SPECIAL BIRDING GALÁPAGOS ADVENTURE ABOARD THE GALAXY with guest Ornithologist John Sterling July 9-19, 2015 GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE Adventure aboard the GALAXY _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: This trip begins with a rendezvous at the Quito airport on Day 1 (July 9th). DAY 1 (July 9) Arrive in Quito Arrive in Quito, Ecuador. Our representative will meet you outside the customs and immigration area at the airport. He or she will answer questions, brief you on the immediate arrangements, and escort you to your hotel. Swissôtel DAY 2 (July 10) Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve A full day option for birdwatchers or general nature lovers in the cloud forest. The cloud forests of the Andean slopes are among the most diverse in the world and home for bird species such as Cock of the Rock, Manakins, 10-15 species of hummingbirds, many species of Tanagers, small toucans, quetzals, trogons, wrens, antbirds and hawks. It is considerably lower than Yanacocha, and therefore warmer, although the trails are muddier and more difficult. This is the realm of hummingbirds, the best place in the tropics to see them, both in quantity and diversity (much better than the Amazon rainforest where they can be difficult to observe). You will have an early morning start on this tour and hike through jungle terrain among rich orchid and bromeliad flora. Depending on the weather, two or three reserves will be visited. You may experience some rain during the trip; however, it is typical to have clear days ranging in 60º-80º F. After lunch at a local restaurant you will enjoy visiting feeders where more than 15 species of hummingbirds can be observed. At 6:30 PM meet your fellow travelers at the hotel lobby for a pre meeting orientation. Swissôtel (B) Target Species: More than 350 species of birds inhabit the area, but you can expect to see more than a dozen of species of Hummingbirds, 6 to 12 Tanagers, Quetzals, Barbets, Woodpeckers, Flycatchers, Toucanets, Hawks, Manakins, Parrots, Trogons, Finches, Treecreepers, Antpittas, Doves and many more. DAY 3 (July 11) To the Galápagos Islands – Baltra and Mosquera Islands After breakfast at the hotel, we have an early transfer to the airport where we depart for Baltra Island. Upon arrival, all visitors pay their $100 entrance fee to the Galápagos National Park. You will then be met by your naturalist guide who will assist you with your luggage collection. Transfer to main dock and board the Galaxy. Enjoy lunch on board. After a safety orientation get ready for the first of many visits to these magical islands. Mosquera is a small islet between Baltra and North Seymour and host one of the larger colonies of Sea Lions on the archipelago. Spend some time strolling on the beautiful white sand beach, before returning to the Galaxy for cocktails and dinner. Overnight Galaxy (B,L,D) Target Species: Lava Gull, Swallow-tailed Gull, Blue-footed booby, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Galapagos Shearwater, Red-billed Tropicbird, White-vented Storm Petrel. DAY 4 (July 12) Sullivan Bay & Bartolome In the morning, we begin at Sullivan Bay, just across a narrow channel from Bartolomé, on the eastern end of Santiago. You will walk on recent, black pahoehoe lava flows and see some of the early colonizing plants—mollugo and brachycereus—struggling to gain a foothold in tiny cracks in the lava. Small cinder cones stand out where this black blanket flowed gracefully around them. You get a sense of the primordial, the beginnings of the planet, as you _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FOR INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS, CALL TOLL -FREE 1 888 MTSOBEK (687 6235) 2 GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE Adventure aboard the GALAXY _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ wander around on this primitive flow. Occasionally, a colorful Galápagos Grasshopper (actually a locust) flits ahead of you, over the flow. You may wonder how it makes a living out in this austere environment. After lunch, we visit iconic Bartolomé. This is an exceptional place to observe volcanic island geology and to snorkel. Among the many colourful species you will see Bi-color Parrotfish, Streamer Hogfish, and Flag Cabrilla. Sometimes you get a special treat—a penguin “snorkeling” right around you in hunt of fishy treats. Most likely it will be a member of the small colony of Galápagos Penguins that nest in crevices at the base of the much photographed lava spire. The long climb up the wooden steps to the pinnacle of this cinder