Author Archives: Tara

The Darwin’s Finches Of The Galapagos

Posted on by

Darwin’s finches (also known as the Galápagos finches) are a group of about fourteen [1] species of passerine birds. They are often classified as the subfamily Geospizinae or tribe Geospizini. They belong to the tanager family and are not closely related to the true finches.  You can see them on most of the islands in the Galapagos.  This video does a great job of explaining where all these finches came from.

I saw several species of Darwin’s finch on San Cristobal but I am having trouble sorting them all out!  I am pretty sure I have a Cactus Finch, Tree Finches, Ground Finches and a Vegetarian Finch but I can’t differentiate between the “small” and “large” varieties!

IMG_2498 IMG_2499 IMG_2495 IMG_2466 IMG_2469 DSCN0939 DSCN0933 DSCN0905 DSCN0857 DSCN0855 DSCN0853

Birding On Foot – Interpretive Center & Walk To Punta Carola

Posted on by

This is a very easy birding walk to do if you are staying on San Cristobal preferably in the morning before it gets too hot. Get a taxi to drop you at the Interpretive Center and have a look at the exhibits.

DSCN0902 DSCN0903 DSCN0904 DSCN0906

Keep your eye out for birds as you walk along the footpaths.DSCN0905 DSCN0907 DSCN0908

There are a couple rest stops between the Interpretive Center and Punta Carola Beach.DSCN0910 DSCN0911

Look down for iguanas and up for birds!  These trails are good for Darwin’s finches.

DSCN0913 IMG_2466 IMG_2469 IMG_2475 IMG_2480

Iguanas swimming in the sea.  Also be careful about sitting on the rocks on this beach, iguanas could be sitting on them!IMG_2486 IMG_2490 DSCN0915 IMG_2491 IMG_2495 IMG_2497 IMG_2498 IMG_2499

When you are ready to go back to the town, follow the narrow trail along the sea and you will end up at the far end of town where you can keep walking or get a taxi if it’s too hot.IMG_2510 DSCN0917 DSCN0919 DSCN0920 DSCN0921 DSCN0922

Nazca Booby (Sula granti)

Posted on by

The Nazca Booby (Sula granti) was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the Masked Booby but is now recognized as a separate species. Nazca Boobies are known for practicing obligate siblicide.  Mothers lay two eggs, several days apart. If both eggs hatch, the elder chick pushes its sibling out of the nest area, leaving it to die of thirst or cold. The parent booby cannot intervene and the younger chick inevitably dies. Two eggs are laid so that if one gets destroyed or eaten, or the first chick dies soon after hatching, the second egg will produce an offspring.

IMG_2774 IMG_2665 IMG_2670

Nazca Boobies have a smaller range than Blue-footed Boobies but the Galapagos is the best place to look for them, especially Punta Pitt where you can see all 3 of the Galapagos boobies.

Nazca

LEARN MORE ABOUT NAZCA BOOBIES

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Neotropical Birds

VIDEO

This video has a sad element to it in regards to the siblicide.  I usually try to avoid such videos but just about every video online has it and this one is produced by Nat Geo and is the best quality.

 

 

Hotel Review: Mar Azul, San Cristobal, Galapagos

Posted on by

For the birder on a budget, the island of San Cristobal is an ideal choice not only because of a highly respectable bird species list but also because of decent budget accommodation.  The Hotel Mar Azul is an excellent choice for the budget birder and is easily booked via most of the online hotel portals.

You can walk here from the airport if you only have a backpack but it does get hot around mid-day.  Otherwise a taxi is around $2-3.  You can’t miss it, look for the bright blue building on the left.

DSCN0848

The rooms in the back courtyards are nice and quiet.  The AC is a welcome relief from the intense heat.  During our short stay, we came back after lunch to rest until it started cooling off except on the day we had the boat trip.  There is a water fountain, coffee & tea station in the dining room and a good cooked breakfast is included in the rates.  One receptionist – Claudia speaks English and is happy to help organize anything you need.  The wifi is pretty good too!

DSCN0849 DSCN0850 DSCN0851

The dining room has some nice artwork and a view of the town and harbour.DSCN0898 DSCN0895 DSCN0901

A cooked breakfast is included.DSCN0897 DSCN0896

You really can’t go wrong here, the price is right, rooms are clean and it’s a short walk to town and the beachfront.

Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii)

Posted on by

The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is a marine bird in the family Sulidae, which includes ten species of long-winged seabirds. Blue-footed boobies belong to the genus Sula, which comprises six species of boobies. It is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet, which is a sexually selected trait. Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting their feet up and down while strutting before the female.

IMG_2538

Although they have a large range along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Peru, Blue-footed Boobies are almost synonymous with the Galapagos.  It’s a rare tourist, birder or not who doesn’t come home with at least one hat, artwork or “I love Boobies” t-shirt!

bfbooby

LEARN MORE ABOUT BLUE-FOOTED BOOBIES

Wikipedia

Birdlife

National Geographic

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Galapagos Conservancy

Neotropical Birds

Audubon

VIDEOS

There’s no shortage of Blue-footed Booby videos but I like these mini-docos that show the mating dance.

