The Falkland Islands, More Penguins - Nov. 24, 2019
The seas were so rough two nights ago that the Internet was unusable, meaning the photos didn't upload, so this post is a day late.
I don't know how many times we've looked outside and immediately remarked, "I need to get a picture of that." This is the result of one of those moments.
Our first sighting of the Falklands.
Vegetation. After a week of nothing but snow, ice and rocks, we stood out on the balcony and enjoyed bright yellow of the gorse.
The water isn't all that deep at the entrance to the harbor in Stanley.
The side thrusters were really roiling the water as we slid sideways next to the pier.
The pier is a distance from town, so buses ran every 15 minutes all day long making it very easy to go into town and return.
The Falklands are very clearly a British Overseas Territory.
The Falklands war between Argentina, who invaded the Falklands in 1982, and the British who defeated them in the war is a very important to the islanders. The Argentine soldiers were told they were reclaiming the islands and the British were subjugating the inhabitants. When the Argentine soldiers realized that nearly everyone on the islands were British and didn't even speak Spanish they probably began to question the motives of the Argentine government.
Linda flower photo. Nice Bob.
The most common vehicles you see are Land Rovers. Most of them are older and look well used as opposed to this nearly new Defender model.
Guess who is bringing a rock back from the Falklands.
King penguins, only the Emperor is larger.
King penguin chicks.
This chick has partially molted its brown baby feathers.
They sure do spend a lot of time preening and plucking.
How close we could approach them.
No, it's not a flying penguin.
This one was heading down to the water.
They are laying on their rock nest with an egg under there. Linda really had a good time laughing at the 'starburst' pattern around their nests. When the need to go potty they stand up, turn so their back is facing away from the nest and cut loose with a jet of poo. The result is the white pattern that marks each nest.
You can see this ones egg.
They are Gentoo penguins and they usually lay two eggs.
The penguin to the left has just brought a stone and laid it beside the nest. The one on the nest has picked it up and is placing it in just the right spot.
Predator flying over the penguin colony. Note how the penguin in the bottom center has its beak up to ward off any attempt to steal an egg.
Not every egg hatches.
Besides the egg, you can also see the bare skin patch that is pressed against the egg to keep i warm.
They spend a great deal of time arranging the eggs just so when one penguin replaces the other on the nest.
Magellanic penguin. Its narrow black stripe under the wide black area on its neck identifies it,
Every thing she wants in a rock.
A little bird on the beach.
A great way to end an afternoon of penguin watching.
Just for fun.
I don't know how many times we've looked outside and immediately remarked, "I need to get a picture of that." This is the result of one of those moments.
Our first sighting of the Falklands.
Vegetation. After a week of nothing but snow, ice and rocks, we stood out on the balcony and enjoyed bright yellow of the gorse.
The water isn't all that deep at the entrance to the harbor in Stanley.
The side thrusters were really roiling the water as we slid sideways next to the pier.
The pier is a distance from town, so buses ran every 15 minutes all day long making it very easy to go into town and return.
The Falklands are very clearly a British Overseas Territory.
The Falklands war between Argentina, who invaded the Falklands in 1982, and the British who defeated them in the war is a very important to the islanders. The Argentine soldiers were told they were reclaiming the islands and the British were subjugating the inhabitants. When the Argentine soldiers realized that nearly everyone on the islands were British and didn't even speak Spanish they probably began to question the motives of the Argentine government.
Linda flower photo. Nice Bob.
The most common vehicles you see are Land Rovers. Most of them are older and look well used as opposed to this nearly new Defender model.
Guess who is bringing a rock back from the Falklands.
King penguins, only the Emperor is larger.
King penguin chicks.
This chick has partially molted its brown baby feathers.
They sure do spend a lot of time preening and plucking.
How close we could approach them.
No, it's not a flying penguin.
This one was heading down to the water.
They are laying on their rock nest with an egg under there. Linda really had a good time laughing at the 'starburst' pattern around their nests. When the need to go potty they stand up, turn so their back is facing away from the nest and cut loose with a jet of poo. The result is the white pattern that marks each nest.
You can see this ones egg.
They are Gentoo penguins and they usually lay two eggs.
The penguin to the left has just brought a stone and laid it beside the nest. The one on the nest has picked it up and is placing it in just the right spot.
Predator flying over the penguin colony. Note how the penguin in the bottom center has its beak up to ward off any attempt to steal an egg.
Not every egg hatches.
Besides the egg, you can also see the bare skin patch that is pressed against the egg to keep i warm.
They spend a great deal of time arranging the eggs just so when one penguin replaces the other on the nest.
Magellanic penguin. Its narrow black stripe under the wide black area on its neck identifies it,
Every thing she wants in a rock.
A little bird on the beach.
A great way to end an afternoon of penguin watching.
Just for fun.
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