Galápagos 2015
These images were created during a trip to Ecuador during April, 2015. The main focus of the trip was the Galápagos Islands, but there was a brief visit to separate market towns south of Quito on the mainland before and after the Galápagos segment. The 15-day, 14-night Galápagos tour was hosted on the yacht Tip Top III and included visits to all the significant islands, including the outer ones. The outstanding tour leader was Tui De Roi, who grew up in the Galápagos and has spent decades photographing the islands, though she is now based in New Zealand. Her website is http://www.rovingtortoise.com/. Enrique Silva, the similarly excellent naturalist/guide for this tour, was knowledgeable and flexible throughout. The tour was capably organized by Galapagos Travel, whose website is http://www.galapagostravel.com
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Saquisilí, Ecuador. Weekly market day.
Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos. Tour participant Kevin Osborn sets up for a wide angle silouhette in the setting sun.
Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos. Tour leader Tui De Roy finishes up the first day. Tui added unique background and skills to this tour. She was brought to the Galápagos by her parents at age 2. She spent the next 25 years exploring the islands, including photographically from age 12. A self-taught naturalist and nature photographer, she is now based in New Zealand, but returns frequently to the Galápagos.
Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos. Sally Lightfoot crabs like this richly colored specimen, are ubiquitous on the sandy and rocky shores of the islands.
Off Las Bachas Beach, looking toward Rábida and Isabela Islands. Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. A lava field formed by an 1880's eruption, with the sometimes bizarre, often ropey patterns of pahoehoe lava formations.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. Pahoehoe lava formations; here, a piece of rock was likely taken by the flow and covered with additional layers.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. Pahoehoe lava formations.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. A Galápagos dove amid the pahoehoe lava patterns.
Bartolomé Island, Galápagos. A marine iguana. These iguanas, found throughout the Galápagos Islands, are also the only sea-going lizards in the world.
Bartolomé Island, Galápagos. Looking over a spatter cone from the top of the central volcano of the island.
Bartolomé Island, Galápagos. View from the top of the central volcano over Pinnacle Rock toward Santiago Island.
Prince Philip's Steps, Genovesa Island, Galápagos red-footed boobies. In the Galápagos, about 95% of these boobies are brown, with the remainder white. In Hawaii, for some reason, the opposite ratio applies.
Prince Philip's Steps, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. Short-eared owl in the rain.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. Swallow-tailed gull. Among the distinctive characteristics of this near-endemic species is the red eyering, which turns black outside of breeding season.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. A male great frigate bird. During a courtship display, the male inflates a large red pouch under his throat to attract females.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. A female great frigate bird evaluates the inflated pouches and other courtship displays of two competing males. In this session, at least, she ultimately choose neither one.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. A yellow-crowned night heron dries itself after a bath.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island, Galápagos. A red-footed booby.
James Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. A great blue heron scans for potential prey.
James Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. A marine iguana suns itself on the edge of a tidal pool, with another iguana just below.
James Bay, Santiago Island, Galápagos. A Sally Lightfoot crab along the lava shoreline.
Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island, Galápagos. A marine iguana hosts a lava lizard.
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A marine iguana; these animals are endemic to the Galápagos, with one species and several subspecies on distinct islands.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A juvenile Galápagos penguin jumps for the water. These endemic birds feed offshore during the day and sleep on land at night.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A Galápagos sea lion. This endemic species is related to the California sea lion, but smaller.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A great blue heron.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. Silhouetted frigate bird and pelican.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A land iguana. These animals belong to an endemic genus, with multiple species. One difference from marine iguanas is the pointed, rather than broad, nose.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A land iguana on the move.
Punta Moreno, Isabela Island, Galápagos. Relatively rare on the islands, flamingos tend to be found in saltwater lagoons behind the littoral zone.
Punta Moreno, Isabela Island, Galápagos. A flamingo.
Highlands, Santa Cruz Island Galápagos . A ranch adjacent to the national park has been partly converted to hosting giant tortoises, who pass back and forth on their travels between the highlands and the coast. This tortoise has collected algae during a recent swim in an algae-covered pond.
Highlands, Santa Cruz Galápagos, . A shy giant tortoise withdraws into its shell with the approach of passersby.
Highlands, Santa Cruz Galápagos, . A male giant tortoise must be much larger than the female for them to mate successfully.
Santa Fé Island, Galápagos. A Galápagos sea lion.
South Plaza Island, Galápagos. A land iguana.
South Plaza Island, Galápagos. A nesting pair of swallow-tailed gulls. These gulls typically head out to sea in search of food about dusk.
South Plaza Island, Galápagos. A swallow-tailed gull coasts in the updraft along the cliffs.
South Plaza Island, Galápagos. This land iguana's teeth have been turned temporarily black by feasting on sea purslane blossoms.