LOL, I never thought I would feel sorry for an iguana!

 

 

A Stroll Around Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos

Posted on by

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the main town on the island of San Cristobal.  It is small and walkable from most hotels although taxis are also available very cheaply.  There are plenty of hotels here to accommodate any budget and most of them can be booked online either with the hotel’s website or any online travel agency.  Don’t be too worried about location as everything is pretty much a 5-10 minute walk from anywhere else in town.  The main street alongside the beach has lots of cafes, tour operators, dive shops and souvenir shops.

DSCN0864

The main church in townDSCN0858 DSCN0863 DSCN0869 DSCN0868 DSCN0872 DSCN0865

Feel free to sit down and relax but don’t be surprised if a sea lion sits next to you!DSCN0867 DSCN0866 DSCN0860 DSCN0859 DSCN0873

I love the artwork scattered around town on buildings, walls and even bridges.DSCN0874 DSCN0893

Shopping is a favourite activity in the eveningDSCN0892 DSCN0891

Calypso became our favourite restaurant for dinner.  The food was great, not expensive, they take credit cards and you can’t beat the location!  Try the 4 cheese pizza, yummy!DSCN0876 DSCN0877 DSCN0875

Sea lions will be lazing around everywhere, no flash photography allowed.DSCN0889 DSCN0885 DSCN0882 DSCN0879 DSCN0878 DSCN0890

This is the town around lunch time. Some shops will be open but most aren’t.  We found a small burger joint to have lunch in, then took a siesta as it was around 38c!DSCN0923 DSCN0924 DSCN0926 DSCN0927 DSCN0928 DSCN0929

More art!DSCN0940 DSCN1054 DSCN1055 DSCN1056 DSCN1057

Airport departure hall.  Lines are much shorter going back to the mainland.DSCN1058 DSCN1059

Guayaquil To San Cristobal, Galapagos

Posted on by

You may be surprised to see a check in time of 3 hours prior to a Galapagos and think “They must be kidding!”  It’s a domestic flight, the planes are relatively small and security doesn’t take THAT long!  They aren’t kidding.

It’s not the check in or the security.  It’s the quarantine inspection.  You have to have your bags inspected and pay the $20 INGALA Tourist Control Card fee before they will check you in.  This isn’t mentioned and most of us got caught out and sent back to the quarantine counter.  This is where the queues get built up.  They type out the INGALA card individually, there are usually 3 planes departing roughly the same time and everyone has to do this procedure.  Allow at least an hour as the line moves slowly.  Once you have your INGALA card and your bag has passed quarantine, THEN your airline will check you in.

If you don’t have cash USD, there are several ATMs in the airport.  Make sure you have the $100 cash per person to enter the Galapagos once you land (and yes, there will be another long line!

DSCN0826 DSCN0827

After you pass security, you then pass through a gift shop before entering the departure area.  I was tempted by a coffee table book with a Guayaquil Macaw on it but the book was heavy and pricey-2 no-nos for budget travelers.DSCN0828 DSCN0829

Annoyingly, gates are only announced about 40 minutes before departure so we had to hang around the departure board waiting to know what gate we had to go to.  Luckily it’s a fairly small airport.DSCN0830 DSCN0831 DSCN0832

This plane only had economy class for the 2 hour flight.DSCN0833

Goodbye Guayaquil…………………..DSCN0834 DSCN0835

…………………….Hello Galapagos!DSCN0837

The plane disembarks from both doors so don’t take a seat in the middle of the plane or you will be last off the plane and last in line to pay the Galapagos entry fee.  This line moves very slowly, even more so if two planes arrive close together.  DSCN0841 DSCN0842 DSCN0843

Once you finally get through, you can either take a taxi or walk to the town.  We chose to walk as the distance was short and all downhill but it was pretty hot.

DSCN0844

Some nice graffiti art to admire while walking.DSCN0845 DSCN0846

Walk about 10 minutes to the main part of town.  Our hotel, Mar Azul is on the left, the blue awning.DSCN0847 DSCN0848

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)

Posted on by

The Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of 89–114 centimetres (35–45 in) it is the largest species of frigatebird.  They are an iconic bird of the Galapagos and you can’t miss them with their bright red pouch that kind of resembles a heart.  They puff them out to attract females.  Who wouldn’t want a mate with a “big heart”?

IMG_2811 DSCN0970 IMG_2823

Magnificent Frigatebirds have quite a large range along the coastlines of the Americas including the Galapagos and Caribbean Islands.  They are especially a highlight of the Galapagos Islands, featured on both cruises and land-based tours.

MagFB

LEARN MORE ABOUT MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Neotropical Birds

Audubon

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Huffington Post

VIDEOS

Learn how they use their red throat pouch to attract a mate.

Nice footage filmed in the Galapagos

 

Birding Galapagos On A Budget

Posted on by

The magnificent eco-tourism hotspot of the the Galapagos Islands is pretty high on most people’s bucket lists even if they aren’t usually birders.  There is something magical about seeing the birds and animals close up and unafraid.  But unless you know how to work the mileage programs, this wonderful destination may get crossed off the list if you think you can’t afford it.  It’s not easy but you CAN have a fulfilling Galapagos experience even on a shoe-string budget.  In this post I will show you my thought process in finding the best solution for us and things you need to consider.

