Tranquilo Bay

From the UK

2012-02-03T11:26:00.000-05:00

Financial Times' Top Destinations 2012 - Panama lets you get a taste of the whole of Central America in one trip. This article has a reference to one place to stay in Bocas, but there are many options.

Stylist Magazine - The people are welcoming and the living is easy. This the description they gave to Bocas del Toro. Right on.

National Geographic

2012-02-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

In its article "Best Trips 2012," National Geographic Traveler has named Panama as one of the best destinations for 2012. This article discusses Panama in general.

Emerging Terrains News references the National Geographic article and adds more information regarding why you should take a trip to Panama. This article references a few different locations within the country as options for travelers.

Travel and Leisure

2012-01-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

As part of its Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012, Travel and Leisure states that Panama is courting high fliers. This article doesn't reference Bocas del Toro.

Gyotaku Fish Printing - Results

2012-01-20T12:46:00.000-05:00

We have the basic materials all ready now. We are anxiously awaiting our next rainy day… we shall see how many more prints we make.

Gyotaku Fish Printing - Process

2012-01-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning, I searched the house for plain t-shirts for each one of us. Gayle, Jim and the kids went fishing again. This time they decided they wanted a few different species to print. After they had caught the required subject matter, they went to work. They cleaned the fish, set up the area for painting the face of the fish and then started printing and printing and printing.
All in all, over the two days they worked on this, they printed 6 art prints and 15 articles of clothing. Jim, Gayle, Yohany, Natalia, Boty, Tres and Ramon worked on all of these things. It was a lot of fun.

Gyotaku Fish Printing - Fishing

2012-01-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

Gayle, Jim and the kids went fishing off the dock and in a kayak to catch some fish. The first day they printed one fish several times onto a square piece of cloth. Then Gayle decided to try it on her t-shirt. After we all saw Gayle’s shirt we each wanted one of our own.

Gyotaku Fish Printing

2012-01-17T09:11:00.000-05:00

Gyotaku is the art of Japanese fish printing. It is an amazing way to preserve the beauty of a fish. And because each fish can be printed many times you don't have to catch a lot of fish to learn about this art form.

We first learned about it in October 2010 from Doug Olander. Doug was here to write an article on Tranquilo Bay for Sport Fishing. He is the Editor in Chief for Sport Fishing and an author of a book of fish prints. His book Gyotaku Fish Impressions was released in 1994.

He explained the basics of the process to Jim while he was here. Jim looked into a bit further and purchased a few supplies. Over the course of the next year, Jim printed a couple of fish. You have to be prepared to print the fish when you return from a day of fishing and you need to allocate the time to do so. Jim is usually running tight on time after he returns from fishing thus the limited prints for 2011.

Thus far 2012 has surpassed our limited editions for 2011. Jim’s sister, Gayle, visited us last week. She is quite an artist so the two of them decided to try again on the prints.

Clements Bird List - 321 Species

2012-01-16T09:14:00.000-05:00

We had a few guests here the first week of January who were here to bird. They had some great days and some rain. On one of the days they saw 101 species over the course of the day. We encountered a few new birds for the list during their stay here. There have been other additions as well, but Ramon and Natalia were on vacation so the list hasn't been updated since September. We have a number of guests and groups coming to look for birds over the next few months so we anticipate additions to the list over this period as well. You can see the updated Bird List here.

Sea Turtle babies

2012-01-13T13:39:00.000-05:00

Insect babies

2012-01-12T12:38:00.000-05:00

Momma & baby Sloth

2012-01-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

Dolphin babies

2012-01-10T10:36:00.000-05:00

Baby birds

2012-01-09T09:35:00.000-05:00

Pin It

New York Times - The 45 Places to Go in 2012

2012-01-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

Take a look at this New York Times Travel article - The 45 Places to Go in 2012. Panama is number one on the list. The article gives a brief description about things in Panama City and recommends Bocas del Toro. Bocas del Toro is much more than a backpacker's haven - it is a naturalist's dream. The province of Bocas del Toro hosts two national parks, one of which is a world heritage site. One park, Bastimentos National Marine Park, covers a large portion of the archipelago and is home to a variety of ecosystems that thrive at or around sea level. Expeditions into the parks are designed to cover a diverse range of ecosystems and terrain and can be tailored to meet your areas of interest, experience and physical abilities. You can find more on the specific excursions available from here.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

May 2012 bring you health, prosperity, and love. (And maybe a visit to Panama to see us!)

