2025 Galapagos | AnneBeltonPhotos

At the end of October 2025 I flew to Quito to start a 6 day birding trip with Ecuador Birding Journeys to the Galapagos. This was a land based tour, staying on 3 different islands. The weather was not good, rained almost everyday, but the temperature was comfortable.

Day 1, Oct 30 - flew from Quito into San Cristobal

First birds - Blue-footed Booby and Magnificent Frigatebird

Sea Lions were everywhere, on the streets, paths, beaches and even on the park benches. Had to look where you were going to not trip on one - they bite!

San Cristobal Mockingbird

Ground Finch - small, medium or large? - this one is probably small, but it is difficult for me to tell - they are very similar!

I was hoping for a lot of seafood - prawns done in a variety of ways was the main meal on the menus. it was delicious!

Galapagos Flycatcher

Sea Lion seems to be having words with the Lava Gull

Ruddy Turnstone

Day 2 - Oct 31 - walked down to the docks, where we boarded a charter boat to take us to Espanola Island - a 2 hour trip.

Brown Pelican

Swallow-tailed Gull

Hike from Punta Suarez

Blue-footed Booby

Swallow-tailed Gull

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Nazca Booby

Ruddy Turnstone

Waved Albatross with chick

Small Ground Finch

Galapagos Dove

Galapagos Shearwater

Espanola Ground Finch

Waved Albatross

Waved Albatross

Red-billed Tropicbird

Waved Albatross

Espanola Mockingbird

American Oystercatcher

Whimbrel

Lava Heron

In the afternoon a few people went snorkeling from the boat.

Day 3 - Nov 1 - early morning walk to the docks to catch a ferry to Santa Cruz Island - a 2 1/2 hour trip. We walked to the Charles Darwin Research Centre and along the coastline just out of the town.

Common Cactus-Finch

Medium Ground Finch

Brown Noddy

Small Ground Finch

Yellow Warbler

Smooth-billed Ani

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Lava Heron

Medium Ground Finch

Medium Ground Finch

Galapagos Mockingbird

Medium Ground Finch

Medium Ground Finch

Galapagos Flycatcher

Common Cactus Finch

Dark-billed Cuckoo

Ruddy Turnstone

Disclaimer - Finches - I am guessing at identifying them, very difficult to distinguish one from another and especially as there are hybrids!! If there are mistakes please let me know..

Galapagos Honey Carpenter Bee

Day 4 - Nov 2 - Early morning start with a box breakfast. Drove to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island.

Woodpecker Finch

Woodpecker Finch

Small Tree-Finch

Galapagos Flycatcher

Green Warbler-Finch

Common Gallinule

Medium Ground Finch

Small Tree-Finch

Smooth-billed Ani

Vegetarian Finch

White-cheeked Pintail

Raspberries have become a problem after they were planted as a crop, but have spread and taken over from native plants.

Medium Ground Finch

Galapagos Barn Owl

Nov 3- Day 5 - early morning speedboat transfer to Isabela Island - 2 1/2 hours. Walk through Mangroves and visit to Love Point Beach

Hotel Starfish

Common Cactus Finch

Blue-footed Booby

American Flamingo

This fellow looks as if he is up to no good!!

Medium Tree Finch

Woodpecker Finch

Brujo Flycatcher - in the rain

Black-bellied Plover or Grey Plover

Paint-billed Crake

Black-necked Stilt

Nov 4 - Day 6 - Drove up to the highlands of Isabela Island, exploring the forests at this elevation. In the afternoon walked in mangroves and along beaches.

Yellow Warbler (Mangrove)

Galapagos mouse - looks like he might have a tumor or something on his head or maybe he was just wet - it was raining!

Cattle Egret

The Blue-footed Boobies are such fun to watch - they seem to fish in pairs, synchronized to dive at the same time - they must eat the fish before surfacing as I didn't see one come up with anything. Of course I took hundreds of photos, here are 3 of the best sequences.