March 4, 1998

 

My last trip to Galápagos included a Total Solar Eclipse in which El Niño decided not to interfere! The general weather patterns in Galápagos are continuing to be affected by El Niño though. Daytime temperatures are around 90 degrees F. with intermittent showers. The showers can be quite localized and seem to occur mainly in the late afternoon around 4pm. The days are quite cloudy (patchy cumulous) with overcast in the evening.

Water temperatures continue to be abnormally high. In the western islands the surface temperature is about 85 degrees. The central island temperatures are averaging even higher, up to 87.5 degrees.

The blue footed boobies are not nesting anywhere that I have seen. You do see groups of them roosting and feeding around the islands. Marine Iguanas which are frequently some of the worst casualties of El Niño are showing the effects. The colonies at Puerto Egas are doing rather poorly with quite a few starving. The Fernandina colony seems to be fairing better even the water temperatures are even more anomalous there. There are skinny ones and dead ones at Fernandina but no whole scale die back yet.

There were more fur seals seen this week at Puerto Egas but not in their usual numbers. The young migrant birds are still working the grottos and the usual Lava Herons and American Oystercatchers are doing OK. Sea lion populations are reduced everywhere. South Plaza still has the largest population of the visitor sites with most pups looking healthy. Still, in general, pups are looking skinny island-wide.

North Seymour still has groups of displaying Magnificent Frigates which is encouraging. There are also still frigate chicks being raised. The surf at North Seymour is some of the highest that I have ever seen there. Beautiful curling breakers that must have been at least 15 feet high on Feb 25 at low tide!

Snorkeling is still phenomenal. The water temperatures and water clarity make for great conditions. The “tropical fish” are still at most snorkeling sites in abundance. The Sea Stars at Isla Tortuga near Española (Gardner Bay) have all but disappeared and the sandy side of the island has been covered with brown algae. The main considerations to be taken in snorkeling now are that the swell directions are changed in many sites.

There were 80 Greater Flamingos at Punta Cormorant on Feb 24 and the conditions in the lagoon seem to be good. 3 penguins were also seen on this day at the beach. Finches on most islands are doing well. The population at Caleta Tagus is still higher than in previous years. Some of the relative proportions are a bit different now. For example, most finches observed at Española are Large Cactus Finches with relatively few Warbler Finches. Also at Tagus, most finches are Medium Ground Finches and very few Yellow Warblers.

All of the observations above are obviously general impressions. The state of health of an animal and their numbers are not always that easy to judge. These are my impressions as frequent observer though.