2013-04-04

【Aiden in English】

        North Seymour Island was formed through a series of uplifts of lava that originally erupted underwater because marine fossils were discovered on its plateau surrounded by low cliffs. These sporadic uplifts took more than a million years to bring the island to its present level, and it is now home to abundant and diverse wildlife.

        After lunch, we lined up for deep-sea snorkeling around North Seymour Island. My partner was another boy named Xander from California, US. He looked enthusiastic in my age bracket and had a sense of humor. We knew each other through jokes. Once on shore excursions, we shared new jokes, talked about our school life, and made fun of video games.  

        Before we knew it, we were jumping over the Zodiac's sides to the Pacific Ocean. Numerous fish-populated boulders were covered with algae, sea urchins, cucumbers, and slipper lobsters.  

        A fur seal jumped into the cool water and followed us, scaring off the fish.  

        After it got boring, we saw a school of fish come back. Scythe butterflyfish of all sizes paraded out of cracks while giant damselfish slowly swam along the rocks. Bullseye puffer floated luxuriously, and trumpetfish darted casually among tiny pilotfish. A white-tipped reef shark then came into view, making several people scream. We ended it with four reef cornet fish dashing around.  

        After quickly changing clothes, we headed for bird watching on N. Seymour Island.

        On the even trail, a land iguana ate the opuntia and snaked across our path. It dragged its long tail and left a long line of footprints.  

        A swallow-tailed gull with red eyes peeped from the nests, which meant she had a chick aside.  

        Because of bushy vegetation on low and flat ground, North Seymour became the largest colony of two species in the Galapagos: magnificent and great frigates. Right in early April, it fell into the breeding season for the frigate birds. Male frigates croaked with their dazzling red inflated pouch, attracting females with white necks.  

        A large population of blue-footed boobies nested here as well. Mr. blue-footed booby danced, whistled in high pitch, walked with exaggerated steps, and unfolded their wings fancily to Miss blue-footed booby.  

        A common cactus finch built its nest in the prickly pears and chirped happily as we left the island.  

        North Seymour Island was a unique "living museum and showcase of evolution."

【红霞译】

        北黑暗岛是一个由海底火山爆发后熔岩向海平面凸起所形成的岛屿，整个“造”运动前后持续了至少一万年，岛上岩礁发现有海洋生物化石的存在，为上述推论提供了佐证。目前，这里已成为天然野生动物家园。

        吃罢午餐，我们列队去北黑暗岛附近海域作深海潜水，同行的还有另外一位名叫卫士的男孩，来自美国加州，卫士与我同龄，不但精力充沛，而且非常风趣，只要一起出游，我俩有说有乐，要么搬出笑话讲给对方听，要么交流学校里发生的趣闻轶事，要么干脆拿游戏开涮。

        转眼间大家一起从快艇上跳入太平洋，水中鱼翔浅底，海藻海胆栖息岩礁，海参扇虾固守珊瑚，正如唐代诗人柳宗元《至小丘西小石潭记》中所描述的那样：“日光下澈，影布石上，怡然不动，俶尔远逝，往来翕忽，似与游者相乐。”

        皮毛海狮扎猛钻进凉爽的海水，跟在我们屁股后面游来游去，一下子吓跑了身边不少鱼友。

        皮毛海狮刚刚离去，鱼群随即蜂拥而至。“眼似真珠鳞似金，时时动浪出还沉 ”。各种大小的镰刀蝴蝶鱼一齐从石缝里窜了出来，列队游行浩浩荡荡；长背小叶齿鲷游走在岩石之间，你追我赶兴头正高；彩虹狗头四仰八叉漂浮海面，悠闲地享受无限风光；管口鱼跟小鲭鱼混得烂熟，随便出入朋友阵营，不知什么时候，白尖礁鲨突现眼前，顿时引起一片惊慌。“日暮紫鳞跃，圆波处处生”。上岸之前，四条棘烟管鱼主动跑过来跟我们腻歪了好一阵子。

        潜水结束后，我们赶紧更衣，掉头登上北黑暗岛，实地参观野生动物生态环境。

        走在北黑暗岛平坦的小路上，陆生鬣蜥一边嚼着仙人掌，一边朝我们缓缓爬来，长长的尾巴后面留下了串串脚印。

        长着一对红眼眶的燕尾鸥虎目圆睁，站在鸟巢里密切注视我们的动向。显然，她是为了保护自己身边刚出世的宝宝。

        因为灌木丛生，再加上地势低矮平缓，北黑暗岛一举成为科隆群岛两种丽色和小军舰鸟最大的繁殖地，眼下四月初，正值军舰鸟繁殖季节。公军舰鸟求偶时，脖子上鼓起的大红喉袋是吸引白脖子异性的重要法宝。

