Genovesa Island
This week we have seen many different creatures including the most unusual sighting of pilot whales demonstrating the funny behavior of spyhopping. On many of the hikes we enjoyed seeing birds with different colors of feet, such as blue, red and yellow. However most of our travelers were waiting to see the red-footed boobies, and finally today we visited Genovesa Island.
Here is the place to see these birds, and at this time of year they are involved in very active nesting behavior. We disembarked on a coralline beach inside Darwin Bay where there is a big colony of great frigate birds and red-footed boobies. Within a few yards of our landing both species were busy courting. Around us were the last frigate males that hadn’t yet found themselves a mate for the season, inflating their pouches in a last attempt to attract the females. Some of them had apparently already given up, and will probably wait to try again next year. Others were actively showing their pouches to the sky and shimmying their wings to call the attention of the females flying above.
But not only the frigate birds caught our attention. The red-footed boobies with those incredible colors: red feet, blue bill, and pink, black and a deeper blue around the base of their beaks make this bird one of the favorites for all photographers. If you are coming to visit the Galapagos Islands one of these days, think about Genovesa Island. After following the trail, take some time and spend some extra minutes sitting on the beautiful beach and enjoy the numerous birds around you and watch their fascinating courting behavior.
This week we have seen many different creatures including the most unusual sighting of pilot whales demonstrating the funny behavior of spyhopping. On many of the hikes we enjoyed seeing birds with different colors of feet, such as blue, red and yellow. However most of our travelers were waiting to see the red-footed boobies, and finally today we visited Genovesa Island.
Here is the place to see these birds, and at this time of year they are involved in very active nesting behavior. We disembarked on a coralline beach inside Darwin Bay where there is a big colony of great frigate birds and red-footed boobies. Within a few yards of our landing both species were busy courting. Around us were the last frigate males that hadn’t yet found themselves a mate for the season, inflating their pouches in a last attempt to attract the females. Some of them had apparently already given up, and will probably wait to try again next year. Others were actively showing their pouches to the sky and shimmying their wings to call the attention of the females flying above.
But not only the frigate birds caught our attention. The red-footed boobies with those incredible colors: red feet, blue bill, and pink, black and a deeper blue around the base of their beaks make this bird one of the favorites for all photographers. If you are coming to visit the Galapagos Islands one of these days, think about Genovesa Island. After following the trail, take some time and spend some extra minutes sitting on the beautiful beach and enjoy the numerous birds around you and watch their fascinating courting behavior.
