Angel de la Guardia & Isla Raza
Horizontal tiger-striped layers of stone and tuff formed the backdrop for sunrise at Angel de la Guardia. Aggregations of millions of years of geologic activity gave the island a layered, albeit melting parfait look. Places such as this are seldom visited on our voyages, as it is so far north here in the Gulf of California it is usually out of our range.
Perhaps that is what makes it so special for all of us, we’re always anxious to see after nearly of year of absence, what will be different. Young Cardon cactus nestled under their nurse plants may be slightly larger, or maybe not. Beneath the shade of a guardian these tiny plants, yet to be desert sentinels, are still in need of protection.
Inside small nests of knitted vegetation verdins take refuge from the heat of the day. Rotund ornaments of protection, with a small entrance hole in the “five o’clock” position, these nests are perched comfortably in the branches of thorny cholla cactus. This is a safe haven for both egg and bird, as there are predators about. Heat and aridity are the driving forces for a myriad of the adaptations amongst plants and animals. Diurnal, nocturnal and crepuscular are all options for activity, depending on your lifestyle and where your place is in the food chain. Aerial displays of aggression (or general botherment?) by a raven gave away the position of a usually nocturnal great horned owl. You could not keep from rooting for one or the other animal during this display of bravado mixed with a dollop of mischief.
Curled over its back and slowly waving to and fro, the black and white striped tail of a zebra lizard let us know we were within sight and being watched by a leery eye. Amongst the dark boulders in the arroyo, the lizards disturbed from their basking scampered just ahead of our footsteps. Resting occasionally in the shade, we came to appreciate the tenacity with which these plants and animals not only survive, but thrive in this environment. Lizard skeletons littered parts of the arroyo, giving testament to the unforgiving nature of this land.
Over at the kayak landing, an endemic resident of the island welcomed the prospective paddlers with a multi-buttoned greeting. Speckled rattlesnake was its name, and it shook a rattling hello to all before eventually retreating into the shade and out of sight.
Afternoon found us circling Isla Raza with our Zodiacs. Milling about in the water, along the shore and in the sky were hundreds of Heermann’s gulls, royal and elegant terns. Impatient, we are still waiting for someone to settle down on the island and lay an egg. Gulls squawked, terns creaked, an osprey sat in its nest with a half-grown chick, bobitos strolled leisurely across our arms and legs and a sea lion occasionally squirted out of the water.
On board ship we learned more about the important work done on this island to protect the birds, eradicate introduced rats and discuss the contributions and links between the studies of chick rearing success for the last quarter of a century and the predictions that can be made pertaining to the local fisheries.
Sunset came, warmed the skies and we bid farewell and gracias for another delightful day in Baja California.
Horizontal tiger-striped layers of stone and tuff formed the backdrop for sunrise at Angel de la Guardia. Aggregations of millions of years of geologic activity gave the island a layered, albeit melting parfait look. Places such as this are seldom visited on our voyages, as it is so far north here in the Gulf of California it is usually out of our range.
Perhaps that is what makes it so special for all of us, we’re always anxious to see after nearly of year of absence, what will be different. Young Cardon cactus nestled under their nurse plants may be slightly larger, or maybe not. Beneath the shade of a guardian these tiny plants, yet to be desert sentinels, are still in need of protection.
Inside small nests of knitted vegetation verdins take refuge from the heat of the day. Rotund ornaments of protection, with a small entrance hole in the “five o’clock” position, these nests are perched comfortably in the branches of thorny cholla cactus. This is a safe haven for both egg and bird, as there are predators about. Heat and aridity are the driving forces for a myriad of the adaptations amongst plants and animals. Diurnal, nocturnal and crepuscular are all options for activity, depending on your lifestyle and where your place is in the food chain. Aerial displays of aggression (or general botherment?) by a raven gave away the position of a usually nocturnal great horned owl. You could not keep from rooting for one or the other animal during this display of bravado mixed with a dollop of mischief.
Curled over its back and slowly waving to and fro, the black and white striped tail of a zebra lizard let us know we were within sight and being watched by a leery eye. Amongst the dark boulders in the arroyo, the lizards disturbed from their basking scampered just ahead of our footsteps. Resting occasionally in the shade, we came to appreciate the tenacity with which these plants and animals not only survive, but thrive in this environment. Lizard skeletons littered parts of the arroyo, giving testament to the unforgiving nature of this land.
Over at the kayak landing, an endemic resident of the island welcomed the prospective paddlers with a multi-buttoned greeting. Speckled rattlesnake was its name, and it shook a rattling hello to all before eventually retreating into the shade and out of sight.
Afternoon found us circling Isla Raza with our Zodiacs. Milling about in the water, along the shore and in the sky were hundreds of Heermann’s gulls, royal and elegant terns. Impatient, we are still waiting for someone to settle down on the island and lay an egg. Gulls squawked, terns creaked, an osprey sat in its nest with a half-grown chick, bobitos strolled leisurely across our arms and legs and a sea lion occasionally squirted out of the water.
On board ship we learned more about the important work done on this island to protect the birds, eradicate introduced rats and discuss the contributions and links between the studies of chick rearing success for the last quarter of a century and the predictions that can be made pertaining to the local fisheries.
Sunset came, warmed the skies and we bid farewell and gracias for another delightful day in Baja California.
