March of the penguins
Winya_wynah
Tue 26 Jan 2010 07:28
 This was the only little blue penguin we saw during
the day in Oamaru.
 At dusk we went back to the Colony and sat in their
grandstand to watch the little blue guys come home for the night.
For a long while we could see a raft of little
penguins 100 metres out to sea, waiting for the light to dim enough for them to
brave coming ashore.
Eventually they did, and we were rewarded with
about 140 of them all making their way up the beach in little huddles, each
egging the other on to be the first to cross over the path infront of where we
were sitting.
Photography is not allowed as any flash would
disturb them and hurt their eyes.
It was well worth the wait! On the way out
(11pm) just after the sign above we did have to stop! Yes for a
real penguin, so cute.
 Then on to Curio Bay & the Yellow-Eyed
Penguins/Hoiho, who are one of the rarest penguins in the world.
These penguins are 2ft tall, twice the size of
the Little Blues.
 In Curio Bay we had the fortune to see penguins
coming home in the day to feed their young.
 Both parents incubate and rear the chicks. Bit of a
clean up job was needed after the chicks had feasted on regurgetated fish from
one of the adults.   Here are the two chicks peeking out after having
been fed.
 It's not easy being a photographer out in these
Antartic conditions but someone has to do it!
 and the washing up! Ensuite wasn't all it was
cracked up to be!
 |