Gentoo Update 10/26/2014

Our penguins have been busy feeding and reconnecting, and as the days progress, more and more of them seem to show up. The above gif shows those early days of coming and going and then, below, we see a little more of daily rookery life. Hopefully, there'll be more more images as the days progress. Of late, the little guys have left for hours feeding only to show up before sundown.

I have a feeling that these guys are going to be real camera hogs. :-)

More later!

First post for a new season

Hellooooo everyone and welcome back to the Gentoo Penguin Rookery at Gars O'Higgins Station in Antarctica!

As this is World Animal Day, then certainly you'll not find a more appropriate day for this blog to begin posting again. I'm ever so excited and happy to see our little guys already back and canoodling, regardless if the ice is as thick as it ever has been during the Antarctic winter. However, this year, I'm hoping that my computer will not take a nose dive as it did in the middle of hatching last year and ruin my posting abilities. So far, so good. I'm keeping flippers crossed it stays that way.

Firstly, though, I want to thank our Argentine friends at the station  for maintaining the cameras for us. Without their help, we would never be able to sit within the warm confines of our homes and enjoy watching the little Gentoos go about the business of propagating their species.

Secondly, last year, the first hatching came after Christmas/Boxing Day, which is unusual. And this year, reports are that the ice around Antarctica is thicker than in previous years. Climate change is affecting everything, but especially our penguins. But there is some good news. The ozone hole over Antarctica is smaller than it has been in the past decade and is on its way to closing indefinitely. From year to year, we can see small changes become large ones, but this should spur us on to make even larger changes in our own lives for the betterment of the environment.

And lastly, I am here to bring to you the best of what the camera captures of the actions of our little friends. If there are questions or comments, I am also here to field them. I wish us all to enjoy the penguin season with fascination, with concern, and with greater resolve to set things right again so that future generations of penguin and people can enjoy their lives with as much gusto as possible.

Peace out,
Lin aka wiinterrr

Psst... and now for a few images to get you going...