Happy New Year from all of us at Tranquilo Bay.

Color Series: Green # 4

2011-12-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Red # 4

2011-12-16T13:58:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Black # 4

2011-12-15T12:58:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Blue # 4

2011-12-14T11:57:00.000-05:00

Color Series: White # 4

2011-12-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Yellow # 4

2011-12-12T09:53:00.000-05:00

Up and Down: Oropendolas in a Tree

2011-12-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Tranquilo Bay

2011-12-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

Jay's son Scott (age 9) received an assignment in his elementary school to write a paragraph about a place in Bocas del Toro that he loves. Here is his paragraph which appeared in the Bocas Breeze newspaper this month.

There is a hotel on beautiful Bastimentos Island that sits next to the amazing turquoise colored Caribbean sea. The guests that get to go hiking under the big green trees get to learn about some species of bugs and trees. Almost all of the guests get to see different kinds of birds such as: black, white and orange Oropendolas, turquoise and blue Honey Creepers and more. The main building is big and beautiful. It is two stories tall. Upstairs it has a large dining room with pretty clean furniture and a bar. The main house has a porch that the guests can see an amazing orange and yellow sunrise. You cant see the sun during a sunset but you can see the red and green parrots flying across the sky. The hotel serves you breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are six cabanas and they are planning to build six more next to the tropical forest. There is a library for grownups and kids filled with books and games. The hotel has two rusty old bikes, but three good ones. It is to explore and discover all that Bastimentos is all about. That is why I like beautiful Tranquilo Bay.

Color Series: Green # 3

2011-12-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Red # 3

2011-12-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Black # 3

2011-12-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Blue # 3

2011-11-30T11:47:00.000-05:00

Inexpensive Flights

2011-11-30T08:48:00.000-05:00

I just received a fare alert this morning that shows inexpensive flights beginning on January 20, 2012 and running at least through February, 2012 from Houston to Panama. TACA is flying from Houston to San Salvador to Panama with one stop on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. If you schedule your flight to arrive and depart on one of those days then the airfare is running under $350 round trip. Check it out if you are planning to visit Panama next year.

Color Series: White # 3

2011-11-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Yellow # 3

2011-11-28T09:44:00.000-05:00

Up and Down: Parrots

2011-11-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

It Itches: Good Thing My Neck Stretches This Way

2011-11-23T10:42:00.000-05:00

Panama Wildlife - 2011 Episode 3

2011-11-22T11:44:00.002-05:00

Color Series: Green # 2

2011-11-21T09:38:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Red # 2

2011-11-18T13:37:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Black # 2

2011-11-17T12:37:00.000-05:00

Vaya con Dios, Amigo

2011-11-16T16:12:00.000-05:00

All of us here at Tranquilo Bay will miss our dear friend, Frank Hilson, Sr. He has gone on to a better place. We are forever appreciative of the support he and his wife Joyce have shown us over the years.

While Jim and Jay were here building Tranquilo Bay, Frank, and later, Frank and Joyce, would come visit and check on progress. Frank and Joyce considered purchasing property in Bocas for a time, but then decided to buy a home in Panama City instead. They opened it up to us as our home in Panama City. We all spent a fair amount of time in our home in Panama City. We will always be incredibly appreciative of the hospitality that Frank and Joyce showed us.

Frank and Joyce sold the home in Panama City last year. During their last trip to Panama in March, 2011, they came out and stayed with us for close to a week. It was wonderful to see them again.

Frank’s battle with cancer continued and he passed away quietly at home last night.

