![Giant_Tortoise"](javascript:iwin("apr16-1712.jpg",
"Giant_Land_Tortoise_at_CDRS",800,600))
Giant Land Tortoise at CDRS
Wake up at 0630 with breakfast from 0700-0800 followed by landing at Puerta Ayora on Santa Cruz Island for visit to Charles Darwin Research Station. After a short bus ride we got to the CDRS where we saw adult Giant Land Tortoise as well as hatchlings which are taken to their islands of origin when old enough as well as Land Iguanas.... Lonesome George lived here (d. 2012) - he was thought to be at least 100 years old and was the last of his particular species left - a species peculiar to the island he came from. Georgina and Georgette lived with Lonesome George in hopes he'd remember how to reproduce some one of these years; alas, that never happened.
In the morning we saw Lava Gull, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Yellow Warbler, Cattle Egret, Galapagos Mockingbird, Warbler Finch and Smooth-billed Ani.
![Santa Cruz: Puerto Ayora](javascript:iwin("0apr16-map1-1739.jpg","Santa_Cruz:_Puerto_Ayora",
600,800))
Santa Cruz: Puerto Ayora
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![Puerto Ayora](javascript:iwin("apr16-1708.jpg","Puerto_Ayora",
800,600))
Puerto Ayora
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![Española Tortoise](javascript:iwin("apr16-1716.jpg","Española_Tortoise",
800,600))
Española Tortoise
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![Pair of Tortoises](javascript:iwin("apr16-1715.jpg","Pair_of_Tortoises",
800,600))
Pair of Tortoises
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![Baby Tortoise - eating](javascript:iwin("apr16-1722.jpg","Baby_Tortoise-eating",
800,600))
Baby Tortoise - eating
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![Giant Tortoises](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_14.jpg","Giant_Tortoises",
384,256))
Giant Tortoises
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![Giant Tortoise](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_15.jpg","Giant_Tortoise",
768,512))
Giant Tortoise
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![Lonesome George with Georgina or Georgette](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_16.jpg","Lonesome_George",
768,623))
Lonesome George with Georgina or Georgette
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![Galapagos Mockingbird](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_09.jpg","Galapagos_Mockingbird",
800,529))
Galapagos Mockingbird
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![Ground Finch](javascript:iwin("apr16-018_29.jpg","Ground_Finch",
569,411))
Ground Finch
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![Entering Land Iguana country](javascript:iwin("apr16-1717.jpg","Entering_Land_Iguana_country",
752,900))
Entering Land Iguana country
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![Land Iguana](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_10.jpg","Land_Iguana",
800,623))
Land Iguana
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![Land Iguana](javascript:iwin("apr16-018_26.jpg","Land_Iguana",
587,477))
Land Iguana
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![Galapagos_Mockingbird](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_11.jpg","Galapagos_Mockingbird",
551,795))
Galapagos Mockingbird
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![Galapagos Mockingbird](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_12.jpg","Galapagos_Mockingbird",
768,512))
Galapagos Mockingbird
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![Galapagos Mockingbird](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_13.jpg","Galapagos_Mockingbird",
768,512))
Galapagos Mockingbird
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![](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_17.jpg","$xapr16-923_17.jpg",
791,481))
Yellow Warbler. |
![Puerto_Ayora Harbor](javascript:iwin("apr16-1724.jpg","Puerto_Ayora_Harbor",
800,600))
Puerto Ayora Harbor
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![Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, and Lava Gull in Puerto Ayora](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_18.jpg","_Lava_Gull,_Brown_Pelican,_and_Great_Blue_Heron",
800,477))
Lava Gull, Brown Pelican, and Great Blue Heron in Puerto Ayora
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Following the CDRS visit we walked back through town (t-shirts, etc.) and got on the bus for a ride to "Altair" - a highland restaurant. A swimming pool here which we took advantage of and then a grilled chicken dinner. On the bus again to a farm where we saw 3 Giant Tortoise in the wild. One was said to weigh at least 400 lbs.! Watermelon served here for those who wished. Then bus to "Los Gemelos" (pair of volcanic pit craters) and birding.
In the afternoon we saw Woodpecker Finch (hard to find usually), Large Ground Finch, Medium Ground Finch, Tree Finch, Warbler Finch but missed finding a Vermillion Flycatcher.
![Santa Cruz: Interior](javascript:iwin("0apr16-map2-1740.jpg","Santa_Cruz:_Interior",
800,597))
Santa Cruz: Interior
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![Altair](javascript:iwin("apr16-1725.jpg","Altair",
800,600))
Altair
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![Giant Tortoise](javascript:iwin("apr16-018_18.jpg","Giant_Tortoise",
768,512))
Giant Tortoise
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![Giant Tortoise](javascript:iwin("apr16-1728.jpg","Giant_Tortoise",
600,800))
Giant Tortoise
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![Smooth-billed Ani](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_20.jpg","Smooth-billed_Ani",
800,611))
Smooth-billed Ani
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![Darwin Finch](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_21.jpg","Darwin_Finch",
468,574))
Darwin Finch
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![Caldera at Los Gemelos](javascript:iwin("apr16-1737.jpg","Caldera",
800,600))
Caldera at Los Gemelos
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![MJ at Los Gemelos](javascript:iwin("apr16-923_25.jpg","MJ_at_Los_Gemelos",
512,768))
MJ at Los Gemelos
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Daily Expedition Report for April 16
On to April 17 (Genovesa (Tower) Island: Darwin Bay and Prince Phillips' Steps