        大量蓝脚鲣鸟同样喜欢在此安家落户。择友交配前，鲣鸟先生一定要靠跳舞唱歌、高抬阔步、频扇羽翼等表现手段来博取鲣鸟小姐欢欣。

        仙人掌地雀将鸟窝搭建在长满荆棘尖刺的仙人掌树上，见我们离去，欢快地放声高歌。

        北黑暗岛真是独一无二的“生物进化博物馆和活体标本陈列室”。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2013: Bachas Beach, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔驳船海滩)

2012: 忆淮滨(In Memory of Huaibin)

2011: 埃及教长湾—和平之城(Sharm El-Sheikh the City of Peace, Egypt)

2011: 埃及亚历山大—地中海明珠(Alexandria—Pearl of the Mediterranean, Egypt)

2009: 玩具(Toys)

N.Seymour, Galapagos

(巨龟群岛·北黑暗岛 04-04-2013)

 Deep Water Snorkeling (深水浮潜 04-04-2013)

Tropical Fish (热带鱼)

Sea Cucumber (海参)

Sea Lion (海狮)

Burito Grunt (异孔石鲈)

Guineafowl Puffer (白点叉鼻鲀)

Razor Surgeonfish (侧棒多板盾尾鱼)

Razor Surgeonfish (侧棒多板盾尾鱼) 

Razor Surgeonfish (侧棒多板盾尾鱼)

Spotfin Burrfish (斑鳍短刺鲀)

Rock Beach (岩石海滩)

Meet Land Iguana (走近陆鬣蜥 04-04-2013)

Land Iguana, primarily Herbivorous (陆鬣蜥·主要食草)

Land Iguana, the Cold-Blooded (陆鬣蜥·冷血动物)

Land Iguanas absorb heat from the sun by basking on volcanic rock, and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat 

(白天在火山岩上晒太阳取暖晚上在洞穴里睡觉以保留身体热量)

North Seymour Habitat (北黑暗岛生态地貌 04-04-2013)

Great Frigate (小军舰鸟)

Male Great Frigate w/ Feathers on Gular Sac

(雄小军舰鸟·喉囊上带有羽毛)

Great Frigate Juvinile (小军舰鸟幼仔)

Mom Lava Gull & Baby (熔岩鸥妈与幼鸥)

Lava Gull Juvenile (小熔岩鸥)

Lava Gull in Flight (飞行的熔岩鸥)

Lava Gull the Rarest on Earth (熔岩鸥·世上最罕见的海鸥)

Blue-footed Booby, the White Underparts unlike the Dark Brown Wings & the Blue Legs

（蓝脚鲣鸟·白色下部有别于深褐色翅膀及其蓝腿)

Distinctive Coloring in Neck, Head, & Beak

(脖子头部和喙颜色各有不同)

The Brightness of the Feet Decreases w/ Age

(脚的亮度会随着年龄的增长而降低)

Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting them up and down while strutting before the female 

(雄性走在雌性前面，借助上下抬脚来以示求爱)

Displaying w/ Sky-Pointing (指向天空求爱方式)

Displaying w/ Sky-Pointing (指向天空求爱方式)

Another Way of Displaying by Raising A Foot

(另一种显示方式便是抬脚)

Mating Ritual: Lifting Back-Body up and down & Raising Foot

(求爱仪式：上下撅尾巴与抬脚)

Male (left) has a smaller pupil and slightly lighter feet and is smaller in size than the female

(雄性瞳孔较小、脚稍轻、体型比雌性小)

Flora in North Seymour (北黑暗岛·植被)

Opuntia Forest (神仙掌林 04-04-2013)

Fitch's Nest on Opuntia (神仙掌上燕雀窝)

Opuntia (神仙掌)

Poison Apple (毒苹果)

Roast Suckling Pig (烤乳猪)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

2013: Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔十字架岛)

2013: Kicker Rock/Witch Hill, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔睡狮岩女巫岭)

2013: Frigatebird Hill, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔军舰鸟山)

2013: N.Seymour, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔北黑暗岛)

2013: Bartolome Island, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔农夫之子岛)

2013: Sullivan Bay of Santiago Is, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔替代者岛黑眼睛湾)

2013: Isabella Island, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔献身上帝岛)

2013: James Bay of Santiago Is, Ecuador(厄瓜多尔替代者岛追随者湾)

Ecuador(出游厄瓜多尔)

South America(漂流南美洲)

小学四年级(4th Grade)