Weekly Observation

Due to the holiday and a mad, last minute attempt to stay up on homework, I've been absent from meh own blog. However, I have been taking snaps of those beautiful Gentoos. And so, here they are--a week in review:


The week began with penguins taking turns to go feed in the sea and fresh snow fell, making the scenery very lovely.
Although the sun was obscured, there was enough daylight left to see "community events."



What was so endearing about the snow, was RM's covering JC's body in order to share the warmth on the nest. They stayed huddled together for quite a long time that night.











But JC kept giving herself away... she knew that egg laying time was fast approaching and she didn't want to miss it.

So she constantly checked the nest.












And she checked....



















And she checked....
















And she checked.















One more time, just to be sure...















But it appeared to be a natural action, as the entire group began to check the ground for eggs.









Meanwhile, At King Edward's Point on South Georgia Island, some fur seals decided the shoreline suited them.














And so did an elephant seal...














No King penguins this week, but there was one lone Gentoo, accompanied by a seal and another bird (hmm... I think it's a tern).








And unless JC lays her eggs tonight, the week will end and our pengies will be hugging and peering into the nest, waiting, as we are so far away.

It's Pengcognito Saturday!!! :P

From our good African friends at Pencognito:

http://pengcognito.com/

Happy T-Day!!!!

Today~~November 18, 2007

It's been a rather normal day at O'Higgins--much better than yesterday's snow. The penguins roosted on their nests for the majority of the day and not many Gentoos left to feed.











However, today was gorgeous. The sea had a higher viscosity than the day before and the waves rippled as if made from something alive, heart beating as one with the breeze.

The penguins who had established mates began to take turns going out to sea to feed. The female, JC, likes her nest, but from time to time, she'll stand up and sleep. Given that JC and RM managed a fertile pair of eggs, hatching should take place in about 63 days., which is around January 15, 2008. This worries me, as this is much later than last year.


Chicks must be hatched, reared and molted before the sea begins to freeze again or they'll lose their chance to escape to the sea for winter. We'll wait and see how it all turns out. Stay tuned.


I see that the Gentoos are still mating. If you look below the stack of bricks, you'll see them.








Typical day for RM and JC. Taking turns now to feed, while the other holds the nesting site. I believe that RM is on the right, but I won't know for sure until the eggs are laid.














A very loud and stage hog Gentoo!

















And finally, On South Georgia Island, the Kings have arrived. Also note the elephant seal lazing among the penguins. Very cool.

More Tuesday... Monday is school day.

Be well, all,
wiinterrr

November 13, 2007 ~~ Mating Occurs

This week's Pencognito!

This Week’s PENCOGNITO!!!!!!! Yay!

http://pengcognito.com/showall1.php?id=zombieninja

(Visit Jen's website: she has all the back issues there of our African Friends).

A HUGE thank you and HUGS to our Heroes at Gars O'Higgins Station

From the bottom of all our , thank you for braving the cold and installing those cams again.

You are, indeed, our heroes.

Wiinterrr, le blonde adelie (aka Lin)

PS. I'm still working on funding for you guys. I won't give up-born stubborn. lol

NEW! Cams are up and running

Last year....

I was sitting at home with a worn out computer, sick, unable to do much more than not move. I stumbled across this website and then I went back and again and again, until I was hooked.

I watched the Gentoo rookery until it was an obsession--this year is no different. However, the close-up shots will not occur unless we can find some sort of funding to pay for cables and equipment that was destroyed this past spring during one of Antarctica's violent storms.

My German heroes, bless them, have added the cams where they can, just so that we are able to see penguins. These guys work very hard at what they do and in what little spare time they have, they have managed to get these few extra cams going. Now that is true international diplomacy--selflessness at its best.

So, here's what I'm going to do and if you wish to help, then come on. I am going to petition Senator Al Gore for help, but it will not stop there. I will also contact various universities and their biology/ecology departments.
Grants are given away on a daily basis for such things as penguin research. Think of who you can contact, as well.

