Today I was lucky enough to travel the 40kms to Windy Bay where there is an Emperor Penguin colony. There was about 8-10 thousand penguins on the sea ice, and although we couldn’t get down to mingle with them they were still an impressive sight. The chicks are at present almost as big as the parents who both have to go off to feed, and then wander back from the sea, find their chick and feed it. Consequently there is a lot of noise, and smell, with the chicks constantly demanding food from the adults. One adult might look after a number of chicks in a crèche while the others are making their way back the kilometer or so from the edge of the sea ice.
The colony waits until the sea ice breaks up, and this commits the chicks to the sea for the first time. Hopefully that will be in January when they have developed proper feathers: last year it was very early and most of the chicks drowned. 😯
I’ll keep up to date with their progress… but if the worst happens, I’ll lie and tell you they all safely swam northwards!
Fantastic pictures.
:love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:
Oh I am green with envy
Wow! Ian is becoming David Attenborough.
Yeah, just wanted to say it’s like reading a National Geographic article! 🙂 Cute penguins. :love:
Please do lie if they dont all safely make it or I will sob lots. Gorgeous piccies, very envious. more penguin facts?
amazing pics and info… those poor things… 🙄 here we are moaning about the icy wind :freeze:
take care….xxxxxx 😉
Wow, they are really cool :star: