Genovesa Island
Every single day in the Galapagos Islands is very special. The latter statement would sound like a cliché, but in this paradise it only reflects in simple words how extraordinary a visit to this enchanted archipelago can be. Unforgettable events, sightings and experiences fill our souls on a daily basis. Just today in the morning somebody asked me how I can remain so enthusiastic and fresh after so may years guiding. My answer was, in a nutshell, “I love nature!” How can you not be excited watching all this beauty over a long period of time?
Two examples that happened today illustrate what I have just said. The first was a very rare sighting. During the morning excursion I heard a very unexpected bird call that took me by surprise. It was familiar, not from Galapagos but from mainland Ecuador. The long cracking call, a machine-gun-like rattle, seemed very similar to a kingfisher! I identified the bird, and indeed it was a belted kingfisher! There have been a few isolated sightings of this bird in Galapagos over the years, and all observations have been made between October and March. In North America this is the most common kingfisher, but in Ecuador it is very rare. According to the most renowned and most accurate local bird identification book “The Birds of Ecuador” (Ridgely & Greenfield, 2001) only one sighting of this species has ever been confirmed in the mainland. This sighting took place off the northern coast of Ecuador as recently as December 1992. However, in Galapagos the belted kingfisher is considered a very uncommon winter vagrant. There are naturalists in Galapagos that have been here working for many years, some even live in the islands, and have never seen one! (By the way, in Ecuador, a birders’ paradise, you can observe all six new world kingfisher species. Great, isn’t it? ).
The second example is of a fascinating encounter between plant and animal that involves adaptation and evolution. A crazy naturalist petting a cactus is, at first glance, a shocking and even fun experience. On Genovesa Island there is a cactus species that has soft spines (Opuntia heller). There is a lack of cacti predators on the island; therefore the plants do not need long and stiff spines as protection. In addition, the soft spines facilitate the pollination by birds. Insects are not abundant on Genovesa; birds have taken their ecological role. Plants negotiate for their pollination by inviting birds to do it safely; isn’t that fascinating! To feel happy and satisfied any given day, who could ask for more? Today a rare bird sighting and a rare picture of a swallow-tailed gull on top of a cactus pad made my day. I can hardly wait for tomorrow…
Every single day in the Galapagos Islands is very special. The latter statement would sound like a cliché, but in this paradise it only reflects in simple words how extraordinary a visit to this enchanted archipelago can be. Unforgettable events, sightings and experiences fill our souls on a daily basis. Just today in the morning somebody asked me how I can remain so enthusiastic and fresh after so may years guiding. My answer was, in a nutshell, “I love nature!” How can you not be excited watching all this beauty over a long period of time?
Two examples that happened today illustrate what I have just said. The first was a very rare sighting. During the morning excursion I heard a very unexpected bird call that took me by surprise. It was familiar, not from Galapagos but from mainland Ecuador. The long cracking call, a machine-gun-like rattle, seemed very similar to a kingfisher! I identified the bird, and indeed it was a belted kingfisher! There have been a few isolated sightings of this bird in Galapagos over the years, and all observations have been made between October and March. In North America this is the most common kingfisher, but in Ecuador it is very rare. According to the most renowned and most accurate local bird identification book “The Birds of Ecuador” (Ridgely & Greenfield, 2001) only one sighting of this species has ever been confirmed in the mainland. This sighting took place off the northern coast of Ecuador as recently as December 1992. However, in Galapagos the belted kingfisher is considered a very uncommon winter vagrant. There are naturalists in Galapagos that have been here working for many years, some even live in the islands, and have never seen one! (By the way, in Ecuador, a birders’ paradise, you can observe all six new world kingfisher species. Great, isn’t it? ).
The second example is of a fascinating encounter between plant and animal that involves adaptation and evolution. A crazy naturalist petting a cactus is, at first glance, a shocking and even fun experience. On Genovesa Island there is a cactus species that has soft spines (Opuntia heller). There is a lack of cacti predators on the island; therefore the plants do not need long and stiff spines as protection. In addition, the soft spines facilitate the pollination by birds. Insects are not abundant on Genovesa; birds have taken their ecological role. Plants negotiate for their pollination by inviting birds to do it safely; isn’t that fascinating! To feel happy and satisfied any given day, who could ask for more? Today a rare bird sighting and a rare picture of a swallow-tailed gull on top of a cactus pad made my day. I can hardly wait for tomorrow…
