Flamingos and a Duck

I'm quite sure that none of the animals we see are aware of how handsome/surprising they are. But I sure do appreciate the delicate coloration of the back feathers on this bird.

Flamingos Continued

These really are elegant birds. I'm always amazed to see all the things that birds do with their beak. Of course, if you only have a beak, then you learn to do everything with it. But still... it is pretty incredible.

Isabela Island - Flamingos

 

It took a couple hours to get from Santa Cruz island to Isabela island. then we got a car to take us to our hotel. After a bite of supper, we crashed for the night. The next morning we started before breakfast with a walk across the street to a small pond that provided food for several Galapagos Flamingos.

Marine Iguana

 

Not entirely clear why this place is named Tortuga Bay since it is thick with marine iguana. Perhaps at a different time of year...

Marine Iguana and Brown Pelican

I'm quite certain that should one of these crawl up on my bed, I'd levitate somewhere near the ceiling. Not that they are likely to do that since they are plant eaters and not interested in me.

On the Beach at Tortuga Bay

The sally lightfoot crab is ubiquitous on the Galapagos Islands and their bright colors make them quite eye-catching.

Walking to Tortuga Bay

Like the finches, mockingbirds come in a variety of species. This one is the Galapagos mockingbird and can be found on all the islands except three. those three island each have their own endemic species.

Galapagos Land Iguana

Today we have have the last of the land iguana as we prepare to leave South Plaza Island. I'm pretty sure that this partial creature in the foreground is a sea lion.

Lava Gull and Galapagos Land Iguana

Some of these animals seem to be a strange hodgepodge of adaptations. The laval gull is colored nicely to match the laval where it nests, but them has pink/orange/red feet! Go figure. On the other hand, the small crab on the rock just below the gull does a great job of blending in with the background.

Land Iguana, Blue-Footed Boobie, and Lava Gull

These iguana are indeed striking creatures. I'm quite sure that if these fellows were not herbivores, I'd not be so close to them.