Our days at Darwin Island in the Galapagos islands have been fantastic. On each of our trips we spent several days, sometimes almost a week, at this usually spectacular, remote and wild place. The diving can be, of course, unsurpassed which is one reason that virtually all visitors to Darwin Island are divers. Too bad, since the place is insanely dense with bird life. Birders would love this place, but I doubt many ever see it since the island has no approved land visits (that I know of). We spend lots of time between dives during the day and while sipping margaritas on the rooftop deck at sunset, watching the hordes of birds come and go. Upon waking each morning one naturally steps out on deck to see how the day is shaping up. Towering columns of birds lit by the sunrise, soaring on the warming updrafts and moving out to sea by the thousands, rise above the sheer sides of the island. The cacophony of bird sounds is impressive. Throughout the day frigatebirds and boobies perform their neverending parts, with boobies diving for food offshore and frigates trying to spook them into disgorging their catch as they fly back to land. This bird, likely either a blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) or Nazca booby (Sula granti), is blurred as it is seen against the pastel hues of sunset. Today’s abstract photo, #11 of 15.
Booby in flight, motion blur.
Image ID: 16686
Location: Darwin Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
