Origins

2009 is the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species (24 November 1859) and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth (12 February 1809).

I have hundreds of images in my head. Red balloon-chested frigatebirds soaring overhead, a playful vermilion flycatcher putting on a show as we hiked a wooded trail,  and brightly colored sally lightfoot crabs climbing around on dark lava rocks full of marine iguanas, pictures of giant Galapagos land turtles creeping about or lolling in a muddy green pond, an Espanola mockingbird pecking at my water bottle, pilot whales splashing in the ocean, and a bright yellow mangrove warbler bouncing around on branches inches away. These are excerpts from my memories; a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

It was a celebration of marriage, a passion for the outdoors, and a respect and love of Darwin's discoveries brought forth in the publication of the Origins of species that brought Nate and I to these islands.  A book that changed the world when it was published in England over 150 years ago. A book that has been claimed as "the most important book ever written". A book, and a man, that altered how scientist look at the natural world and continues to frame biological research today. In celebration of Darwins accomplishments, I want to share some of my memories of my trip to these islands.

A favorite memory, is the dancing and diving blue-footed boobies. Either to attract a mate, or courting one, a male booby will raise one brilliantly colored web foot and then the other. There was no question that he was proud of his most distinguishing feature. When there was a pair together, they would touch their large bills together and strut around with their tails pointed to the sky.

The blue-footed boobies would fish near the shore. On one morning, Nate and I stood on a beach and watched a couple of dozen of them dive in unison – over and over again. They would lift off together after a dive, circle a time or two from a height of 50 to 75 feet or so, then point their bills downward, fold their wings in tight and splash down. Disappearing for a few seconds beneath the water before bobbing back up; with or without a fish.  Then they would do it all over again. I watched in fascination while Nate snapped pictures; trying to document the intesity of which they fished. We were reluctant to leave.

Another favorite memory was the moment I fell in love with the naked lava fields of a young island.  Each of the Galapagos islands begin life as a blank black canvas of lava; slowly painted by drifters of sea and air. I walked across one of these black canvases of only 700,000 years. Fernandina, was nothing more than a flat expanse of black lava. A large volcano loomed off in the distance; so far away it appeared almost a part of mist and sky. A few pioneer plants sparsely littered the hard crusted lava feild;  taken root in a small crease where wind had, perhaps, blown in earth from the mainland.


As we continued, we saw pockets of wetlands, formed from collapsed lava tubes, within an abundance of life would bloom. These holes, surrounded by green plant life, were centered with a clear blue, shallow pond. A world within a world containing the soft pinks of Greater flamingos, the graceful white of snowy egrets, the bold and cheerful yellow of mangrove warblers, and floating white-checked pintails. A young island who's story is just beginning.

  Other favorite memories are a sea lion's playful attack, White-tipped sharks appearing out of know where to only disappear shortly there after, a sea turtle slowly glides by,  swimming with a flightless cormorant, and amazing views where the deep blue color of sky and ocean meet black lava. A place where you can imitating a blue footed boobies mating dance, lifting one foot after the other, only to have it repeat it back to you,  listen to Lava gulls echo locate, and wait for the silvery flash of a flying fish. .The Galapagos is an interactive world where everything happens in close-up detail; where every curiosity is within reach.


The Galapagos are amazing islands but evolution did not stop with the writing of Origins by Charles Darwin.  It is still happening  today and it has been documented by scientists everywhere. My favorite account, is of  two scientist, natural selection through changing weather patterns, a finch species, over thirty years of reaserch, and a desert island in the heart of the Galapagos.*  You can read their account in The Beak of a Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time. Its full of sciency stuff without getting too dry. Another story is a warbler species who is changing from its parent population due to bird feeders.** This change been observed through changing migratory patterns, changing DNA, and measurable physical changes. This story can be read here, but its harder to read since it is written in conversation form.*** The last account, I wanted to share, I can not remember**** but it was a really cool story about a bird in South America.  Well thats my spill for the day..... I best be off to work.


*No this is no the beginning of a joke.


** Thats right, bird feeders.


*** but its shorter and you do not have to go to the library or purchase it off Amazon (or borrow it from me) to read it.


**** I hate forgetting. It sucks!