Española
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Chino took us ashore, Paulo helping and the very patient Roberto, the perfect guide was as excited for us as we were. Española Island was named in honour of Spain, is also known as Hood after Viscount Samuel Hood. It has an area of twenty three square miles and a maximum altitude of six hundred and seventy six feet. As soon as we were ashore the usual suspects were about – soundo as per normal.
The sea and the cliffs were spectacular.
A marine iguana scuttled into the water.
Española is the oldest island in the Galapagos at around three and a half million years and the southernmost in the chain. The island's remote location has a large number of endemic fauna. Secluded from the other islands, wildlife on Española adapted to the island's environment and natural resources. Marine iguanas on Española are the only ones that change colour during breeding season, in fact we found them quite attractive and they seem to smile for the camera.....................
Española has two visitor sites. Gardner Bay is a swimming and snorkelling site as well as offering a great beach. Punta Suarez (where we landed) has migrant, resident and endemic wildlife, Española Lava Lizards.
Everyone was friendly
and loving.
In this wide open space we counted fifteen ladies happily digging nests, but two
would not yield over six inches.
Eggs successfully
laid.
Galápagos Hawks
Lava Heron (I’m not best pleased about his choice of a
snack).
Bear calls this
the other way round. Nice to see this little
chap take on the baddie. The
blow hole.
Blue, Red-Footed and Nazca Boobies, a selection of Finch, Pecalins of course and a real wow for us the Waved Albatross (own blog). The island's steep cliffs serve as the perfect runways for these large birds which take off for their ocean feeding grounds near the mainland of Ecuador and Peru.
ALL IN ALL SIMPLY THE BEST |