Guanacos along the Road to Punta de Choros

These is a small portion of a larger herd of Guanacos. Guanacos are related to canals, llamas, and alpacas. This herd was spotted along the way to Punta de Choros, in Chile. Chilean Guanacos are unique in that they range down to the ocean, which is apparently atypical behavior for the species.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve - Choros Island in the Distance

Choros Island (Isla Choros) on the horizon, taken from Damas Island (Isla Damas). The wildlife photos that follow herein are were captured on the perimeter of Isla Choros. The flowers are from on Isla Domas.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Red-legged Cormorants #1

Red-legged Cormorant (Phalacrocorax gaimardi). Two nesting pairs with chicks. These birds mate for life.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve - Humbolt Penguins #1

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve - Humbolt Penguins #2

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Peruvian Boobies (Sula variegata)

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Red-legged Cormorants #2

Red-legged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi. Nesting pair with chicks.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Lions Resting #1

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Lions Resting #2

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Humboldt Penguin Path

A large colony of Humboldt penguins lives on Choros Island. During the day they fish in the waters around the island and dry themselves in the sun along the rocky shore. They nest at the top of the island, climbing up and down daily to protect themselves and their young from predatory sea otters. In this picture you can find at least four penguins making the trek down the rocky path.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Lions Resting #3

Sea lions - small, medium and large.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Otter #1

Sea otter in the water off the rocky shore of Choros Island.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Otter #2

This sea otter climbed out of the water and checked out the kelp on an out-crop of rock near the shore of Choros island.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Sea Lion #4

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Flocking Cormorants

This is a small fraction of the total number of cormorants that flocked here.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Bottle Nose Dolphins

There is a resident group of Bottle-nosed dolphins in the Humboldt Penguin Reserve. This pod swam near our boat to check us out.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Seascape #1

I like this view very much; in it one can see Choros Island in the foreground, On the point are thousands of cormorants. In the mid-ground is Isla Damas, the middle of three islands in the Humboldt Penguin Reserve; it is also accessible to people and has two beaches. In the distance, is the Chilean mainland several KM away with fog blanketing the coast. On the right, is a tour boat with about a dozen passengers - this will give a sense of scale...

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Seascape #2

The Chelean mainland looms in the distance under a blanket of fog. In the mid-ground is a rock outcrop that serves as a resting place for seabirds and mammals alike.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Choros - Seascape #3

I just like this view.

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Damas - Flowers and Hornet

It's mid-spring in Chile and the desert flowers are still blooming on Isla Damas. Here some kind of bee-like insect is collecting pollen. I don't know how to identify this flowers or insect - if any biologists want to solve this problem please contact me at martymurphy13(at)gmail.com

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Damas - Cactus Flower

I don't know how to identify this flower - if any biologists want to solve this problem please contact me at martymurphy13(at)gmail.com

Chilean National Humbolt Penguin Reserve Isla Damas - Purple Flower

I don't know how to identify this flower - if any biologists want to solve this problem please contact me at martymurphy13(at)gmail.com