cone takes you through cinders and rough volcanic formations, a veritable moonscape. The lower slopes are graced with a light sprinkling of the delicate, silvery Taquilia, a ground hugging plant adapted to this harsh spot. On top you will enjoy the spectacular view of Bartolomé, Santiago, and other nearby islands. From this height you can make out old submerged craters at the water’s edge. Overnight Galaxy (B,L,D) Target Species: Galapagos Penguin, Magnificent Frigatebird, Galapagos Hawk, Lava Gull, Wandering Tattler, American Oystercatcher, Blue-footed booby, White-vented Storm Petrel, Brown Noddy. DAY 5 (July 13) Genovesa Island We explore the cliffs on a panga ride en route to Prince Phillip’s Steps, also known as the El Barranco. We may see the white tails of the Red-billed Tropicbirds sticking out of cliff face nests. After a climb up to the plateau (it is a flat island) we see nesting Nazca and Red-footed Boobies and Frigate birds. A few white variations of the normally brown Red-Footed Boobies may be roosting in the Palo Santo trees. This is one of the best places to see the Sharp-beaked Ground Finch. Thousands of Galápagos Storm Petrels nest here in the lava tubes. Short-eared Owls live off these petrels so you may see one or two of them. Swallow-tailed Gulls, pelicans and fur seals live along the cliffs. You may see hammerhead sharks lazing along, just below the surface. On arrival in Darwin’s Bay, a protected bay in a volcanic crater that long ago broke open to the sea, we host a “welcoming committee” of juvenile Red-footed Boobies. They may even come on board to inspect us and perch on the railings. On the beach we can observe these entertaining, tree-nesting Red-footed Boobies, as well as displaying male Great Frigatebirds, mockingbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls and finches. At certain times of the year, the male frigate birds sit in the green salt bushes with their great red, chest pouches all puffed up, looking skyward. Any time a female flies over, they put on a compelling show of yodelling, wing flapping, and beak waving, always with great hopes that they will be chosen by the passing lady! This season generally runs from February to May. There is always great commotion on this island as the nesting Red-footed Boobies are being provoked by the kleptoparasitic frigatebirds for both their food and nesting materials. Overnight Galaxy (B,L,D) Target Species: Galapagos Mockingbird, Galapagos Dove, Sharp-billed Ground Finch, Grey Warbler Finch, Large Ground Finch, Large Cactus Finch, Short-eared Owl, Yellow-crowned night Heron, Lava Heron, Great Frigatebird, Lava Gull, Swallow-tailed Gull, Galapagos Shearwater, Red-footed Booby, Nazca Booby, Red-billed Tropicbird, Wedge- rumped (Galapagos) Storm Petrel, Brown Noddy, Brown Pelican. DAY 6 (July 14) San Cristobal Island The island of San Cristobal is the farthest to the east and consequently it is one of the oldest. The simple village of Baquerizo Moreno is the administrative capital of the Galápagos and is rapidly becoming an important base for _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FOR INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS, CALL TOLL -FREE 1 888 MTSOBEK (687 6235) 3 GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE Adventure aboard the GALAXY _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ tourist operations. The jet airport here is the second gateway to the Galápagos. Farming (in the damp highlands) and fishing are also an important part of the local economy. In the morning we will get a bus to drive to the moist highlands of San Cristóbal where we will look for several species of finches, the endemic San Cristóbal Mockingbird, gallinules and the elusive Galapagos rail. About an hour by boat from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the main town on the island of San Cristobal, Isla Lobos is a delightful island with nesting populations of blue-footed boobies and common frigate birds. You can observe the two species of sea lions present in the archipelago here as well. While visiting, we will go through a variety of terrain – a dry vegetation zone, substrate of volcanic rocks and a sandy area. Located some miles offshore, Kicker Rock the “Sleeping Lion”) is a huge monolith that split apart creating a narrow passage where sharks and turtles can be observed. Blue-footed boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds nest along the ledges. Overnight Galaxy (B,L,D) Target Species: San Cristobal Mockingbird, Galapagos Dove, Small Ground Finch, Medium Ground Finch, Common Cactus Finch, Woodpecker Finch, Small