Espanola Island
This island is a true favorite for me. The incredible amount of wildlife you can find here is just overwhelming. When we landed we did not know where to look: there was so much to observe. Every time I have the chance to come here, I feel I am visiting an idyllic garden of Eden. Many Galapagos sea lions formed a great welcoming committee. Loud male adults were patrolling their territories, females were taking care of their offspring, and small pups were playing both in the water and on land. One of the pups was just a few hours old. The mother’s afterbirth was still very fresh. What a great sighting! If that was not enough, many colorful Espanola marine iguanas were everywhere. The rest of the walk was as fascinating as the beginning. A long list of animal species was seen: Juvenile blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Darwin finches, and Espanola mockingbirds. Waved albatrosses and their big chicks caught our attention. Some were even performing their courtship dance.
An extraordinary sighting of a couple of red bill tropicbirds resting together in a volcanic crevice made my day. These sea birds are truly good-looking. Their pure white plumages combined with conspicuous bright red bills make this bird not only elegant but beautiful as well. In addition they have a very long tail that enhances their appearance. Today Espanola Island was spectacular. It was just like the most beautiful paradise you can imagine. The most demanding expectations were fully accomplished today.
This island is a true favorite for me. The incredible amount of wildlife you can find here is just overwhelming. When we landed we did not know where to look: there was so much to observe. Every time I have the chance to come here, I feel I am visiting an idyllic garden of Eden. Many Galapagos sea lions formed a great welcoming committee. Loud male adults were patrolling their territories, females were taking care of their offspring, and small pups were playing both in the water and on land. One of the pups was just a few hours old. The mother’s afterbirth was still very fresh. What a great sighting! If that was not enough, many colorful Espanola marine iguanas were everywhere. The rest of the walk was as fascinating as the beginning. A long list of animal species was seen: Juvenile blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Darwin finches, and Espanola mockingbirds. Waved albatrosses and their big chicks caught our attention. Some were even performing their courtship dance.
An extraordinary sighting of a couple of red bill tropicbirds resting together in a volcanic crevice made my day. These sea birds are truly good-looking. Their pure white plumages combined with conspicuous bright red bills make this bird not only elegant but beautiful as well. In addition they have a very long tail that enhances their appearance. Today Espanola Island was spectacular. It was just like the most beautiful paradise you can imagine. The most demanding expectations were fully accomplished today.
