Frigatebirds and North Seymour Island

As we rode the ferry across the Itabaca Channel, frigatebirds were one of the first birds we saw. They seem to be everywhere. They soar above the islands, their distinctive silhouettes making them easy to identify.  

Although we saw frigatebirds before boarding our ship, we got really up close and personal with them on North Seymour Island on the first afternoon of our cruise.  North Seymour Island is just north of Baltra Island (where the airport is) and was the first site we visited. We didn’t know what, exactly, to expect. We were in awe at what we saw there: the island was teeming with nesting, mating, and chick-rearing frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies (more on them later).