We could get surprisingly close to them, and while they let us approach, they called to tell us not to come any closer. We went closer to shore to investigate a family of sea lions. Within minutes our guide called out, “Frigatebird!” Again, I recognized the familiar angular wings and forked tail of a bird I’d only ever seen on the Galapagos Islands. Little did I know this wasn’t the only “Galapagos” wildlife I would see here on Isla Coronado. Now here we were, in Baja California, Mexico–only a two-hour flight from Los Angeles–seeing this rare bird. After the first glance at the boobies’ quick, agile flight and a closer look at their deep turquoise feet and beak, they became one of my favorite birds. Watching as the birds passed overhead, I recognized the boobies’ slim form and the turquoise shadow on their abdomen, proof that two bright blue feet were tucked up underneath the wings. It was a long and expensive journey from our home in Northern California, but it was worth it to see the unique Galapagos wildlife, many of which can only be found in this remote island chain. Last fall, I traveled to the Galapagos Islands, a group of islands off the Pacific Coast of Ecuador.

The boat, chartered through Wild Loreto Tours, was headed for Isla Coronado, one of the five Islands of Loreto that dot the coast along the Gulf of California. We were on a small speedboat, 30 minutes off the coast of Loreto, in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Our guide repeated the phrase, while pointing at a group of birds flying not far overhead. Blue-footed boobies? I thought I heard him wrong.

Tom bird - loreto, mexico