Monday 23 January
Fortified by a full English we headed off in the HiLux towards Gladstone. The route took us through the local sheep farm measuring a mere 250,000 hectares! The sheep were not much in evidence but the Upland Geese were. One of the few non-protected birds of the Falklands seemed to prosper.
Our first stop on the crest of a grassy hill looking down onto the Bay was a colony of Gentoo Penguins - a native of the Falklands who stay all year. The chicks had hatched and had lost their down but were still being fed by their parents. The lot of a breeding adult is a long slog down to the sea, diving for fish, and an even longer uphill waddle to regurgetate for their demanding offspring !
Life is obviously easy as it was quite possible to get within 2 metres without the merest shake of the head or flutter of a wing.
Following the line of adults heading down hill to the shallow bay we came across the Kelp Geese - so named as they feast on the seaweed that is much in evidence throughout the islands. Closer to the shore were the Oyster Catchers with their long curved beaks.
Walking around the headland were Shags nesting on the rock face. Not exactly inaccessible as they were no more than 2 metres up. again the adults were fishing and returning to feed. Ominously a pair of Petrels lingered purposely !
Lunch back at the truck and as the sun was out down to the shore where the adult penguins were taking a rest from the duties of child care and indulging in a little preening and 'me time’.
Back at base the sun was out late so we took a stroll around the bay where the ducks, geese and Night Herons were indulging in some evening feeding.
Fortified by a full English we headed off in the HiLux towards Gladstone. The route took us through the local sheep farm measuring a mere 250,000 hectares! The sheep were not much in evidence but the Upland Geese were. One of the few non-protected birds of the Falklands seemed to prosper.
Our first stop on the crest of a grassy hill looking down onto the Bay was a colony of Gentoo Penguins - a native of the Falklands who stay all year. The chicks had hatched and had lost their down but were still being fed by their parents. The lot of a breeding adult is a long slog down to the sea, diving for fish, and an even longer uphill waddle to regurgetate for their demanding offspring !
Life is obviously easy as it was quite possible to get within 2 metres without the merest shake of the head or flutter of a wing.
Following the line of adults heading down hill to the shallow bay we came across the Kelp Geese - so named as they feast on the seaweed that is much in evidence throughout the islands. Closer to the shore were the Oyster Catchers with their long curved beaks.
Walking around the headland were Shags nesting on the rock face. Not exactly inaccessible as they were no more than 2 metres up. again the adults were fishing and returning to feed. Ominously a pair of Petrels lingered purposely !
Lunch back at the truck and as the sun was out down to the shore where the adult penguins were taking a rest from the duties of child care and indulging in a little preening and 'me time’.
Back at base the sun was out late so we took a stroll around the bay where the ducks, geese and Night Herons were indulging in some evening feeding.