Sunday, February 24, 2008

Weekly Update

Geez. It appears that Nest Cams 1 & 2 are down for the count. Probably no one knows that they're offline and so what glimpses of penguins there are to be had are done at a fair distance. I know that our Gentoos are probably about ready to finish their molt and that surely by this time, they are teaching the chicks about swimming. It just would be really nice to see the last of them swim off for their fall and winter break.

However, I have a few pictures of the station and a couple of them are really nice shots:

The first of the week saw snow--and not a little of it, either.
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And after the thaw, more 'bergs moving through:

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One of the last "grabs" I caught of our pengies is really quite humorous. Feel free to fill in your own caption.

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Now... to whet your appetite for pengie pix, soon, I will be adding the Oamaru Little Blue penguin cam and today, I have added the Lord Howe Island Cam, or as it is better known, the Macquarie Island Cam. Sometimes, there are Royal Penguins roaming around, so it's really a thrill to catch them waddling around.

I will be adding more cams as I find them, so hang in there. This page is by no means finished. In the meantime, to whet your appetite for those gorgeous Gentoos, here are a few reminders of how cute they really are.

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Neat, huh? Until next week, Ahay from Antarctica, wiinterrr

New Pencognito from Jen (at http://pengcognito.com/)

Psst... ever wonder how penguins chose their restaurants? Here is how they do it... (flippers up!)

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Sunday, February 17, 2008

Cams...as fickle as Antarctic ice... le sigh.

Once more cams lost power last night. I'm sure someone will notice and get them online again. In the meantime, stay close. you never know what you're going to see when the power is restored. Oh, and how about this little offering?


However, I have updated this site and I have added a few more cams, weather widgets, a petition to help save the penguins, and links to other great penguin sites. I hope you enjoy your time spent here and that you take away with you a love for penguins you never thought possible.

Enough for now... this blonde adelie must go in search of some food. No chicks to feed... just me.

Ahay from Antarctica...
wiinterrr





























Bugling for one of any number of reasons.
Below... chicks rejoin their parent(s) for feeding.

Weekly Review

I am sad... but happy at the same time. We have our cams back (thank you!), but our chicks are experiencing their first molt. The famous white stripe that sits atop the Gentoo head is emerging and the little ones are finally growing into those long flippers. The adults are also experiencing molt, although some are not, as yet, and they still return to the sea to feed themselves and their chicks. Twice this week, I've seen adults using their threat stance towards their chicks. It is a sure sign of weening them from dependence on their parents.


Just as spring approaches the northern hemisphere, in the southern, autumn returns with the fast ice. This means that these birds must molt and be ready to go out into the Southern Ocean before ice is so thick that they can't. And it will come. Surprisingly, there have been few storms, but then there have been fogs so thick you'd swear it had legs. :) The temps have been a few degrees above freezing, but for Antarctica, that's a heat wave. More and more bergs are breaking and there is less ice on land.

Darkness comes now and longer each day by leaps and bounds. Only a few days ago, the sun would set at 8pm (CST), but now by 7, there is little light. The sun rises for South Georgia, as well as the Antarctic Peninsula around 2am (CST). As the sun descends, the chicks and adults return to the original nesting site to feed, but when the sun rises and those adults who can still swim, head for the water with the chicks right behind them. Each morning, there is a huge gathering at the edge of the ice. The chicks must want to go, also, but they dare not.

Pictures this week are a mixed bag of events, but here they are--those beautiful birds:

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Some chicks can really sleep. Notice George here with his feet in the air, while another adult looks at the rocks.

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George and Gracie are waiting for RM and JC to return from the sea.
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That is an adult molting and they appear to do it very fast.

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Gracie is getting a chewing out from a parent. Again, this is a sure sign of removing dependence on the parent.

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Looks like a small get-together of adults. As the chicks are no longer in need of protection, the adults can, once more, enjoy the community of others.
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More looking at rocks and a chick that is molting.

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Not a great shot, but one where that shows that chicks sleep in a different position than adults.