As I think through our friendship with Frank and Joyce and what it has meant to all of us, I searched for a quote that fit because I am at a loss for words. I had a hard time finding anything that was right on point, but this is one seems to be one that Frank lived:

“Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.” anonymous

Frank was always doing little things for us. He and Joyce adopted us like we were their children and our children their grandchildren. They have been truly great friends to all of us at Tranquilo Bay. He and Joyce both occupy a special place in our hearts.

We will miss you Frank. Thank you for being a wonderful friend.

Color Series: Blue # 2

2011-11-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

Color Series: White # 2

2011-11-15T10:35:00.000-05:00

Color Series: Yellow # 2

2011-11-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

It Itches: Two at a Time

2011-11-11T15:33:00.000-05:00

It Itches: Racoon

2011-11-10T14:32:00.000-05:00

It Itches: Pelican

2011-11-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

It Itches: Sloth

2011-11-08T12:30:00.001-05:00

It Itches: Woodpecker

2011-11-07T11:29:00.001-05:00

Up and Down: Pelican Fishing

2011-11-04T10:25:00.001-05:00

Up and Down: Green Ibis

2011-11-03T09:24:00.001-05:00

Up and Down: Grackel

2011-11-02T14:21:00.001-05:00

Color Series: Green # 1

2011-11-01T13:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween from our gouls to yours!

Color Series: Red #1

2011-10-28T12:17:00.001-05:00

Color Series: Black # 1

2011-10-27T11:17:00.001-05:00

Color Series: Blue # 1

2011-10-26T10:16:00.001-05:00

Color Series: White # 1

2011-10-25T09:15:00.001-05:00

Color Series: Yellow # 1

2011-10-24T16:13:00.001-05:00

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 5

2011-10-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

Jean and Bob were with us on this trip. We passed by Bird Island on our return to Tranquilo Bay to check out what we might see there as well. It was a fabulous day. Come try it with us some time!

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 4

2011-10-13T11:09:00.000-05:00

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 3

2011-10-12T10:30:00.000-05:00

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 2

2011-10-11T10:07:00.000-05:00

Changuinola Canal Excursion # 1

2011-10-10T09:44:00.000-05:00

This week we are focusing on a specific excursion we have been doing recently - a slow trip down the Changuinola Canal. According to Clyde Stephen's Outline of History of the Province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, this canal was dug from Almirante Bay to the Changuinola River sometime between 1899 and 1903 as part of an agreement between the Snyder Banana Company and Colombia.

This canal has served many different purposes over the years. It was originally created in order to move bananas grown in different locations throughout Bocas del Toro. In the recent past, it served as a water route for many tourists coming into Panama from Costa Rica. The tourists would catch a water taxi outside of Changuinola which delivered them to Isla Colon. About four years ago during one of the big November rains, many trees from up river and large amounts of sand ended up in the canal, making it impassable for the water taxis. It is navigable again by small boats, but the water taxi service has not returned.

It is a gorgeous trip. Taking it slowly down the canal allows one to take in all of the wildlife and nature alongside both edges of the canal. At one point along the canal, we stop and walk along the beach to check out other areas. This week's photos give you a glimpse into taking this excursion. We have developed the excursion for birders, but it is an excursion that any naturalist would enjoy.

School uniforms in a row

2011-10-07T13:27:00.000-05:00

Dock in Chiriqui Bay

2011-10-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Mainland Birding - Chiriqui Grande

2011-10-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

We had a long day full of birds in nice weather while we were hiking the low lands and enjoying great sea views.

At noon we had a really nice surprise when we found the Boat-billed Heron. We saw two in different perches by the naked eye, but when we looked with our binoculars we saw a third one, behind one of the other two. It was great. We stayed there watching those calm and quiet birds for a while. Then in flew another one, then another, then another… and like that over 10 of them landed. They were perching in the tree behind the one we were watching and then flew to another tree where we could see most of the group “disperse” in two trees next to one another.

In the afternoon we had a perfect view of a couple of King Vultures flying in circles over us. We wondered if we were smelling bad, but the truth is at that point we had been exploring a lot and maybe we were attractive to a vulture. Anyway, it was great for us to have an opportunity to see those majestic birds for a while.

