Dec.1, 1998
Richard Polatty
Again, as in the last report, El Niño is rapidly becoming a fading memory in Galápagos. The weather is quite dry in general. The air temperature is very cool and pleasant with clear skies in general. Long time resident Steve Divine reported that this is one of the driest years in memory even though we are on the tails of a major El Niño! (Earlier reports indicated rain up in the highlands as recently as 3 weeks ago.) In total though, there was very little garúa this season that the highland farmers count on. Visitors searching for Galápagos Tortoises will find them in abundance in the highlands of Santa Cruz with none of the usual mud to contend with.The massive die back of marine iguanas at Punta Espinoza, Fernandina is over. There are many carcasses still but the malnourished have died and the remaining are doing well. The algal beds are recovering too with the water temperature measured to be 69.3 degrees F. in the top 10 feet of the water column. One huge and presumably permanent change at Punta Espinoza is that the Ani is now the most prominent land bird! It is a recent arrival to the island and now that they also occur on Tower, they have managed to colonize the majority of the island chain.
As described last month, the blue footed boobies at North Seymour are gone except for a couple of nesting pairs. The island was overrun with rats and I speculate that the large mass of boobies that started to breed there might have lost their eggs and chicks to rat predation. Starting on November 24, the National Park Service started a large rat poisoning campaign. Visitors to the island will see red flags on many bushes indicating where the poison is being laid. The program will continue all week. There is no way to actually eradicate the rats but the "rat campaigns" have been very effective in the past in greatly reducing rat populations. The Magnificent Frigates (being tree nesters) are doing quite well though at North Seymour.Another disturbing trend is the number of goats seen at Tagus Cove, Isabela. There have been several herds seen on the hillsides from the shore and the interior trail. They are apparently utilizing several seeps of water that are running.
Penguins are still commonly being seen in significant numbers (10+) at Puerto Egas, Santiago. The penguins at Punta Espinoza, Fernandina are mostly in full molt and are found back in normal numbers. Large numbers of penguins (2 flocks of 12+ individuals) are being seen at Tagus Cove, Isabela.
The seas are generally calm with Southeast trades blowing. The water is about seasonal temperature (cool) The coastal areas are fairly dry (normal) with a bit of garua but not at all in normal amounts in the highlands.
All together, Galapagos has rejuvenated and the weather is excellent. As we approach the "normal hot season", one can see the warm water from the northeast coming down and the intense equatorial upwelling of cold water is abating.
One can watch the day by day changes of water temperature by checking sources such as sea surface temperature maps provided by NOAA. Also look at the looped images mirrored on this site for the development of El Niño and La Nina.
For specific island reports:
Nov 22 Tower -Prince Phillip Steps - amRed-Footed Boobies nesting but no eggs yet
Great Frigates with chicks around 5 weeks old
Large numbers of Masked Boobies with 2 eggs and some with newly hatched chicks along with the adults from an earlier breeding attempt with single chicks around 5 or 6 weeks
Only a few wedge rumped storm petrels
no short eared owls seen
water temp 76.5 degrees F.Nov 23- Punta Espinoza - Fernandina - am
Cormorant nests being abandoned as chicks are leaving the nest with adults
water temp 69 .3 degrees F.
Penguins in full molt (some finishing)Tagus Cove
Large numbers of penguins (2 flocks of ~12 individuals) 6 at cliff nesting spot with much long calling and mating
3 hawks
Lots of goats - 3 separate herds with more than 12 eachNov 28 North Seymour
Rat poison put out the day before - already fewer rats in evidence - at least 75 points on the trail with poison - only a few blue foots before with chicks
More sea-lions now , seem to be returningNov 26 Punta Cormorant
6 flamingos in the lagoon and 3 flying
numerous white checked pintails and stilts
no sting rays
East Pacific Gree Sea-turtles starting to nestNov 27 Punta Suarez
Male marine iguanas starting to turn to breeding colors
Masked boobies with just hatching chicks to 2 weeks old
very few blue footed boobies but several with single chicks of 3 weeks to a month
a dozen albatross at the visitor site and good dancing - no rafts floating but quite a few flying
