Flightless Cormorant

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.Two large volcanoes, Cerro Azul and Sierra Negra, dominated the skyline in front of us. The terrain, a moonscape of molten lava with, just here and there, a few early plant colonisers. The most recent eruption was four years ago, in 1999. Walking, we came upon four small lagoons; two had Greater Flamingos and a few Moorhens. Our walk over this landscape was not easy, the lava was razor-sharp in places with some of it breaking easily underfoot. Our progress was slow.   .We returned to the boat, raised anchor, and were underway to Elizabeth Bay. After lunch there was an optional snorkelling trip to two small rocky islands. A panga cruise was arranged going firstly to these same rocky islets, as some Galapagos Penguins had been found on the rocks. In fact, the most I have ever seen on the Galapagos, we counted about sixty. The zodiac could get very close to the birds and they were not alarmed at all. .The pangas took us inshore and into a narrow channel, the entrance to a lagoon fringed with mangroves. We had to be quiet so that we could experience the peace and tranquillity of the place. Sea Turtles would raise their heads from the water to breathe and some passed right under the boats. The water was crystal clear and the turtles could be seen well under the water. Around us the stillness was broken occasionally by the song of a mockingbird, the exhalation from a turtle, or the sneezing from a sea lion whose colony lay just beyond the mangroves. Wednesday 13 August .The pangas took us ashore at Urbina Bay. This was still Isabela Island but we were now further north than yesterday. We walked a circular trail, through an important breeding area for Land Iguanas. We saw many tunnels used for laying eggs. Several were occupied with large orange-coloured males seeming to guard the entrance, and females could be seen inside some. Also a Giant Tortoise was found, this a small one probably about ten years old. .Some of the passengers went swimming and snorkelling from the shore. Our group took a short walk around the rock pools. Four-eyed Blennies were in the tidal pools - this fish is an insect eater and can even leave the water looking for prey. Another obliging Galapagos Hawk perched alongside the trail and could be approached from as close as ten feet.

.we sailed to the island of Fernandina. On the way I spotted the blow of a whale at a few miles distance. I went to the bridge and asked the Captain to steer towards it. The whale resurfaced twice. It was a Bryde's Whale and typically for this species was not seen again. A trait of this species is to turn sharply underwater to resurface far from where expected. .Our second landing, after lunch, was on the island of Fernandina. This is the most westerly of the 'large' islands. Here we walked another circular route taking us to large numbers of Marine Iguanas, there were hundreds together in places, and to see Flightless Cormorants. Some of the cormorants were holding their wings out to dry and the small remnant primaries, the flight feathers, could be seen. .We left Fernandina and sailed across the narrow straight, back to Isabela. We had received special authorization to land at Black Beach. A few days back I had requested that Juan try for permission. The beach had a small mangrove and is one of only three sites in the whole Galapagos archipelago where the rarest of all the endemic birds, the Mangrove Finch, is found. The total population is less than one hundred birds and some authorities calculate there are only about thirty breeding pairs. A very rare bird indeed! .'Pishing' brought in Small Tree and both Small and Medium Ground Finches, Yellow Warblers and Galapagos Mockingbirds but not our quarry. Suddenly we had it - it was very distinct - the bill like a Woodpecker Finch, and the actions like a treecreeper in Europe. Moving along the branches and even upside down on the tree boughs.

Thursday 14 August .We crossed the equator twice during the night, firstly heading north around Isabela and then south. Light rain was in the air when I went onto deck at 0630.   .After breakfast I casually looked out of the lounge window when I saw in the distance the unmistakable dorsal fin of an Orca. I called to Juan to launch the zodiacs as quickly as possible and shouted down below to the cabins telling everyone to hurry. Soon we were in the pangas and motoring from the boat towards open sea. The first Orcas were a group of four, three females and a calf. In the far distance I could see a large male surfacing and suggested we head towards him. The pod was at least eight animals. In the clear water we could see them going under our inflatable, to surface within ten feet of us. One of the pod seemed interested in the turbulence from our propeller and could be seen nudging its nose into the jet of water. We stayed with the whales for more than an hour and then returned to a beach on Santiago for a landing. .On the rocks we found Wandering Tattler, Whimbrel and Turnstone and along the path edge were the endemic Galapagos Dove, Galapagos Mockingbird and Galapagos Hawk. We saw for the first time Galapagos Fur Seal with its shorter snout, larger eyes, and different ears to the sea lion. .started engines and headed for the tiny island of Bartolomι. A single Galapagos Petrel arced past the bow, the usual flight of members of the Pterodroma genus. Many Audubon's Shearwaters came past keeping low to the still sea. As we dropped anchor squadrons of Magnificent Frigatebirds were passing overhead, and lines of Blue-footed Boobies were heading out to sea from the breeding grounds. .Our group took a panga ride around Pinnacle Rock to a quiet coastline. Three Galapagos Penguins were at the water's edge and we drifted to within touching distance of a sleeping American Oystercatcher on the rocks. As the sun was setting we returned to the Beluga for dinner. Friday 15 August .Our last panga cruise in the Galapagos was into a mangrove lagoon where we turned off the engines to drift quietly. Tranquil moments; the whoosh of wings as hundreds of boobies glided over our heads, and to look down into the water and see fifty Golden Rays slowly wing their way past. Calls from a Whimbrel were heard in the background and a lone Lava Heron flew low across the open water. .Breakfast awaited us back at the boat. This morning we were to leave the ship after seven days aboard. It was time to bid farewell to the Beluga and its crew. The tenders took us to the small quayside on Baltra, where soon after the bus arrived for the transfer to the small airport. .We checked in for the flight as a group. We boarded the plane to return to mainland Ecuador - the city of Guayaquil firstly, before the city of Quito.

Swallow-tailed Gull

Saturday 16 August to Tuesday 19 August The remaining four days were spent birding in Ecuador, predominantly around the Papallacta Pass and the Cayambe-Coca Reserve before travelling home. Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Giant Conebill and Mountain Avocetbill were three of the highlights. See the triplist for the birds seen.