The highlights for the day:

White-crowned Parrots
Laughing Falcon
Green-breasted Mango
Pied Puffbird
Boat-billed Heron
King Vulture
Bat Falcon

FAMILY & COMMON NAME

Cracidae: Gray-headed Chachalaca

Fregatidae: Magnificent Frigatebird

Phalacrocoracidae: Neotropic Cormorant

Ardeidae: Great Egret, Boat-billed Heron

Threskiornithidae: Green Ibis

Cathartidae: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, King Vulture

Accipitridae: Roadside Hawk

Falconidae: Laughing Falcon, Bat Falcon, Crested Caracara

Rallidae: White-throated Crake, Gray-necked Wood-rail, Common Moorhen

Jacanidae: Northern Jacana

Scolopacidae: Solitary Sandpiper

Columbidae: Pale-vented Pigeon

Psittacidae: Blue-headed Parrot, White-crowned Parrot, Red-lored Parrot

Cuculidae: Squirrel cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani

Apodidae: White-collared Swift

Trochilidae: Purple-crowned Fairy, Green-breasted Mango, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Alcedinidae: Green Kingfisher

Bucconidae: Pied Puffbird

Ramphastidae: Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Lineated Wookpecker

Furnariidae: Streak-headed Woodcreeper

Thamnophilidae: Western Slaty-Antshrike

Tyrannidae: Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Acadian or Willow Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird

Tityridae: Masked Tityra, Cinnamon Becard

Vireonidae: Lesser Greenlet

Corvidae: Black-chested Jay, Brown Jay

Troglodytidae: Band-backed Wren, House Wren

Polioptilidae: Tropical Gnatcatcher

Turdidae: Clay-colored Thrush

Coerebidae: Bananaquit

Thraupidae: White-lined Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, Black-headed Saltator

Emberizidae: Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-striped Sparrow

Icteridae: Orchard Oriole, Red-Breasted Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Montezuma Oropendola

Fringillidae: Yellow-crowned Euphonia, Olive-backed Euphonia

Local children playing in the ocean

2011-10-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

Sights near Chiriqui Grande

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

Mainland Birding - Around Palo Seco National Forest

2011-09-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

We spent the most of the day walking trails in the forest. There were creeks with big rocks and fresh clear water, surrounded by great vegetation around and within Palo Seco National Forest. In one of those amazing creeks we saw the Sunbittern which was a most spectacular experience. The abundance of hummingbirds was rather remarkable. We saw a whole exhibition of colors, shapes and birds humming around us.

Some of the highlights of the day:
Sunbittern
Green Hermit
Violet Sabrewing
Buff-rumped Warbler
Double-tooth Kite
Ornate Hawk-Eagle

FAMILY & COMMON NAME

Cracidae: Gray-headed Chachalaca

Accipitridae: Double-toothed Kite, Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Rallidae: White-throated Crake

Eurypygidae: Sunbittern

Columbidae: Pale-vented Pigeon

Apodidae: White-collared Swift

Trochilidae: White-necked Jacobin, Green Hermit, Stripe-throated Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy, Violet Sabrewing, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Trogonidae: Slaty-tailed Trogon

Ramphastidae: Collared Aracari, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Lineated Wookpecker, Pale-billed Woodpecker

Furnariidae: Spotted Woodcreeper

Tyrannidae: Mountain Elaenia, Torrent Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Long-tailed Tyrant

Vireonidae: Lesser Greenlet

Troglodytidae: Bay Wren, House Wren

Turdidae: Mountain Thrush

Parulidae: Buff-rumped Warbler

Thraupidae: Tawny-crested Tanager, Crimson-collared Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Emerald Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Buff-throated Saltator

Emberizidae: Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-striped Sparrow

Fringillidae: Tawny-capped Euphonia, Olive-backed Euphonia

Happy Birthday Ramon!

2011-09-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

This is a photo Natalia took of Ramon with Jay's mom, Marge. They enjoy an afternoon chat most days. Happy Birthday to Ramon!

