North Seymour

We spent this morning exploring North Seymour.  This is a rocky stretch of shoreline where one sometimes steps from lava boulder to boulder which can be a little tricky for clumsy people like me but the rewards are more than worth it.  North Seymour is the home to mammals, reptile and birds and is the nesting site for swallow tailed gulls, blue footed boobies and both magnificent and great frigate birds.  We were lucky enough to be here at the time of year when the nesting is in full swing.  It was absolutely incredible to see these amazing birds up close sitting on their nests and tending to their young.  Trails are well marked and one does not step off of them yet you are up close and personal with the animals.  At times the blue footed boobies were sitting in the middle of the trail and we had to move for them not the other way around.  Land iguanas sought out some shade at the base of the cactus and provided yet more entertainment. Sea lions sunned themselves on the rocks and for many this was their first close look at these creatures.  One was even on the side of the trail under a bush for shade. The landscape was very dry and the abundance of bird droppings almost gave it a snowy appearance in places.  Frigate young do not leave the nest for a year so one can imagine how it looks.

Desert dry

Blue Footed Boobies

Nesting Frigate

Young frigate birds

Land iguana 

Island "snow"

Baby sea lion

Crab sunning itself

Frigate wingspan