Penguins are our environment's barometers. If you care about the future of this planet, you will save the penguins. I need no encouragement to do so, as I have developed a love and respect for these animals beyond all my expectations--and I once was a herpetologist. My, how life changes. :) If you believe that these birds are a necessary element to our planet--if you believe that global warming will imminently cause harm to ourselves, not to mention thousands of other species with which we share this planet--if you want to see and study these birds for your own personal knowledge, then get busy. Talk to people, call those who can make a difference, and get the word out. Let's show the world that penguin research is vastly important.

But first, let's thank these guys at the station for the time they have taken in setting up these cams for us and count our blessings that their generosity makes our viewing of that frozen expanse possible. Danke! Danke! Danke! Here's a huge earth hug from your grateful viewers .................................................................................................................................................

Now, it's off to school. And a happy birthday to me. I got penguins for a present--loads of them!!!!! :)

Wiinterrr

Lin

Hey Guys!!!

My German heroes!!!

Please let us know when you are going to get the rest of the cams going... I understand that where you are is not like having a shopping mall around the corner for spare parts, but just an estimate as to when we need to begin paying better attention.

Signed,

One sad blonde Adelie

sigh...

THEY'RE HERE! THE GENTOOS ARE HERE!

So, I get excited... but after a late start and most of the cams still out of action, and even a week spent with California wildfires... today -I- saw -penguins! Movement... probably about 20. More to come... many more. And the little guys are down in the snow, stealing rocks from each other. If you look at the live cam, you'll see some black figures moving their furniture. Hard to know if they're penguins, but yes, they really, really are.

Get with it German guys--get those cams fixed and ready to go!!!

Live Cams will be added as they go online. Look to the right. Refresh your browser. And GO!

:P

The Cams are ON--and so it begins

Huzzah! The season is in its infancy and the penguins are on their way. What is so encouraging is that the good folks at O'Higgins have repaired two of their five cameras. The one which focuses on the station as a whole and the one that keeps a vigilant eye on the station's dish are up and running. Now, at least, we can see the current weather and the state of the ice around the station.

October is here and it couldn't come any sooner. It is with all good wishes for the gentry at O'Higgins to repair the other cams as soon as possible. Don't worry though--if they're up, they'll be posted. In fact, once the Gentoos arrive, I'll be making many posts during the day... hope you like penguins. :)

Also--

This is a shot from South Georgia Island's live cam where, in a few short weeks, King, Adelie, and Gentoo penguins will return to form giant colonies, reproduce, and rear their chicks. In addition to the O'Higgins Station webcam (if they ever get it fixed-hint, hint), I will also post pictures from this live cam.

Check back for daily updates or use the RSS Reader to stay informed, regarding events.

I can hardly wait.

Wiinterrr

Me

Lucky me...

It's almost that time of the year when the Penguins return to O'Higgins. Last year, my first year at watching the Gentoo penguins, changed me in more ways than I can say. I found a new aspect to who I am, a new passion, and a desire to leave the world better off than before my presence. That's quite a lot to gain from watching the everyday lives of penguins.

But, it happened. Four websites later, I find myself getting the word out about global warming, to encourage penguin adoption, and to show the world that a place without penguins is nowhere I want to be.

This blog is not about me--it is that place where anyone can come and see penguins... real live Gentoo penguins. The site where I will be pulling images from a live webcam is:

http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/station.htm#1

You can store this webcam site on any homepage that allows live cam widgets, as I have done here, but be careful... I can't promise that you'll be the same after watching the Gentoos hatch out two eggs and rear their chicks. I call it a living in the "aw" moment and it's more habit forming than a nickel one armed bandit.

Check back here, as I will be posting at an awesome rate, and keeping everyone up to date on events. Most of all, thanks for watching with me.

Wiinterrr,
le blonde adelie