Clements Bird List - 308 species

2011-09-28T09:31:00.000-05:00

We have had a few excursions over the past couple of weeks where we have seen some new species. We have also had some migratory birds checking us out here at Tranquilo Bay which has bumped up the list by a few species. So, the list is up to 308 species spotted at Tranquilo Bay or on our excursions. You can find the list on our website.

One way to transport vegetables

2011-09-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

Even in the rain

2011-09-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

Reflections # 4

2011-09-23T14:01:00.000-05:00

Emerald Basilisk

2011-09-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

Mainland Birding - Tower Road

2011-09-21T12:57:00.000-05:00

Ramon and Natalia got an early start, walking on a road near the border between the provinces of Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí. This road is one of the limits of the Palo Seco National Forest. The road is in very good condition. It is asphalt with some nice shoulders to stop and enjoy the incredible view of the mountains and the canopy of the magnificent trees. Some of the side trails are clean to walk but are very steep. The morning was great, very clear and sunny, we found and observed a couple of Tawny-capped Euphonias making a nest.

The afternoon was cloudy with some rain and mist, but the birds were especially active when the mist was thick. We observed, before and during the rain, several mixed flocks of Emerald Tanagers, Silver-throated Tanagers and Tropical Parulas.

Some of the highlights today were:

Blue-throated Toucanet
White-throated Mountain-gem
Crimson-collared Tanager
Blue-and-gold Tanager (Look at the comments for more information)
Emerald Tanager
Silver-throated Tanager
Spangle-cheeked Tanager

Birds Seen by Family and Common Name

Cathartidae: Black Vulture

Rallidae: White-throated Crake

Psittacidae: Sulphur-winged Parakeet

Apodidae: White-collared Swift

Trochilidae: Stripe-throated Hermit, Violet Sabrewing, White-throated Mountain-gem

Ramphastidae: Blue-throated Toucanet, Collared Aracari, Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Thamnophilidae: Immaculate Antbird

Tyrannidae: Tufted Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tyrant

Hirundinidae: Blue-and-white Swallow

Troglodytidae: House Wren

Turdidae: Mountain Thrush, Black-faced Solitaire

Parulidae: Tropical Parula, Slate-throated Redstart, Buff-rumped Warbler

Coerebidae: Bananaquit

Thraupidae: Black-and-yellow Tanager, White-lined Tanager, Crimson-collared Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-and-gold Tanager, Emerald Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator

Emberizidae: Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Black-striped Sparrow, Common Bush-Tanager

Cardinalidae: Black-faced Grosbeak

Fringillidae: Tawny-capped Euphonia

Masked Tree Frog

2011-09-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

Reflections # 3

2011-09-19T09:54:00.000-05:00

Mainland Birding - Cauchero Road

2011-09-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

We (Natalia and her friend Clara) took a beautiful morning walk along a quiet country road on the mainland between Almirante and Cauchero.

Here are some of the highlight species we observed:

Crimson-fronted Parakeet
Common Black-Hawk
Great Antshike
Black-cowled Oriole
Black-crowned Tityra Yellow-crowned Euphonia.

Birds Seen by Family and Common Name

Cracidae: Gray-headed Chachalaca

Fregatidae: Magnificent Frigatebird

Cathartidae: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture

Accipitridae: Common Black-Hawk, Roadside Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle

Falconidae: Yellow-headed Caracara, Laughing Falcon

Rallidae: White-throated Crake

Columbidae: Pale-vented Pigeon, Short-billed Pigeon, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Blue Ground-Dove

Psittacidae: Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Olive-throated Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot, Red-lored Parrot

Cuculidae: Groove-billed Ani

Nyctibiidae: Common Potoo

Apodidae: Gray-rumped Swift

Trochilidae: Stripe-throated Hermit

Trogonidae: Violaceous Trogon

Alcedinidae: Green Kingfisher

Ramphastidae: Keel-billed Toucan

Picidae: Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Lineated Wookpecker

Furnariidae: Slaty Spinetail, Plain Xenops, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Woodcreeper

Thamnophilidae: Western Slaty-Antshrike, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Pacific Antwren

Tyrannidae: Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Tropical Pewee, Dusky-caped Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Great
Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Gray-capped Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird

Cotingidae: Purple-throated Fruitcrow

Tityridae: Black-crowned Tityra, Masked Tityra

Corvidae: Black-chested Jay

Hirundinidae: Purple Martin

Troglodytidae: Bay Wren, House Wren

Polioptilidae: Tropical Gnatcatcher, Long-billed Gnatwren

Turdidae: Clay-colored Thrush

Coerebidae: Bananaquit

Thraupidae: White-lined Tanager, Passerini´s Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator

Emberizidae: Variable Seedeater, Thick-billed Seed-Finch, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Black-striped Sparrow

Cardinalidae: Black-faced Grosbeak

Icteridae: Black-cowled Oriole, Montezuma Oropendola

Fringillidae: Yellow-crowned Euphonia

Happy Belated Birthday to Patrick

2011-09-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

Patrick turned three on August 21. It is amazing that three years have passed since he was born. He really got into hitting the piñata this year. It is so cool to see him learning and experiencing life on this big blue marble.

Reflections # 2

2011-09-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

Just another day at the beach. Ramon snapped this one in 2009. The reflections of the palm fronds are interesting.

Happy Birthday Scott

2011-09-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

Happy 9th birthday to Scott. We are celebrating this weekend. The boys are going on a fishing trip with the dads. Big day for a big boy.

What's this?

2011-09-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

As we continue with our current project - any ideas on what this is?

Clements Bird List - 296 and counting

2011-08-30T11:45:00.000-05:00

Ramon and Natalia spent a week on the mainland checking out some different locations. During their stay they spotted a large number of additional birds. Natalia is working on a description for each of the locations that we will put out shortly. After their recent excursions, our bird list is up to 296 species spotted at Tranquilo Bay and on our excursions. You can find the list on our website.

These are the three primary books we use in helping us to identify and study the species here on the Western Caribbean Slope:

The first paperback edition of "Birds of Panama" book - 1992 edition.

December 2010 publication date.

The most established resource on the taxonomy and biogeography of birds for the world birding community, The Clements Checklist is the official world checklist of the American Birding Association (ABA) and is used as the authoritative reference in the birding competitions and listing activities of this preeminent North American organization for serious birders.

Giant Grasshoppers

2011-08-26T09:45:00.000-05:00

We have our friends the giant grasshoppers around here right now. They are flying about and making their home anywhere they please. For whatever reason, Jay had a family hanging out in between the screen and his window for an extended period of time. They are gorgeous to watch both at rest and in flight. Here is a great photo Ramon got of one at rest.

Reflections # 1

2011-08-24T10:26:00.000-05:00

Ramon and Natalia have been reviewing all of their photos as we work to update the photo galleries. They have so many beautiful photos. Some of them do not belong in a particular gallery, but they represent the beauty of Bocas del Toro in so many ways. One specific set of photos that Ramon has pulled together are a group of shots of some kind of reflection. This is the first in a series of photos. Enjoy.

Good examples of sustainability

2011-08-22T12:58:00.000-05:00

Conservation of our natural resources is an extremely important issue world wide. Each of us is responsible for taking care of the earth in some way or another so that we may pass it on to the next generation and so on. Obviously with our business based upon eco adventure we are concerned about these issues. We subscribe to a variety of publications and are members of different groups which work to support the earth and all of its inhabitants in one way or another.

I recently came across two different initiatives that I found compelling. One was an interview that the Adventure Travel Trade Association did with Neil Rogers of Francis Ford Coppola Resorts. I have never personally visited any of the Coppola family's resorts, but I have studied them a bit. As we were developing our business here in Panama we researched throughout Central America for businesses which had a like-minded outlook on sustainable tourism. We studied each of these businesses and took away pieces of information that might help us as we developed our own lodge. This article gives a brief look into many of the issues facing sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism can be a challenge and a blessing no matter where the business is located.

