A passion for birds...: Galápagos Day 4 (afternoon)

Monday, 20 April 2015

Galápagos Day 4 (afternoon) - Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago

This afternoon we were scheduled for a cruise along Buccaneer Cove, on the north-west corner of Isla Santiago, to be followed by a beach walk. The stormy weather provided some great views of the cliffs

Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago, Galápagos
Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 77.5mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1600

Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago, Galápagos
Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 34mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/4000

where several birds, including this pair of Blue-footed Boobies, took what refuge they could get from the wind and rain.

Blue-footed Booby, Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago, Galápagos
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/250

However, the walk was abandoned. The rain, wind, waves and high tide made it too dangerous to land...

Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago, Galápagos
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1600

and there was very little beach upon which to walk anyway.

Buccaneer Cove, Isla Santiago, Galápagos
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/500

On the positive side, we spotted several species of seabirds and managed a few shots off the boat. It's always fun trying to track and focus on fast flying seabirds from the deck of a rocking boat in the wind and rain and the Galápagos Petrel was a new species for me.