Santa Cruz and Quito (Galapagos and Ecuador) - 25th and 26th August (Day 12-13)

This was our final birding day on the Galapagos islands and we had few targets left - only one gettable endemic that we had not yet seen. We packed our bags after our final night on the Nemo III and the staff transferred us to Santa Cruz where we boarded our bus which was to stay with us for the day. We birded from north to south across the island feeling quite sad about having said goodbye to the Nemo III and her crew. Our first stop was at the main rock quarry in the centre of the island just off the E5 road where we were hoping for better views of Small Vermillion Flycatcher but with no luck. This has clearly declined from what was once quite a common bird to a scarce and difficult species. Highlights here were Galapagos Flycatcher, Galapagos Mockingbird, Vegetarian Finch and Cactus Finch but there were also large numbers of Small Ground-finch, Medium Ground-finch and Small Tree-finch which were highly responsive to pishing coming in to close quarters in small flocks.

Medium Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Small Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Small Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Vegetarian Finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Woodpecker Finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Green Warbler-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Mockingbird - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Flycatcher - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Yellow Warbler - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

The liverwort Frullania aculeata - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

We then headed to Ranch Media Luna for Galapagos Crake on the flanks of Cerro Crocker in the islands central highlands. The moderately steep trail here was wet, muddy and birdless and it was difficult to maintain enthusiasm. We realised how wet the central highlands could be as we trudged along a difficult trail in near constant fog, rain or drizzle. Forrest trawled for the crake with his recordings but there was no response, we got wetter and a little more despondent. Eventually at last there was a response and after a short wait I saw a head appear in the trail side vegetation, at last Galapagos Crake and most of the group got onto it. We headed further up the trail and had good views of at least three other birds with a further three or so birds calling. The best was a bird that Sarah found right next to the trail and some of us had views of this bird down to a few metres as it skulked in the undergrowth. Happy with our views and with all of the possible endemics in the bag we slipped our way back down the hill towards the bus.

Yellow Warbler  - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Green Warbler-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Crake - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Crake - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Small Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Small Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Flycatcher - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

After lunch we headed to Rancho El Chato where in a lava tunnel were two roosting Barn Owl of the distinctive subspecies punctatissima. Here we also visited the tortoise sanctuary and enjoyed amazing views of these fantastic beasts as they roamed the forests and grasslands here. We spent the last couple of hours at the Charles Darwin Centre just outside of Puerto Ayora learning about the conservation of the islands. Here we also saw Cactus Finch, Vegetarian Finch and Lava Gull. Finally, we visited the stuffed body, held in a glass case, of the last remaining tortoise from Pinta Island known affectionately as Lonesome George - the last of his kind. We then headed into the thronging tourist centre of Puerto Ayora on the south coast of the island, it was strange to be back to 'civilisation' after spending so much time on Nemo III and on uninhabited islands.  We stayed in the very pleasant Ikala Hotel and were able to spread out in a Queen-sized bed. We went out to dinner in the town and then to an American style beer bar before a relatively late night to bed at 23:00.

Barn Owl of subspecies punctatissima - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Barn Owl of subspecies punctatissima - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Barn Owl of subspecies punctatissima - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Giant Tortoise - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Tobias with Galapagos Giant Tortoise - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Giant Tortoise - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Giant Tortoise - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Lava Lizard - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Large Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Small Ground-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Common Cactus-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Common Cactus-finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Vegetarian Finch - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Galapagos Giant Tortoise - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Our navigation around the Galapagos Islands

The 26th August was almost entirely a travelling day, we awoke at our hotel in Puerto Ayora at 06:00 and headed for a 07:00 breakfast and after packing boarded our bus for the one hour drive to the ferry terminal for the short crossing to Baltra Island seeing a few of the now familiar seabirds that inhabit the shoreline of Galapagos. Boarding the public bus on Baltra Island we had a short journey to the airport enjoying the last of the volcanic landscape. After a smooth check and then playing with the Medium Ground-finch and Small Ground-finch that inhabit the airport cafe, we boarded our 11:15 flight direct to Quito arriving in the city at 14:30, a two hour flight, Quito being one hour ahead of Galapagos. We transferred to the Wyndham Hotel only 10 minutes from the airport and spent the rest of the day relaxing in the hotel.

Small Ground-finch and Medium Ground-finch have even adapted to taking scraps from plates in the airport on Santa Cruz

List of Birds Recorded in Galapagos
We recorded 70 species 34 of which were ticks for me (shown in bold). Birds of the trip for me were  Waved Albatross and Swallow-tailed Gull.

White-cheeked Pintail
American Flamingo
Red-billed Tropicbird
Galapagos Dove
Smooth-billed Ani
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Galapagos Rail
Paint-billed Crake
American Coot
Common Gallinule
Galapagos Penguin
White-vented Storm-petrel
Band-rumped Storm-petrel
Wedge-rumped Storm-petrel
Markham's Storm-petrel
White-faced Storm-petrel
Waved Albatross
Galapagos Petrel
Galapagos Shearwater
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Green-backed Heron
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Brown Pelican
Great Frigatebird
Magnificent Frigatebird
Red-footed Booby
Blue-footed Booby
Nazca Booby
Flightless Cormorant
American Oystercatcher
Black-winged Stilt
Grey Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Red Phalarope
Spotted Sandpiper
Wandering Tattler
Brown Noddy
Swallow-tailed Gull
Lava Gull
Common Barn-owl
Short-eared Owl
Galapagos Hawk
Galapagos Flycatcher
Little Vermilion Flycatcher
Galapagos Martin
Floreana Mockingbird
Galapagos Mockingbird
Espanola Mockingbird
San Cristobal Mockingbird
American Yellow Warbler
Grey Warbler-finch
Green Warbler-finch
Vegetarian Finch
Large Tree-finch
Medium Tree-finch
Small Tree-finch
Woodpecker Finch
Small Ground-finch
Medium Ground-finch
Genovesa Ground-finch
Large Ground-finch
Espanola Cactus-finch
Common Cactus-finch
Genovesa Cactus-finch

Links to Other Days of the Trip (Click to View)

14th August (Day 1) – International flight to Quito.
15th August (Day 2) – Mashpi Lodge.
16th August (Day 3) –Mashpi Lodge.
17th August (Day 4) – Mashpi Lodge and transfer to Quito.
18th August (Day 5) – Fly to from Quito to Galapagos Islands. Then sail to North Seymour Island.
19th August (Day 6) – Genovesa Island, Galapagos.
20th August (Day 7) – North-west Isabela Island and Fernandina Island, Galapagos. 
21st August (Day 8) – South-east Isabela Island, Galapagos.
22nd August (Day 9) – Espanola Island, Galapagos. 
23rd August (Day 10) – Floreana Island and Champion Island, Galapagos. 
24th August (Day 11) – San Cristobal Island and Sante Fe Island, Galapagos. 
25th August (Day 12) – Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos.
26th August (Day 13) – Fly Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos to Quito. 
27th August (Day 14) – Antisana Ecological Reserve then fly Quito to London.