Santa Cruz Island
Galapagos is a place where “learning” takes on its full meaning. Early this morning we left the ship and headed to, perhaps, one of the most important places on earth in terms of conservation. While viewing the giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center, we could more readily understand the real need for preserving these “prehistoric-looking animals”. We had the opportunity to sit and think about the consequences of not caring for not only this, but all the species that inhabit our planet.
This week, we have a special group of birders on board. They have been enthusiastically, and with great determination, trying to find all those flying species that represent a big percentage of the Galapagos’ unusual fauna. Today’s birding highlights were the brilliant vermilion flycatchers and the endemic woodpecker and vegetarian finches. The secretive flightless rail eluded us, though we tried hard to entice one out of the long grasses with tapes of their calls. This is not all bad as it is now – a bird to come back to Galapagos for!
This evening we wrapped up a full and satisfying day of hiking and birding with folkloric music and dancing. A local group of artists played for our guests and inspired us to join in the dancing. Then, though the musicians boarded the Zodiac and headed back to shore, the party went on with lively Latin music and many smiling “gringos” dancing salsa and merengue.
Galapagos is a place where “learning” takes on its full meaning. Early this morning we left the ship and headed to, perhaps, one of the most important places on earth in terms of conservation. While viewing the giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center, we could more readily understand the real need for preserving these “prehistoric-looking animals”. We had the opportunity to sit and think about the consequences of not caring for not only this, but all the species that inhabit our planet.
This week, we have a special group of birders on board. They have been enthusiastically, and with great determination, trying to find all those flying species that represent a big percentage of the Galapagos’ unusual fauna. Today’s birding highlights were the brilliant vermilion flycatchers and the endemic woodpecker and vegetarian finches. The secretive flightless rail eluded us, though we tried hard to entice one out of the long grasses with tapes of their calls. This is not all bad as it is now – a bird to come back to Galapagos for!
This evening we wrapped up a full and satisfying day of hiking and birding with folkloric music and dancing. A local group of artists played for our guests and inspired us to join in the dancing. Then, though the musicians boarded the Zodiac and headed back to shore, the party went on with lively Latin music and many smiling “gringos” dancing salsa and merengue.
