birding never sleeps: July 2025

Saturday 10 May 2025. ISABELA. I was on deck before breakfast but saw little as we were anchored close to the shore at Moreno Point. We left in pangas at 08:00 to explore the volcanic coastline which was excellent with Galapagos Penguins, Galapagos Petrels, Flightless Cormorants and Blue-footed Boobies before a dry landing on igneous rocks. A short distance from the sea was a tidal lagoon where we looked down on several Green Turtles. Back to the Chacalote Explorer for lunch then a 90 minute cruise along the coast to Elizabeth Bay, arriving at 14:30. We had a dingy ride, or for the more adventurous, canoes around mangrove creeks seeing Golden Rays, Black-tipped Sharks and more penguins. Birds seen were 2 Galapagos Doves, Smooth-billed Ani, 15 Brown Noddies, 14 Galapagos Penguins, 7 Elliot’s Storm Petrels, 11 Galapagos Petrels, 220 Galapagos Shearwaters, 3 Magnificent Frigatebirds, 35 Blue-footed Boobies, 7 Flightless Cormorants, 20 Brown Pelicans, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, 4 Lava Herons, Mangrove Warbler, and a flight view of a Medium Ground Finch.

Marine Iguana at Moreno Point

... and Flightless Cormorant

Galapagos Sea Lion and Marine Iguanas at Moreno Point

panga ride off Moreno Point

Blue-footed Boobies at Moreno Point

Galapagos Penguin at Moreno Point

distant Flightless Cormorant from Moreno Point

Volcan Sierra Negra distantly from Moreno Point

Green Turtles in a tidal lagoon at Marino Point

Elliot's Storm Petrel off Marino Point

leaving Moreno Point

Galapagos Penguin at Elizabeth Bay

Sally Lightfoot Crab at Elizabeth Bay

kayaking in the mangroves at Elizabeth Bay

it looked fun but I was glad I wasn't participating as when one capsized I realised the water was over 2m deep. He was soon hauled into our following panga and Darwin dived in and retrieved his prescription glasses

presumed immature Lava Heron at Elizabeth Bay

Galapagos Sea Lion in the mangroves

Golden Cownose Rays

Galapagos Penguins in the mangroves at Elizabeth Bay

Galapagos Petrel off Elizabeth Bay in fading light

sunset from Elizabeth Bay

Sunday 11 May 2025. ISABELA. I was on deck at 05:15 but didn’t see anything before 05:40 when a Blue-footed Booby was the first bird to appear. I watched to 07:00 then went in for breakfast. We departed at 08:00, a wet landing on Urvina Beach where we walked inland for a short way for an hour then along the beach while others snorkeled. We left at 11:00 and were back on board at 11:20, heading north soon after lunch. We arrived at Tagus Cove soon after 13:00, snorkeling from 14:00, me and four others staying on board. At 16:00 we had a dry landing (on steps) and followed a well- marked path up to the rim of the crater for excellent views. We set off for Fernandina at 18:10. Birds seen were Smooth-billed Ani, 2 Dark-billed Cuckoos, 22 Brown Noddies, 6 Galapagos Penguins, 21 Elliot’s Storm Petrels, 1 Galapagos Petrel, 130 Galapagos Shearwaters, 11 Magnificent Frigatebirds, 11 Blue-footed Boobies, Flightless Cormorant, 12 Brown Pelicans, 2 Galapagos Flycatchers, 6 Galapagos Mockingbirds, 9 Mangrove Warblers and 12 Small and 10 Medium Ground Finches.

sunrise at Urvina Bay

Urvina Bay

Ground Finches, Giant Tortoise and another tour group at Urvina Bay

Land Iguana at Urvina Bay

at times life appeared a bit too much

Medium Ground Finches at Urvina Bay

not so sure about these (Medium above, Small below??)

not a very helpful Small Ground Finch image

Smooth-billed Ani, a parasitic introduction causing havoc with the native finches

Blue-footed Booby at Urvina Bay

Brown Pelicans at Urvina Bay

Elliot's Storm Petrel in Urvina Bay

Magnificant Frigatebirds over Urvina Bay

Flightless Cormorant at Tagus Cove, note the vestigial wings

Galapagos Cormorant at Tagus Cove

Galapagos Mockingbird at Tagus Cove

Tagus Cove and Darwin's Lake

Galapagos Flycatcher above Darwin's Lake

looking NW from above Darwin's Lake

Fernandina top left?

Mangrove Warbler at Darwin's Lake

almost full moon from Tagus Cove

Monday 12 May 2025. FERNANDINA. I was out on deck at 05:45, breakfast at 07:00 and We departed by panga at 08:00 for a dry landing (steps) at Espinosa Point where there were a few mangroves along the lava coastline. We returned at 10:00 and at 10:30 went out with snorkelers but stayed on the panga photographing Flightless Cormorants that refused to hold their wings out to dry. We returned to the Chacalote Explorer at 12:00 and set off back to ISABELA with lunch en route. arrived off Vicente Roca Point at about 14;00. I stayed on board for second snorkeling as we had a dingy ride from 15:30-16:30 along the edge of the crater. It was excellent with a close cormorant drying its wings but unfortunately at the last minute I foolishly decided to leave my camera on board, concerned of dropping it in the sea!. Back on board, we headed north towards the equator as the sun was setting. As we were leaving Vicente Roca Point, and just around the corner of the headland we’d been to in the panga I saw at least 21 very distant Swallow-tailed Gulls roosting on the cliff, only really identifiable from photos and not at all satisfactory for a new bird. I stayed on deck seawatching while crossing the Equator was celebrated hoping a gull might fly by but none did. There is always tomorrow, or the next day … Birds seen were 2 American Oystercatchers, 2 Wandering Tattlers, 2 Ruddy Turnstones, 25 Brown Noddies, 5 Galapagos Penguins, 30 Elliot’s, 3 Band-rumped and 25 Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels, 4 Galapagos Petrel, 110 Galapagos Shearwaters, 7 Magnificent Frigatebirds, 8 Nazca and 30 Blue-footed Boobies, 25 Flightless Cormorant, 15 Brown Pelicans, 4 Lava Herons, Great Blue Heron, 4 Galapagos Hawks, Mangrove Warbler and a Small Ground Finch.