Blue-Footed Boobies!- Prelude to Galapagos

After the University of Chicago´s one week + one day Global Village trip to Guayaquil, Daniel (the new Global Village Coordinator) and I were able to join them in their "R&R", rest and relaxation... and after a month of Global Village groups and non-stop action, we needed it! We traveled to the coast, making a few stops on the way, and stayed in Ayampe, just south of Puerto Lopez.

The highlight of our time on the coast was a trip to "Isla de la Plata", Island of the Silver.
The island was thus named because the notorious pirate, Sir Francis Drake, is said to have hidden his silver on the island while he was being pursued and needed to lighten his load. He planned to return later for his hidden bounty. He kept the good stuff, the gold, and headed off to Panama... where he contracted some tropical disease and died, never to return to recover his silver. Isla de la Plata is now an Ecuadorian national reserve and a popular tourist destination, particularly during whale-season.



Unfortunately it was not whale season when we visited, however there is interesting bird life and decent snorkeling at the island year round.

I was super-excited to see the island´s blue-footed boobies. I had learned about these seabirds in marine biology in high school. Also, there had been a running joke between one of my HS best friends and I about the blue footed boobies mating dance (which I witnessed at the Galapagos and I will load that video later if possible). Above, a male and female bite at each other... the males are smaller, have smaller pupils and whistle. The females are larger, with larger pupils and honk. Their feet are thought to be blue due to the sardines that are the main food eaten by the seabird boobies.

What was exciting at Isla de la Plata, and later in the Galapagos, is that the animals have no fear of humans. Here that is quite apparent! All the white seen in the dirt is booby-excrement. In some national parks, trails are built and the animals stay away from them. In the case of the blue-footed boobies, they prefer the trail as their nesting ground as it provides them a nice clear spot in which to nest... without any work! Here is one of the trails along the island, with nesting boobies all along the path. Both the males and females help to guard the nest and take care of the young. Here is a new-born.





















We also saw some 1-year old young! The one-year olds are particularly funny looking, as they appear larger than their parents, with their fuzzy feathers and LARGE eyes! The blue-footed boobies were not the only birds nesting and caring for their young on the island.






















We also visited the nesting site of the frigate birds, famous for the males mating ritual of blowing out a large red neck skin in a bulbous display of courtship. Mating season had already passed when we visited, and the males no-longer were courting their mates. We did get to see the offspring, which were in their nests in one of the few trees that was beginning to turn green.The island, although super-dry, the wet season would start in a month, did have some interesting plant life.
This bush has many uses! The berries, which we tasted (the guide told us we could!), are edible and supposed to be good for the stomach (but only eaten a few at a time, ... or they will cause problems!). The berries were pretty sticky and apparently were used as a hair gel in past generations. The leaves can be made into a tea which is supposed to relieve menstrual cramps.

Below are some of the angel fish we snockeled with... there were also several kinds of parot fish... and other bright and beautiful marine creatures;-)