The sheer cliffs of Genovesa are insurmountable to all except humans – here bathed in the the last rays of the sun as I walk down the Prince Philip’s Steps. Everything about Genovesa is simply amazing – be it in the light of a setting sun, at night or any time of the year. This […]
The juvenile of the Great Frigatebird has a certain “naughtiness” and even a bit spookiness to it, and yes that is definitely what is to become of this juvie. As adults they are masters of treachery and theft. The know when a boobie is returing home to feed its chick, and times its interception masterly […]
Endemic to Galapagos.
Endemic to Galapagos.
From Fernandina. Endemic to Galapagos.
For once I think the female is more beautiful – at least in this posture and light! It difficult to tell the the Great and Magnificent Frigatebird apart except on close range. The Great Frigatebird has a green iridescense in the back feathers, while the Magnificent has a purple. The Great Frigatebird also has a […]
The male is less extravagant outside the breeding season when the red pouch is deflated. It’s difficult to tell the the Great and Magnificent Frigatebird apart except on close range. The Great Frigatebird has a green iridescense in the back feathers, while the Magnificent has a purple. The Great Frigatebird also has a brown color […]
I’m used to wary and nervous doves, but as this is Galapagos, it barely made any change in behavior due to the human visitors – which is endless walking and and picking whatever is edible off the ground.
I had high expectations going to the south end of the island – only accessible by boat and a man made “staircase” (Prince Philip’s Steps) to the flat top of the island. I was told a healthy population of this specialized owl resides here. It started very well, by an exciting “look – the owl” […]
Gulls were in various stages of breeding and it ranged from incubating eggs to roaming chicks. It sounds like this:
The only beach on Genovesa was crowded with sea lions resting in the sun. The fur seal is smaller with a shorter snout and bigger front flippers – which make them much better rock climbers than the sea lions. The fur seal prefers rocky coastline and cliffs with easy access to the deeper ocean and […]
A large wader, and even though it does not breed here it is most definitely behaving like a permanent resident as it’s not at all afraid of human presence. I’m used to very wary waders that will take off if I get any closer than 100-200 metres. It sounds like this:
The color of the Lava Heron looks rather dull and grey, until you get close up like this. In certain angles to the light you can see some iridescence. Like the other herons in Galapagos you won’t see it unless you know what to look for, or it moves. The plumage is a perfect camouflage […]
The juvenile looks very different from the adult but is recognized by its larger size compared to the other herons, in addition to the lack of yellow between the eye and bill (the lore) and legs. It sounds like this:
Being used to the extremely shy European Grey Heron it was somewhat hard to know they were there! Their plumage closely match the color of lava rocks on which they rest during the day. This one barely opened one eyelid to see what changed the audio-landscape (my body changing the way the sound is absorbed […]
Genovesa has a large population of boobies, and the mangrove-clad beach is no different. This is the “brown” plumage phase of the species. During the other phase it’s white – and closely resembles the Nasca Booby. What tells them apart is the blue bill and the pink skin. It sounds like this:
Hmm Red-footed Booby, you say…? These feet belong to a juvenile, which will have to wait for them to turn red. The adult. It looks a bit out of place – webbed feet trying to hold around a branch of a mangrove tree, but they seem to handle it just as well as those without […]
As with the other birds on the beach of Genovesa, the gulls are not at all disturbed by the humans visiting – it seems we are regarded as part of the “background noise” – a normal part of the wildlife. This call is therefore to other fellow gulls and not a distress call. It’s plumage […]
The only beach on Genovesa has quite a few Swallow-tailed gulls among the Boobies and Fregate birds. The striking red eye-ring is hyptnotizing and the gulls are just beautiful to watch as they gracefully and rather slowly move around – if at all. Several individuals seem hung up on heir feet as they repeatedly look […]