Wildlife on the Galapagos Islands, Part 2 of 2

July 28, 2017 / Jet Eliot / 88 Comments

Frigatebird, male display, Galapagos

In 1841, Herman Melville came to the Galapagos Islands aboard the whaling boat Acushnet. He described the islands as having “emphatic uninhabitableness.”

I find this uninhabitableness part of the charm of Galapagos.

Welcome to Part 2. If you missed Part 1, click here.

Giant Tortoise, Galapagos

On Santa Cruz Island, we had the thrill of observing Giant Tortoises in the wild. At the Charles Darwin Research Station we visited the breeding station where they raise the young in their first five years. After that, the tortoises are released and monitored.

We also hiked up into the highlands, found what looked like large boulders–the tortoises. The largest living tortoise on earth, they can live to be 100 years old.

Oh how very slowly they moved. When those old eyes looked out at me, I was immediately struck by the wisdom and reverence of these venerable creatures.

Giant Tortoises, Santa Cruz Island

In addition to the large body, head that retracts into the scraped-up shell, and their freaky slowness…they hiss. They are simply letting air out of their lungs.

This video I found is a good representation: YouTube Video by lauramoon.

Previously posted: Giant Tortoises of The Galapagos

Not to be outdone by the ancient tortoise, the Land Iguana is another reptilian island wonder.

Land Iguana, Galapagos

Endemic to the Galapagos, this large lizard is 3-5 feet long (0.9-1.5 meters), inhabits several islands. Their lifespan is 50 years.

This is not a flitty gecko in your presence; it is a huge, lumbering, prehistoric-looking behemoth.

Herbivorous, we found them eating, always. Due to their large size and short legs, they ate whatever was on the ground. They like prickly-pear cactus for the moisture, and eat low-growing plants and fallen fruits.

Land Iguana, South Plaza Isl., Galapagos

Previously posted: Land Iguana.

For a week we lived and slept on a boat, the most common tourist method of accommodation here. Every night we sailed to the next island. Every day we boarded inflatable boats, and ventured onto a new island.

Often we saw sea turtles, whales, and other marine life.

Sea Turtle, Galapagos

Whales, Galapagos

When we came to Floreana Island we were treated to a look at flamingoes. With their specialized beak for straining food, they ate shrimp and made circuitous paths in the mud.

Flamingo, Galapagos

Flamingo feeding, Galapagos

Galapagos cormorants are one of the rarest birds we have in the world. Although cormorants live all over the planet, the Galapagos cormorants are especially unique. These birds are flightless.

They evolved without wings because there was plenty of food on shorelines, and no ground predators. With stumps for wings, these blue-eyed beauties hopped among the lava rocks.

Previously posted: Galapagos Cormorant

Galapagos Cormorant

North Seymour Island. It was very windy on this small and unprotected island in the middle of the Pacific, where sand whipped us and you could not hear the words of the person next to you.

We hiked to the frigatebird colony, something I had been dreaming about doing for years.

This is a remarkable sea bird that we only see in tropical ocean areas. They soar with their incredible wingspan of 7.5 feet (2.3 m), sometimes for weeks. It was an unusual sight to see frigatebirds up close, perched on branches; for they are usually high above, only recognizable by their expansive silhouette.

But the most striking aspect was the complete chaos. Frigatebirds were screeching, whining, rattling, whistling, and drumming.

Frigatebirds, Galapagos. Male with chick on left has deflated pouch, male on right has inflated it.

Male Magnificent Frigatebird displaying

With the most dramatic display of all the seabirds, the male frigatebird’s red gular pouch inflates to attract the females, is used as a drum to punctuate the message. He beats his wings against the pouch, creating a deep, low, booming sound. When the dance is done, the throat deflates.

Previously posted: Breeding Frigatebirds.

Galapagos Sea Lion

Herman Melville called it uninhabitable, Charles Darwin changed the world with his findings here.

Thanks for visiting this remarkable, other-worldly place with me.

All photos: Athena Alexander

Land Iguana, Galapagos

San Cristobal Island Harbor, where we boarded our boat

Wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, Part 1 of 2

July 21, 2017 / Jet Eliot / 103 Comments

Swallow-tailed Gull, Galapagos

An archipelago located 600 miles off South America’s coast, the Galapagos Islands are a cluster of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. Due to their remoteness, the islands have been difficult to access for hundreds of years, rendering the life that does exist to be unique, like nowhere else in the world.

Without significant predators present, the wildlife have evolved differently than what we see on mainland continents. It is here where Charles Darwin’s observations in 1835 led to the inception of the theory of evolution.