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Not a great shot, but still, a closeup of Gracie.

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George sits and appears rather content.

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Even as the adults tolerate each other again, they still do not condone other birds in the rookery.
And again, there is more rock gazing in the back of the photo.



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One of the few times I caught everyone all together.

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And although, he was not seen much, the Chinstrap Penguin is still here and still in molt.

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There is nothing more beautiful than a penguin chick.

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George and Gracie and they've obviously learned from their parents how to groom themselves.

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Another gorgeous sunset.

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The ice is solidifying and moving as pack ice.

And lastly, the lovely view across to the mountain. Until next time, Ahay from Antarctica,
wiinterrr :P

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Saturday, February 16, 2008

New Pencognito from Jen (at http://pengcognito.com/)

Okay, the hats just hurt me laughing so hard, but music and jazz music at that? LOL And I have a huge crush on the drummer. He's my kind of penguin. ;) Enjoy!

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Nest Cams 1 & 2 Down Again

I noticed this morning that Nest Cams 1 & 2 are down again and have been for about 10 hours. Hopefully, power will be restored to them today, as the sun is out and not many more days remain to take really good "grabs" of our chicks.

So, to cheer myself (and you!) up this morning, I went through some of the older posts of Pencognito and look what I found! This one will have you laughing so hard, you'll snort your herring juice. :) Enjoy!!

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You can visit Jen (the marvelously talented creator of Pencognito at http://pencognito.com/

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Weekly Update--Darn That Power Cord!

ARGH! Squawk!

I know that I'm being so selfish, but this morning when I turned on the computer, I thought--today--home all day and I can take loads of pengie pix. Nada. The cam froze about an hour later, as power stopped going to it. *shrugs* I don't know why that keeps happening, but then again, I know the guys down there (Greetings Chileans!) have been keeping us plugged in for the time that we've had lately. Believe me, I'm grateful, too.

I'm writing National Geographic again tomorrow. You know what with the 6 Degrees special that global warming is at the forefront of their minds. Now is the time to keep cams in Antarctica that show what is happening with all wildlife. I hope that I can convince them, but letters from others would help the cause.

Now for a visual review of the week... and what a fantastic week it was!

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This is a rather indignant penguin--George or Gracie are like, "what?"

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Our chicks like to sleep A GREAT DEAL. :P

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Of course there is the chore of preening, which makes them sleepy again.

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So very healthy--so very beautiful.

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One chick is making "tracks," while our chicks look--once more--sleepy.

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A good nap can be had sitting, as well as lying down.

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Mother and chick. Gorgeous!

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As always, a parent is nearby.

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And so, it begins. At this time of the year, the parents begin to molt. When an adult goes into a full molt, he or she can no longer go into the sea to feed, as penguins lose their insulation against the cold water. The chicks become impatient for food, as they begin to molt out of their own down. It's not a good situation all around, but necessary. If our cams are up again, we'll see chicks chase parents, but at the end of it all, the parents will return to the sea, and their chicks, out of hunger or need for a community will then follow.

I figure we have about a month left before they begin to leave. Sad, isn't it?

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Oh, this is hilarious. Mom or Dad is giving their "teenagers" some major instructions. After this the parent left for the sea and what seemed obvious later, the kids obeyed by staying near the nest.

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Then this morning--look to the upper left on the platform. It's a Chinstrap penguin in the Gentoo rookery and the Gentoo isn't that happy about the news.

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But the Chin came down to the rookery where he fit in nicely. Notice how "ruffled" the Chin appears... he or she is in heavy molt and as he or she was too away from their own rookery, the decision to stay with cousins was a mandatory one. This is great because we may see more of them in the days to come.

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And now for some spectacular sunsets... enjoy!

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And----one unbelievable sunrise....

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One last shot as the sun leaves for the night... this photo captures the last rays of the sun, as well as a sky full of stars. Perhaps, this one was the best, you think?

Ahay from Antarctica,
wiinterrr

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