Marty’s photo of the day #5037: As the largest species of parrotfish, humphead parrotfish can reach 4 feet-long and weigh 100 pounds. A single humphead parrotfish can produce up to 200 pounds of sand a year by digesting coral and excreting it, helping to create tropical beaches. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
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Tag: Galapagos Islands
Sea Lion or Sea Dog
Marty’s photo of the day #5036: Some people call sea lions “sea dogs,” because they are so doglike. No matter what anyone calls them, they put a smile on my face. This rather artsy photo is of a Galapagos sea lion. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Juvenile Lava Heron
Marty’s photo of the day #5035: This pretty bird is a juvenile lava heron (aka Galapagos heron). Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.
The Beachmaster
Marty’s photo of the day #5028: The beachmaster. . . . The Galapagos sea lion version of the current president of the United States—only smarter and more stable. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Nazca Booby
Marty’s photo of the day #5025: This is a Nazca booby. Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.
That Huge Front Claw
Marty’s photo of the day #5024: This is a Galapagos land iguana. The species can weigh up to 25 pounds and live up to 60 years. I can’t stop staring at that huge front claw! (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Easter Sea Lion
Marty’s photo of the day #5009: And then the Easter Sea Lion delivered shiny blue fish to all the pups in the sea. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Attempting to Pick Up a Hot Chick
Marty’s photo of the day #5007: This is a male magnificent frigatebird, hoping to pick up a hot chick. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
One Huge Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Marty’s photo of the day #5006: With this photo, I tried to capture just how big Galapagos giant tortoises are. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Juvenile Swallow-tailed Gull Cuteness
Marty’s photo of the day #5005: Here’s a little cuteness for your Wednesday: a juvenile swallow-tailed gull. (Photographed earlier this year in the Galapagos Islands.)
Galapagos Whimbrel
Marty’s photo of the day #5004: With all the exotic species, exclusive to the Galapagos Islands, it’s easy to overlook other species, such as this whimbrel, which are just passing through. These birds can fly nonstop over the ocean for 2,500 miles or more. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
The Amazing Marine Iguana
Marty’s photo of the day #5003: Marine iguanas are the only lizard that feeds in the ocean—evolving to eat algae. They can hold their breath for up to thirty minutes and dive down to nearly fifty feet. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
A King Angelfish for No Kings Day
Marty’s photo of the day #5002: Today is No Kings Day! Well, except for this king angelfish, which has more integrity in its anal fin than that whiny-little-bitch-participation-trophy king has ever had. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Blue-chin Parrotfish
Marty’s photo of the day #5001: This is a blue-chin parrotfish, and it grows to 30 inches in length. Like all parrotfish, it has two sets of teeth. The first set is fused into a beak that allows it to crush coral to feed on algae. The second set is in its throat, which grinds […]
Artsy Sea Lion
Marty’s photo of the day #5000: Today, I’ve hit 5,000 photos of the day. I haven’t gone artsy for a while, so here’s an artsy photo of a Galapagos sea lion. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Push-ups for Defense
Marty’s photo of the day #4999: San Cristobal lava lizard males defend their territories by performing rapid push-ups to warn their rivals. If their displays fail, they will engage in physical combat. And despite what Annie Savoy said to Nuke Laloosh in the movie Bull Durham, the lava lizards of the Galapagos Islands cannot breathe […]
Photographing a Nazca Booby in Flight
Marty’s photo of the day #4998: Photographing a Nazca booby in flight is tricky. They are agile in the air, cruising at 25 miles-per-hour and diving at 60 miles-per-hour. Ultimately, I ended up deleting many photos of the empty sky. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Darwin’s Finches
Marty’s photo of the day #4997: On the Galapagos Islands, Darwin’s finches (more closely related to tanagers than true finches) are special because they helped Charles Darwin formulate his theory of evolution by natural selection. There are 13 to 18 recognized species (depending on who’s counting) on the islands, with the key differences being the […]
One of the Great Faces of the Galapagos Islands
Marty’s photo of the day #4995: One of the great faces of the Galapagos Islands. This is a marine iguana.
Cactus Flower
Marty’s photo of the day #4992: In recent weeks, I have been featuring the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. I’m taking a brief break from that theme to feature some of the plant life on the islands. Here’s a cactus flower. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)



