I recently read there are seven wildlife species tourists most want to see on the islands, so I have covered them all in this two-part series (not in this order), plus more: tortoises, sea turtles, marine and land iguanas, penguins, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions. (National Geographic June 2017)

Galapagos Island Wikipedia overview

Situated in a confluence of ocean currents, and influenced by extreme weather patterns and trade winds, the islands host a variety of habitats.

Life here is like being on a different planet.

Marine Iguana, Galapagos

Marine iguana, a fascinating and prevalent species on the islands. They are the only lizard on earth that hunt under water.

We were lucky one day to find two males gnawing at algae on the rocks under water with us, where we were snorkeling. Much of the time, however, you see their colonies lazing upon the lava and boulders, numbering in the hundreds; for they have to soak up the sun to move.

They range in color, depending on the island where they reside; and their sizes range too. The ones we saw averaged about 4-5 feet long (1.2-1.5 m) including the tail.

Marine Iguana, Galapagos

Previously posted: Snorkeling with a Lizard.

Though sources vary somewhat, the Galapagos have 18 major islands, 13 smaller islands, and 42 islets.

Espanola Island is the southernmost island and often the first stop for arriving birds. Here there is an unusual landscape of breeding birds. Among the craggy rocks, hard lava, and windy flats are the nesting colonies of two seabirds: blue-footed booby and waved albatross.

Gifted with the bluest feet you will ever see, the blue-footed boobies populate this island in various stages of breeding and nesting. One half of all breeding pairs in the world nest in the Galapagos.

Blue-footed Booby, Galapagos

Previously posted: Blue-footed Booby.

Waved albatross, usually only seen at sea, also nest here. Listed as critically endangered, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be so close to this remarkable bird.

Waved Albatross pairs, Espanola Island, Galapagos

Previously posted: Waved Albatross.

Blue-footed Booby mating dance, Galapagos

Keep in mind these birds are endlessly mesmerizing to a birder like me. But the harsh sun and sour, fetid smell of hundreds of nests at your ankles can be off-putting to some people.

Another day while snorkeling, we came upon Galapagos penguins, also an endangered species. They are the second smallest penguin on earth, and because of their small stature, they are preyed upon by a long list of land and sea animals.

Speed is their lifeline. They shot past us in the water like bullets.

Galapagos Penguins

Wikipedia Galapagos Penguin

Sea lions abound on the Galapagos. They frequent the beaches, traverse the lava, and are seen gracing every island. But the most thrilling day was when we tumbled over the side of the inflatable boat and into the deep water.

Sea Lions, Galapagos

As if we were their favorite playmates, the sea lions came bounding over to us–spinning and circling and ready to frolic. A social and playful mammal, they gave us the warmest welcome these chilly waters could offer.

Looking forward to continuing the wildlife adventures in Part 2, next Friday. Stay tuned, fellow earthlings.

All photos: Athena Alexander

Marine Iguana, Galapagos

Galapagos Islands, center. Courtesy Wikipedia.

New Cooper’s Hawks

July 14, 2017July 29, 2021 / Jet Eliot / 96 Comments

Adult Cooper’s Hawk, in mid-March in the oak tree

Hawks are fierce hunters; they fly and perch noiselessly, hunt swiftly and quietly. But the chicks, of course, are not that way; they haven’t learned how to be warriors yet.

Dependent, hungry, and inexperienced, the chicks have squawky voices and incessant demands: “feed me feed me feed me.”

Cooper’s Hawk fledgling, early July

It was the Cooper’s Hawk chick that gave away the secret of the well-hidden nest I found, high up in a madrone tree.

Just as I looked up to examine the unusual sound, a parent swooped into the nest with food. This quieted the chick. The little guys hadn’t learned stealth yet, and the parents know too well the importance of it.

Stealth is the key to survival in nature.

This coyote, in the vicinity of the hawk nest, would find a hawk chick tasty

Accipiter cooperii are medium-sized hawks, native to North America. They live and breed primarily in forests, preying on birds and small mammals. Adult pairs breed once a year, and live in the wild as long as 12 years.

Cooper’s Hawk info.

It was back in mid-March when I began noticing the Cooper’s Hawk here every day. Temperatures were in the 30s and 40s (F.), there was even snow. The hawk perched every day in the same bare-leafed oak tree. Quiet and still, it mostly watched.

Eventually the cold days gave way to spring, and leaves started to bud and unfurl on the hawk’s oak tree. The raptor apparently preferred bare trees, because he or she moved, began perching on a nearby dead pine tree.

Once in awhile a bold hummingbird would harass the hawk, rather ridiculously, scolding it to move on. But nothing ever happened.

