We took several boat trips that put us out on the high seas. This provided a wonderful opportunity to do some pelagic birding. "Pelagic" means "open seas" and pelagic birds are birds that one will encounter on land only for reproductive purposes. Thus, sea gulls, pelicans, and sandpipers are NOT pelagic birds (one encounters them on land resting and eating). Pelagic birding requires a trip to sea! It also requires great patience and a quick eye, as rolling waves and boat motion make identification difficult. We took the following boat trips:
Thursday May 8, 2008 Santa Cruz Island to Bartolome Island
Galapagos Shearwater**
Masked Boobie**
Red Billed Tropicbird**
Swallow Tailed Gull**
Wedge Rumped Storm Petrel
Eliot's (White Vented) Storm Petrel**
Bartolome Island
American Oystercatcher
Galapagos Penguine (Spheniscus mendiculus; not in Birds of Equador)
Galapagos Shearwater**
Friday May 9, 2008 to South Plazas Island and Seymour Island
South Plazas Island
Kelp Gull
Red Billed Tropicbird
Swallow Tailed Gull
Lava Gull (Larus fuliginosus; not in Birds of Ecuador)
Magnificent Frigatebird**
Common Noddy (Anous stolidus; not in Birds of Equador)
Seymour Island
Magnificent Frigatebird**
Great Frigatebird
Blue Footed Boobie**
Monday May 12, 2008 Santa Cruz Island to Isabella Island
Waved Albatross** (6)
Eliot's (White Vented) Storm Petrel
Galapagos Shearwater (Puffinus subalaris; subspecies of Audobahn's)
Blue Footed Boobie
Masked Boobie
Isabella - Tortoise Breeding Station
White Cheeked Pintail
Common Gallinule or Moorhen
Greater Flamingo** (see note below)
Tuesday May 13, 2008
Volcano
Wimbrel
Beach
Semi Palmated Plovers
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber - not in Birds of Ecuador)
Wednesday May 14, 2008 Isabella Island to Santa Cruz
Waved Albatross (excellent view!!)
Porpoises
A Masked Boobie
Magnificent Frigatebird
Swallow Tailed Gull
