Genovesa welcomed us early as we navigated into the massive collapsed caldera of the volcano that makes up this isolated island. We immediately noted the thousands of birds that were in flight around and above us. Located on the outer perimeter of an archipelago and close to highly productive deep waters, this remote island is home to hundreds of thousands of birds.
Whether landing at the small coralline beach or hiking Prince Philip’s Steps, we were surrounded by avian wildlife with a constant soundscape of activity. Throughout our visit, we encountered great frigatebirds, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-footed boobies, and Galapagos doves. Short-eared owls were an absolute highlight. In the late afternoon, these owls hunt along the outer cliff areas of Genovesa.
As the sun dipped in the distance and we returned to our floating home with a calm sea before us, we were content with this little world unto itself, the Galapagos.
