona and beyond, check out my blog Las Aventuras Until next time!