The second initiative I encountered over the weekend was one put out by The Nature Conservancy. TNC has a new campaign called Use Your Outside Voice. Now, as a mom of young children I thought I knew all about "outside voice", but apparently I was a bit off. TNC has put together a campaign to have people speak up for nature and is calling it Use Your Outside Voice. This appealed to me. If each one of us would do something for our community a long the same vein as we do for our children's schools or our other affiliations then we would be able to make a difference. One of my children's favorite stories is Dr. Seuess' The Lorax. Our children received it as a gift from our dear friends David and Linda Cerutti. The Lorax speaks for the trees. More of us should speak for the trees. Maybe this campaign by TNC is your chance to speak up a bit.

Living in the Jungle - Gabe's Point of View

2011-08-18T12:53:00.000-05:00

Living in the remote jungle of Panama is very interesting. Every day is a new day. I never know what animals I might see. No matter what the weather, I always find something to catch my interest. One day it is sunny and I can go fishing, go hiking, and take photos and another day it can ran all day so I sit inside and listen to the thunder and watch the lightning bolts. Indoors or out, there is always something to do living in the jungle.

I can watch the hummingbirds bathe themselves. I can watch and listen as a mangrove tree falls down slowly. The cracking and breaking of branches is really cool to listen to as the tree slowly makes its way down and the forest goes through its life cycle. One of my favorite things to do while out in the jungle is to listen to all the different noises coming from the jungle plants and animals.

Here are a few of the photos I caught last week.

Unique Hibiscus

2011-08-16T12:42:00.001-05:00

Natalia was out working on the grounds last week and she encountered this hibiscus. The plant itself had all white flowers except for the one flower that is pink and white. She came back to the lodge and did some research on it. Some hibiscus plants have flowers that change colors throughout the day from one color to another during the flowers' life cycle while others stay the same color all day long. This plant's flowers stayed the same color all day long, but had this one special flower. As far as we know there was no hybridization of this flower so whatever is happening or happened, Mother Nature is doing on her own.

Bizarre Airfare Deals & New Flights to Bocas

2011-08-12T12:51:00.000-05:00

When you begin to plan your vacation to Panama, you should consider looking around at the different airports within a reasonable area of where you need to depart from and return to on your trip. A good example is travel from Texas to Panama. Continental Airlines has several non-stops each day traveling in and out of Houston, Texas. Certain times of the year, you can get a better price flying out of San Antonio rather than from Houston. For example, if you fly from Houston at the end of October to Panama round trip the airfare is $660 per person. If you fly from San Antonio it is $457 per person. Why a $200 difference when you are taking an additional flight and then getting on the same flight to make it to Panama? I can't tell you. My best understanding is that they have more competition out of San Antonio. The flights from Austin are about the same price as the flights from Houston and in some instances they are more expensive.

On a separate note, Aeroperlas has begun flying from Tocumen International Airport to Bocas. There are two flights a day from Tocumen International Airport over to Albrook Airport and then on to Bocas. The flights are the same price as the flights from Albrook to Bocas and it takes a step out of the transportation process because you do not have to arrange for ground transportation to get from the international airport to the domestic airport in Panama City. The flight leaves Albrook for Bocas around 3:00 pm each afternoon. Each morning the flight leaves Bocas for Panama around 8:40 am to then be transferred over via airplane to Tocumen by 11:00 am. You cannot book these flights on sites like Travelocity just yet, but we expect it to be available to you in the next few months. You can book these flights from Aeroperlas on www.aeroperlas.com

Travel to and from Bocas del Toro and Panama is getting just a bit easier. Why don't you check it out for yourself? And you might find a less-expensive fare if you poke around a little bit.

2011 Winter Migration: Red-eyed Vireo

2011-08-12T09:06:00.000-05:00

Natalia saw a Red-eyed Vireo on the morning of July 30, 2011. She was able to capture a few photos of the bird making its trek across Central America on its way to South America. The Red-eyed Vireo is one of the most common songbirds breeding in the woodlands of eastern North America so much so that the it is more often heard than seen. Here you can find more information on this bird.

