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Santa Fe

Calendar of Natural Events in the Galapagos Islands

January

Max Temp: 28º C Min Temp: 22.8º C Hours of Clear Sky: 5.3 Sea Temp: 24.4º C
Warm marine currents arrive. The rainy season begins.
Land birds start nesting on Espanola, generally after the first rains.
The adult male marine iguanas become brightly colored. 
The green sea turtle arrives on the beaches of Galapagos to lay their eggs.
Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela. 
Water and air temperatures rise and stay warm until June. 
Ideal time for snorkeling .

February

Max Temp: 29.6º C Min Temp: 23.2º C Hours of Clear Sky: 7.5 Sea Temp: 25.2º C
On Floreana flamingos start nesting. 
White-cheeked pintails start their breeding season on Bahamas. 
Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season .
Marine iguanas begin nestin on Santa Cruz. 
Highest water temperature reaches 25°C (77°F) and remains until April.
Galapagos dove's nesting season reaches its peak.

March

Max Temp: 30.6º C  Min Temp: 22.7º C Hours of Clear Sky: 6.0 Sea Temp: 24.9º C
Water temperature reaches its max. Peak of the rainy season.
Sporadic tropical rains and intense sun. Air temperature reach their max, up to 30°C (86°F) .
Marine iguanas begin nesting on Fernandina at the summer equinox, March 21, and the waved albatross arrive to Española. 

April

Max Temp: 29.5º C Min Temp: 22.7º C Hours of Clear Sky: 7.5 Sea Temp: 25.0º C
Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española.Their courship starts. 
Hatching season ends for gigant tortoises. 
Green sea turtles' eggs begin to hatch. 
Land iguanas hatch on Isabela .

May

Max Temp: 27.9º C Min Temp: 22.1º C Hours of Clear Sky: 5.2 Sea Temp: 24.5º C 
North Seymour's blue-footed boobies begin their courtship. 
Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant and Puerto Egas. 
Palo santo trees begin to shed their foliage. 
Albatross on Española start laying their eggs. 
Band-rumped storm petrels begin their first nesting period .

June

Max Temp: 26.0º C Min Temp: 19.1º C Hours of Clear Sky: 4.4 Sea Temp: 23.1º C
Beginning of the dry season. 
Giant tortoises migrate from highlands to lowlands for.
suitable nesting places. 
Beginning of nesting season of giant tortoises.

July

Max Temp: 24.2º C Min Temp: 19.8º C Hours of Clear Sky: 2.8 Sea Temp: 22.0º C
Sea birds are active, especially blue-footed boobies on Española.
Flightless cormorants court and nest on Fernandina. 
It´s possible to find oyster catchers nesting on Puerto Egas. 
Lava lizards initiate mating rituals until November. 
Whales are more likely to be observed, especially off the Western coast of Isabela.

August

Max Temp: 24.2º C Min Temp: 19.1º C Hours of Clear Sky: 3.3 Sea Temp: 21.5º C
The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago. 
Masked boobies and swallow-tailed gulls nest on Genovesa. 
Temperature of the ocean descends to 18° C (64°F) which obviously varies according to the geographic zones among the islands. 
Migrant shore birds start to arrive, and stay on the islands until March. 
Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz.

September

Max Temp: 24.3º C Min Temp: 19.9º C Hours of Clear Sky: 2.9 Sea Temp: 21.8º C
Peak of the dry season. 
The air temperature reaches its lowest (19°C - 66°F). 
Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolomé until December.
Sea lions are very active, specially in the western and central areas of the Archipelago.
Most species of marine birds remain active at their nesting sites.

October

Max Temp: 25.3º C Min Temp: 19.5º C Hours of Clear Sky: 3.8 Sea Temp: 22.3º C
Lava herons nest until March. 
The Galápagos fur seals begin their mating period .
Boobies raise their chicks on Española. 
Giant tortoises still lay their eggs. 

November

Max Temp: 25.8º C Min Temp: 20.4º C Hours of Clear Sky: 3.5  Sea Temp: 23.0º C 
Sea lion pups are born. 
Sea lions are sexually active on the Eastern part of the Archipelago.
Breeding season of brown noddies. 
Band-rumped storm petrels begin their second nesting period.

December
Max Temp: 26.7º C Min Temp: 20.9º C Hours of Clear Sky: 4.0 Sea Temp: 23.3º C
Hatching of the gigant tortoise's eggs begins and lasts until April.
Green sea turtles display their mating behavior. 
The warm season begins and all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves. 
Galapagos "turns green". The first young albatross fledge. 

 

 

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