Camera critter photos never grow old

These photos were taken on our first major trip,  which was to Ecuador and the amazing Galapagos Islands, but photos of their critters are always fun to see.

Kay Davies photos

First, we have two red-footed boobies nesting near one another. From a distance, they are fairly well camouflaged by their brown feathers, but their blue beaks and red feet sometimes let visitors know they are there. However, the only predator on the islands is the Galapagos Hawk, so the birds and animals aren't afraid of people.

Nevertheless, the click of my camera made this mother-to-be check to make sure her egg was still safe.

All that work to get a baby who will look like this! Isn't this little fella cute?

And here is a face only a mother could love. This marine iguana goes into the ocean to dine on seaweed salad, but comes back onto the land to warm up again because he's a cold-blooded animal. Marine iguanas can often be seen in a large pile, but they haven't been thrown into the trash, they're just dog-piling for warmth. Maybe a few more iguanas climbed onto this guy after we took our photo. We were there in late November and early December, so you can see the red coloring starting to show on the iguana's black skin. Ecuadorians call them "Christmas Iguanas"!

The critter below is the poster child of the Galapagos Islands. Although Charles Darwin spent most of his time researching birds, he also devoted much of it to the Giant Tortoises. Did you know tortoises evolved differently depending upon which island they inhabited? Their shells had openings of different sizes and shapes, according to their different needs.

My husband took this photo of me talking to one of the tortoises at the Darwin Research Center, but I wasn't feeding it. There are very strict rules about the amount of interaction tourists are allowed with the animals and birds, some of whom are endangered species. Here, I'm just getting this big fella's attention.

Richard Schear photo

Posted for Misty Dawn's Camera Critters

Thanks, Misty!