CRUISE OR LAND BASED?

The first decision to make is if you want to take a cruise around several islands or have a land-based experience on one or more islands.  This is going to come down to how much you can afford and if you like sea travel in a small boat.

Since we didn’t take a cruise, I can’t recommend one ship over another.  I did Google “Galapagos cruises” and quickly realized that there was no way we could afford a cruise.  The cruises which last 4-8 days are in the $300-700 per night range.  Some examples can be found on this link.  We already were spending up on the Napo Wildlife Center package so had to economize everywhere else.

The other thing I would have taken into consideration was the size of the boat.  I am prone to sea-sickness and small boats do get tossed around on the open sea more than I would be comfortable with.  The boats take 16-20 passengers (whom you may like or not like) so you do have the feeling of being on a group tour but in a confined space so this wasn’t appealing to me either.

The benefits of being on a cruise is that you get to see most of the islands and the widest variety of wildlife.  The ships have their own naturalist guides to explain everything to you and once you are on the ship you can unpack and relax for a few days.

The decision to stay land based was an easy one for me as I wouldn’t have been comfortable on a small boat for several days and I couldn’t afford it.

WHICH ISLAND(S)?

Next decision was choosing an island or islands.  The issues faced by budget travelers is saving money on the flights.  There are 3 airlines which fly from Quito & Guayaquil to the two main islands – Santa Cruz served by Baltra Airport (GPS) and San Cristobal served by San Cristobal Airport (SCY).

LATAM is a OneWorld partner and theoretically you should be able to redeem AAdvantage miles or British Airways Avios for the flights but it’s not that simple.  I’ve gone into more detail about why this happens.  The only way I was able to solve the problem was getting a LanPass Visa from US Bank and topping up with some SPG Starpoints.

Avianca/Aerogal is a Star Alliance partner and with luck you can get award flights using United miles at 10,000 each way per person.  Since I had a better use for my United miles elsewhere, I didn’t go this route.  You can also try Avianca’s Lifemiles which may have better availability.  Availability can be hit or miss.  Right now, it’s pretty good.  Last year when I looked it was pretty bad so YMMV!

TAME is another option but you’ll have to pay cash as they don’t have any partnerships or alliances.

The taxes are low, around $20 each when you buy the tickets (pay credit card) and you have to pay another $20 (cash only) for an INGALA Tourist Control Card when you check in at the airport.  When you arrive at the airport in the Galapagos, there is a $100 entry fee per person, this is also cash only.  If you forget to bring it, they will send you to the ATM and you can’t leave the airport until it is paid.  So be prepared with the cash!

Choosing between San Cristobal and Santa Cruz depends on what kind of wildlife you want to see, how long you are staying and your budget.  In my case, I am a birder and I don’t really like snorkeling, especially in the open sea (as opposed to a tranquil lagoon).  I did research on eBird and “Where to Find Birds in Ecuador” and decided that a land based visit to San Cristobal would give us the greatest number of potential bird species (including all 3 Boobies & Frigatebirds) with the lowest possible cost.  You can get cheap hotels on both islands but with San Cristobal, you can get to the birding hotspots in one full day boat trip whereas with Santa Cruz you have to take longer ferry rides to other islands to get more bird species.  I figured I could suck it up, eat & drink minimally to survive the full day boat trip.  This will be covered in detail in another post.

So now that I have explained how I tailored our Galapagos trip based on our budget and wildlife viewing priorities, you can use similar techniques to plan your own Galapagos adventure!

 

Hotel Review: Hotel Palace Guayaquil

Posted on by

After returning from a very successful birding adventure in southern Ecuador, we had one night in Guayaquil before our flight to San Cristobal in the Galapagos.  We both had over $100 in our Orbitz accounts from a summer photo competition so we used some of them to get a night at the Hotel Palace Guayaquil for free.

We arrived shortly after sunset so we didn’t get much time to explore the area.  Guayaquil isn’t the safest part of Ecuador and I was kind of wary about walking around at night.  I would have been ok in the daytime.

DSCN0810

The room was a good size and very comfortable and the wifi worked well which was good as I hadn’t been online since Loja.  We were given welcome drink vouchers to use in the bar and the breakfast buffet was included in the rate and had a great selection.  We were very happy with this hotel and apparently we aren’t alone as they got an award on Trip Advisor as one of the Top 25 Hotels in Ecuador!DSCN0812 DSCN0813 DSCN0814 DSCN0815 DSCN0816 DSCN0817 DSCN0818

The hotel is in a shopping area and like I said, I would have been fine to walk around in the daytime.  I am not a night person and do tend to be very cautious in large cities.  There are a few fast food places within a block of the hotel if you want to eat out.  The hotel has its own taxi service and charges the same $5 to the airport as a regular yellow taxi and is safe.DSCN0819 DSCN0820