Baja California
Just before breakfast, we spotted a pod of common dolphins, feeding in the highly productive waters of the Sea of Cortez. We noticed many babies and juveniles gracefully jumping out of the water. The Sea Lion was suddenly surrounded by them, as well as a big flock of sea birds. The birds were franticly attracted by the movement in the water, and by the fish on which the dolphins were feeding.
Species present were Hermann's and yellow footed gulls, taking fish elegantly from the surface. Brown pelicans and brown boobies launched from the sky like arrows to catch fish a few feet deeper. The pirates of the seas, the magnificent frigatebirds, chased all the other ones and forced them to disgorge. Frigatebirds are cleptoparasites, which means that they feed on other bird's meals. Stealing, since they are not able to swim and seldom fish for themselves, is their common way of feeding.
Just before breakfast, we spotted a pod of common dolphins, feeding in the highly productive waters of the Sea of Cortez. We noticed many babies and juveniles gracefully jumping out of the water. The Sea Lion was suddenly surrounded by them, as well as a big flock of sea birds. The birds were franticly attracted by the movement in the water, and by the fish on which the dolphins were feeding.
Species present were Hermann's and yellow footed gulls, taking fish elegantly from the surface. Brown pelicans and brown boobies launched from the sky like arrows to catch fish a few feet deeper. The pirates of the seas, the magnificent frigatebirds, chased all the other ones and forced them to disgorge. Frigatebirds are cleptoparasites, which means that they feed on other bird's meals. Stealing, since they are not able to swim and seldom fish for themselves, is their common way of feeding.