Best Views from a Hammock

2011-08-10T13:22:00.000-05:00

Just in case you missed our post on Facebook last week, Tranquilo Bay was recently featured in a slideshow on Frommers.com about 8 great hotels with wonderful views from their hammocks. Hammock time is one of the best ways to pass a bit of time in the tropics. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting a tropical area. A nap in a hammock is a super sweet treat. Check out the entire slideshow here. Tranquilo Bay is the fifth hotel in the slideshow - you can't miss us.

Oreba Chocolate Community

2011-08-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

We went with a family over to Oreba Chocolate's tour in March. The family was so taken with the experience they wanted to send something back for the community. We asked the Peace Corp representative what would be a good gift for the community. He told us that the kids were really into playing baseball. The family sent a set of gloves for this community and for another community where they kayaked here in Bocas del Toro. This video is from Adam, the peace corp representative, showing a few of the kids playing catch with the gloves. It was perfect timing - we brought the gloves back in our container in early July just in time for the children to begin their baseball season. The village in conjunction with several other indigenous villages has a league for the children.

For more information about Oreba Chocolate and its tours, check them out on Facebook.

Gallery Updates: Arachnids

2011-08-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

As we make our way through all of the photo galleries, we plan on updating a mix each week. This week it has been Birds, Beaches and now Spiders. The Spider page is not one that will attract each person who is visiting Bocas del Toro or those who have been here before either for that matter, however, there are a number of people who are extremely interested in the arachnids. Thus we have the information available.

If you asked anyone with whom I grew up if I would make my home in the jungle one day, they would answer unequivocally "no." Yet, here I am. And I love it.

When I first arrived here in the jungle, I was not particularly happy to share my space with spiders. I have since gotten over it. I see the beauty in many of the spiders and in the webs that they weave. Now, I still dislike walking into a spider web and will avoid it if at all possible. I get all sticky and the sider must begin its work yet again.

Take at look at this gallery. Natalia Decastro Gonzalez has curated a nice set of eight legged creatures here in the jungle.

Gallery Updates: Beach Excursions

2011-08-03T12:02:00.000-05:00

More updated photo galleries with some great shots that our staff have snapped here in Bocas del Toro. Check out the updated Beach Excursion Gallery with some shots of the lovely beaches here in Bocas del Toro on some of our glorious sunny days.

This one might be my favorite from the gallery.

Zapatilla Cayes - Ramon Fernandez Frances

Gallery Updates: Birding Excursions

2011-08-01T11:01:00.000-05:00

We are updating our photo galleries with some of the wonderful shots that our staff have collected over the past few years. We have just updated the Birding Excursions Gallery with close to a 100 photos of birds you can see here on the Western Caribbean Slope. We have many more to include and we will add them in time.

Here are a couple of the photos that really caught my eye out of this gallery. There are many more - take a look yourself.

Blue Dacnis (male) - Ramon Fernandez Frances

Broad-winged Hawk (adult) - Natalia Decastro Gonzalez

Hanging Sloth

2011-07-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

Spider & Grasshopper

2011-07-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

So, we know that a spider isn't an insect, but these two photos belong more together than any of the other photos that Gabe took, so we grouped them together.

A few flowers

2011-07-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

Small Reptiles

2011-07-26T13:28:00.000-05:00

Meet Gabe

2011-07-25T16:20:00.000-05:00

Meet Gabe. Gabe’s parents came down with him at the beginning of July. This photo is from their last night here.

Gabe is spending about 6 weeks with us as an intern this summer. He is interested in learning a bit about what it takes to physically run an eco lodge. So far he has helped us finish organizing the contents of the container, he has gone on excursions with guests, hauled supplies up the hill, and entertained the children in one form or another. His big assignment is related to the big pile of steel you saw last week.

Gabe likes to take photographs. This week we are sharing a few of his photos with you.

Stay tuned for more details

2011-07-21T10:16:00.001-05:00

We plan on making something from this. Any ideas on what it is going to be? We will keep you posted on our progress.

Happy Fifth Birthday Boty!

2011-07-19T10:04:00.001-05:00

Today is sweet Boty's birthday. We can't believe how time flies. She was born five years ago here in Panama. She is the princess of Tranquilo Bay for sure.