Then in June things changed. The hawk moved from that favorite spot in the pine tree–began perching near the bird feeders, instead. There were close-calls when the hawk nearly got a pigeon or mourning dove; and more frequently we were finding signs of a kill, evidenced by gray dove feathers scattered in the yard.

California Quail

Then there was the breakfast incident.

We were eating breakfast outside when a terrified California quail, sounding his alarm call, flew by us. Just behind him, the Cooper’s Hawk sailed effortlessly by, gaining on the quail.

Quail are heavy ground birds and don’t fly much. Cooper’s Hawks are agile fliers, silent and fast, bearing down dramatically on their prey. When they reach the prey, they capture it with the talons and squeeze the bird to death.

The two birds disappeared around a bend.

Ten minutes later, during tea and scones, the hawk flew over our heads with the plucked prey in his talons.

When a raptor is taking food away from the kill-site, it usually means there are hungry chicks waiting in the nest.

Cooper’s Hawk nest in madrone tree

It was the next day when I found the nest in the treetop, spotted the noisy chicks.

There were two chicks, and they were pretty big, nearly adult size. One was still in the nest; the other sat perched in a nearby tree. Neither could fly, but the older one could hop around.

Cooper’s Hawk fledgling, early July

A few weeks have passed and the nest is abandoned. But the chicks are still here.

The parents are quiet and hidden, there’s no evidence of them being around, but that’s the way it should be.

The chicks, well, they’re still learning. They hunt together, and I always hear them at dinnertime. The two siblings have high-pitched whistling calls, and they never stop making noise.

Instead of perching quietly and watching, they fly around conversing with one another through the trees. And yesterday they landed together on our deck railing.

We all have things to learn, even ferocious raptors.

Written by Jet Eliot.

Photo credit: Athena Alexander

BERJAYA

Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii

July 7, 2017 / Jet Eliot / 72 Comments

Leaving Kona, our boat is blue in photo center

Here’s a curious place on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island, called Kealakekua Bay. Not only does it have clear waters teeming with tropical fish amid the coral reef, but it has a powerful history as well. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Twelve miles (19 km) south of Kailua-Kona, Kealakekua Bay can only be accessed by hiking a steep and arduous trail, or by boat.

We had signed up for a snorkeling tour in Kona, and were headed for this bay. It was a 45-minute boat ride with about 50 other people. The day was gorgeous and sunny, in the tropics in winter, and it was my birthday.

Cook Monument

As the boat neared land, we could see the Cook Monument on the coastline. The rest of the area was cliffs, rocks, and trees with no man-made structures except for this lonely but stately tall, white obelisk.

Being somewhat familiar with the life and death of Captain James Cook, I thought about him as we neared the monument. He had been a brilliant circumnavigator and cartographer, had changed the ways of seafaring with his skills. I was in the same waters that Captain Cook occupied in the late 1770s.

Meanwhile, we were all getting ready. Fifty of us in sunglasses and bathing suits, gathering up our gear.

Cook monument

A voice on the loudspeaker told us this was where Captain James Cook died in 1779. It was hard to hear what else was said, with the waves and wind and everyone jostling.

I found myself breaching two worlds. I was happy and excited, soon we’d be submerged in these dazzling waters. Simultaneously, I was looking at the coastline, imagining Captain Cook and his crew.

Capt. Cook’s two ships, HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery. Courtesy Wikipedia

On that fateful day of February 14, 1779, in this very same spot of coast, the native Hawaiians and the British were having a disagreement. Earlier, their visit had been friendly.

What transpired were misunderstandings and culture clashes, an elevated skirmish that would last for days.

In the skirmish, Captain Cook, Hawaiian chiefs and villagers, and British sailors were killed.

1795 painting “The Death of Capt. Cook” by Johann Zoffany. Courtesy Wikipedia

1779 drawing of Kealakekua Bay by John Webber, artist aboard Cook’s ship. Courtesy Wikipedia.

Captain Cook info.

Our boat gears ground to a slow halt, the 21st-century snorkel crew called out orders.

Yellow tangs

Surrounded by bright fish and warm tropical waters, this peaceful bay, it was difficult to imagine a war-like setting here.

What does one do with these two scenes of February 14, 1779 and the current day both bobbing about in the birthday brain?

Start swimming…there’s so many fish.

Photo credit: Athena Alexander

The plaque on Cook Monument reads: “In memory of the great circumnavigator, Captain James Cook, R. N., who discovered these islands on the 10th of January, A.D. 1770, and fell near this spot on the 14th of February, A.D. 1779. This monument was erected in November A.D. 1874 by some of his fellow countrymen.”