They continue to amaze me. I've walked these islands for many years now, and their innocence can still move me as they did the first day I met them. Practically all the Galapagos fauna wanders about minding their own business, with barely a glance or care for the people who walk by, stand watching, or get down on their bellies for a photo. This particular individual, a lava heron, had staked out a place on the beach, under a black mangrove tree, to wait out our presence on his beach. He didn't seem to mind, and chose instead to stare back at all the telephoto camera lens pointed in his direction.
But the behavior isn't restricted to just our endemic fauna, because this afternoon we stood watching the waves roll in on Pt. Cormorant's "flour beach", and saw semi-palmated plovers, ruddy turnstones and sanderlings clockworking their way along the beach, racing the waves, and passed within feet of our feet. Here in the islands we are careful and insistent with all visitors about not approaching the wildlife too closely. However since the wildlife haven't yet had a chance to read the park rules, they sometimes approach us surprisingly close! (I won't mention someone who didn't see the beachmaster move up behind her, while absorbed in watching the harem dozing).
This lava heron accepted our presence with apparent tranquility. What we give in return, and hopefully teach all who join us here, is respect for them and their environment.
