Ensenada Grande, Isla Partida / Los Islotes
It was a surprise to awake to light rain this morning! It certainly didn’t deter us in our activities today. We entered the scenic and protected cove of Ensenada Grande on the east side of Isla Partida. It is an ideal kayaking and Zodiac tour site, and a lovely place to walk. One group found an unfortunate California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus) that had been snared in the sticky hairs of a “Velcro plant” (Eucnide cordata). (You can tell that it is a male in the photograph.) Although the bat is adept at living in arid desert conditions and hunting for insects at night, a low-growing plant on sandy dunes proved to be its downfall. Nature has given us many technological inspirations, and perhaps events similar to what we encountered here cause us to look more closely at the various strategies and adaptations of plants and animals.
We spent the afternoon just north of Ensenada Grande at the volcanic remnants known as Los Islotes. Frosted with white, the islets are roosting and nesting habitat for several bird species as well as California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). A peregrine falcon was one highlight among the birds; blue-footed and brown boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, and yellow-footed gulls (endemic to the Sea of Cortez) also starred in the show. There was a continuous cacophony of sounds from the sea lions and we enjoyed their antics in and out of the water through snorkeling and Zodiac tours. Mothers were nursing last year’s pups and young males were play-sparring to strengthen for a possible future position in charge of a territory. One of the worthwhile projects that Lindblad Expeditions supports in the Baja Forever! program is disentanglement of sea lions from fishing gear.
There was quite a spectacle at sunset as the islets and the red sky provided the backdrop for swirling swarms of frigatebirds and boobies as they came in to settle for the night. About that time the guests aboard the M.V. Sea Lion were gathering in the lounge for the Captain’s Farewell cocktail hour and dinner.
We remained at anchor until early the next morning and two species of night-foraging seabirds flew onto our decks for close inspection. The least storm-petrel (Oceanodroma microsoma) is the world’s smallest seabird. It could be compared to the similar but larger black storm-petrel (Oceanodroma melania). Both species nest in rocks and crevices in the Sea of Cortez. Shining the ship’s spotlight we could see them flying, bat-like, looking for concentrations of plankton in this rich sea. Listening carefully, we could hear birds and sea lions. Within a very small area, Los Islotes provides an intense and total sensory experience.
It was a surprise to awake to light rain this morning! It certainly didn’t deter us in our activities today. We entered the scenic and protected cove of Ensenada Grande on the east side of Isla Partida. It is an ideal kayaking and Zodiac tour site, and a lovely place to walk. One group found an unfortunate California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus) that had been snared in the sticky hairs of a “Velcro plant” (Eucnide cordata). (You can tell that it is a male in the photograph.) Although the bat is adept at living in arid desert conditions and hunting for insects at night, a low-growing plant on sandy dunes proved to be its downfall. Nature has given us many technological inspirations, and perhaps events similar to what we encountered here cause us to look more closely at the various strategies and adaptations of plants and animals.
We spent the afternoon just north of Ensenada Grande at the volcanic remnants known as Los Islotes. Frosted with white, the islets are roosting and nesting habitat for several bird species as well as California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). A peregrine falcon was one highlight among the birds; blue-footed and brown boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, and yellow-footed gulls (endemic to the Sea of Cortez) also starred in the show. There was a continuous cacophony of sounds from the sea lions and we enjoyed their antics in and out of the water through snorkeling and Zodiac tours. Mothers were nursing last year’s pups and young males were play-sparring to strengthen for a possible future position in charge of a territory. One of the worthwhile projects that Lindblad Expeditions supports in the Baja Forever! program is disentanglement of sea lions from fishing gear.
There was quite a spectacle at sunset as the islets and the red sky provided the backdrop for swirling swarms of frigatebirds and boobies as they came in to settle for the night. About that time the guests aboard the M.V. Sea Lion were gathering in the lounge for the Captain’s Farewell cocktail hour and dinner.
We remained at anchor until early the next morning and two species of night-foraging seabirds flew onto our decks for close inspection. The least storm-petrel (Oceanodroma microsoma) is the world’s smallest seabird. It could be compared to the similar but larger black storm-petrel (Oceanodroma melania). Both species nest in rocks and crevices in the Sea of Cortez. Shining the ship’s spotlight we could see them flying, bat-like, looking for concentrations of plankton in this rich sea. Listening carefully, we could hear birds and sea lions. Within a very small area, Los Islotes provides an intense and total sensory experience.
