Here’s another raptor. This time a Galápagos hawk from Rabida Island in the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. As with most of the wildlife on the islands, there is a lack of fear of human visitors. The animals seem to be more curious than anything else, or they just ignore the fact that you are even there. This guy fell into the former camp. He was bobbing his head left and right, checking me out while I captured a series of tight headshots.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second

Blue-footed boobies are probably the most iconic animal of the Galapagos Islands. The bright blue feet are actually used by the males to attract the ladies. They engage in an elaborate dance, lifting their feet up and down in an attempt to look more suitable for mating. Best feet, best dance, best chance of passing that brilliant blue on to the next generation.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/5000th of a second

Just a photo of two simple gulls sitting on their coral-y nest. But if I do say, they have spectacular eye rings. And the one looking at camera adds a nice bit of attitude. They are swallow-tailed gulls and they were photographed on Genovesa Island in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/320th of a second

Here’s another fine looking bird from South America. This time, the cloud forest of Ecuador. Just one of many beautiful tanagers from that part of the world.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 250mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second

This is one of the giant owl butterflies in the genus Caligo — perhaps the Caligo illioneus or the Calico eurilochus. They get their name from the big owl eye-like markings on the underside of the their wings. When motionless on a branch, would-be predators think twice when they see the giant eye staring back at them. I photographed this one in the cloud forest of Ecuador and was lucky to get the wings slightly open to reveal the blue on the top side of the wings.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105 macro lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/125th of a second

This Nazca booby chick looked like a pile of cotton with a beak. The Nazca is one of three different species of booby that I photographed while in the Galapagos Islands. The other two being the blue footed and the red footed boobies.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second

I usually don’t post on holidays, but today is my Dad’s birthday. And it’s a big one. But Dad, take heart in knowing that you’re nothing compared to one of these guys — the Gálapagos giant tortoise. The oldest ever, lived in captivity for 176 years. You might not make it that far, but at the rate you’re going you’re sure to give it a good shot. Enjoy the day. And as I always say, no matter how old you get, you’ll always be younger than you’ll ever be.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second

Marine iguanas were my favorite animal that we encountered in the Galápagos Islands. They were on every island that we visited but were slightly different in size and color depending upon which island the species evolved on. They spend most of the day lounging on the black lava rock of the majority of the islands, but head out to sea when they want to eat the vegetation found beneath the surface of the water.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/4000th of a second

In honor of Prince, I’m going to make this an all purple week, starting with this hummingbird — a velvet purple coronet. I took this one in the cloud forest of Ecuador, and the flash really brings out the iridescence in the wings. Without flash, they appear almost black. You can see a nice bit of purple just below the throat.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units

I know invertebrates aren’t everyone’s favorite, but for the bug lovers out there, here’s a hercules beetle I photographed in the cloud forest of Ecuador, not too far from Quito. These guys are really big. Hard to tell scale, but this one was about six inches long.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 1600, f/8 at 1/60th of a second