Today we started at sunrise with a panga ride to the red beaches (mostly iron oxide) of Rabida Island. When disembarking, we were greeted by sea lions, whilst across the vegetation-covered berm was a saltwater lagoon with a colony of American Flamingos engaged in feeding with their heads in the water. Alongside were White- cheeked Pintails waiting to feed on the micro-organisms stirred up by the flamingos. In the vegetation was a Small Tree Finch and a Yellow Warbler. The small tree finch is a bird endemic to the Galápagos Islands, known for its small size and curved, strong beak which is adapted for eating insects. It is one of Darwin’s finches and inhabits forests and shrubland across many of the larger islands. It is a “Least Concern” species, though some populations are declining due to threats like the avian vampire fly.
Breakfast followed for us at 7:45 a.m.
Over lunch we repositioned to Bartolome Island and dropped anchor close to Pinnacle Rock – a volcanic plug at the entrance to another sunken crater filled with sea water. We sailed very close to Boobies, sea lions, Galapagos Penguins and a Wandering Tattler.
