Like a magnet for life these islands are like massive hostels for transient bird populations stopping off for a meal and a bit of repose before heading on their way. If you are a bird don't expect to get an incredible amount of rest, this is definitely a certified party hostel.
Contorting into positions which leave one jealous as to their spinal flexibility, these sea lions shuffle awkwardly up the islands rock faces to find perches where they absorb sun and digest the fish filling their bellies. I was luck enough to arrive at a time when adolescents were taking their first adventurous plunges into the sea. Looks like a bit of a squabble might be going on here between two haughty females about child rearing practices.
A massive massive magnificent bird, these pelicans stand over four feet, and have almost a five foot wingspan, when in full extension. Their brightly colored beaks streak across the sky as they skim the surface of the water looking for a spot to dip their enormous ladles into the sea and scoop up an unsuspecting meal.
An archway carved by the sea in the soft limestone and sandstone covering the islands. In the right light the guano gives a frosty white encrusting aesthetic to the beautiful red and yellow of the rocks. The chatter of the birds sounds like a discordant chorus of life as the sky is filled with song and the swift darting of birds in every direction. Don't get too lost in the surreal beauty of this bastion of life supporting rock, pay attention for the hurtling projectiles falling from the sky.
After a bit of partying in Lima, I fled quickly, leaving the couch inducing smog of the city far behind me. My first stop was to a small town called Pisco (famously named for its role in originating the Peruvian liquor of the same name...a bit like a gin and sherry mix), where I embarked towards what is known as the "Poor Man's Galapagos", the Ballestas Islands. Also know as the guano islands, for it is estimated that at the time of European arrival there was close to 15 meters of guano covering the islands, most of which has been scraped away and used to fertilize the agricultural explosions of the 18th and 19th centuries. As you can see here, these Boobies still recognize the value of guano for constructing a cozy little nest...if only humans were able to use their waste for something so practical we would never need to visit Home Depot.
Like a magnet for life these islands are like massive hostels for transient bird populations stopping off for a meal and a bit of repose before heading on their way. If you are a bird don't expect to get an incredible amount of rest, this is definitely a certified party hostel.
Contorting into positions which leave one jealous as to their spinal flexibility, these sea lions shuffle awkwardly up the islands rock faces to find perches where they absorb sun and digest the fish filling their bellies. I was luck enough to arrive at a time when adolescents were taking their first adventurous plunges into the sea. Looks like a bit of a squabble might be going on here between two haughty females about child rearing practices. 
A massive massive magnificent bird, these pelicans stand over four feet, and have almost a five foot wingspan, when in full extension. Their brightly colored beaks streak across the sky as they skim the surface of the water looking for a spot to dip their enormous ladles into the sea and scoop up an unsuspecting meal.
An archway carved by the sea in the soft limestone and sandstone covering the islands. In the right light the guano gives a frosty white encrusting aesthetic to the beautiful red and yellow of the rocks. The chatter of the birds sounds like a discordant chorus of life as the sky is filled with song and the swift darting of birds in every direction. Don't get too lost in the surreal beauty of this bastion of life supporting rock, pay attention for the hurtling projectiles falling from the sky.
After a bit of partying in Lima, I fled quickly, leaving the couch inducing smog of the city far behind me. My first stop was to a small town called Pisco (famously named for its role in originating the Peruvian liquor of the same name...a bit like a gin and sherry mix), where I embarked towards what is known as the "Poor Man's Galapagos", the Ballestas Islands. Also know as the guano islands, for it is estimated that at the time of European arrival there was close to 15 meters of guano covering the islands, most of which has been scraped away and used to fertilize the agricultural explosions of the 18th and 19th centuries. As you can see here, these Boobies still recognize the value of guano for constructing a cozy little nest...if only humans were able to use their waste for something so practical we would never need to visit Home Depot.
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