Saturday 17 May 2025. ESPANOLA. Albatross day. I was on deck before breakfast to find us anchored
off Gardner Bay. Not much was evident other than Elliot’s Storm Petrels so
I’d have to wait for an albatross. After breakfast a beach landing and we spent
an hour walking around the bay, again not being allowed into the vegetation.Espanola Mockingbirdwas easily found but Espanola Ground Finchonly gave brief views and I was told off by another group's guide for crossing a couple of bramble-like runners at the top of the beach trying for a better view. We were back on the Chacalote Explorer at
09:30 with a good panga ride around the bay from 10:30-11:30 while some were snorkeling nearby. Lunch
was followed by a slow cruise along the coast to anchor off Punta Suarez where four other boats were waiting to land ahead of us (being the last to land was judged to be
optimal although the wait was frustrating). At least Waved
Albatrosses were flying over the island, although at some distance, and my time was spent hoping for a close flyby and taking just-about recognizable photos when one didn't materialise. Watching waves swamp the lower deck of Cormorant II, a larger cruise boat that had
run aground in March (fortunately with no fatalities), brought home how dangerous the sea could be and the sensibility of Enchanted Expeditions running the Chacalote Explorer and Beluga in fairly close proximity on the same route. We landed at 15:45 and followed a marked trail around the
coast and through the albatross colony. Absolutely amazing with the highlight being
a pair of albatrosses displaying - head swaying and bill clapping with a bit of mutual preening
thrown in. A magical place which exceeded all expectations. We left at 18:00 as
the light was fading. Having the last landing slot was definitely a good call by Darwin. Birds
seen on Espanola were 80 Galapagos Doves, 2 Wandering Tattlers,
38 Swallow-tailed Gulls, 4 Red-billed Tropicbirds, 60+ Waved
Albatrosses, 8 Elliot’s Storm Petrels, 18 Galapagos Shearwaters,
20 Magnificent Frigatebirds, 155 Nazca and 16 Blue-footed Boobies,
3 Brown Pelicans, a lone Western Cattle Egret, Galapagos Hawk, 19
Espanola Mockingbirds, 2 Grey Warbler-Finches and 16 Small and
5 Espanola Ground Finches.
Espanola Mockingbirds at Gardner Bay
me photographing Espanola Mockingbird (photo: Phyllida Bolam)
the photo just taken
Galapagos Dove at Gardner Bay
Small Ground Finch at Gardner Bay
Grey Warbler-Finch at Gardner Bay
Cormorant II aground at Punto Suarez
taken soon after we landed, from the breakwater it had run aground on
Lava Lizard at Punta Suarez
Marine Iguana at Punta Suarez
those on Espanola are red and black
Espanola Ground Finch at Punta Suarez
much better views than those earlier at Gardner Bay
